Keto vs Carnivore for PCOS: My Honest Experience

If you’re struggling with PCOS symptoms like fatigue, acne, hair loss, irregular periods, and stubborn weight, you’re not alone. I went through years of anguish trying to find anything that would help.

I started out with calorie counting, and then moved on to keto when I heard about its possible benefits for PCOS. I eventually transitioned to the carnivore diet, though I did have some success with keto before the switch.

In this post, I’m sharing what really happened when I went from keto to carnivore and my experience with both diets.

My PCOS Story

I was diagnosed with PCOS at age 30. It took many years and many doctors’ visits before I got that diagnosis. I’d always known something was wrong, but I just didn’t know what exactly.

I went to a gynecologist for the first time at age 18. I explained that I hadn’t had a period in a year, and I was worried. I had a little facial hair, and I was slightly overweight. Symptoms weren’t too bad then, but I believe I displayed enough to warrant further testing.

She brushed me off, citing “stress” as the reason for my amennorhea. She prescribed birth control to “regulate my cycles,” and sent me on my way. (I didn’t take it.)

Even then, I knew she was wrong. I knew there was something more serious going on.

I started doing the limited internet research available to me in the early 2000s, and I discovered information about PCOS. I suspected it was the cause of my problems, but I couldn’t know for sure.

For the next 12 years, I went to many more doctors trying to find answers. I used various home remedies and herbs to treat my symptoms – vitex actually did help, but many others did not.

I FINALLY found a gynecologist willing to help when I moved to Colorado in 2013. When I told her my symptoms, she immediately ordered all the tests, and soon I had a real diagnosis.

I had polycystic ovarian syndrome. Insulin-resistant PCOS, to be precise. I felt both relieved and overwhelmed. But at least I knew what was wrong.

From Low-Carb to Keto

This new doctor prescribed a “low carb” diet. She explained I should eat no more than a fist-sized portion of carbs (potatoes, bread, rice, etc.) at every meal. No sweets allowed, and I needed to exercise daily.

I followed her advice, trusting she was the expert and wouldn’t lead me astray. But after months of compliance, I saw no improvement in my symptoms at all.

I stuck to it for a while before eventually giving up and deciding to lose weight my own way. I hired a personal trainer and started eating only whole foods. I ate lots of fruit, whole grains, organic dairy, vegetables, nuts and seeds, fish, etc.

Still, I was getting nowhere.

I tried low-carb. I tried eating only whole foods. I tried calorie counting. I tried plant-based. I tried the Paleo diet. I tried intuitive eating. None of it helped.

I was sick. I was overweight, and I was miserable. I was in my late 30s and over 200 lbs. The last time I was in the ER for my chronic kidney stones, I found out I had a fatty liver, and I was diagnosed with prediabetes. Things were going downhill fast, and I was desperate for a solution.

I started researching more on my own, reading everything I could about PCOS and weight loss. I learned that diet was very important for regulating hormones, and that many women had success on a ketogenic diet.

At the end of my rope, I decided to try it…

My Experience on Keto

I stocked my fridge with meat, cheese, and low-carb veggies. I ate all the right things, but I was still having major sugar cravings. Keto was hard. When I stuck to it, I lost weight. No doubt about that. But I would inevitably fall off the wagon.

I would binge on junk food every time I quit. My sugar cravings were no joke. I was severely insulin resistant, which affects the brain’s ability to regulate hunger and appetite, leading to persistent hunger and increased cravings.

I kept yo-yo-ing back and forth, losing a few pounds everytime I’d go keto – then gaining it all back when I quit again.

I knew the carbs were killing me and fueling my condition, but it was so hard to stop eating them – even on a keto diet. I felt broken and disheartened every time I caved.

When I stuck to keto for longer than a few weeks, I’d always experience some benefits:

• Initial weight loss
• Less hunger
• Better sleep
• More energy

I had to track everything I ate to make sure my carb intake stayed below 20g every day. I hated tracking and would often revert to “lazy” keto. Still, I can’t deny the weight loss and suppression of hunger.

However, I still had lingering symptoms that just wouldn’t clear up, no matter how strict I was:

• Inflammation
• Periods still irregular
• Acne
• Joint Pain
• Hair Loss
• Fatigue
• Bloating
• Kidney stones
• Sugar cravings

In the end, the keto diet just wasn’t enough to manage my PCOS.

Why I Switched to Carnivore

One day after I’d been on keto for a while, I was feeling frustrated with a stall in my weight loss. I believed (at this time) that if I could just lose weight, my hormones would regulate and my insulin resistance would go away on its own. The problem was my weight alone.

I knew I had to make some changes to get the weight off. Out of desperation, I Googled something like, “can you just eat meat and cheese on a keto diet?”

That’s how I found the carnivore diet.

I started reading everything I could. It sounded so promising. People were having incredible results with weight loss, reversing chronic disease, and even completely resolving diabetes and insulin resistance.

I wanted to try it. But I was struggling so much with keto, I had little confidence in my ability to maintain an even stricter diet.

I decided to give it my best shot – and that was the best decision I ever made for my health.

My Experience on Carnivore

At first, it was hard. I had numerous false starts. The sugar cravings were still there for the first few weeks, and sometimes I would cave and binge on junk.

I was determined to make this work. I gave myself grace. If I ate junk, I wouldn’t allow it to last longer than a single meal. I would get right back on carnivore the very next meal.

I did that for a week or two, then realized I was just keeping my cravings alive. I had to stop the sugar cold turkey.

My solution was to prepare a TON of meat every day and always have something ready in my refrigerator. When a craving hit me, I’d eat the meat instead. I didn’t care if I had to stuff myself full of bacon and cold hamburger patties. I would eat meat until the craving subsided.

This actually worked for me! After a few weeks of this, I started to crave meat instead of sugar. Pretty soon, sugar wasn’t appealing to me at all. I could pass up desserts easily. I just wanted to go home and smash a steak.

Soon, the weight started coming off – much faster than I ever expected. I lost 100 lbs in less than a year on strict carnivore. And that wasn’t all. My PCOS symptoms resolved too. ALL OF THEM.

When I keep my carbohydrate intake down to as close to zero as possible, I experience:

• Weight loss
• Clear skin
• No inflammation
• Better digestion
• Regular periods
• No bloating
• Improved mental health
• Great sleep
• More focus and energy
• Stable hormones
• Reversal of hyperinsulinemia
• No joint pain
• Healthy hair
• No more kidney stones

Keto helps, but carnivore heals.

Keto vs. Carnivore: Side by Side Comparison

What I’d Tell Anyone with PCOS

Everyone is different. Just because carnivore worked for me, doesn’t mean it’s the best diet for anyone else. You’re the only one who knows what’s best for you and your body. If you’re new to this way of eating, my advice is to start with keto. Then, if you’re still having symptoms after a few months, consider going carnivore.

If you’ve been keto for a while and aren’t happy with your progress, you can start right away – and it will likely be easier for you than someone starting cold turkey. Maybe try it for 30 days and see how you feel.

And don’t give up! Once you get through the initial adjustment period and the sugar cravings are gone, you’ll know if carnivore is right for you. If it is, don’t be a dummy like I was and think you can go back to eating the standard American diet (SAD) again.

I know I have to commit to carnivore for life! And I’m happy to eat this way forever if it means I can maintain a healthy weight, reverse my PCOS symptoms, and finally feel good about myself. This is not a deprivation diet. It’s a nourishing, satisfying, and healthy way of eating that has changed my entire life.

If you still need convincing (or want to sway someone else in your life), I recommend watching the documentary animal. At the time of this writing, it’s available on Amazon Prime and Apple TV.

Have you tried keto or carnivore for PCOS? What was your experience like? Leave a comment and let me know. I’d love to hear from you!

Good luck out there!