It Took Me 3 Years on Carnivore to Realize What I'll Tell You in 15 Minutes

Key wellness strategies & self-care/productivity tips (Max Germann)

Fix electrolyte/sodium issues early

• Salt to taste.

Mechanism: On a carnivore approach, insulin tends to be lower. Over time, your body may retain fewer electrolytes—especially sodium—until it adapts.

What to do:

• Increase salt until meat tastes “pleasantly salty” (you may need a lot at first).
• If you have low energy, muscle cramps, or sleep problems, extra sodium can help quickly.
• Over time, you may naturally want less salt as adaptation improves.

Adjust meal frequency to support sodium retention

Mechanism: Too many small meals may create only tiny insulin “signals,” which may be insufficient for the kidneys to retain enough sodium.

What to do:

• Keep the same total food, but eat fewer meals per day.
• Prefer fewer, larger meals so you get an occasional moderate protein-related insulin spike (rather than a carb-like spike).

Use the “electrolyte supplement” as a fallback (potassium + magnesium)

What to do:

• If salt + meal-size changes don’t fully fix symptoms, add a high-quality electrolyte supplement that includes:
  • Potassium
  • Magnesium

Rationale: Ultra-filtered/modern water may be lower in these minerals compared with historical sources.

Prioritize adequate fat over protein (for energy, satiety, fat loss)

Problem described: Too-lean carnivore can lead to low energy, sleep issues, poor satiety, and slowed fat loss.

What to do:

• Use protein as a base, but don’t let protein exceed fat intake by too much.
• Starting protein guide: ~1 g protein per pound of lean body mass (~2.2 g/kg lean mass).
• Starting fat approach: ~1.25 g fat per pound of lean body weight, then adjust by appetite.
• Core rule: Never eat fewer grams of fat than grams of protein per day.
  • Falling below this often leads to low energy and hunger.

Use bedtime meal timing to improve sleep quality

Claim/mechanism: A large meal near bedtime supports the parasympathetic “rest and digest” state; predators often rest after feeding.

What to do:

• Make your largest meal right before bed to improve falling/staying asleep.

Important clarification from the video: The speaker states there are no credible studies showing late eating worsens sleep quality if total calories stay the same, and that meal timing doesn’t directly “make you store fat” when total intake is consistent.

---

Presenter(s) / Source(s)

• Max Germann (speaker; “studies biology” and creator of the 90-day Built by Biology Fat Loss Program)
• Labcorp on Demand (video sponsor)