Michael Kummer (Part 2) on Mixing Up Fasting, Beating Cravings and Bison Liver

Homesteader and blogger Michael Kummer on why he stopped strict fasting schedules, using a meat-only baseline to find food triggers, salty boiled eggs for cravings, and raw bison liver.

By Harry Gray · Nov 4, 2026 · 3 min read

By The Meat Mafia (Harry Gray and Brett Ender)

Michael Kummer used to be strict about fasting: go X hours, then eat. He doesn't do that anymore.

After a workout at 8:30, he'll often eat by mid-morning. Some days he eats early, some days later. When Brett mentioned that a post-gym shake of raw milk, egg yolks and Noble Origins chocolate felt better than a long fast, Michael agreed. His reasoning:

"it is a stressor, a good one" (~09:46)

His point is that a hormetic stressor stacks on top of everything else in your life. And if you do the same thing every day, like cold plunging, your body adapts and it may do less. So he keeps things varied.

On food sensitivities, his approach is a baseline. Eat only ruminant meat, like beef or bison, with water and maybe electrolytes for 30 to 90 days. Then add foods back one by one and watch what happens. For him, bread three days in a row shows up on his skin, while two days doesn't.

For cravings, especially on stressful days, his go-to snack is simple. Boiled eggs dunked in salt:

"protein, fat and it's salt, none of which is bad" (~25:32)

He also remembers the first time he had fresh bison liver, at a ranch in Fredericksburg, Texas. They sprinkled salt on it, and he says it didn't taste metallic at all. He felt a burst of energy afterward.

That's Michael: practical, experimental and close to his food. These are his experiences, not medical advice. (Timestamps are approximate.)

Listen to the full episode

TL;DR: In part two, Michael Kummer explains why he no longer fasts on a fixed schedule. He describes fasting as a stressor, a good one, but still a stressor, so he mixes up when he eats. He also talks about using a strict meat-only stretch as a baseline before adding foods back one at a time, how he handles cravings with salty boiled eggs, and the first time he had fresh bison liver. These are his experiences, not medical advice.

Who is Michael Kummer? A blogger and homesteader who raises much of his own food. This is part two of our conversation with him.

Key takeaways

He has stopped fasting on a fixed schedule and now mixes up his eating times (~08:08).
He calls fasting a hormetic stressor, a good one but still a stressor (~09:46).
When the body adapts to a routine, like a daily cold plunge, it may be less beneficial (~09:46).
He uses a 30- to 90-day meat-only baseline, then reintroduces foods one at a time (~15:33).
Salty boiled eggs are his craving snack (~25:32).
He says fresh bison liver tastes milder than some cow liver (~31:02).

Fasting as one stressor among many

Michael explains that fasting is a stressor. Whether it helps depends on the other stressors in your life, so he no longer treats it as a rigid daily rule.

Find your baseline

His approach to finding problem foods: a strict ruminant-meat stretch, then adding foods back one by one. Sometimes, he says, it's a combination or a frequency that causes trouble, not one single food.

Cravings and organ meats

For him, managing stress goes a long way in managing cravings. When he needs a snack, it's boiled eggs with salt. He also talks about eating liver, often raw, and his favorite: bison liver.

FAQ

Does Michael Kummer still fast? Not on a fixed schedule. He mixes up when he eats (~08:08).

How does he find food sensitivities? A 30- to 90-day ruminant-meat baseline, then reintroducing foods one at a time (~15:33). This is his approach, not medical advice.

What's his craving snack? Boiled eggs dunked in salt (~25:32).

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Disclosure: Meat Mafia hosts Harry Gray and Brett Ender co-own Noble Origins, a grass-fed beef protein with organs. We mention it where it is relevant, so weigh our take with that in mind.

Not medical advice. This post summarizes a podcast conversation for education. The views are the guest's own. Talk to a qualified clinician before you change your diet, supplements or any medication.