I Went Carnivore 130 Days Ago. It Changed Everything About My Business.
The surprising thing that happened when I stopped overriding my body—plus the Holiday Cheesecake Map I use to design nervous-system-smart weeks. (Grab yours free below.)
Most entrepreneurs plan their Thanksgiving week around deadlines and client schedules.
I’m planning mine around my nervous system.
Which means: carnivore cheesecake, prime rib, double birthday celebrations, hot yoga, acupuncture, and a 7-day cruise to the Dominican Republic.
This isn’t indulgence. This is business strategy.
Here’s what 130 days of carnivore taught me about running a sustainable business.
🥩 130 Days of Carnivore (And What It Did to My Brain)
On July 13th, 2025, I started an elimination experiment.
Not because I’m a nutritionist. Not because I think everyone should do this. But because a stranger at St. Armands Circle told me about carnivore while I was shopping, and something clicked.
What if the inflammation, brain fog, and energy crashes weren’t just my reality? What if they were symptoms I could decode?
So I tried it. Meat, eggs, and butter. Radical simplicity.
(For 30 days, I ate only meat. Then I added back eggs and butter—still carnivore, still elimination.)
Here’s what happened:
Weeks 1-4: Inflammation in my sternum and thoracic spine started calming down
Weeks 5-8: Brain fog lifted enough that I could hold full strategy sessions without losing my train of thought
Weeks 9-12: I noticed patterns—certain clients, certain projects would trigger flares even through the diet
Weeks 13-18 (now): My body became a reliable business advisor
That last part is what changed everything.
Because once the inflammation noise quieted down, I could finally hear what my nervous system was trying to tell me about my business decisions.
📅 How I’m Actually Structuring Thanksgiving Week
Here’s how I’m structuring this week:
Double birthday weekend (my boyfriend’s + mine—just celebrated!) 🎂
Extended birthday restoration in peace
Acupuncture
Chiropractic care
Hot yoga in my healing studio
Carnivore lattes
Absolutely nothing else
Wednesday, Nov 26: Prep day
Make carnivore cheesecake
No business work
Thursday, Nov 27: Thanksgiving with friends
Friday-Saturday, Pack for 7-day Dominican Republic vacation
Seven days in the Dominican with my boyfriend + close friends
Business structure:
ZERO work for 7 days
No client calls
No admin work
No content creation
No “catching up”
Fully offline
🎯 Why This Matters
Most business owners use Thanksgiving week to “push through and finish strong before the holidays.”
I’m using it to resource my nervous system so I CAN finish strong in December.
Here’s what I’ve learned over 130 days: If I go into December depleted, I’m not 100% on my game. I say yes to things I should say no to. I overpromise. I skip the practices that keep me clear.
But if I protect my energy NOW? December becomes strategic, not chaotic.
Food as fuel:
The carnivore cheesecake isn’t about “staying on my diet.” It’s about stable blood sugar through a holiday that’s designed to spike it.
When my blood sugar is stable, my decision-making is clear. When it’s spiking and crashing (hello, traditional Thanksgiving), I can’t think straight for three days afterward.
This is the business case for how I eat: Clear body = clear decisions.
🧠 What This Week Actually Looks Like (Mapped Out)
I plan my weeks visually because my ADHD brain can’t hold linear schedules.
Here’s what Thanksgiving week looks like mapped out:
☕ Carnivore lattes, simple beef meals, birthday restoration
🍰 Prep carnivore cheesecake
🦃 Thanksgiving feast with friends
🏖️ Vacation mode (I’ll do my best with proteins on the cruise, release perfection)
The business lesson:
Planning my meals isn’t about control. It’s about removing decision fatigue.
When I know what I’m eating, my brain has bandwidth for actual business decisions. Client strategy. Creative work. Big-picture thinking.
When I don’t plan? I’m making 15+ food decisions per day ON TOP OF all my business decisions. My nervous system can’t handle that load.
So I map it out. Track it. Protect my cognitive capacity for what matters.
💚 You Don’t Have to Hustle Through the Holidays
Here’s what I want you to hear:
You can enjoy Thanksgiving AND protect your business.
You don’t have to choose between family time and finishing Q4 strong. You choose BOTH by resourcing your nervous system now.
This is what I call Maximize in the BLOOM Method™—maximizing through protection, not production.
Most people think maximizing means doing MORE. Working harder. Pushing through.
I’ve learned it means the opposite: Protect your capacity so you can sustain momentum.
My Thanksgiving week looks “slow” on paper. A cruise. Hot yoga. Birthday restoration. Zero work.
But here’s what it actually is: Strategic nervous system restoration so I can show up clear and effective in December.
That’s the business model I’m building:
Not more hustle → More sustainability
Not more hours → More clarity
Not more pushing through → More designing around what my body actually needs
🎄 🍰 Design Your Own Nervous-System-Smart Holiday (Cheesecake Style)
Reading this on Thanksgiving Day? You’re probably already in it.
But here’s what you can do for Christmas, New Year’s, or any big event coming up:
Just like making carnivore cheesecake, building a nervous-system-smart holiday takes the right layers.
I created a Holiday Nervous System Cheesecake worksheet to help you design your perfect holiday week—layer by layer.
Reading this on Thanksgiving Day? You’re probably already in it.
But here’s what you can do for Christmas, New Year’s, or any big event coming up:
Use this framework to design holidays that resource you instead of deplete you.
Download Your Map Here.
Download The Holiday Nervous System Cheesecake Guide Here.
How to use your Nervous System Cheesecake:
🍰 CRUST FOUNDATION (Ground Rules)
Check in with your nervous system FIRST:
🟢 Regulated (calm, clear, energized)
🟡 Activated (anxious, tight, on edge)
🔴 Depleted (exhausted, foggy, overwhelmed)
Then choose: What are you prioritizing this week?
🍰 SOLID BASE LAYER (Non-Negotiables)
What boundaries protect your capacity?
Zero work for X days
No client calls
Meal planning (remove decisions)
Saying no to _______
🍰 CREAMY MIDDLE LAYER (Core Support)
What restorative practices will keep you regulated?
Yoga, walks, naps
Acupuncture, massage
Reading, journaling
Time with energizing people
🍰 TOPPING LAYER (Optional Extras)
What would make this week extra sweet?
Carnivore cheesecake? ✓
Birthday celebration? ✓
Dominican cruise? ✓
Color-code your layers:
Print out the worksheet and color each layer based on how it makes your body feel:
🟢 GREEN = Energizing, life-giving
🟡 YELLOW = Neutral, sustainable
🟠 ORANGE = Draining, needs boundaries
🔴 RED = Depleting, avoid this week
Use this framework for:
Christmas/New Year’s planning
Conference trips
Big launches
Family gatherings
Any event that could deplete you
Track what gives you energy vs. what drains you
During this Thanksgiving week (or your next holiday), just notice:
What gave you energy?
What drained you?
Write it down. That’s your business data for planning your next holiday season.
The cheesecake worksheet works every time. Save it. Use it again.
Bonus: Carnivore Cheesecake Recipe
Want to try carnivore cheesecake yourself? Mine turned out absolutely delish!
Check out Bella from Steak and Butter Gal’s carnivore cheesecake recipe here.
Simple, delicious, and won’t leave you in a brain fog for three days.
The principle: Stable blood sugar = clear decisions. Plan your meals ahead to remove decision fatigue.
🌟 What I’ve Learned After 130 Days
130 days into this experiment, here’s what I know:
The business that honors my nervous system is the one that scales.
The Thanksgiving that protects my capacity is the one that sets up Q4 success.
The food choices that stabilize my brain are the ones that make me a better coach, strategist, and human.
This isn’t perfection. It’s design.
Designing my business around my body, not against it.
From maxed out to mapped out—even through the holidays.
What does YOUR next holiday need to look like? 💚 Kate