Not Your Typical Before and Afters
It’s Friday, everyone! And that means another Primal Blueprint Real Life Story from a Mark’s Daily Apple reader. If you have your own success story and would like to share it with me and the Mark’s Daily Apple community please contact me here. I’ll continue to publish these each Friday as long as they keep coming in. Thank you for reading!
I’ve been debating writing this for quite some time, as I’m pretty shy when It comes to sharing personal details about myself. But if I can inspire just a single person with my story and spread the good word even a little bit more, then it’s well worth sharing. So thank you Mark for all that you do and for allowing me a platform to spread my not so typical journey to health with others.
Background
As a young girl, with a family of four brothers, food was quick, cheap, and decently healthy. Lots of big casseroles and pasta dishes, some veggies, not much meat, cereal for breakfast, packed lunches for school, and rarely any fast food. Despite a somewhat standard American diet, I was a thriving, happy, and active kid.
I took an interest in health at a young age; around 11 years old I started going on jogs to get in shape for my competitive skating team. I did an agility training camp in the summer months for many years (yay sprinting!), and figure skated between 2-5 times a week for about 10 solid years. I also managed to squeeze in soccer, softball, basketball, and tons of outdoor playing time in between it all. To say I was active was a bit of an understatement, and I loved every sweaty second of it.
By the time I hit high school I was still just as active and eating “healthy”; oatmeal and fruit for breakfast, apple and peanut butter for snack, soup and salad with some meat for lunch, big salads with some protein for dinner, with some snacking in between it all. Although I was never overweight before, I lost some weight my senior year eating this way and felt pretty good despite usually being hungry.
Where Things Went Wrong
I continued down this “healthy” eating path until it went a little too far. I slowly slipped into a vegetarian lifestyle when I moved out on my own, mostly out of restriction but also convincing myself it was a much healthier lifestyle. That, with a combination of too little sleep and too much drinking, wound up with me having mono heading into my freshman year at college. I was the thinnest I had ever been, and friends and family were concerned.
But I continued eating this way for some time. No meat, very little fat, processed snacks, soy milk, veggies, beans – honestly I can barely remember what I survived off of. I just remember being hungry, having several anxiety attacks, sleeping AWFUL every night (out of hunger), being depressed, having eczema, dry patchy skin, no period, a very slow heart rate and very low blood pressure which frightened me, and I was constantly cold… The list could go on and on. My body was at an all time low.
Here I am my freshman year in the white; my lowest weight, and lowest level of health I’ve ever been (symbolically holding a packet of Crystal Light drink mix). For about two years my body remained at a low weight and I had most of those symptoms on and off.
Turning Point
My junior year of college things began to change. After an appointment with my doctor, discussing some symptoms (GI issues) and low iron levels, we considered food intolerances. I decided to cut out gluten to see what affect it had on me, and that very day decided to add meat back into my diet, after a 3-year hiatus. It was Thanksgiving break, so no better time than a good home cooked meal to kick things off. I didn’t exactly hit the ground running with this diet, it was tough, but I stuck it out (with the typical gluten free processed foods taking a front row seat of course). But pretty shortly after, my skin (acne) seriously cleared up, the eczema on my eye went away, and stomach issues I was having were subsiding.
I started getting more into proteins, a little fat, and more whole foods as the months ticked by. I was also training for my first marathon, so I took an interest in fueling properly. Around this time is when I stumbled on MDA. I remember reading article after article very late into the night and being amazed by this community and lifestyle that I had never heard of before.
My Primal transition was a very slow one. I wasn’t totally convinced on the fat thing right away. And I was a broke college student, so grass fed beef and leg of lamb weren’t exactly high on my grocery list. But over the course of a year I made small changes, and my health slowly improved along with these changes. I completed my first marathon in 4:07 feeling great, barely needing much sugar along the way and never hitting the wall. I also pretty much quit running (long distances) the moment my foot crossed the finish line.
That brings me to this past year, senior year of college. I got into weightlifting, and Crossfitting, and hung up my running sneakers. I continue to make small changes all the time; the peanut butter to almond butter took me a while. And within the past few months I’ve gotten even more into highly nutritious foods like fermented veggies, organs, sardines etc. I work hard as a part time waitress on top of classes so I can afford this lifestyle that makes me feel amazing. I’m still learning and tweaking everyday, but my recent doctors visit proved to me that everything is right on track:
My iron levels were up, my HDL was one of the highest my doctor has seen in her practice at 89 mg/dl, triglycerides were 48 mg/dl, LDL 117mg/dl and my body seemed to naturally put back on the weight it needed to.
But beyond the numbers, I’m happier than ever and I feel alive again. My skin is great, I have amazing energy, no anxiety, no depression, core temperature is normal, regular menstrual cycle, and tamed blood sugar and hunger levels… the list could once again go on and on. I don’t claim to be perfect; I live by my own 85/15 rule that seems to feel right for my body; I enjoy drinks with friends occasionally and probably eat more sweet potatoes than you… but I’m a hell of a lot better off than I’ve ever been before.
Here I am this past winter; a healthier weight, and enjoying life. Since then, and since finding Crossfit, I’ve toned up even more, although I don’t have a great photo to share.
I’m not your typical Primal success story; I didn’t go from obese to petite, and my cholesterol was never sky high. But I hope others can find some inspiration or relate to my story in a different way. The Primal lifestyle is not always about losing. It can be about gaining too; gaining health, happiness, and yes, even weight when you need to.
I’ve been writing a blog now, KatieDid, for about a year and it follows my Primal transition while sharing my love for photography, gluten-free recipes, love of Crossfit and fitness, and everyday life. Please stop by and say hi! (oh and if you’re looking to fill a job with a recent college grad with a major in exercise science, enthusiastic about life, look no further 
)
So thanks again, Mark, for building up a community of such smart, enthusiastic, healthy, and passionate people; I’m proud to be a part of it!
Katie
Grab a Copy of The Primal Blueprint 21-Day Total Body Transformation and Start Getting Primal Today!
Posted By: Mark Sisson
Totally awesome changes. You looked gaunt and unhealthy before and radiant after. Anorexia is common in young girls and I am hoping MDA and the bloggers get that a rigid diet that restricts calories to the end that absence of periods and compromised health is not the way to go. Beautiful after pic. I hope that the lack of response to this so far does NOT indicate a total lack of getting it.( Where are you MDA people?) You go girl.
Thank you so much connie! There are a few pages of incredibly supportive and uplifting comments before yours also that maybe you didn’t see. I’m so grateful for everyone’s kind words.
Just so you know – I use Google Chrome pretty much exclusively and for some reaosn, not all the comments post right away. In fact, some of the comments don’t post until the next day. If I want to see the latest and greatest updated commets, I log in on FireFox.
Meanwhile, on Firefox, the comments seem to post ASAP. (I don’t use IE so can’t give an opinion on it.) Not sure what’s going on — can anyone else shed some light on this????
I can’t shed any light – but I can see the comments from my Mac (using Safari) straight away, but comments are not visible from my PC (Internet Explorer) until much later. I had thought it might be because I’ve replied to posts via the Mac; my hypothesis had been that registered commenters see replies first? But maybe it is the browser? (I’ll have to try accessing MDA from the PC using Firefox…)
My guess would be that MSIE isn’t **checking the BLOG itself** for the latest version (with newer comments), but is merely “serving” you an (earlier) copy that hadn’t yet been updated. By ALL means — drop MSIE…. doesn’t matter so much what you use in its place (I like Firefox, many prefer Chrome)… but MSIE is not yet ready for public use. {frown}
(And, yes, that’s probably unfairly harsh, but I’ve struggled with (the non-standards-based and hard to use) MSIE (I’m a web designer) for a decade. HATE HATE HATE it!!)
hey Katie, theres so much emphasis on losing weight these days (understandably) that people forget that you can come from the other end of the scales…you just made that point perfectly, you look amazing!!
It’s just amazing what the Primal Blueprint can do for you. I’ve had to switch to an anti-inflammatory diet because of gastritis and eating primal fits right into that. I can see my health improving every single day!
What a smart, beautiful young lady! I’m so happy that you gained control of your health this early in life. You’re miles ahead in the game of life and blazing a trail for others to follow. Oorah!
Great story! You look awesome. I have also experienced the benefits of skin improvement since embracing Primal. Keep up the good work.
What a great inspiration you are Katie! I am so glad you found your health!
Good for you! Looking & Feeling Vibrant & Healthy!
Thanks for sharing your story Katie! You look so vibrant and healthy in the holiday photo
Wonderful story.
Hey you look really awesome now and I am happy for your transformation
keep up the good work Katie!
I don’t do paleo. I eat an organic non processed whole grain diet with lots of veggies, fruits, dairy and meat……and my ldl was 89 with triglycerides as 35. So I don’t think the numbers Katie reported are the ‘paleo diet’ talking. I’m sorry, but I’m not convinced.
Keep it up for ten years, and report back. Your body can fight your diet for a long time before giving out.
But, also, you shouldn’t be convinced by one anecdote (“observational study”). Try reading EVERY Friday for the past-however-long Mark has been treating us to success stories, and see if the numbers don’t become more persuasive. Then read the science, and find out why
As a matter of fact, I have been reading his posts. I think I went as far back as 8 – 10 months and read almost all the posts. I’m still not convinced.
I have been eating like for the past 30 years of my life
I forgot to mention, I hadn’t worked out in almost a year when my blood work was done and everything was still good.
In my opinion, eating real food, ie leaving processed stuff, is all it takes to get to being healthy.
congrats! you look great and your msg is one that many young women need to hear…
I’m glad you feel so much better. It’s nice to have a story based on health more than weight!
its wild how different diets work for different people. I used to eat primal and had terrible acne and bad digestion until I switched to a vegan diet over 6 months ago. Now I feel like a super human!
I use to eat whole grain, soy, beans……until a year & 1/2 ago. I’ve never felt better, looked better……I followed CW for 45 years, & had nothing but intestinal issues, sugar cravings, low energy & weight gain. Primal’s the way to go. It’s what the human body needs
I liked this story a lot. Thanks for sharing!
There’s no such thing as a “conventional” success story. Every one I’ve read here is very unique, and yours shows how PBP can help those on the other side of the weight issue than some of us (like myself).
Katie, Thanks for sharing your story. Mine is nearly identical…it’s comforting to know we’re never alone in our journeys and we never stop learning, growing, changing, and bettering ourselves. My days are filled with new adventures, work outs, recipes, and inspiring moments. I’m a nurse and have learned to appreciate my health and wellness so much more than I could’ve imagined since beginning my career. I feel so alive everyday and feel like I could do anything. I’m running my 3rd marathon next weekend and feel better than ever. Best of luck with your adventures!
Katie, you look awesome! Healthy! I’m so glad you made the change and shared your story. I’m also looking for a healthier way to live, so I’ve been reading MDA for about a week now. I’ve been thin all my life until a few years ago where I gained a lot of weight and I’ve had a hard time getting it off. But more importantly, I’ve been feeling unhealthy. Pre-diabetes, psoriasis, fatigue along with other things. You’re truly an inspiration. Checking your blog out now!
Congratulations on making the choice to WANT a better you.
Thank you for sharing this Katie! I have a few young women in my life that could benefit from hearing your story. I am going to share this and your blog with them.
I am curious what you plan on doing with your life. I say go back to school and become a RD and change the world from the inside. We need young people like you!
Thanks Ken! I’ve put some thought into going back to school for chronic disease management… we’ll see where life takes me though!
Thank you for sharing.
As an Asian distance runner living at boarding school (high school senior), I think I can also relate to parts of your experience – particularly the ‘healthy’ diet of not much meat, low fat, oatmeal, etc. as well as the low body fat/low body weight. I have been reading around on MDA for a couple of months now, but still haven’t made many changes to my diet. Perhaps it may be time to do so…
Hi Katie, My story is very similar to yours; its great to see others like myself out there who have been in a low body weight & amenhorrea situation and have come out of it successfully after choosing a Primal lifestyle. Congratulations! Much continued success to you and all fellow PB’ers!
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Katieee!
I was SO excited to see your story bc I recognized your picture from your blog right away! You should post one of your more toned ones soon.
Going from a vegetarian diet to becoming Primal is inspiring, no matter how much weight you lost/gained- I think many people will be encouraged by how you’ve done a complete 180 with your lifestyle! You look AMAZING! I love your blog (and am still obsessed with that amazingly delicious, fall-in-a-bowl Pumpkin Bacon Chili)…keep being awesome!! So glad you decided to share your story! 
thank you so much chrissy, this was very uplifting to read. I may do some more recent pictures on my blog soon.
Congrats on recovering your health at a relatively young age. Just this morning, I was listening to the news show “California Report,” where an authority was citing a prediction that your generation will be the first in U.S. history to have shorter lives than their parents due to obesity and its complications. It’s nice to know that you’ll be the exception.
Katie! Your story is VERY similar to mine. Very funny! I’ve known about your blog for a while too b.c I have one but now I will hopefully stop by more
I can really relate to that story – the too skinny vegetarian thing, insomnia and the anxiety attacks. Just wish I had made the changes you did earlier in my life (38 now) but its never too late to start rediscovering health as I am finding out now! People sometimes think that if you’re skinny then you’re an object of jealousy and never consider that you might be feeling awful. Paleo is about so much more than weight..its energy, vitality and happiness!! Good luck to you and keep spreading the word x
I have been facing problems of motivating myself to work to afford the food I deserve to eat. Your story really helped me see that it’s up to me to make sure I get the healthy lifestyle I deserve. Thanks and All the best luck to you!
I always knew ‘instinctively’ that this was how one should eat … but there is so much conflicting information out there. Just makes sense to go with your instincts right? I always felt that if God didn’t make it, we shouldn’t be eating it.
Thanks for sharing Katie.
The moment I scrolled down and saw that WONDERFUL smile and awesome bicep, my own face broke into the biggest smile myself!
Thanks for sharing your story! Glad to hear you figured this out while you are still Young~!
I turn 31 on Wednesday & am paying $$$ to have a dermatology clinic systematically resurface my face after 15 years of cystic acne from not eating right. Yay No Acne! 