The Carnivore Diet Plan Quiets Food Noise and Ends Cravings To Help Women Lose Weight Fast

The term ‘food noise’ is pretty new. Yet food noise itself—that constant brain chatter about what to eat next, even when we’re full—has dogged millions of people for decades. Yes, meds like Ozempic can help. But an affordable, all-natural option is gaining popularity: following the carnivore diet plan. As cravings quiet, weight loss and healing often happen with ease. Here, how to try it yourself and how it worked for Courtney Luna, down 60 pounds without struggle. 

What is the carnivore diet?

On a basic carnivore diet plan, you eat only zero-carb, ultra-satisfying animal foods like butter, fish, poultry and meat. All plants contain carbs, so cutting them makes carnivore “the lowest carb of all diets,” says low-carb expert Ken D. Berry, MD, who works with thousands using this animal-based eating approach. And as your body runs low on carbs, it begins to burn body fat around the clock. “In five to 14 days, a carnivore diet greatly diminishes food noise, and in 21 days, it’s typically completely gone,” he says. 

 “A carnivore diet is the oldest diet in recorded history. It is safe and healthy.” -Ken Berry, MD

Why the carnivore diet plan works

At an average supermarket, “80 to 90 percent of the choices are chemically engineered to make us overeat,” says Dr. Berry. But the carnivore diet plan can fight against that overeating driven by carbs and sugar. Harvard-led research found that 91 percent of carnivore dieters report significant improvements in both their hunger and food cravings. 

Check out these carnivore diet benefits

Eating only animal products has some impressive health perks.

Food triggers are gone

Carnivores not only ditch processed foods but also natural carbs, which can be an issue for highly sensitive people. “Addiction is gradually broken,” says Dr. Berry. Plus the high protein content in meat keeps you feeling fuller for longer.

You have less inflammation

There’s a good chance carnivore eating eliminates an ingredient—say, a fake sweetener or a certain nut—secretly causing inflammation inside you. As inflammation comes down, you feel better and experience biochemical changes “that make weight loss much easier,” says the doc.

Your blood sugar levels are balanced

With no carbs coming in, blood sugar production drops and insulin comes down and stays down, says Dr. Berry. That means no sugar spikes to set off cravings. And your body gets a break, allowing it to repair sugar-related damage and start to regulate blood sugar better. “Even with type 2 diabetes, blood sugar starts to return to normal within three days,” says Dr. Berry. (Discover more ways to keep your blood sugar balanced here.)

Nutrient absorption soars

Skimping on nutrients can also lead to cravings. “Meat is the most nutrient-dense food on the earth,” Dr. Berry asserts. Even cheap ground beef contains a jackpot of amino acids, vitamins, minerals and more. This helps keep you deeply satisfied as you move toward a healthy weight.

Is the carnivore diet really healthy? 

The plan’s restive nature can sound extreme, but the carnivore diet works for some people’s unique body chemistry. Fans of the Blood Type Diet note that people with blood type O mesh best with a low-carb, carnivore-eating lifestyle. And people who are sensitive to oxalates, the so-called “anti-nutrients” in some plants that can block mineral absorption, often find relief from a carnivore approach.

But a meat-based diet doesn’t have to be for life. Triple-board certified ob-gyn Anna Cabeca, DO, recommends cycling through a six-day all-meat diet during her MenuPause plan. She says, “there are many anecdotal reports and testimonials about how diets high in animal products are relieving people of autoimmune conditions and the inflammation associated with it.” 

And Ivy-League educated Sally Norton, MPH, author of Toxic Superfoods, recommends trying a four-week plan where you dramatically reduce most plants and eat low-oxalate alternatives like “meat, eggs, cheese and cabbage.” Many dieters try carnivore for a trial period to reset their blood sugar and quiet their cravings before slowly adding some complex carbs back into their routine.

Carnivore diet plan success story: Courtney lost 60 pounds!

Courtney Luna, who went to her first WeightWatchers meeting at age 13, battled the scale for decades—even during a four-year stint as a chef on luxury yachts. When she quit to start a family, she was burned out on diets and attempted to eat natural foods in moderation. “I gained 40 pounds and my mental health wasn’t great.”

Meanwhile, her husband heard about the carnivore diet plan on TikTok and dove in; Courtney joined him on a whim, but figured she’d allow herself fruit. “After five weeks, he was doing great, and I was still obsessively wanting to eat, even after a pound of red meat like rib eye.” She dropped fruit to see what would happen. Within two weeks, “it cut all the noise.” 

Chef Courtney was soon whipping up new carnivore creations—like tuna melt patties, zero-carb pizza and even carnivore biscuits. (One secret: Using ground pork rinds in place of flour.) “I love seeing what I come up with!”

She also loves how her body responded. She lost 45 pounds right away and is now down 60 pounds. Her favorite benefit: “My mental health improved dramatically, and I got off antidepressants,” she says.

Courtney’s kids eat carnivore and plant foods, and she’s tried adding plants back into her menus. The food noise returned. “Some people can do moderation, but some of us need to abstain. It’s important to know which you are.” She’s not complaining. She loves what she eats and how she feels. “A carnivore diet brought me back to life!”

Getting started on the carnivore diet plan 

Interested to see if a carnivore diet works for you? Courtney offers a simple guideline that makes starting a carnivore diet easy: “Eat lots of fatty meat, salt your food, drink lots of water and repeat!” Enjoy as many sittings as you need to feel satisfied. If you like, get creative with other animal foods, like dairy products, eggs and pork rinds. Many carnivores add small amounts of plants from coffee and spices.

What about fiber? Fiber and nutrients in plants have proven health benefits. If you’re eating a plant-based diet that has you happy and healthy, keep it up. But if you struggle with issues like food noise, fatigue and GI upset, giving up plants—at least for several weeks to let your system rest and repair—may be the best thing for you. Dr. Berry says, “A carnivore diet is the oldest diet in recorded history. It is safe, and it is healthy.”

Carnivore diet meal plan

Try these starter meals.

• Bacon and eggs: Cook bacon and reserve some fat to prepare eggs, any style. Add cheese if you like.
• Buttery chicken kebabs: Rub chicken cubes with ghee (clarified butter), skewer and grill until done. Dip in sour cream.
• Surf & turf: Cook any cut of beef (even a burger!); enjoy with shrimp, melted butter and salt.

Is the carnivore diet plan expensive?

People often worry that the carnivore diet will be too pricey to try. “It changes your hunger so much, you find yourself needing less food—so it actually evens out,” Courtney says. “I personally wasted a lot on veggies that went bad at the back of my fridge. So I’m probably saving money!” 

For free tips and inspiration, follow @ItsCourtneyLuna on Instagram or check out her book Carnivore in the Kitchen. You can also find Dr. Berry on YouTube @KenDBerryMD. He even has a “Carnivore Diet 101” playlist that’s perfect for beginners.