Canadian Paleo Chick: My CrossFit and Paleo/Primal Cure

My Dad gave me the best advice just before he passed away from Cancer at the age of 51 in 2005.

He said each day was a gift and not a given right. Leave no stone unturned, leave your fears behind and take the path less traveled.

These words would change my life forever.

Getting married then divorced, owning a home and having a child all by the age of 20, while putting myself through post secondary education and working 2 minimum wage jobs, set the standard for the level of work ethic that would be required of me if I had any hope of succeeding in life!

I gained 100lbs when pregnant with my first child. This was devastating and only added to the stress of being a single mom. We were poor, up to my eye balls in student loan debt and even though my daughter never went without, we lived off of soup, potatoes, pasta and bread. Unfortunately all of the things we could easily afford only made me fatter.

It took me 5 years after giving birth to child number one to finally get back to my pre-pregnancy weight of 130lbs.

I have always taken the path less travelled, I think it has made me who I am today and perhaps it is why most people dont "get me".

But looking back, every decision I have made has guided me to where I am today.

A Paleo/Primal and Crossfit lifestyle has given me strength in so many aspects of my life!

My Dad said "you always accomplish everything you set your mind to, school, career, family, sports". But I didn't really see it until I started my new paleo lifestyle. I would not have had the inner strength and confidence to undergo a bilateral mastectomy. I would not have survived that ordeal with out the self confidence and strength from with in.

In 2010 I thought I was on the right track, my training regimen included loads of circuit training, a diet that was zero carbohydrates, minimal protein and no fat. I was constantly hurt, falling sick and had no energy most days. I kept telling myself I was getting fit and strong as I could run, bike and spend an hour in the gym on machines lifting weights.

Then one of my friends and coworkers introduced me to Crossfit/paleo and the world I knew came crashing down.

I barely survived my first Crossfit workout which was all of 10 minutes long. It included swinging a kettlebell (russians), followed by dead lifts, burpees, pushups and lunges. The WOD is always different and keeps pushing me to my limit. I am still learning all the Crossfit Lingo, I must admit it was pretty intimidating at first but with a great coach who is patient and motivating anyone can learn what wallballs and double unders are!

Following my first TRX boot camp class, I laid down on the women's change room floor light headed and dizzy. I loved it! I loved the feeling that something was kicking my ass!

From that moment on, in the middle of every Crossfit or TRX boot camp class, I would run to the washroom, stick my fingers down my throat and puke. This alleviated my nausea and dizziness!

When describing this scene to friends later, and trying to convince them to join me and how amazing this feeling was, the only constant seemed to be that I should quit and that it can't be good for me.

However I was hooked and over the following months, I immersed myself into this new lifestyle despite all the doubters and haters. The more I got into Crossfit, the greater the changes I started to see in my body and my strength. My quads had definition, my collar bones appeared, my biceps and abs began to show! Yes thats right Abs! After 3 babies, 1 c-section and a severe motor vehicle accident, I still had abs.

I was fundamentally strong! I could do anything!

After spending 8 months working a long side a coach/trainer, I have most of the skills and equipment I need to perform the WOD from home. A TRX strap can be hooked to any door jam, tree limb or even the backyard swingset!
Kettle balls, dumbells, mat, bar, weights, medicine ball, step, and TRX strap go a long way.

The move towards a no weighing, no counting, and no measuring paleo/primal food lifestyle had cured me of all previous obsessions or biases I may have had with food. The list of doubters in my life doubled when I started my primal lifestyle and I am constantly attacked for my food choices.

I’ve tuned out the negative people in my life, replacing them with only positive encouragers. Their support and encouragement is what has kept me going through the transition from a low carb, low fat diet to a Paleo/Primal lifestyle.

With the move to the Paleo/Primal diet and Crossfit/TRX style training, I’m no longer tired, my energy levels are constant all day long. I no longer wake up every Monday wishing for Friday. I have not been sick in a very long time and my quality of life is much better. My last course of antibiotics was prescribed for a UTI 2 years ago.

My running performance has improved almost effortlessly dropping 10 minutes off my 5k time. I can lift heavier than I have in my entire life from dead lifts to heavy front squats. I have even joined a team of fellow colleagues and will be entering Toronto's Tough Mudder race in 2014.

Most importantly I can garden for hours, swim, cliff jump at the cottage, hike, stand up paddle board, wakeboard, ski, play lacrosse, and skate with my family. I can carry multiple large loads of laundry up and down 13 stairs without even breathing heavily.

The proof is always in the blood work! I had blood work done recently to compare with my pre-crossfit/paleo/primal days.

The changes are dramatic – resting heart rate reduced, lower BP eliminiating the need for prescription drugs, doubled my HDL’s, huge drop in LDL’s, Triglycerides and blood sugar levels at an all time low, body fat down to 23% from 51%

I have chosen not so much to follow an organic food regimen but to eliminate toxins and carcinogens whenever possible. I have chosen to purchase and prepare foods without nitrates, antibiotics, hormones, sulphites, soy, safflower, canola, and sunflower oils.

I hope the changes that I have made for myself and my family are not only improving our health and lifestyle, but are setting an example that my kids will pass down to their own.

Still Maintaining 13 months after starting Paleo