Something Different—The Plus Part of Planner Fun Plus

My 3½-Month Carnivore Diet Update: Weight Lost, Energy Gained, and So Many Non-Scale Victories!

Every now and then, I like to delve into the “Plus” part of Planner Fun Plus—the side that’s not about planners, stickers, or printables, but about real life. Today’s “Plus” is a little personal: it’s about my health journey over the past 3½ months on the Carnivore Diet. I’ve lost about 25 pounds so far, but the number on the scale isn’t even the best part. What’s really changed are the non-scale victories—and that’s what I want to talk about today.

If you’ve been following me for a while, you might know I’m diabetic and had a kidney transplant several years ago. I’ve always tried to be careful about what I eat, but after years of (very poorly) trying to follow a plant-based diet without results, I took my sister up on her challenge to just try it for 30 days.

On July 1, I started the carnivore diet—basically meat, eggs, and a little dairy. No sugar, no plants, and no long lists of ingredients I can’t pronounce. It sounds simple (and it is), but it’s also been surprisingly freeing. The “food noise leaves” effect is real. I haven't experienced cravings at all and the only time I “cheated” was when my blood sugar dropped to 50 and I needed sugar fast. I carry a candy bar in my purse for this purpose and haven’t even been tempted to eat it—can you imagine carrying chocolate and not touching it?! ☺

I didn’t know if it would work for me, especially with all the medications I take, but my sister encouraged me to go for it.

3½ Months Later: The Results So Far

I've lost 25 pounds (well actually 24.9, but that’s an inside joke between my sister and me) thus far. I'm still not ready to share my starting weight, but it's obvious by looking at me that I weigh more than 200 pounds! Honestly, it's been the easiest 25 pounds I've ever lost. I say “easy” because I’d been told that because of the medications I take due to the transplant, I might not lose weight and should just settle for wellness.

The scale isn’t the only thing that motivates me now. It’s all the little things that have changed along the way.

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My Favorite Non-Scale Victories (NSVs)

Here are some of the things that are just as rewarding as the weight loss:

• Eating no carbs caused my blood sugar to drop immediately. I went from 40 units of insulin (4 shots per day) to 25 units. My recent A1c dropped from 8.4 to 5.8—and that has been the best part of all. A persistent high A1c will wreck your health.
• The arthritis in my right hand is completely gone.
• Simplicity: I no longer spend hours every Saturday laboring over a menu and grocery list. There’s no need for side dishes—we just rotate between ground beef (meatballs, burgers), steak, salmon, chicken thighs, pork chops on occasion, and kielbasa (even shrimp for Dick).
• I no longer get out of breath walking relatively short distances.
• I got to discontinue one of my blood pressure medications last week because it was dropping too low.
• I used to avoid booths in restaurants and am now navigating them just fine!

Every single one of these has reminded me that progress isn’t only measured by pounds.

What I Eat in a Day

Everyone’s version of carnivore looks a little different, but here’s what works for me right now:

• Breakfast: Ground beef & scrambled eggs together or scrambled eggs & bacon.
• Lunch: One, maybe two burger patties with mustard.
• Dinner: NY Strip, salmon, or chicken thighs.
• Drinks: Water with electrolytes in the morning, just water the rest of the day. Sometimes I drink decaf with heavy whipping cream, but mostly just the water. My kidney loves it.

We keep it simple—no recipes or complicated prep, just real food that makes me feel good.

Electrolytes are important—and I’ve just now started taking them. I’ve always been diligent to talk to my doctors before taking anything—you never know when the smallest thing will interact with other medications. Yesterday my doctor approved the homemade electrolyte mix I discovered, and it’s not that bad. It actually made my persistent headache go away.

Lessons I’ve Learned So Far

Here are a few things I’ve picked up along the way:

1. Simplicity works. The fewer decisions I have to make about food, the easier it is to stay on track.
2. Progress, not perfection. Some days I eat more cheese than I should, or my meal timing is off—but I just get right back to it.
3. Listen to your body. Carnivore isn’t one-size-fits-all. I pay attention to my energy, my lab results, and how I feel.
4. Hydration matters. For me, that’s around 64–96 ounces a day.
5. Celebrate the non-scale victories. Those changes are often the first signs your body is healing.

Looking Ahead

I don’t know exactly what the next few months will bring, but I’m hopeful. My goal isn’t just a number on the scale—it’s to stay strong, healthy, and steady. I’ll keep sharing updates when there’s something new to celebrate, because this “Plus” part of Planner Fun Plus is an important piece of my story, too.

If you’re thinking about starting your own health journey—whether that’s carnivore, keto, or something else—my advice is simple: start small, stay consistent, and give yourself grace. Progress takes time, but it’s worth it. I went into it cold turkey, but do your research. I'm not going to lie, the first month was difficult because detox is real—but totally worth it!

In closing...
If you enjoyed this peek into the “Plus” side of Planner Fun Plus, you can find more of my personal updates and behind-the-scenes thoughts right here on the blog. And if you’re here for planner goodies, don’t worry—more new printables are coming soon!