Rescued from the internet archives! “Unleash The Beef!” 🙂
The Simplicity, Truth, And Freedom Of Carnivory
July 29, 2009
C. Norton
I began writing a piece to answer the question, “What would I have liked to hear when I first came upon the carnivorous path?” I quickly realized it sounded similar to something I’d already posted on Charles Washington’s Zeroing In On Health Forum, so I’ve decided to post that here, as is. There are a few forum-specific references but they’re inconsequential to the message.
[Disclaimer: This is a long-winded post and may go over the head of those lacking basic comprehension skills. The objective is to reiterate the simplicity of the zero carb path and encourage everyone to reduce the amount of stress and obsession that consumes a lot of space here. As usual, it will not kiss your ass or tell you that everything is going to be OK. If for any reason this offends you, I sincerely do not apologize.]
I traverse this forum and see insurmountable anxiety and obsession. I post, encouraging others, in my own little way, to overcome their obsession. Granted, my encouragement is perceived by some as negativity, but that only speaks to the fragile emotional state the obsession I speak of leads to. So what is the objective of this offering? To encourage everyone following this path to allow it to simplify your life and eliminate your obsession. I’d also like it to serve as a reminder (to the many needing reminding) of some of the basics of this path.
As more and more people find their way to this forum/path, more and more threads pop up full of one question after another after another ad nauseam. Why am I stalling? Why am I gaining? Is cheese ok? Is chicken ok? Is diet Coke ok? How much fat do I need to eat? Do I need salt? Do I need to supplement? What does everyone think about vegetables? How much protein is too much? Should I reduce my coffee intake? Is it really cheating if I only ate seven Twinkies? I’m only down to 415 pounds from 421 after one-and-a-half days on zero carb, why don’t I weigh 185 yet?
Everyone. Take a breath. Relax.
If you are here, if you believe in this path (and it is a PATH, not a DIET), you have discovered the TRUTH. Now, you must only choose to live it. But to live it, you must dispense with every preconceived notion you have about food and nutrition. You must decide for yourself that you’re willing to give up every non-meat food you’ve ever relied on for that comfy, cozy, childhood-memory feeling. You should not waste your time attempting zero carb until you are no longer thinking or saying things like, “I believe zero carb is the best way to go, but I can’t imagine giving up _____.” You will fail. You already have.
Sorry, are your feelings hurt? This is not ‘Hands Across America.’ Sure, there are lots of upbeat people around here. Why shouldn’t there be? If you’re living without carbohydrate, you should be a happy camper. But please, refrain from coming here and using the forum as a crutch, seeking validation for your weakness or your point of view. If you choose to do so, there are many here that will immediately coddle you and make you feel warm inside. They’re hurting you. What’s that? You’ve been zero carb for a month but you’ve gained five pounds? Poor thing, you’re a victim. Oh you caved in and had four slices of stuffed crust pie on pizza-Friday at the office? You failed to mention that in your first post. Unfortunately for you, getting on this path may just take some will power. So be honest with yourself, look in the mirror, and decide if you have any. I’m not suggesting anyone be ridiculed for failure. I’m not suggesting there’s anything wrong with positive reinforcement. I’m simply suggesting that all the answers are already here, but the questions keep piling up. If you’ve read the introductory material, and actually absorbed it, it should be obvious. Look around. Apply a bit of common sense. It’s like this:
Eat meat. Drink water. Let the bulk of your calories come from fat.
That’s it. That’s the whole thing. Tie it up. Lock it down.
It’s so easy. Don’t complicate it for yourself! Honestly… Soda? Medication? Pain killers? Vitamins? Protein powders? Forget this shit. EAT MEAT AND DRINK WATER. Flush everything else down the toilet. Simplify! Simplify! Simplify! Do yourself the favor of making it easy on yourself. Jump at the opportunity to eliminate mental blocks. As soon as you catch yourself resisting, give in. Be George Costanza – do the exact opposite of what you would normally do and watch it all come together.
If there’s any problem, eliminate the margin for error and do the following: Eat nothing but beef/fat and drink water. Variety, taste, whatever, it doesn’t matter. Stop feeding the reward zone in your brain and feed your body for once. Allow your food to become like breathing – an unconscious mechanism necessary to maintain your existence.
If you haven’t gone six months of zero carb without cheating, pipe down. Your body is still adjusting to actual nutrition. Stop worrying. You don’t need “x” and you don’t need “y.” You don’t need to see a medical doctor. Every time you cheat, the clock starts over. In other words, a statement like: “I’ve been zero carb for 12 months with only 47 cheats” is idiocy. If your last cheat was yesterday, you’ve been zero carb since this morning. And that’s fine. Learn from the mistake. Move on.
Any problem whatsoever once you’re sustaining yourself on this path (past the six month threshold) should be addressed the same as before – with simplification. Whatever you’re eating, drop everything but beef/fat and water. Still failing? Pemmican and water. Still failing? You’re lying.
Let’s revisit obsession: DON’T OBSESS.
How much do I eat? As much as you’d like.
When do I eat? When you’re hungry.
When do I drink? When you’re thirsty.
How much do I drink? Enough to make you not thirsty.
How do I know if I’m hungry? A steak sounds good.
How do I know if I’m not hungry? A steak sounds bad.
Is the transition tough? Yes, it varies. It’s hell for some, purgatory-like for others.
How long will it last? A day. A month. Doesn’t matter. It will pass.
Will I go through detox? Yes. Some don’t believe in it, but expect the worst and you’ll be fine.
When will it end? No telling. May come and go for a long time. Relax. It must happen. The poison is leaving your body.
If _____ eats _____ and loses weight, why can’t I? Each body is different. Figure yours out. And stop obsessing.
Must I supplement? No.
What will others think? Who cares.
I know everyone here is in great health, but could you provide me with a study of _____? No.
Do I need anything other than beef and water to achieve optimal health? No.
What is my reward for being a good little boy/girl and not cheating? If that’s your perspective, there isn’t one. But in truth, your reward is the great health, happiness, and freedom this path provides. If you need more than that, reexamine your soul.
Obsession/anxiety will stall you. It will prevent success. Give yourself up to this path and it will work wonders for you. Don’t resist, don’t rationalize. Don’t drink diet Coke then ask why zero carb doesn’t work.
Examine the members of this forum. Is it not easy to spot the ones that have embraced this path by doing whatever is necessary to make it work? They are not obsessing or rationalizing. They have no emotional attachment to food. They are too busy enjoying life. They’ve embraced the path and left the bullshit behind them. They are… happy. I’ve never seen Charles obsessing over the timing of “post-workout nutrition.” I’ve yet to see Delfuego (AKA: Joe Andersen) panic over the dis-satisfactory “test numbers” he got back from his doctor. Could this possibly be because instead of wasting time wallowing in medical buildings, he’s out creating his own daily paradise with his family? This freedom and joy is what we should all strive for. Forget the numbers, forget the tests, forget the doctors, forget what Jimmy Moore has on his desert menu. Create happiness for yourself.
Finally, consider this. When you change one thing, everything may change. Until you experience the difference living on food vs. living on poison, it’s not easy to comprehend. It may change your perspective, raise your awareness, rearrange your world view. Priorities may be re-prioritized. Old habits may die. New interests may develop. This path is TRUTH. The truth is simple and it allows for FREEDOM. This path is freeing in many ways. It frees us from addiction, lies, misinformation, habit, weakness and sickness – both physical and spiritual. It leads us to understand nature, which in turn allows us to see the fallacies of civilization. Some may take this path, eat meat and water, gain health, and not change one other thing in their lives. And that’s fantastic. But for many, things will change. Relationships, beliefs, plans, everything. For me, I can’t think of a single belief I held, habit I had, or dream I dreamt that has not been absolutely gutted and completely rearranged over the last few years as I’ve tried to put the pieces together. And I’m a stubborn prick. Overcome the past. Overcome any negative self-image. This path is so liberating, but people try their damnedest to remain stuck in their old ways and avoid personal progress. Why struggle to fight the truth and maintain the lie? Can you really change ONE thing only? Just be ready for what may seem challenging, but is all for the best. And until then, just…
Live the truth. Stop holding on to your old self. Stop blaming others. You’re in charge of you, no one else. It is your fault.
Eat meat. Shut up. Be happy!
To learn more about the Zero Carb lifestyle, please join us in our Facebook Group.
