Amazing Effects on All Aspects of My Life!

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 My name is Casie and I’m 26 years old.

My story actually begins with my brother, best friend and my inspiration, Jesse. After brief experiments with vegetarianism and veganism, Jesse started on the primal path and never looked back. I, of course, thought he was insane, and didn’t see the point at all. As an animal lover, Jesse decided the best way to get my attention would be to lend me a book all about how animals are treated in factory farms. I read it and it definitely got my attention. I started thinking more about the food I ate.

This was around the time I was 21. I used to eat horribly. Fast food, pop, processed garbage galore! And candy. Don’t forget candy. Although I knew that pop, fast food and candy weren’t good for me, I genuinely thought the other food I ate was. A healthy meal to me then is something I would never eat now. And never want to eat.

I was one of those people that never really gained weight no matter what I ate, so I honestly thought I could eat whatever I wanted. I didn’t realize all of the other ways your food and lifestyle affects your every day life!

I was dealing with anxiety and depression at this time. I cried, a lot, and for no real reason. I had crazy mood swings and no self esteem. It was affecting my personal life and my work life. I had entered into an unhealthy relationship and I blamed the relationship for my anxiety and depression. Since I was so insecure, just ending the relationship wasn’t easy, even though I thought it was the root cause of my issues.

On the physical side of things, I suffered from the common “afternoon crash” daily, and felt bloated after pretty well every meal. I didn’t have a lot of energy, and this mixed with my anxiety meant I rarely felt like doing anything. I was most definitely not a very happy person. But to be honest, I still didn’t really think there was anything wrong with me. I didn’t think anything about me needed changing.

After reading the first book Jesse lent me, he lent me The Primal Blueprint. I read it very quickly, with interest, and the lightbulb went off. It all made SO MUCH sense. And it inspired me. By this point I had to admit that Jesse had become a very positive person, and a passionate advocate for eating well. This, too, was inspiring.

I started making changes, but it was definitely gradual for me. I cut out pop, candy and fast food, and started trying to eat more meat and fish (I ate a lot of cheap pasta at this point). Then I cut out the grains and started buying organic and ethically raised foods. It probably took me almost a year to fully transition, with lots of slips along the way. During all of this I (like most of us!) became obsessed with learning about all aspects of health and lifestyle.

It’s been over three years now that I’ve been eating primal-aligned, and I am a completely different person. The first change I noticed was that my energy levels soared. And I never get that afternoon crash anymore. I never feel bloated. Then, and most importantly for me, my anxiety practically vanished along with my depression. I became an extremely happy, positive, outgoing, confident, independent, Vibram-wearing, Kombucha-loving person, which had amazing effects on all aspects of my life. I ended the toxic relationship years ago, realizing it was just another symptom of my former poor health. I started surrounding myself with only positive influences.

I had so much energy that I needed an outlet, and started (and fell in love with) Crossfit. I was never an athlete or particularly fit person, and Crossfit helped me to become even more confident in myself. This past summer I went on a three week solo road trip to Vancouver Island, B.C., even stopping at a couple of Crossfit boxes along the way. It was an absolutely incredible experience, but I would have never had the nerve or confidence to do it before.

Eating well is second nature now. I don’t desire foods that don’t make me feel well. When I do indulge in something that isn’t very primal-aligned (usually Sushi!), I enjoy it and never feel guilty about it. This guilt pattern was something I used to deal with a lot when I started, but it really doesn’t help anything.

When the Primal Health Coach course was launched, I wanted to take it right away. It took me a while to get through it, but I have now and have launched my Health Coaching business. I am beyond excited to be able to help others improve their lives. The best advice I can give those struggling with the journey is to stay positive and ignore negative influences! I’ve dealt with my fair share and I know there are tons out there…surrounding yourself with a positive support system helps tremendously- like a Primal Health Coach!

To Mark and everyone like him, including my fellow health coaches, thank you for all that you do, and for constantly leading by example!

All the best to everyone

Casie (KeepItPrimal)

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Filed under: Fitness