Embarking on a journey of self-improvement in early 2022, I found myself dissatisfied with my physical state (I had what some might call a “dad bod” to the extreme). Seeking a reset, I turned to a diet I had used in the past, the Whole 30. However, this time, I decided to extend it to 90 days, dubbing it the “Whole 90.” Little did I know, the revelations that awaited me would be startling.

Over the course of those 90 days, I managed to shed 15 pounds and bring my weight back under 200 pounds, a milestone I hadn’t reached in over five years. But here’s the disturbing part: I felt terrible. I experienced more bloating and gastrointestinal issues than I had when I indulged in whatever food I pleased, snacked without restraint, and enjoyed alcoholic beverages.

My diet during this period consisted solely of “Whole Foods”: chicken, ground turkey, vegetables, and fruits were my staples. No alcohol, no cheating, no processed foods. While I did lose weight, I was frustrated to find that my body composition remained disappointingly similar to where I had started. I felt uncomfortable in my own skin and out of shape.

Throughout the entire diet, I was miserable, yet I persevered. However, once the 90 days were up, I couldn’t help but resent everything that was deemed “healthy.” I quickly fell back into my old habits, consuming whatever I desired. As a result, a few months later, I found myself back at the same weight I had started with.

That was the turning point for me. I made a firm decision to bid farewell to my dad bod. I no longer felt content in my own skin, a feeling I had never truly experienced before. It all began when my wife shared a profile with me, introducing me to CarnivoreMD, with the caveat that it might be a little unconventional.

Intrigued, I decided to give it a shot. I abandoned vegetables, bid farewell to chicken (“Years of Academy Training, WASTED!”), and eliminated seed oils from my diet. Suddenly, I found myself rediscovering the joy of food. The first noticeable change was that, for the first time in years, I no longer felt bloated immediately after eating.

To my surprise, the persistent “protein farts” that had plagued me for years vanished. As time went on, I began shedding weight. My head acne cleared up. Muscles reemerged, and I started to feel like my old self again. Four months into my leniently practiced Carnivore Diet, I made the bold decision to fully commit.

What followed doesn’t require much explanation; the before and after pictures speak for themselves. At the age of 36, with two young children at home, I achieved the physique I had when I was single, in my 20s, and working at a gym where I could fit in a weightlifting session during my lunch break.

While fitness influencers often claim that “nothing tastes as good as skinny feels,” I beg to differ. Ribeye, my friends, is an absolute delicious!