I have been a follower of the carnivore diet for five years now, and I take a keen interest in learning and trying the different aspects of the meat-based diet.
Today, I’ll look at Charlene's carnivore diet, which turned many heads because of how effective the diet has proven to be for her and her entire family.
If you're a fan of her diet and want to try out the one meat meal per day, check out these trustworthy, reliable meat delivery services and order your fresh, grass-fed and grain-finished, fatty steaks.
I also teamed up with my nutritionist and dietician to get expert enlightenment on whether following such a diet is a step in the right direction.
Read along to find out.
Quick Summary
- Charlene Anderson's carnivore diet is an all-meat regime, void of plant-based food.
- It aims to promote health and longevity through a nutrient-dense, animal-focused diet.
- Anderson's diet, though widely followed, has sparked debates over its nutritional balance and long-term sustainability.
Anderson’s Transition to All-Meat Diet
Charlene was plagued with many health issues growing up. She always felt exhausted and had mental fuzziness, poor concentration, and brain fog.
On top of that, she experienced severe headaches, heart pains, reflux, and limb numbness.
On her hands, neck, and face, she had severe eczema. Her periods had stopped.
She also had degenerative disc disease, extreme mood swings, and cervical dysplasia. Her vision was also getting worse.
Additionally, she was fatigued and fell asleep all the time when she began working in the industrial design department creating studio art.
She struggled with weight gain, and she was almost 50 pounds overweight at her heaviest. Despite her efforts to exercise regularly, nothing changed.
"While all-meat diets may be trendy, most dieters are driven by a strong desire to slim down or treat an autoimmune disorder."
- Kelly Schmidt, Registered Dietician
She tried seeking treatment from traditional and alternative physicians, but each cure exacerbated her symptoms and caused new problems.
Things got worse for Charlene when she was diagnosed with Lyme disease symptoms in 1998 [1].
She became allergic to numerous foods, including tap water, and could not stand upright or straighten up.
This is where her husband Joe Anderson stepped in and started trying out his different diets on her.
Beginning the Zero-Carb Journey
When Joe Anderson was younger and got into bodybuilding, he developed a love for protein diets.
He experimented with the Rio Blair diet, which contained cheese and whey, and the Vince Gironde diet, which had eggs and meat.
After more in-depth research, Joe and Charlene entirely changed to a zero-carb diet for the first time while on the fish and oil diet.
Charlene's health did not wholly improve due to the healthy diet because her excess weight, dermatitis, edema, acne, and amenorrhea persisted.
They gradually transitioned from a diet of fish, which lasted for nearly a year, to free-range eggs, chicken, and occasionally meat.
A Change for the Better
In her writings, Charlene constantly recorded any bodily reactions. She experienced ovulation as soon as she began consuming animal fats rather than vegetable fats, followed by her periods two weeks later.
Charlene was perplexed as to why none of the several physicians she saw suggested that she alter her diet.
Joe and Charlene Anderson kept up their home studies. They went to Blake Donaldson, who advised them only to eat meat and drink fresh water.
Naturally, the Andersons gave this diet a try, and as a result, Charlene's problems completely vanished.
They discovered that red fatty beef was the only food Charlene tolerated well without side effects, and the fattier the steak, the better.
"This blew us away: fatty red meat, the same thing that the entire health fraternity had condemned was providing her strength."
- Joe Anderson
Over the years, Charlene studied books and articles on diets centered around meat and those that advocated the intake of fatty, red meat. She hoped to figure out why her "extreme" diet was doing so well.
After some time, she was totally convinced. Charlene changed her mind and switched entirely to eating just meat and drinking water.
Charlene Anderson Carnivore Experience
Charlene's recovery process took a bit longer because of Lyme disease.
She felt fantastic right away after stopping all the fiber-rich foods, veggies, and grains she had been consuming for years, but she also felt the effects of starving her Lyme bacteria.
What Does Charlene Eat in a Day?
Charlene only eats one pound of meat a day, which is always beef, preferably the ribeye cut. She also includes plenty of water and fish in her daily meals if she feels like it.
She asks her butcher for an untrimmed ribeye or entrecote, a piece of pulp found between the spine and the rib.
She loves these meat cuts since they already have enough fat that she won't need to add more when she cooks them. And her cooking method is straightforward.
She gently sears the steaks without any salt or seasonings since it leaves her looking "puffy-faced."
Her meat is standard grain-finished, grass-raised beef that she cooks between medium and medium-well. And she doesn't consume bone broth or organ meat.
When she tried adding milk or eggs to the diet, swellings were on her face the next day, and she had nasal congestion. Charlene Anderson only ate meat in the end and avoided all other meals.
It turned out that Charlene felt best after consuming fat red meat, and the more of it she consumed, the less she desired other foods.
Soon Charlene realized that her diet wonderfully tightened the skin on her face and body.
Therefore Charlene quit working out since she no longer needed it. Thanks to nutrition, her life started to turn around.
Charlene also walks for fifteen minutes every day, not to exercise but rather to get some fresh air.
She urged everyone to try to eliminate carbohydrates and focus more on eating meat when hungry and drinking water when thirsty.
How The Carnivore Diet Changed Charlene Anderson's Life
Her body reacted to nearly everything with Charlene's severe childhood illnesses, including allergies, asthma, and a recurring rash. But no one in her family ever suspected that perhaps the girl's low-fat diet had something to do with it.
However, after adopting the carnivore diet, her life turned around years later.
Charlene reported that the following symptoms vanished:
- Amenorrhea: Her menstruation came back in two weeks, using animal fat as her sole fat supply.
- Paralysis: It took a year to reverse the paralysis fully.
- Fatigue: She experienced severe fatigue that took a year to recover.
- Trichotillomania: She had developed trichotillomania which then subsided approximately a month after she switched to a meat-only diet.
- Twitches: She used to have more than 100 muscle twitches per minute; while there was an instant improvement, it took a year for the condition to reverse itself fully.
- Depression: In less than two weeks, this subsided.
- Pain: Her severe sciatic nerve pain and degenerative disc degeneration subsided after a few months.
- Weight loss: She shed roughly 50 pounds in a few months after becoming overweight.
- Anger issues: The rage was gone after a few months on the carnivorous diet.
- Extreme allergies: she saw a practically immediate turnaround in her food, chemical, and pollen allergies.
- Eyesight: After approximately a month and a half, she could stop wearing contacts or glasses.
Her other symptoms, including brain fog, bloating, indigestion, acid reflux, and poor bowel movements disappeared in a month or less.
In addition to Charlene regaining her life from the crippling Lyme disease and other significant health issues, including weight gain, Charlene and Joe now have two healthy boys.
Charlene followed a low-carb diet throughout her pregnancies and had uncomplicated, safe home deliveries.
The boys were nursed up to the age of two, at which point meat was gradually introduced.
Her boys have only been eating beef since they didn't feel particularly well when they tried other meals in the past.
According to most nutritionists, a balanced diet is necessary for maintaining a long and healthy life, but Charlene Anderson is evidence that these claims are not one size fits all.
She's been eating just meat for over two decades, claiming that this has kept her strong, healthy, and happy throughout the entire time.
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FAQs
What is The Main Idea of the Charlene Carnivore Diet?
The main idea of the Charlene carnivore diet is taking one pound of beef a day.
How Quickly Did Charlene Anderson See Results from Carnivore Diet?
Charlene saw results of the carnivore diet a few weeks after transitioning fully to red fatty meats and spring water.
Does the Charlene Anderson Carnivore Diet Actually Work?
Yes, the Charlene carnivore diet actually works. But we recommend you talk to your doctor before jumping in on any diet regimen.
Did Charlene Anderson Eat Eggs on Carnivore Diet?
Yes, initially, Charlene ate eggs on the carnivore diet. But she later cut eggs and milk off after she noticed it caused her face to swell.
Reference:
- https://www.ketoforhealth.org/articles/150-joe-and-charlene-anderson-more-than-20-years-eating-only-meat#
