A man who is “obsessed with being a father” has lost almost half his body weight following a “carnivore” diet consisting only of meat and eggs in a bid to improve his fertility.
Isaiah Caldwell, 28, of St Louis, Missouri, tipped the scales at 434 pounds at his heaviest, but has now lost a staggering 210 pounds.
She began making lifestyle changes after being told her weight could be causing fertility problems, and now weighs 224 pounds and feels “a million times better.”
Technology salesman Isaiah lost weight by exercising and following the strict carnivore diet, in which his followers abandon everything that does not come from an animal, leaving them with meat, eggs and dairy products.
Isaiah, who is 6ft 4in, is now happier and healthier than ever and he and his wife Amanda, 29, are still trying for a baby.
Isaiah Caldwell, from Missouri, has lost almost half his body weight after adopting a “carnivore” diet. In the photo of him with his wife Amanda after his weight loss.
Isaiah once tipped the scales at 434 pounds (pictured, before losing weight), but he was told his weight could be affecting his fertility.
Isaiah is pictured with his wife Amanda after losing weight; the couple is still trying to have a baby.
Isaiah said: ‘Having a baby became an obsession of ours; We were very excited about it.
‘We started trying for a year before we started to suspect there might be some issues fertility-wise.
“I knew if there was anything I could do to give us a chance, I would do it.”
Isaiah vowed to start losing weight and immediately went on a diet, giving up all food groups except meat, eggs and dairy.
Isaiah said: ‘People think there’s some magic in this.
“But the reality is you’re just eliminating overeating because it’s very difficult to binge on meat; it’s very restrictive and probably not for everyone.”
Isiah lost 21 pounds after just one month of eating steak and smoked brisket, and said he was “blown away.”
He decided to follow the carnivore diet for another month, lost another 18 pounds, and continued with it until he was down to 368 pounds.
Isaiah tried on his old clothes after losing weight and the difference was amazing.
Isaiah, who is 6 feet 4 inches tall, is now happier and healthier than ever. In the photo before, left and after, right.
He said: “I felt amazing even after a week; psychologically I felt so much better, my brain fog had completely disappeared.” I felt a million times better.
“But I knew I couldn’t go on like this forever just by eating meat.”
After ten months, he had lost a whopping 118 pounds, after expanding his diet to include some fruit and dairy.
Once the weight loss began to slow, Isaiah decided to delve deeper into the training regimens used by bodybuilders and began meticulously tracking his calorie intake.
He lost another 35 pounds, bringing his total weight loss to 140 pounds total.
Isaiah then continued his calorie deficit to continue losing weight and now weighs around 210 pounds.
And he said, ‘If anyone is thinking that maybe I can’t do it, just know that I felt exactly that way too.’
“It seemed impossible and desperate, but we are all capable of doing it.”
Once the weight loss began to slow, Isaiah decided to delve deeper into the training regimens used by bodybuilders. In the photo on the left, before; and right after
Isaiah and Amanda are scheduled to return to the doctor in the coming months to see if their efforts have had an impact on their fertility.
Isaiah said, “We’re very optimistic. I’m going to get tested, but I’ve increased the odds from zero to at least somewhat.”
“I’m in the best shape of my life and we’re excited to find a way to be parents no matter what.”
The trend of dieting with simple foods is becoming increasingly popular, thanks in part to social media sensations like bodybuilder Eddie Abbew, who posts videos eating hard-boiled eggs and liver.
It has also been popularized by internet personalities such as Jordan Peterson and podcast host Joe Rogan, who have touted the benefits to their army of followers.
But some experts have warned that diets consisting of high proportions of red meat can lead to an increased risk of a number of life-threatening diseases, including cancers, heart disease and kidney disease.
Meanwhile, the diet may mean that participants don’t get enough vitamin C, which could lead to scurvy.