Carnivore Diet Macros: How To Get Them Right

The carnivore diet seems like a straightforward proposition. Just eat meat, lose weight, and feel good, right?

This approach may work for some people, but the failure rate must be high. Why? Because it ignores macros.

Take protein for example. Too much or too little of this important macronutrient can affect a carnivore diet.

Later, we’ll cover protein intake for carnivores and give tips for managing carnivore macros. But first, let’s talk about the carnivore diet itself.

What is a Carnivore Diet?
It’s no secret what a carnivore diet entails. You eat meat. And you eat a lot of it.

In addition to meat, carnivores eat seafood, salt, animal fats, eggs, and sometimes dairy products. All plant foods – fruits, vegetables, nuts, spices, etc. – are forbidden.

Because the carnivore diet prohibits plants, it is naturally low in carbohydrates. In fact, it’s low enough in carbs to be called a “keto diet.”

Benefits of the Carnivore Diet
A carefully formulated carnivore diet (we’ll talk about macros soon!) promotes a fat-burning state known as ketosis. A state of ketosis provides the following benefits:

More stable energy Clearer cognition Control of cravings Weight loss Reduced inflammation There are other benefits as well.
The carnivore diet is also an elimination diet. Because it removes large amounts of food, many people (especially those with gut issues) may find Carnivore to be a beneficial form of gut rest.

Risks of Carnivore
If you have gut issues or want to simplify your keto diet, Carnivore may be worth a try. But before you start, consider these risks.

First, not eating plants can make it harder to get vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Eating offal can alleviate micronutrient concerns, but carnivores aren’t high in fiber.

Is a low-fiber diet okay? It may be better for people with intestinal problems. In general, the higher the fiber intake, the better the digestive and cardiovascular health.

Want to get the benefits of carnivores and increase fiber? Consider an animal-based diet.

In addition, too much saturated fat (the main fatty acid from animals) and too little fiber may raise LDL cholesterol levels. (Higher LDL is associated with a higher risk of heart disease.) If you choose an all-meat diet, be sure to monitor your blood test results with your medical professional.

Should You Track Macros on a Carnivore Diet?
It is wise to track carnivore macros, at least in the beginning. Some explanation will help.

Macro management is important if you want to benefit from ketosis. In particular, you need to avoid carbs as much as you do work.

This is easy to do on a carnivore diet. Meat is largely carb-free anyway.

But you also need to roughly control your fat and protein intake. Why? Because these nutrients also affect your ability to burn fat and make ketones.

For example, if you only eat lean chicken breasts, you may not be able to get into keto mode. Excess protein (without fat) increases

Insulin levels Gluconeogenesis (the body’s production of glucose)
Both of these factors inhibit ketogenesis.

If you eat only beef fat, you will go into ketosis, but your muscle mass will suffer. Tracking macros allows you to find the right balance.

Tracking macros also means tracking calories, which is an essential strategy for weight loss. In one study, people who logged their food daily lost nearly twice as much weight as those who didn’t.

Protein from carnivores
For any keto diet, it makes sense to set a protein goal and work backwards. After reaching your protein goal, then fill in the remainder with fat.

Why start with protein? Because you need a constant supply of amino acids from dietary protein to maintain muscle, heal wounds, and synthesize hormones.

You don’t need a constant supply of dietary carbohydrates or dietary fat. Your body has backup systems – glycogen, gluconeogenesis, and body fat – to meet these macronutrient needs.

But you don’t have a backup system for amino acids – unless you count lean muscle. And you’re probably not keen on consuming muscle to meet those needs.

The RDA for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight, but that goal is only to prevent deficiency. We should instead ask: How much protein do you need to maintain optimal health?

This depends on your activity level. According to a paper published in Food and Function, here’s how much protein you need to consume each day:

Low activity: 1 gram per kilogram of body weight (90 grams for a 200-pound person); Moderate activity: 1.3 grams per kilogram of body weight (120 grams for a 200-pound person); High activity: 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight (150 grams for a 200-pound person).
Don’t worry, you don’t need a carnivore diet macronutrient calculator to do the math. Simply enter your biometrics (and dietary goals) into the Carbohydrate Manager app, log your meals, and then view the automatically calculated protein intake.

What should be the macro intake for carnivores?

Carnivores have a diet that is high in fat, high in protein, and low in carbohydrates. In other words, the macro intake for carnivores is the same as the high protein Keto macro intake.

The macronutrient ratios for carnivore diets are approximately 50% to 75% fat, 20% to 35% protein, and 0% to 5% carbohydrate. To achieve these macros, prioritize fat-rich meats (chicken, rib eye, chicken thighs), fat-rich fish (salmon, sardines, anchovies) and eggs.

The good news is that you don’t have to worry about carbohydrate restrictions for “carnivores”. With the exception of honey, there are no carb restrictions on animal products either.

The bad news? We don’t fully understand the long-term effects of a meat-only diet.

Can restricting fiber and other phytonutrients harm my body? Possibly.

Attending a wedding could also be a challenge. Hey Ethel, where’s the “carnivore” option on the RSVP?

Even so, “Carnivore” has apparently helped a lot of people.

Tracking micronutrients on Carnivore

In addition to macronutrients, you should also be tracking micronutrients on Carnivore. Carnivore makes this easy.

What’s the best way to make sure you’re checking micronutrients? Eat from nose to tail (organ meats, etc.) – not just muscle meats like steak and chicken breast.

Especially beef liver, which is like nature’s multivitamin. If you eat a few ounces a day, you’ll get most of your needs met.

Recipes for a Carnivore Diet
Ready to create a carnivore diet plan? These recipes from The Carb Manager’s Kitchen will help you out:

Carnivore Butter Grilled Rib Eye Steak

Carnivore Crispy Pepper Salt Chicken Wings

Carnivore Salmon Wonton Burgers

Ultimate Keto Carnivore Chicken Liver Pate

Carnivore Keto Beef Meatball Baked Cake

Track Carb Intake in Carnivore with Carb Manager
If you want to lose weight, maintain muscle, or benefit from ketosis, you need to track carnivore macros.

That’s great, you might be thinking. Another task on my to-do list.

Understandable. It takes effort, but it’s probably less than you think.

Carb Manager does 95% of the work for you. Just type in what you ate and the app does the rest, calculating daily macros, calories, micronutrients, and more.

Still too much hassle? With it, you can save even more time:

Voice Dictation. Keep track of your diet on the go with just a few short words. Visual snapshot. Take a photo of your meal and the AI automatically records the food items for you. (You’ll think you’re living in a sci-fi movie. Eat the same thing often? Save a customized meal and get it done in one click.
Carb Manager isn’t just about saving time, however. It allows you to use your time wisely on your way to achieving your health goals.

That’s right. Whether you’re a carnivore, Keto, Paleo, or just want to eat better, there’s no harm in managing your nutrition. Time is always well spent.