Dr. Shawn Baker on How He Found the Carnivore Diet

Dr. Shawn Baker tells us how an orthopedic surgeon and record-setting athlete went from low-fat salads to paleo, keto and finally the carnivore diet, and why he says eating should be simple.

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

By The Meat Mafia (Harry Gray and Brett Ender)

Long before anyone called him the carnivore doctor, Shawn Baker was a college biology student who got sidetracked by rugby.

He joined the Air Force in the early 1990s to keep playing. His day job, he says, was training to launch nuclear missiles. The Air Force later paid for him to finish medical school.

The sports kept going. He set American records in the deadlift as a drug-free powerlifter, won titles in the Highland Games and later set records in rowing, all while working for decades as an orthopedic surgeon.

Then he hit his mid-40s.

"You know, it's getting older, fatter, sicker. Things are hurting, and I didn't like that very frankly." (08:30)

He says he had maxed out the training side, so he turned to food. He tried going low-fat and heavy on salads. He lost weight, but he says he was miserable: tired, cold and grouchy.

Paleo felt better. Keto came next. Then, in 2016, he found a small group of people eating only meat, which was usually called zero carb back then. He says he's the one who started calling it the carnivore diet.

Years later, he says he's still eating steak most days and has seen no drop in his performance. His big point is how simple he thinks eating should be.

"nutrition shouldn't be complicated. You shouldn't need a PhD to figure out how to eat." (26:15)

That's the Shawn Baker we talked with: a surgeon and lifelong athlete who keeps his own plate simple. Below is more on carbs and performance, why people eat, and why he started Revero. This is his view, not medical advice. Talk to your own clinician before you make a big change to your diet.

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TL;DR: Dr. Shawn Baker spent decades as an elite athlete and orthopedic surgeon. In his mid-40s, he says, he felt himself getting older, fatter and sicker, so he tried low-fat eating, paleo and keto before landing on an all-meat diet in 2016. He says his performance hasn't dropped, and he argues nutrition should be simple. His views, not medical advice.

Who is Dr. Shawn Baker? An orthopedic surgeon, record-setting drug-free strength athlete and rower, author of The Carnivore Diet and co-founder of the telemedicine company Revero.

Key takeaways

He served in the Air Force, and the service later paid for him to finish medical school (06:27).
He set American deadlift records as a drug-free lifter (06:51).
In his mid-40s he felt he was getting older, fatter and sicker (08:30).
He tried low-fat, paleo and keto before going carnivore in 2016 (09:31).
He says his own performance hasn't dropped without carbs, though other people may have a different experience (13:58).

Carbs and performance

Dr. Baker says he can only speak for himself, but he's seen no decline in his performance since dropping carbs, with better recovery and body composition (13:58). He adds that other people may have a different experience (14:23).

Why are you eating?

He says he asks people why they eat. If it's for reasons other than nourishing your body, like boredom, he thinks that's worth looking at. He still eats for pleasure, and he says he'd just finished a ribeye before we started recording (23:41).

Why he started Revero

He says he took an oath as a physician and thinks the system is better at high-priced band-aids than prevention. He's careful to add that doctors aren't bad people (27:33).

FAQ

Who is Dr. Shawn Baker? An orthopedic surgeon, record-setting athlete and author of The Carnivore Diet.

When did Shawn Baker start the carnivore diet? He says he found it in 2016 after trying low-fat, paleo and keto (09:31).

Does Shawn Baker eat carbs for performance? He says he hasn't seen a drop in his own performance without them (13:58).

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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.