There are few nicknames in British sport more fitting than “The Beast” — and few diets more aptly matched.
Former World’s Strongest Man Eddie Hall revealed what happened to his body when he took on a 90-day carnivore diet.
The 37-year-old powerhouse — best known for his record-breaking 500kg deadlift in 2016 — has always proven that he’s up for a challenge. But his latest test wasn’t in the gym, cage, or boxing ring – instead, it was in the kitchen: three months of eating almost nothing but meat, eggs, and dairy.
Hall committed to three full months—steak for breakfast, steak for dinner, and very little else. The results? Impressive.
A Day in the Life of The Beast
A typical “day on the plate” for Hall is not one for the faint-hearted — or faint-stomached.
His breakfast alone could fuel an entire rugby team: 200g of salmon, cottage cheese, blueberries, and a protein shake—about 675 calories before 9:00AM. Then come the steaks, eggs, shakes, and butter-laden extras.
At one point during his experiment, Hall’s daily intake hit an eye-watering 7,904 calories, including 727 grams of protein. In another video, he took it even further — nearly 9,800 calories across five meals, with over 890 grams of protein.
It’s all part of what he calls “eating as much food as I want in terms of meat and eggs.”
“I don’t think I’ve lost muscle,” Hall said. “I think it’s just fat that’s come off me and I think, actually, that my strength has improved… I might put a bit of muscle on and lost fat. I think there’s definitely a place for it in people’s diets in terms of health.”
Here’s a breakdown of the meals:
Meal One
- 2 × 100g salmon — 280 calories, 46g protein
- Cottage cheese — 280 calories, 35g protein
- Blueberries — 115 calories
- Total: 675 calories, 81 grams of protein
This first meal gives Hall a heavy hit of protein early in the day, with a small serving of fruit for micronutrients and fibre — one of the few times fruit featured during his three-month plan.
Shake One
- Contains fiber, greens, whey protein, and creatine
- Total: 300 calories, 21 grams of protein
Although the carnivore diet typically excludes plant-based products, Hall kept a greens supplement in his shakes to maintain digestive balance and micronutrient intake.
Meal Three
- 2 × 500g steak — 2,328 calories, 192g protein
- 3 eggs — 210 calories, 18g protein
- Protein shake — 601 calories, 60g protein
- 15g butter — 108 calories
- Total: 3,247 calories, 270 grams of protein
This was one of Hall’s cornerstone meals. In his own words, it was “eating nothing but steak, eggs, salmon, bacon, cheese, milk, and basically anything meat and dairy.” By this point in the day, he was already past 3,500 calories and over 300 grams of protein.
Pre-Workout Snack
- Beast Biltong
- Total: 113 calories, 24 grams of protein
A small but protein-dense snack before training, typical of Hall’s strategy to keep amino acid levels high throughout the day.
Pre-Workout Shake
- Creatine
- Pump
- Stim
- Hydro (electrolytes)
- Total: 50 calories
This supplement stack was part of his pre-session ritual — designed for energy, hydration, and muscle performance.
Meal Four
- 500g steak — 1,164 calories, 96 grams of protein
- 3 eggs — 210 calories, 18 grams of protein
- 15g butter — 108 calories
- Potatoes — 110 calories
- Total: 1,592 calories, 114 grams of protein
This was the first sign of a minor reintroduction of carbs after his 90-day experiment, as Hall began to add small portions of potatoes and eventually more fruits and vegetables “to support better digestion and overall gut health.”
Snacks (Late Evening / Recovery Phase)
- Protein shake — 601 calories, 60 grams of protein
- 450g yogurt — 418 calories, 41 grams of protein
- Two scoops of whey protein — 452 calories, 42 grams of protein
- Bone broth — 81 calories, 14 grams of protein
- Total: 1,326 calories, 157 grams of protein
By the end of his mostly carb-free day, Hall consumed roughly 7,904 calories and 727 grams of protein.
The entire intake was made up almost exclusively of red meat, eggs, dairy, and supplements, with only small inclusions of fruit or potatoes toward the end of the experiment.
Hall said he planned to incorporate more fermented and prebiotic foods to “support better digestion and overall gut health.”
The Results
At the start, Hall weighed 167.9kg (370.1lbs) with 27.1% body fat. Ninety days later, his DEXA scan showed 159kg (350.5lbs) and 19.9% body fat. That’s a drop of 9kg (nearly 20lbs) and over 7% less body fat. Even more surprising: he added half a kilo of lean muscle, with his strength “through the roof.”
After retiring from Strongman, Hall admits he fell into what he called “a bit of a bad place,” struggling with food and motivation. “The carnivore diet is going really good actually. I lost six kilos in six weeks,” he told Mail Sport. “Inflammations have gone down, I’m eating as much food as I want in terms of meat and eggs, so yeah… so far so good!”
“This is the strongest I’ve been in four years,” he said. His workouts now include 100kg dumbbell shoulder presses, a 200kg bench press for reps, squats at 260kg, and deadlifts up to 340kg.
When the Bloodwork Arrived
Not everyone is convinced that carnivore living is sustainable.
Phil Richards, Hall’s long-time strength coach and nutrition expert, ran the numbers on his client’s blood and stool samples — and raised a few red flags.
Hall’s triglycerides were “very high,” a potential sign of fatty liver issues and cardiovascular strain. His LDL cholesterol showed plaque buildup, which Richards described as “a crowded expressway with too many cars.” He also noted high ferritin levels, suggesting too much iron from all the red meat.
Still, Richards was clear that these were “100% reversible.” His prescription: add vitamin K, omega-3s, and vitamin C, while dialing back on total food volume.
What The Experts Are Saying
The carnivore diet isn’t without controversy. Harvard Health and other medical bodies warn that the high saturated fat and lack of plant-based nutrients can increase risks of heart disease, kidney stones, and even gout.
Liz Weinandy, a dietitian at Ohio State University, told Everyday Health: “We have multiple food groups for a reason. They each provide us with a range of nutrients.” Limiting your diet to meat alone, she said, can lead to deficiencies in vitamins like C and E.
But not all medical voices are against meat. British cardiologist Dr Aseem Malhotra told the Mail: “I tell my patients, ‘I don’t care how much red meat you eat.’ The evidence is only there for processed meat, not red meat.”
As ever, experts advise speaking to a doctor before taking on any restrictive diet—especially one that involves cutting out fruits, vegetables, and grains entirely.
Featured image credit: Facebook/eddiehallwsmlegend
