Need a carnivore diet plan to “survive” (and thrive) on the seemingly limited diet? Look no further than this Carnivore Diet Plan with a Gut Healing Twist.
Why a gut healing twist? Well, as a functional medicine practitioner and clinical nutritionist, I cannot begin to count the number of carnivore-eating folks I’ve consulted with the past several years who have a history of gut problems!
Some choose to “try” a carnivore diet plan as a short-term “reset” and symptom relief of bloating, constipation and autoimmunity.
Others find themselves with gut problems galore AFTER adopting a carnivore diet! Constipation on carnivore diet…bloating on carnivore diet…you know, not feeling well.
Whichever end of the spectrum you’re on, I’ve got your back!
This carnivore diet plan is built upon the foundations of an animal based diet Read: This is NOT super strict carnivore diet plan—it IS:
(1.) built upon high quality protein at each meal
(2.) inclusive to low residue fruits and vegetables that are well-digested, and (3.) paired with “gut healing boosters” for SUSTAINABILITY.
Note:
Eating ONE food group for life is not sustainable for gut health or bacteria diversity. In fact, long term carnivore diet plans eliminate good bacteria, which can cause a variety of digestion issues. Carnivore dieters tend to point toward meat-eating ancient cultures like the Inuit, saying “humans are primarily meat eaters”, but these cultures were eating extremely fresh meat (sometimes raw) and almost always ate the organs.
Moreover, they lived outside 100% of the time and were exposed to healthy gut microbes via soil and nature that we are not exposed to today. The bottom line: keep the long game (optimal health) versus diet rules top of mind.
Want support in building a customized, gut healing meal plan and health plan for you? Reach out today to learn more.
Carnivore Diet Plan: 21 Delicious Meal Ideas with a Gut Healing Twist
CARNIVORE DIET PLAN: BREAKFAST
Many people on a carnivore diet plan stick to 1 to 2 meals per day, however, from a gut motility and metabolic perspective, regular meals can be beneficial for “moving things through” (if you catch my drift).
If you tend towards an active or higher-stress lifestyle (think: long work days, burning a candle at both ends, etc.), remember more (not less) fuel keeps the engine “revved.” At the very least, starting the day off with some breakfast broth or a shake is a great option.
Meal Ideas:
- Bone broth + shredded beef or chicken + sea salt
- Breakfast shake: paleo protein powder or raw pasture-raised eggs, 1 cup coconut milk or raw milk, MCT oil, almond butter, 1/2 green tipped banana
- Organic, pasture-raised eggs + pastured bacon + ghee or grass-fed butter + handful berries
- Leftover burger patties or steak + smashed avocado + sea salt
- Hash: Ground beef, bison or ancestral blend + sea salt + ghee or grass-fed butter + organic mushrooms
- Kefir or grass-fed raw yogurt + berries + paleo protein powder
Gut Healing Boosters:
- Drink 16 ounces of warm lemon water + pinch of sea salt prior to eating
- Swig 1-2 tbsp apple cider vinegar + Manuka honey in 4 to 8 ounces of water
- Celery juice, 8-12 ounces after drinking water and apple cider vinegar
CARNIVORE DIET PLAN: LUNCH OR MID DAY “SNACK”
A high protein intake can definitely keep you satiated for a long time, sometimes at the expense of feeling hunger cues. Nevertheless, rather than “gorging” your face at one or two meals per day (and ending up constipated or with a ton of food in your belly to digest at once), consider appropriate sized meals every 4 to 6 hours throughout the day. This encourages healthy gut motility.
Meal Ideas:
- “Grownup Lunchable”: chicken or fresh turkey, grass-fed raw cheddar slices, grapes
- Crispy chicken thighs + avocado + pickled cucumber
- Tuna salad w/ paleo mayo in a lettuce wrap + roasted carrot “fries”
- Bison burgers + roasted zucchini
- Chef salad: Hardboiled egg + bacon + chopped chicken + romaine + steamed beets + cucumbers + homemade apple cider vinegar, olive oil & raw honey “dressing”
- Shredded chicken or pasture raised pork + pineapple slices
- Steak + sautéed mushrooms
Gut Healing Boosters:
- Swig 1-2 tbsp apple cider vinegar in 4 to 8 ounces of water OR take HCL
- Digestive enzymes
- Fermented veggie or sip: Pickled cucumber, sauerkraut, kimchi, coconut water/water kefir, kombucha (condiment sized serving)
CARNIVORE DIET PLAN: SUPPER
Aim to eat at least 2 to 3 hours before hitting the pillow for better digestion. Consider incorporating a starchy tuber or root veggie at night for prebiotic fiber and enhanced gut motility (for a golden morning poo).
Meal Ideas:
- Burger patties + cooked and cooled sweet potato + sautéed chard
- Chicken legs + kabocha squash
- Salmon + delicata squash + sautéed baby bok choy
- Halibut “Tacos”: halibut, lettuce wrap, avocado & grapefruit salsa
- Ribeye+ asparagus
- Omelet: eggs, raw cheddar cheese, bacon, spinach
- Steak + bone marrow
- Roasted chicken + fingerling potatoes + green beans
Gut Healing Boosters:
- Swig 1-2 tbsp apple cider vinegar in 4 to 8 ounces of water OR take HCL
- Digestive enzymes
- Ginger or dandelion tea
CARNIVORE DIET PLAN: CUSTOMIZED FOR YOU
Want support in building a customized, gut healing meal plan and health plan for you? Reach out today to learn more about how functional medicine can help you.