Weight loss journeys feel like navigating a maze with strict diets, calorie tracking, and endless confusion. Among the many methods available, two stand out: the carnivore diet and the calorie deficit approach.
To determine which approach helps you lose weight, the carnivore diet involves a high-protein, carb-free diet, while a calorie deficit occurs when you consume fewer calories than you burn, resulting in gradual weight loss.
The primary footprints of our ancestors are evident in the fact that they survived for millions of years on animal products. Only after the introduction of processed foods did a spike in obesity and illnesses occur. This guide provides comprehensive information on the carnivore diet and calorie deficit, with a focus on weight loss and the scientific evidence behind its benefits and risks.
Key Takeaways
Carnivore diets: Restrictive, meat-focused diet that eliminates plant foods and depends on animal products for all nutritional needs.
Calorie Deficit: This diet focuses on consuming fewer calories than the body needs to maintain its energy balance. It allows for balanced food intake across all macronutrients.
Choosing the proper diet for real weight loss: Both approaches can help you lose weight, but the decision should be based on your food preferences, healthy goals, and lifestyle.
What is a Carnivore Diet?
According to Dr. Kelly Schmidt, RD, a holistic dietitian in Columbus, Ohio, carnivore diets include walking, swimming, and flying foods. This includes animal meat, poultry, and seafood. Unlike other low-carb, high-protein diets, the carnivore diet allows no carbohydrates. You must exclude all fruits, vegetables, legumes, sugar, grains, and nuts. This is why it is called the 'zero-carb' diet.
The carnivore diet, also known as the lion diet, is similar to the Ketogenic(keto) and Atkins diets. The difference is that the lion's diet limits the amount of carbohydrates. In the 1700s, a Scottish military surgeon, John Rollo, MD, used a meat-only diet to treat patients with diabetes. He reported that cutting carbs lowered his patients' blood sugar levels.
In 2019, Shawn Baker, MD, a former orthopaedic surgeon, popularised the meat-only diet with the release of his book, The Carnivore Diet. The diet gained even more popularity when comedian and podcast host Joe Rogan endorsed it. Rogan ate only meat for 30 days in 2019 and claimed he gained a lot of energy and lost 12 pounds.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend eating a balanced diet that includes lean proteins, whole grains, vegetables, and fruits. The carnivore diet doesn't align with guidelines, as it leaves you deficient in nutrients from essential food groups necessary for overall health.
Foods to Eat on a Carnivore Diet
There are different versions of the carnivore diet, but most people primarily consume animal foods such as:
- Eggs: Whole eggs and egg yolks
- Full-fat dairy: Cheese, full-fat yogurt, butter
- Meat: steak, ground beef, lamb, bison, venison, and pork.
- Poultry: duck, turkey, and chicken
- Seafood: Salmon, clams, sardines, shrimp, and mussels
- Organ meats: kidney, liver, heart
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How the Carnivore Diet Works to Lose Weight
Carbohydrates are the body's primary energy source, so when you eat carbohydrates, they are converted into sugar (glucose) for energy. The excess glucose is converted into fat and stored in your muscles and liver.
When you follow a carnivore diet without carbs, your body enters a state of ketosis. This is a metabolic state where your body switches from using carbohydrates as its primary fuel source to using stored fat. The fats are turned into ketones for energy, leading to rapid weight loss as your body effectively burns fat.
The high-protein diet helps repair and build muscle tissue. High-protein meals keep you full for extended periods, reducing cravings and the likelihood of overeating. This helps prevent weight regain after weight loss.
The carnivore diet is a type of ketogenic diet since the keto diet does not provide enough calories from glucose and other forms of sugar. To compensate for this, the body enters a state of ketosis, which utilizes fat as an energy source by burning it to create ketones.
Benefits of a Carnivore Diet
1. Improves Hormonal Regulation for Appetite Control
According to a TikTok user, her life has undergone a complete transformation since she began the carnivore diet. She struggled with an unhealthy eating cycle, binge eating, food addiction, and zero self-control over unhealthy foods and sweets. She added that she had food noises in her head after eating, instantly thinking about her next meal.
When she started the carnivore diet, the food noises disappeared, and she said the diet transformed her body and mind.
According to lifestyle dietitian Erika Hung, people who adhere to a carnivore diet tend to experience less hunger and a reduced desire to eat, which can lead to weight loss. The carnivore diet regulates hormones such as insulin, leptin, and ghrelin, which control hunger, satiety, and fat storage.
When insulin levels are low, fat burning is encouraged. Leptin sensitivity helps the body recognize when it is full, while ghrelin, the hunger hormone, minimizes cravings, making it easier to stick to diet plans.
The diet puts the body in ketosis and makes hunger manageable. If you’ve ever wondered why most people struggle to stay on track, The Hidden Reason Weight Loss Fails and the Proven Solution explains exactly that.
2. Thermic Effect of Food
Proteins take the most energy to digest from the other macronutrients (fats, carbohydrates). When on a carnivore diet, you will burn more calories without effort. This is due to the thermic effect of food (TEF), a component of the body's energy expenditure. Although it may account for a small percentage of calories burned in a day, over time, it adds up and contributes to weight loss.
3. Eliminates Water Retention
Eliminating carbs depletes glycogen stores in the liver and muscles. Your body stores about three grams of water for every gram of glycogen. When on the carnivore diet, you will notice how you look almost immediately, simply because you shed the water weight you hold. It also eliminates bloating and digestive discomfort.
4. Prevents Overeating with High Satiety
Sticking to a new diet is difficult because you constantly battle cravings. Animal-based meals are naturally satisfying due to their high protein and fat content. A carnivore diet promotes a high level of satiety or fullness because proteins take longer to digest. At the same time, the fat provides steady energy to keep you full for extended periods.
5. Mental Clarity
Carbohydrates are attributed to providing the body with energy. According to a member of the lifestyle community, a high-protein diet improves reaction time and cognitive function. Most people in carnivore communities report having better mental clarity since starting the diet.
6. Simplifies Meal Planning
Meal planning with a variety of foods can lead to feeling overwhelmed or experiencing decision fatigue. The carnivore diet is straightforward and offers fewer food options.
You must get creative with your diet recipes, from simple meal prep to travel meals. We have got you covered.
7. Eliminated Hidden Calories from Processed Foods
The modern urban diet is packed with refined oils, sugars, and additives that can derail weight loss efforts. The carnivore diet provides nutrient-dense options that provide energy without excess calories.
It also helps stabilize blood sugar (glucose) levels and prevent spikes from sugar and carbs.
8. Chronic Disease Control
The diet helps manage diabetes, lifelong diseases, and autoimmune disorders. Research links a high-carb diet, especially sugar, to chronic diseases. Taking zero carbs addresses that specific risk factor.
Downsides of the Carnivore Diet
The carnivore diet has many downsides due to its restrictive nature and elimination of micronutrients from other food groups.
1. Very Restrictive
The diet is highly restrictive, as it eliminates foods that promote health and provide essential nutrients, such as fruits and vegetables. Diets low in plant produce have been linked to increased mortality risk and several diseases, including heart disease and cancer.
High intake of processed meat, especially red meat, has been linked with increased risk of several health conditions, such as breast cancer and colon cancer. The high saturated fats in the carnivore diet can raise your bad cholesterol, causing colorectal cancer and heart disease. The American Heart Association recommends limiting red meat to protect your heart.
2. Digestive Problems
Meat takes longer to digest, and slowing down that process can lead to constipation. The diet lacks fiber, which helps keep things moving along.
3. Kidney Stones
Eating a diet high in animal protein can affect the kidneys' long-term filtering function by placing extra stress on them. Consuming more meat over time may increase the risk of developing kidney stones.
4. Muscle Cramps
A high-protein diet's lack of key nutrients can lead to an electrolyte imbalance, causing muscle cramps, fatigue, dizziness, and general weakness. However, according to a carnivore diet expert, adding sea salt helps balance the electrolytes, restoring energy.
Calorie Deficit Diet
Every food and beverage we consume provides calories, essentially units of energy that fuel bodily functions, including digestion, metabolism, and exercise. A calorie deficit diet focuses on consuming fewer calories than the body needs, creating a negative balance that promotes weight loss.
Eating fewer calories than your body burns daily will result in less overall fat, leading to weight loss over time. You can temporarily limit your calorie intake until you reach your desired healthy weight. Then, slowly add more calories to help maintain the weight you lost.
What is a Calorie Deficit?
According to Kristina Zalnieraite, a registered dietitian and head of nutrition and wellness at Kilo Health, creating a calorie deficit (CD) involves limiting food intake (calories) and increasing physical activity. The body turns to stored fat to make up for the energy it needs but isn’t getting from food, leading to weight loss over time.
Your body burns energy in several ways. The largest portion comes from your basal metabolic rate (BMR), the number of calories you burn at rest to maintain vital functions. The rest comes from exercise activity thermogenesis (EAT), which refers to the calories burned through intentional physical activities, such as workouts or sports.
Understanding these components is essential, and it’s also why the scale sometimes doesn’t move even when you’re trying. I cover this in more depth in Why Your Scale Won’t Move: The Truth About Calorie Deficits. To lose weight through a calorie deficit, you need to burn more energy throughout the day
How Many Calories Do You Need to Burn to Create a Calorie Deficit?
The National Library of Medicine states that individuals who are overweight, defined as having a BMI of 25.0 or higher, should reduce their daily calorie intake by 500 to 1000 calories, resulting in approximately 2 pounds of weight loss per week. These 500 calories might be too many for someone who has less weight to lose. This should not deprive the body of necessary nutrients, but with a low-calorie, nutrient-dense diet.
A calorie deficit calculator, such as the one used by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, can help create a realistic goal. Cutting too much can cause natural deficiencies and concerns about malnutrition.
Cutting calories through food is easier than relying solely on exercise. Combining diet changes with strength and aerobic exercises helps support muscle retention and promote fat loss.
A calorie deficit can sometimes trigger hunger, cravings, and low energy. Choosing nutrient-dense, filling foods and planning balanced meals makes the process more manageable and sustainable.
Calorie Deficit Foods to Include:
To be in a calorie deficit, opt for low-calorie, nutrient-dense foods:
- High-fiber foods: legumes, lentils, and beans.
- Lean proteins: chicken, turkey, fish, and plant-based options like tofu and legumes.
- Low-fat dairy: Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and low-fat milk.
- Whole grains: brown rice, whole wheat bread, oats, and quinoa
- Healthy fats: nuts, avocado, seeds, and olive oil in moderate amounts.
- Leafy vegetables: kale, broccoli, spinach, and other greens
- Low-sugar fruits: apples, citrus fruits, berries. Fruits that are hydrating and fiber-rich.
When in a calorie deficit, avoid foods that are calorie-dense with low-nutrient foods such as:
- Sugary beverages: soda, juice drinks with added sugar, and sweetened coffee
- High-calorie desserts with low nutrients: cookies, ice cream, and cakes
- Refined grains: White bread, rice, pasta. They are less filling and nutrient-dense
- Fried foods: Foods cooked in oil, often high in saturated fats.
- Alcohol: wine, beer, and cocktails, which add calories with little nutritional value
- Processed foods: sugary snacks, chips, and other highly processed foods.
Limiting or avoiding these foods can help you maintain a calorie deficit more easily, improving your chances of sustainable weight loss. You can find these and even more in our Habits over Food eBook.
Benefits of a Calorie-Deficit Diet
1. Improved Cardiovascular Health. Eating less may help reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering blood pressure.
2. Improved Insulin Sensitivity: Consuming a calorie deficit has been shown to enhance insulin sensitivity, thereby reducing the risk of developing diabetes and other metabolic disorders. Diets high in processed foods, including refined carbohydrates and saturated fats, can stimulate insulin production, making weight loss more challenging.
3. Reduced Inflammation: A calorie deficit combined with a nutrient-dense diet has been shown to reduce inflammation, thereby lowering the risk of chronic diseases, including heart disease and cancer.
4. Longevity: Research indicates that a calorie-restricted diet can increase lifespan by 10% by eliminating most chronic diseases associated with excessive blood sugar levels, such as diabetes.
Drawbacks of a Calorie Deficit
According to Katherine Gomez, a registered dietitian, restricting calories too much can weaken bones, lower immunity, and reduce fertility. She adds that calorie-restricted diets may not provide enough vitamin B12, folate, and Iron, which can lead to extreme fatigue or anaemia.
1. Loss of muscle mass: Consuming fewer calories can negatively impact overall strength and physical function, leading to a loss of muscle mass.
2. Hunger and cravings: Consuming fewer calories can trigger increased hunger and cravings. This makes it hard to stick to a calorie-restrictive diet and leads to food binging due to increased appetite.
3. Slower metabolism: Restricting calorie intake for prolonged periods may slow the metabolism, making it harder to lose weight over time.
4. Risk of disordered eating: A calorie deficit diet without proper guidance can lead to an eating disorder. Since all calorie-deficit diets should be temporary, once the objective is achieved, you should maintain the weight.
According to a new study, gradually increasing your calories in the same way you reduced them can help limit potential weight gain and keep the extra pounds off in the long term. Increased physical activity, protein, and fiber can help combat overeating or a sudden increase in calorie intake.
Create an effective plan that suits your needs and health goals, and monitor your progress to ensure you manage your weight safely and maintain your health.
Carnivore vs Calorie Deficit: Which Diet is Right for You?
According to Dr. Cyrus Khambatta, the carnivore diet is simply a calorie deficit. A carnivorous diet is said to induce a negative calorie balance, resulting in a calorie deficit. People claim to lose weight on a carnivore diet because it creates a calorie deficit.
When it comes to long-term weight management, the calorie deficit diet often holds an edge due to its balance across food groups. It is also easy to adapt to and accommodate various preferences. On the other hand, a carnivore diet offers faster initial weight loss and specific benefits for conditions like non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes. Its strict adherence can lead to potential nutrient deficiencies. Ultimately, the best choice depends on individual goals, health considerations, and lifestyle.
Health Benefits and Risks
Both diets promote weight loss, but each has unique health implications. A carnivore diet may benefit those managing diabetes and fatty liver disease. Its restrictive nature can lead to potential nutrient deficiencies and impact lipid levels, as it limits Fiber, fruits, and whole grains.
A calorie deficit allows for a variety of food groups, resulting in a balanced diet that is sustainable in the long term and adaptable to various dietary preferences. However, food restrictions can trigger hunger cravings, which in turn can lead to snacking. This can lead to weight gain, which can be addressed by consuming a high-protein diet, fats with fewer carbohydrates, or complex carbohydrates.
Nutritional Differences
The focus here is on macronutrients; the carnivore diet is high in protein and fat, shifting the body into ketosis, where fat becomes the primary energy source. It is quicker in the initial phase of weight loss due to reduced insulin levels and appetite suppression. It, however, requires strict adherence.
A calorie-deficit diet focuses on consuming fewer calories than your body burns, which forces weight loss regardless of the types of food you eat. It offers a flexible range of food choices, making it easy for many to maintain a healthy diet. It avoids the strict restriction of the carnivore diet, which limits entire food groups, including carbs.
A carnivore diet enhances satiety and reduces post-meal blood sugar spikes, supporting weight control without the need for constant calorie counting.
Both can be effective. A calorie-restricted diet offers variety, while a carnivore, or high-fat, low-carb diet, reduces hunger. Choose what you can maintain for the long term.
Both preserve muscle with adequate protein. A calorie deficit is effective with strength training, while the carnivore high-fat protein diet supports muscle retention.
Both are manageable: the carnivore diet is based on meat and easy to prepare, while the calorie deficit allows flexibility in carb intake.
Conclusion
Choosing between a carnivore diet and a calorie deficit ultimately depends on the individual's lifestyle, health goals, and personal preferences. The carnivore diet supports initial rapid weight loss and helps manage certain conditions, such as diabetes. A calorie deficit offers a flexible, balanced approach to maintaining weight loss.
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Carnivore vs Calorie Deficit FAQs
1. Does the carnivore diet require calorie tracking or counting?
Not necessarily. Many followers of the carnivore diet skip strict calorie counting because high-protein and high-fat foods often naturally reduce appetite.
2 . Can you lose weight on a carnivore diet without focusing on a calorie deficit?
Yes, it’s possible. When your food is highly satiating (such as protein and fat), you may naturally eat less and create a calorie deficit without having to count deliberately.
3. What types of foods are allowed on a carnivore diet vs a calorie deficit diet?
Carnivore: Only animal-based foods: meat, fish, eggs, and some low-lactose dairy.
Calorie Deficit (flexible): Any food is allowed, if total calories stay below your maintenance level, so there’s room for variety.
4. Which is more sustainable in the long term: carnivore or calorie deficit?
A calorie-deficit diet is generally more sustainable because it allows for flexibility in food choices. The carnivore diet’s strict restrictions make it harder to maintain long-term.
5. Does the carnivore diet lead to faster weight loss than a calorie deficit diet?
It could be due to water loss and reduced hunger. However, over time, evidence suggests that results depend more on consistency and adherence.
6. What are the risks or drawbacks of the carnivore diet compared to a calorie deficit?
Some risks include nutrient deficiencies (due to a lack of fiber and plant-based vitamins), elevated cholesterol levels, and kidney strain. The carnivore diet is more extreme and carries more health uncertainty.
7. How do you maintain muscle while following a carnivore or a calorie deficit diet?
Focus on sufficient protein intake and include resistance training. In both approaches, maintaining muscle is easier when protein and strength training are prioritized.
8. Is the carnivore diet suitable for people with certain health conditions (e.g., cholesterol, kidney issues)?
It may be risky. Because of high animal fat and limited micronutrients, those with heart disease, high LDL cholesterol, kidney disease, or cardiovascular risk should be cautious and consult a healthcare professional.
9. Can you combine the carnivore diet with a calorie deficit for better results?
Yes, you can eat meat-only foods, but still limit your calorie intake. That way, you get the satiety benefits of a carnivore plus the weight-loss effect of a calorie deficit.
10. Why might someone stall or stop losing weight on a carnivore diet while in a calorie deficit?
Possible causes include metabolic adaptation, hidden calories (e.g., fats, dairy products), inadequate protein intake, insufficient sleep or recovery, or hormonal fluctuations.