‘The Carnivore Diet Worked Better Than Ozempic for Me—My Food Noise Is Gone and I Lost 62 Lbs!’

Can the carnivore diet—a plan that calls for eating only animal foods—actually shut off food noise? Duke University obesity expert Eric Westman, MD, says it can. And so does Florida mom Angela Cruz, 45. In fact, Angela says the simple diet worked better for her than the popular GLP-1 med Ozempic! “I lost and regained 25 pounds before I quit the meds,” shares Angela. “But once I went carnivore, my lifelong food noise was just gone and I was able to lose 62 pounds naturally!” Could going carnivore help you turn off that constant chatter about eating in your head? Keep reading to find out…

What exactly is a carnivore diet?

It’s a type of low-carb diet that mostly eliminates plant-based foods in favor of unlimited animal foods like fish, eggs, meat and dairy products. Yes, Angela knows giving up veggies seems extreme. So why did she consider it? “My friend went carnivore for health reasons and lost 11 pounds in a month. I thought maybe it could help me too.” Her carnivore experiment was a huge success. After decades fighting to eat less, “weight was just falling off.”

Now, let’s be real: Cutting out plants cuts loads of nutrients. Which isn’t ideal. And yet for Angela, veggie-heavy diets never actually worked. “There isn’t just one way to get healthy,” says Dr. Westman, author of End Your Carb Confusion, who offers online courses and programs at AdaptYourLifeAcademy.com. “Many people find nothing helps them until they go on a carnivore diet.”

Your biggest questions about the carnivore diet 

Let’s jump right into the FAQs:

Why does carnivore work?

Carb intake naturally drops, and so does blood sugar. Carnivore dieters “don’t make enough blood sugar to fuel themselves. So the body starts turning fat into compounds called ketones, and ketones and fat become the primary fuel,” explains Dr. Westman. A study in the journal Diabetes & Metabolic Syndrome found fat burn accelerates 900 percent. Ketones also suppress appetite, which makes weight management easier.

Can you really eat as much as you want and still lose weight?

For almost everyone the answer is yes, says Dr. Westman. Because animal foods are both low in carbs and very filling, the vast majority of people can simply eat this way until satisfied while still reducing intake enough to get leaner and healthier.

Why does a carnivore diet quiet food noise?

Blood sugar steadies, killing sugar-related cravings. Plus you go cold turkey on the carbs and highly processed foods that drive those incessant, intrusive thoughts about food. “It’s like quitting smoking. One cigarette a day makes you want more, but give up cigarettes and the cravings go away,” says Dr. Westman.

Is the carnivore diet better than a keto diet?

It’s not necessarily better, but it has unique advantages. First, you eliminate a lot of foods (from processed junk to tomatoes and nuts) that may secretly trigger chronic inflammation, a condition that suppresses fat burn. Proof of the impact: In a recent German study, markers of inflammation fell a whopping 500 percent after adults adopted a carnivore diet. And if counting and measuring make you feel deprived and prone to bingeing, carnivore can be a game-changer, says Dr. Westman.

Is weight loss the only potential benefit?

When Harvard experts surveyed thousands of carnivores, 95 percent who’d had a weight problem got leaner. And 91 percent reported less hunger and fewer cravings. But benefits also go way beyond the scale. In the same survey, 95 percent of carnivores noted better overall health, 93 percent lowered blood pressure and 84 percent of type 2 diabetics got off all meds. Arthritis, GI trouble, autoimmune issues and sleep got better too.

Is a carnivore diet really safe long term?

Some evidence hints eating this way may not be ideal for heart health in the long run. If you have heart concerns but carnivore works well, Dr. Westman suggests using the approach as needed to reach and maintain your health goals, then periodically adding veggies and other low-carb plant foods like whole grains and legumes.

He adds that if you find going carnivore is the only way you can stop overeating junk (which is unquestionably bad for your heart), carnivore is definitely the healthier option. That was the case for Angela.

Carnivore diet success story: How Angela ended food noise and lost weight

Angela wants you to know she didn’t actually ace carnivore on her first try. “I’d do it for two weeks, fall off the wagon, start again,” she recalls. The problem? She was a newly single mom with a crazy-busy PR job who was also trying to build good exercise habits—and she couldn’t figure out how to juggle it all.

Luckily, in January of 2025, she decided bunless drive-thru burgers and restaurant steaks could be staples. She also started prepping the week’s food each Sunday. “I made burgers, cooked steak and salmon, boiled eggs.” So no matter how rushed or tired she was, there was always a tasty and easy option. “After that, it was smooth sailing. Meal prepping is my top secret,” she shares.

As her body adapted, the relief from food noise felt identical to what she’d experienced on Ozempic—and with zero side effects. “Unless you count extreme mental clarity and joy as side effects. I had those! Even while going through a divorce.” Her second secret: Don’t avoid fat. “If I just happen to choose too many lean foods in a row—like turkey bacon, chicken, tuna—I start getting food noise again,” she says. “The minute I add fat back in, my brain calms down.”

Angela lost 40 pounds her first year, 22 pounds the next. And she’s still losing. She’s also healthier than ever. “My blood work is finally all normal,” she shares. “And I’m not prediabetic anymore!” Does Angela see herself doing this for good? “Yes,” she says. “I have literally never felt better!” 

Want to try the carnivore diet? How to get started

A carnivore diet is simple: Enjoy eggs, dairy, fish and meat. Aim to eat when hungry and stop when full. Salt to taste. Sip plenty of water. While there are carnivore purists, many carnivores like Angela allow coffee and herbs/spices.

• Sample carnivore breakfast: Breakfast is a classic trio of bacon, eggs and coffee, but her coffee is boosted with MCT oil and collagen.
• Sample carnivore lunch: Angela often brown-bags steak or salmon. As sides or snacks, she’ll bring Greek yogurt (which she mixes with chocolate-flavored beef-based protein powder) and Chomps brand meat sticks .
• Sample carnivore dinner: Burgers with or without cheese are one easy option. And Angela swears that sashimi from her favorite sushi restaurant speeds her results.

The bottom line on the carnivore diet

If food noise has been running your life and nothing else has worked, the carnivore diet may be the reset your body has been waiting for. Like Angela, you might be surprised to discover that eating more simply—and more satisfyingly—is the key to finally feeling free. As with any new diet, be sure to get your doctor’s okay to try this one. But once you have the go-ahead, trust the process. You could be the next person wondering why you didn’t try it sooner!