The Non Vegetarian Diet
which came first? the paleo diet, or the vegan?
By design, we are omnivores. Despite this natural penchant for BOTH meat and veggies, a growing number of individuals are surviving as herbivores. They like to go by the label, vegetarians.
For someone who still struggles with the existence of broccoli, this lifestyle holds little appeal. It does spark my curiosity though. If the likes of Leonardo Da'Vinci can survive on greens alone, how close can we get to surviving on the other end? Can we live as carnivores?
Enter the internet. Scouring my good friend Mr Google, I found an antique from the '50s and '60s. The Steak and Egg diet. Created by Vince Gironda, godfather of modern American bodybuilding, the Steak and Egg diet is all in the name. In the pursuit of science ... and the avoidance of vegetables ... I committed to the following dietary rules for two weeks.
The Rules
- You can only eat Steak and Eggs
- You can only eat twice a day
- You can only cook with butter
- Your minimal meal is 4 eggs and 3/4# of cooked beef
- Every 6th day is a monster cheat day
Ketosis is a thing and when it hits, it hits. With zero carbohydrates in my system, withdrawal symptoms were running rampant. The first few days were rough and I hated eating. The meals were humongous. It would take me at least a half hour to finish.
I quickly learned I needed to hydrate more as well. With no water in any of my food sources I became severely dehydrated. On my first day I attempted one pull-up and my entire midline seized in an intense cramp. From there on, I drank water like it was my job. This is most likely something I should have been doing all along.
My performance in the gym was not impacted too much. The biggest concern was being sure I got in soon after one of the two feeding times because you could quickly become light headed. I was able to swim, lift, metcon and spar without a problem but often on a very full stomach.
Overall, I would hesitate recommending this diet to anyone. It's pretty extreme and requires some extreme lengths to stay hydrated. The cheat days were like a weekly thanksgiving, which was fantastic and I leaned out significantly. The goal was to see if someone could survive as a carnivore and you kind of could.
Some changes would have to be made to make this sustainable. A lot of negatives have been attached to red meat and there are obvious concerns around cholesterol but those adjustments could be made to sustain something in the short term. Long term, I don't think so, but to be honest, now that I am back to my normal eating, I kind of miss it.
Stay tuned as we continue to play around with new ways of eating, exploring new foods and cultures from around the world. A bit of a foodie yourself? Have you seen our upcoming trip to Northwestern France? Come with us to the home of the crepe and Burgundy wines next Spring!
See all our tours here, and email us if you have any questions, comments or concerns at: staff@voyedgerx.com