This podcast episode features Dr. Anthony Chaffee interviewing Joe Bird, a 32-year-old tattoo artist from England, who discusses his 100-day transformation on the carnivore diet. Joe shares that he had attempted the diet several times before over many years but consistently failed due to cravings and giving up. He describes a pattern of trying it for about a week before succumbing to cravings and binge eating, going “backwards and forwards”. However, just over 100 days prior to the interview, he reached a point where “enough was enough” and committed to a dietary change.
Joe explains that what made this attempt different and successful was his mindset. This time, he embarked on the diet purely for the mental benefits, not primarily for physical changes like weight loss. He even told himself he didn’t care if he gained weight initially, focusing solely on avoiding processed food and carbohydrates by eating meat, eggs, and butter. This shift in focus from physical quick fixes to mental well-being was key to his ability to stick with the diet. Within about three days, he noticed a significant difference in his head, feeling clearer as if the background noise had been volume-adjusted. Although he experienced about two weeks of low physical energy, the mental improvements motivated him to continue.
After 100 days, Joe reports numerous benefits. Mentally, he feels very clear-headed and rarely gets anxious or depressed, noting that he didn’t realize how poor his baseline mental state was before. He observed that his previous mood swings correlated with his food choices, feeling “rotten” for days after eating certain foods. He now feels much calmer and handles stress more effectively. Physically, his body has “transformed in a fantastic way,” leaving him in really good shape, feeling physically fit and strong with no dip in performance.
A significant part of the conversation revolves around the concept of food addiction, particularly concerning sugar and processed foods. Joe, drawing on his past struggles with substance abuse, describes coming off sugar as very similar to stopping other drugs, involving mental cravings. Both agree that addiction, regardless of the substance, is a mental issue involving similar brain pathways. However, they highlight that stopping sugar is socially much harder than stopping illegal drugs because it is widely accepted, often leading to others discouraging abstinence and making individuals feel guilty for being “too restrictive”. Dr. Chaffee notes that processed foods are designed to be addictive, sometimes by companies with ties to the tobacco industry. They discuss how sugar triggers a strong dopamine response, creating an “evolutionary trap” that leads to addictive behaviour, especially with modern processed foods that provide taste without nutrients. They also express concern that children are introduced to sugar and processed foods early, potentially setting them up for a life of addiction and poor health. Dr. Chaffee controversially labels major processed food companies as “drug cartels”.
Joe also shares the positive impact of the diet on his work as a tattoo artist. The increased focus and energy allow him to concentrate for up to 12-13 hours a day, improving the quality of his work. He no longer experiences the fatigue he did after long days before starting the diet. He notes that clients and fellow tattoo artists have shown interest in his dietary changes. Both agree that food significantly impacts mental health, suggesting that improving one’s diet can help the brain function better and improve the ability to cope with life’s challenges, potentially reducing self-medication with food, alcohol, or drugs. They advocate for abstinence from addictive foods like sugar and processed foods rather than moderation, arguing that moderation often prolongs the addiction cycle and requires more self-control in the long run. Joe finds that abstinence has led to his desire for sweets and sugar disappearing entirely. Joe can be found on Instagram at @joebirdtattoo, where he shares both his tattoo work and his carnivore journey.