Hi, I'm T. Kyle Tucker.
If you've never seen Animal House, It's Ok. You can go watch it now,
I’ll wait. I often hear how it doesn’t age well and I am sorry, but I don’t care. I absolutely love it and always have and it’s where my nickname Fat, Drunk & Tucker came from after all. Am I embarrassed by the name? Nope. I wore it like a badge of honor back in the college days and damn did we have some fun. It pointed quite clearly, however, to the rather general state of my consistent debauchery and some reasons to be concerned for my future health. Not surprisingly, the name has been lived up to ever since, but I guess we all need to grow up sometime, right?
Well now I'm 50, married, with two beautiful kids and unfortunately a seemingly never ending, yo-yoing weight problem that drives me completely insane. Actually now that you mention it, yes I am embarrassed but not from the name FD&T but instead by the fact that I have been overweight and struggled for so long that I cannot help but be embarrassed that I have not been strong enough to overcome it. This is stupid I know, especially in light of all the processed food addiction (PFA) concepts I’ve gained an understanding of over the years, but I have been saddled with this self judgment for so long that it eats away at me one little thought at a time. It literally makes me feel like less of a man. But that ends now because I have a plan and some reasons to believe it's going to work...
Q: Let me get this straight, are you saying you are never going to eat processed food again? Like no pizza? No Fat Dons? T.K. I know you, I've seen you down 2 pizza rolls at 2am and chase it with a 6 pack. I don't buy it. Can't you have some fun food here and there? What about some balance?
A: It has taken me a long time to understand processed food addiction and how my body and brain react to different foods. There are moderators in this world who can have a bit here or there and there are abstainers who are basically "all or nothing". Anyone who knows me, knows which one I am. Processed foods are designed to hijack our brains. For some of us...abstainers, one bite is all it takes - death by bagel I say. The dopamine hits and all bets are off. One bagel becomes 3. Did you know the big food companies were bought out by the tobacco companies in the 80's and since then have implemented the same addiction model to food? Their plan: Create a franken-food that hits all the pleasure centers, and cash the checks. If you are an addict, it's not your fault. Just like alcohol, drugs and cigs they all act on the brain the same way. Being a processed food addict is not an accident - it was exactly the INTENTION of Big Food. Something amazing happened for me when I realized this internally and stopped eviscerating myself at every lapse or poor food choice. I actually started to have empathy for myself. I am kinder to myself now and I try to be my biggest cheerleader anytime that those damn negative hateful thoughts pop us. It is a process but it has made a world of difference. A huge thanks to Joan Ifland and the Addiction Reset Community for helping me to understand this about food. It has been liberating. For more info on the ARC please take a look HERE.
Q: So, aren't you going to die from heart disease eating all that meat and saturated fat? Holy cholesterol!
A: Actually, saturated fat is good for us! It is packed with nutrients that our bodies need. It is my belief, that is shared by many now, that heart disease is actually caused by metabolic dysfunction and insulin resistance - mostly from processed food, inflammatory seed "vegetable oils" & excessive sugar. Meat is the most nutrient dense and bio available food on the planet. It is what humans were designed to eat. The studies demonizing meat that created this hypothesis were based on faulty, misguided research. Did you know that heart disease did not even exist prior to the 1800's. Hmmmm can you guess why? And no, it is not because people didn't live long enough to get it or that doctors could not diagnose it, it's because processed foods, especially grains, seed oils and and sugar were not readily available yet. Once those became the norm, especially in the mid 1900's we see an overwhelming correlation with increases in chronic disease. Are you aware that there is not one legitimate study that actually shows a truly causative link between saturated fat and heart disease? There's a good reason why...because there isn't one. Welcome down the rabbit hole! I know this sounds crazy the first time you hear it, I do. I was the same. Please see RESOURCES to take a deeper dive.
Q: Wait a second. No vegetables? Are you insane? They are the healthiest foods on the planet!
A: Funny you should ask that. Veggies seriously must have the best publicist in the world because they actually contain very un-publicized anti-nutrients, such as lectins, phytates, oxylates and many others. They are defense mechanisms against being over consumed by animals and humans so they can survive. These compounds cause wide-ranging ill effects in humans, including but not limited to, digestive problems, leaky gut and general inflammation. The amount of anecdotal evidence of individuals with a wide variety of negative health conditions who have ditched plants and literally reversed their symptoms is staggering and cannot be ignored. You want to live and die by science alone? Feel free, but not me. Science has its place for sure but some tiny study of mice that says eating broccoli increases vitamin c concentrations in blood plasma just does not compare. (I just made up that study :) but it probably exists). These are living, breathing, thriving people who have suffered auto immune diseases, neurological diseases, debilitating digestive troubles and even skin conditions - REVERSED. Because of these defense chemicals, vegetables and other plants, even though they may contain some vitamins or minerals are actually more of a net negative - they cause more harm than good. Hey, is that spinach going to kill you off the bat? Nope. But in excess it can certainly be problematic for most people. Think I'm crazy? Fine. But I basically don't eat any vegetables anymore. Maybe an onion now and then because they are so damn good and don't send me for the pop tarts an hour later. There is a reason that more and more medical professionals are adopting carnivore diets for themselves, and for their clients. Please see the vegetables section HERE for more info and also check out the resources page.
Q: Fine so you love meat and hate vegetables. We get it. Why make a website for the world to see?
A: I am a weak, weak man! I know you may think I am exaggerating but I am not when it comes to processed food. Some time ago I just lost the ability to moderate things like bread, pastas, french fries, etc. The one thing that has been missing from me doing carnivore in the past was some form of true leverage...like ACCOUNTABILITY. I have decided to use the potential for mass public humiliation & failure as a primary tool in my recovery. I did 2 months on my own, then caved, but i know if I can do this for a full year I can do it for the long term and be much healthier for it. Please see MY PLAN for more strategies I am using.
Q: Well, how do you explain that prior to 3.5 million years ago human ate almost exclusively leaves, fruits, and other vegetation?
A: This is an awesome question. While this is true so much has happened since then! Our earliest ancestors also began scavenging for meat during that time but then about 2 million years ago there was a massive shift, a magical event- they started hunting. Meat became the predominant food of choice moving forward. It caused the brain to grow exponentially. Our human digestive systems evolved to maximize nutrient absorption of all the meat we were eating and our digestive systems today are that of a predominately carnivore animal. We literally are the amazing result of 2 million years worth of evolution and eating meat was the fulcrum point in creating the advanced human race we are today.
Q: So why should I believe anything you say? I mean you're still fat!
A: You shouldn't. But maybe you should start doing your own research and exploration - seeking for your truth. I did not get to this point in my beliefs overnight. In fact it has taken 25+ years to wrap my head around how horribly wrong the "nutritional scientists" got it and how the world's governments blindly followed their guidance with so little proof or use of common sense. When I first heard of Carnivore I laughed and though it was crazy, as most do, but that is only because we have been indoctrinated since birth with beliefs about meat & saturated fat and how bad it is for us. It could not be more untrue. I suggest the work of Nina Teicholz as a great starting point or check out some suggested resources HERE
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