This Lifestyle Opened a Path to Feeling Unstoppable!

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/

My story is similar to many out there; I was stuck in a cycle of diets, restriction and anxiety. I’ve always been interested in health and wellness, and I eagerly followed the advice doled out by fitness magazines and conventional “wisdom”: eat six small meals a day—a protein with a carb, don’t let yourself get hungry, avoid fat, exercise intensely six days a week. I wanted to be a healthy, fit woman so I obeyed this advice.

The problem: this “healthy” lifestyle was making me feel decidedly unhealthy. I was constantly tired, sore, constipated, gassy and bloated. (On a side note, when I spoke to my gynecologist about my digestive issues she actually told me it was normal to eliminate only twice a week!) I broke out so frequently that I started using Proactiv in my late thirties. I thought about food constantly (probably because the food I was eating wasn’t very enjoyable or satiating), and I was always worried about missing a meal and becoming dizzyingly hungry as a result. I felt irrationally emotional about food because I was restricting myself and working so hard—but my pants were getting tighter! When a few acquaintances assumed I was pregnant because of my disproportionately bloated stomach I went in a funk for weeks.

I had heard about this whole low carb eating lifestyle for a while, initially brushing it off as crazy. This was not what my fitness magazines said was healthy! The body needs carbs for energy, right? However, I believe that the universe sends signs when we are ready for them. Within a week all of my favorite podcast hosts were either interviewing Mark Sisson or Mark Hyman (author of Eat Fat, Get Thin). I was seeing low carb articles in Outside magazine and Time claimed “We were wrong about saturated fats!” The government revised its food pyramid!

This new information began to seep into my very being and I knew it was time to change my mindset and attitude about what was healthy. I bought The Primal Blueprint and Eat Fat, Get Thin and read them in a weekend. I was convinced by the information to complete a four week trial, following the plans created by the Marks. My husband had just returned from a beer and junk food infested snowmachine trip, so I caught him at the perfect sugar-crash low and he agreed to do the trial with me.

We felt a little woozy and low energy the first few days. My husband, initially quite hungry, snacked regularly on nuts. After about four days, something shifted. My bloating was gone—it just disappeared! My digestion was showing significant signs of improvement, and I was absolutely loving what we were eating. Everything we ate was so satiating and delicious that we found we were naturally satisfied with less food.

There was no restriction or judgement surrounding eating; this beautiful food was making me healthy and I loved and appreciated every bite. This food mindset was totally revolutionary for me. After about two weeks I began to sense this incredible sense of non-stop energy, clarity, and enthusiasm for life. I was waking up without an alarm clock, full of energy and excited to begin the day. Brain fog that I hadn’t even known was there disappeared and left me feeling more intelligent, focused, and clear in my communications. My husband felt the same way.

We had no idea that it was possible to feel this good; we thought we were healthy and happy before, but this was a whole new level of life. The four week trial naturally turned into our lifestyle. I can’t imagine living any other way. It’s difficult for me to describe the impact of this transformation, but I feel like I have been freed from the obsessive/restrictive/self-esteem crushing diet and exercise patterns in which I had lived most of my life. I liken it to a physical and mental blockade dissolving, which opened the path to feeling absolutely unstoppable.

In this time my purpose became clear to me. I had to try and help others feel this way. If I could help just one other person awaken his or her glow, I knew that it was worth trying. I started the website, Awaken Your Glow, to share my experiences and hopefully inspire others.

When I heard about the Primal Blueprint Certification program I immediately knew I was meant to enroll. I absolutely loved every module and would honestly get excited to read and learn each weekend. I really appreciate that the Primal Blueprint philosophy takes into account all facets of life. Yes, nutrition and movement are crucial, but so are sleep, nature, play, mindfulness, and slowing life down. I feel honored to be an official Primal Health Coach.

Thank you, Mark! You have changed my life.

Katie Harrison

The post This Lifestyle Opened a Path to Feeling Unstoppable! appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.

Filed under: Fitness