Been Banting for Months with Nothing to Show? Here's What's Actually Stalling Your Fat Loss
You cut the bread. You cut the sugar. You swapped rice for cauliflower and pasta for zoodles. You've been doing everything the Banting way — and the scale still won't budge the way it should. If that's you, you're not failing at Banting. You've just outgrown it.
Banting Got You Here. It Might Also Be Why You've Stalled.
Banting deserves real credit. For thousands of South Africans, it was the first diet that actually made sense — cut the sugar, cut the refined carbs, eat real food, and the weight starts coming off. Professor Tim Noakes built a movement out of a simple, honest idea: stop eating what's making you sick.
But here's what nobody tells you when you start: Banting isn't one fixed diet. It's a spectrum. On one end, you've got "low-carb" — still eating vegetables, nuts, dairy, the occasional Banting-friendly treat from the shelf. On the other end, you've got something much stricter and much more powerful — and most people never get told that second end exists, or that it's exactly where the real results are hiding.
Why "Banting-Friendly" Products Are Quietly Working Against You
Walk into any shop and you'll see it now — Banting-branded flour, Banting bread, Banting bars, Banting sweeteners. An entire industry has sprung up selling you permission to keep eating bread-shaped, sweet-tasting food while calling it a lifestyle.
Here's the problem: your body doesn't care what the packaging says. Many of these products still spike insulin, still trigger cravings, and still keep your body a little too comfortable holding onto fat — just slower than white bread would. You're paying premium prices to stay stuck at 80% instead of getting to 100%.
If you've been Banting for months and the fat loss has stalled, this is very often why. Not lack of willpower. Not a slow metabolism. It's death by a thousand "Banting-approved" cuts.
Meet the Diet That Closes Every Loophole: Carnivore
Carnivore is what happens when you take the core Banting principle — cut the carbs, eat real food — and follow it all the way to its logical end. No vegetables to overthink. No nuts to overeat. No "Banting-friendly" products to fall for, because the rule is brutally simple:
If it isn't meat, fish, or eggs — it's not on the plate.
That's it. No labels to read. No hidden sugar alcohols. No industry selling you a version of "healthy" that's really just repackaged carbs. For a lot of long-time Banters, this is the missing piece — the thing that finally breaks a stall that's lasted months.
Why Carnivore Succeeds Where Banting Plateaus
No grey areas. Banting still leaves room to negotiate — "is this low-carb enough?" Carnivore removes the negotiation entirely.
No plant-based inflammation triggers. Vegetables, nuts, and seeds are Banting staples, but they carry natural compounds that quietly cause bloating, joint pain, or skin issues in a lot of people — issues that don't show up on a scale but absolutely affect how your body holds onto weight.
Real satiety. Meat, fat, and eggs are some of the most filling foods that exist. Most people eat less without trying, because they're finally full — not just full of low-carb snacks.
Nothing to buy. No branded products, no bars, no flours. Just meat from the butcher you already trust.
You Don't Have to Figure This Out Alone
Making the jump from Banting to carnivore isn't just "eat less veg." Done wrong, people make mistakes with electrolytes, fat ratios, and adaptation that leave them feeling worse before they feel better — and quit. Done right, it's the smoothest, most sustainable fat-loss transition many former Banters ever make.
That's exactly what the Carnivore Library series was built for — sixteen no-nonsense guides that take the guesswork out of every stage, from your very first week to hormones, skin, weight loss, and long-term maintenance.
Ready to Break the Plateau? Start With The Carnivore Solution
This is the exact guide built for people making the switch from low-carb diets like Banting to full carnivore — how to transition properly, avoid the common mistakes, and finally see the results Banting promised but couldn't quite deliver.
Not ready to fully commit? Start with our free guide, The Incline Advantage, and see what happens when you take the Banting principle you already trust and push it all the way.
Or explore the full Carnivore Library bookshop and find the title built for exactly where you are on this journey — because the diet that got you this far isn't the one that has to take you the rest of the way.
1. Sarah M. – Cape Town, Western Cape ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"I honestly thought there was something wrong with me. I'd been Banting for almost eight months. At first the weight came off, but then nothing. Every week I'd stand on the scale praying for a change, and every week I felt more defeated.
Then I read this article explaining why so many of us plateau on Banting. It was like someone had been watching my life. I realised I was living on Banting bread, almond flour muffins and those expensive 'healthy' snacks from Woolies.
I bought The Carnivore Solution that same evening, followed the transition exactly as it explained, and everything finally clicked. Four months later I'm 17kg lighter, my cravings are gone, and for the first time in years I don't spend every day thinking about food. I genuinely wish someone had told me this years ago."
2. Johan V. – Pretoria, Gauteng ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"I've been following Professor Noakes since the early Banting days, so I was sceptical when someone suggested carnivore.
This blog didn't attack Banting—it explained why some of us simply reach a point where we need something stricter.
That was exactly me.
The Carnivore Solution answered questions I didn't even know I had. No hype. Just practical advice that made the transition incredibly easy.
I've lost another 13kg after being stuck for nearly a year, my knee pain has almost disappeared, and my energy is honestly better than it was in my thirties."
3. Nomsa K. – Durban, KwaZulu-Natal ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"I nearly cried reading this article because I finally realised I wasn't lazy.
Every doctor kept telling me to eat less and exercise more.
Meanwhile I was spending hundreds every month on Banting products that weren't helping.
The Carnivore Solution completely changed my understanding of food. I stopped chasing recipes and started eating simple meals.
Eight months later I've lost over 24kg, my confidence is back, and my husband has now joined me after seeing my results."
4. Pieter D. – Bloemfontein, Free State ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"I don't normally leave reviews, but this deserves one.
The biggest thing this book gave me wasn't weight loss.
It gave me freedom.
No calorie counting.
No macros.
No complicated meal prep.
Just meat, eggs and consistency.
I've bought three more books in the series already, especially the Carnivore Meal Masterclass, because it makes daily eating unbelievably simple."
5. Lerato M. – Johannesburg, Gauteng ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"I've tried Weight Watchers, Keto, Banting and intermittent fasting.
Every single diet worked...
Until it didn't.
This article explained exactly why my progress stopped, and The Carnivore Solution gave me a roadmap to finally move forward.
I've gone from a size 20 to a size 14, my inflammation has disappeared, and I actually enjoy shopping for clothes again.
That's something I never thought I'd say."
6. Willem S. – George, Western Cape ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"I've spent thousands of rand on supplements, shakes and miracle diets.
Funny enough, the thing that finally worked was eating the simplest food imaginable.
The Carnivore Solution removed all the confusion.
No more wondering whether something is low carb enough.
That alone removed so much stress from my life.
Best investment I've made for my health."
7. Zanele P. – Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha), Eastern Cape ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"I bought this book because I was desperate to lose weight.
I didn't expect my skin to improve.
Three months after starting carnivore my eczema was almost gone.
That led me to buy Carnivore Skin Solution and later Glow Up, which helped me deal with years of dark marks from acne.
People keep asking me what skincare products I'm using.
The biggest change actually started with what I was eating."
8. Andre B. – Nelspruit, Mpumalanga ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"This blog was brutally honest.
The part about Banting products hit hard because my pantry was full of them.
I realised I'd replaced junk food with expensive low-carb junk.
Since switching properly using The Carnivore Solution, I've dropped 15kg without constantly feeling hungry.
Simple really is better."
9. Thandi N. – Polokwane, Limpopo ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"As a woman in my forties, losing weight became harder every single year.
Nothing seemed to work anymore.
The Carnivore Solution helped me transition properly, and later I bought Carnivore for Women, which explained so many things about hormones and stubborn fat that nobody had ever discussed with me.
I'm healthier, stronger and happier than I've been in over a decade."
10. Sipho H. – Soweto, Gauteng ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"I was honestly tired of starting over every Monday.
This wasn't another motivational book.
It was practical.
Straightforward.
Easy to follow.
I've lost 19kg so far and the biggest surprise is that I don't miss bread anymore.
I never thought I'd be able to say that."
11. Michelle R. – Stellenbosch, Western Cape ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"I appreciated that this wasn't about selling another magic diet.
The blog explained exactly why Banting works...and why it sometimes stops working.
That honesty convinced me to buy the book.
I've since read four books from the Carnivore Library and every one has added something valuable.
It's like having a complete roadmap instead of random advice from Facebook groups."
12. Kabelo T. – Rustenburg, North West ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"My blood sugar had improved on Banting, but my weight hadn't moved for months.
The Carnivore Solution helped me understand where I was unknowingly sabotaging myself.
I've now added the Carnivore Type 2 Diabetes Reversal guide as well.
My doctor has already reduced one of my medications.
That conversation felt unreal."
13. Bianca L. – Kimberley, Northern Cape ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"I've spent years blaming myself.
Turns out I didn't need more discipline.
I needed more clarity.
The Carnivore Solution simplified everything.
No confusing food lists.
No hidden ingredients.
No expensive health foods.
Just real food and real results."
14. Mpho R. – Mahikeng, North West ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"I started because I wanted to lose weight.
I stayed because I finally got my life back.
My afternoon crashes disappeared.
I sleep better.
My joints hurt less.
I've even started walking every morning because I actually have the energy.
Sometimes the simplest changes really are the most powerful."
15. Cheryl J. – Durban, KwaZulu-Natal ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"This article found me at exactly the right time.
I'd almost given up completely.
I remember reading the sentence about Banting getting you this far but not necessarily taking you the rest of the way, and it hit me hard.
I bought The Carnivore Solution immediately.
Six months later I've lost 21kg, my confidence has returned, and I've recommended the Carnivore Library to my sister, my husband and two colleagues.
This wasn't just another diet.
For me, it was the turning point."
