Spinach is Healthy. Right?
Kale. Broccoli. Leafy greens.
They were on my plate every single day.
I had been told they were essential—that without vegetables, I’d be missing fiber, vitamins, minerals.
So, I loaded up my meals.
Every smoothie? Packed with spinach.
Every dinner? A side of roasted broccoli.
Every snack? Carrots, hummus, maybe some celery with peanut butter.
I was doing everything right.
So why did I feel like garbage?
Hi, there I’m Olivia Mercer a 42 year old mom of three, and a Coffee addict. (But none of that “oat milk latte” nonsense.) from Austin, Texas.
The Silent Battle in My Stomach
It started small.
A little bloating after meals.
A dull stomachache that would come and go.
Nothing serious. Nothing alarming.
Then it got worse.
My stomach was constantly bloated.
I felt sluggish after meals instead of energized.
Some days, my gut was so irritated that I looked five months pregnant.
I blamed dairy.
Cut it out.
No change.
Then I blamed gluten.
Gone.
No change.
Then I tried going sugar-free.
Still. Nothing changed.
What the hell was going on?
The Wake-Up Call That Changed Everything
One day, after a particularly “healthy” meal—grilled salmon, roasted Brussels sprouts, and a kale salad—I felt awful.
Not just bloated. Not just sluggish.
Nauseous. Dizzy. Wiped out.
And that’s when the thought hit me:
What if it’s the vegetables?
Ridiculous, right?
Vegetables are healthy.
They’re nutrient-dense.
They’re a dietary necessity.
…Aren’t they?
Digging Into the Truth About Plants
I did what any rational person would do.
I Googled: “Can vegetables cause digestive issues?“
And what I found shocked me.
Plants aren’t just food—they are living organisms trying to survive.
And how do they survive?
By producing defensive chemicals—natural toxins designed to deter animals from eating them.
Oxalates. Lectins. Phytates. Goitrogens.
Ever heard of those? Neither had I.
But they were in my kale, my spinach, my “superfoods.”
And they weren’t just sitting there quietly.
They were blocking mineral absorption. Irritating my gut lining. Disrupting my digestion.
The Experiment: Cutting Out Plants for 60 Days
I needed answers.
So, I made a radical decision.
No more plants.
No fiber.
No greens.
No “superfoods.”
For the next 90 days, I was going full Carnivore:
Meat
Salt
Water
Nothing else.
And I braced myself.
I was about to destroy my digestion, right?
I was going to become constipated, wasn’t I?
I’d be starving, craving fiber, wishing for a salad.
That’s what they say happens when you don’t eat plants. right?
But what actually happened?
Not. Even. Close.
Week One: The Detox Phase
The first few days? Weird.
My body was adjusting.
I felt a little off—probably because I had relied on carbs for years.
But here’s what didn’t happen:
❌ I wasn’t starving.
❌ I didn’t get constipated.
❌ I didn’t miss fiber.
In fact, something unexpected happened:
✅ My stomach felt calm.
✅ No bloating. No gas.
✅ My hunger stabilized.
Already, I knew something was happening.
Week Two: The Vanishing Bloat
This was the moment it clicked.
My stomach? Flat.
For the first time in years, I didn’t feel like I was carrying around a water balloon in my gut.
I woke up without bloat.
I ate a meal and didn’t feel stuffed.
My digestion? Smooth. Effortless. Perfect.
It was as if my body stopped fighting me.
Because maybe… it had been fighting something all along.
Week Three: The Energy Shift
I had lived with midday crashes for so long that I thought they were normal.
You know the feeling—lunch hits, you get tired, and suddenly, you need caffeine just to make it through the afternoon.
But now?
No crashes. No dips. No energy rollercoaster.
Just stable, focused energy.
And my brain? Sharper than ever.
I could think clearly.
No fog. No sluggishness. Just pure, effortless mental clarity.
How?
I was no longer fighting against plant toxins, fiber-induced bloating, and blood sugar swings.
Week Four: The Craving Disappearance
Here’s something they never tell you
A lot of cravings? They don’t come from hunger.
They come from blood sugar swings, gut imbalances, and hormonal disruptions.
I used to crave sweet foods after meals.
A little chocolate here.
A piece of fruit there.
Something to “finish” the meal.
But now?
Nothing.
I ate.
I felt full.
I moved on.
That was it.
Food lost its control over me.
And for someone who had spent years constantly thinking about what to eat next?
That was freedom.
Month Two: Unexpected Benefits
By month two, the results were undeniable.
My skin looked clearer. No more random breakouts.
My joints felt smoother. No more stiffness.
My mood was stable. No more random irritability.
I felt light. Unburdened. Free.
Like I had been carrying something I wasn’t supposed to carry for years.
And now, it was finally gone.
No bloating.
No sluggishness.
No food obsession.
I felt better than I had in years.
And I knew one thing for sure:
I was never going back.
So.. What You Can Do Today to Break Free From the Monday Cycle?
I tell everyone who’s struggling with this cycle the same thing—don’t do what I did for years. Don’t waste time blaming yourself when the real problem is your approach.
If you’re stuck in the “start over every Monday” trap, just try this once.
The 60-Day Carnivore Challenge helped me get out of it, and if you’re feeling lost right now, it might just be the thing that helps you too..
That’s why I tell everyone who’s been in my shoes—give this a shot.
I’ll show you how to reclaim your health—without the BS.
