How Women Should Balance Fat and Protein on a Carnivore Diet for Weight Loss
When women ask me about starting carnivore, one of the first questions that comes up is: how much fat and how much protein should I eat? It’s not always a simple answer, but Judy Cho, a nutritionist and author of Carnivore Cure, gives clear guidance that helps women find their starting point.
Protein Is Your Non-Negotiable
Judy stresses that women often under-eat protein, which can backfire when weight loss is the goal. She recommends at least 0.8 grams of protein per pound of ideal body weight or lean body mass. For example, if your ideal weight is 140 pounds, your minimum protein target is about 110 grams a day.
She often says that protein is what maintains your muscle and bone, and without enough, your metabolism slows and your health suffers. She warns against going lower than this floor. Protein is not optional. It is the foundation that keeps your body resilient as you lose fat.
Why Fat Matters for Women
On carnivore, fat is not the villain—it’s your main energy source. Women, in particular, tend to need more dietary fat than men, especially at the beginning. Judy often starts her female clients at around 80 percent of calories from fat. That sounds high, but her reasoning is simple: fat provides satiety. It allows your hormones to settle and prevents the cravings and energy crashes that come with too much protein and not enough fat.
Once your body adapts, she recommends gradually lowering fat to around 70 to 75 percent of calories, as long as protein never dips below the recommended floor. That balance supports weight loss without leaving you depleted.
Finding Your Ratio
Here’s the process Judy outlines for women:
Set your protein floor. Use your ideal body weight or lean mass and multiply by 0.8 to 1 gram. That’s your minimum daily protein.
Calculate fat from calories. Start with fat making up 80 percent of your total energy intake. This usually means fatty cuts of meat, eggs, butter, and tallow.
Adjust slowly. After a few weeks, lower fat toward 70 to 75 percent if weight loss stalls, but never cut it too sharply.
Listen to your body. Judy emphasizes that hunger, energy, mood, and satiety are the real indicators of whether your ratios are working.
She often points out that if you feel constantly hungry or find yourself obsessing about food, you probably need more fat. If your weight isn’t budging after several months, it may be time to pull fat back slightly while keeping protein steady.
Weight Loss Without Counting Calories
One of Judy’s most refreshing points is that women do not need to micromanage calories on carnivore. She explains that fat naturally regulates appetite. When you eat fatty ribeye instead of skinless chicken breast, you feel satisfied for longer, which keeps you from grazing or overeating later.
This doesn’t mean unlimited fat will always lead to fat loss, but it does mean you don’t need to weigh and measure every bite. Judy reminds women that the key is satiety and metabolic healing, not restriction.
Putting It Into Practice
Here’s how it looks in real life:
If your ideal body weight is 140 pounds, aim for at least 110 grams of protein. That might look like three eggs, a pound of ribeye, and some salmon in a day.
To keep fat at around 80 percent of calories, choose fatty cuts, cook in butter, and don’t shy away from egg yolks.
If your body feels stable after a few weeks, try lowering fat slightly. Switch ribeye to strip steak once in a while, or eat chicken thighs instead of wings.
The Big Picture
Judy’s advice is not about chasing a number on a food tracker. It’s about restoring your relationship with food, learning to trust your hunger signals, and protecting your muscle and metabolism while you lose fat.
Her message for women is consistent: protein is your anchor, fat is your lever, and the right balance comes from tuning in to your own body. Weight loss on carnivore happens when you nourish, not starve.
This content is never meant to serve as medical advice.
In crafting this blog post, I aimed to encapsulate the essence of research findings while presenting the information in a reader-friendly format that promotes critical thinking and informed decision-making.
