WHAT’S THE STORY BEHIND THE NAME?

Megan, an avid HIP client, is on her second heart and that’s why she eats paleo. At age 14, she received a heart transplant. She was born with a congenital heart defect and had multiple open heart surgeries as a kid.

Megan’s goal with Second Heart Paleo is to share how easy eating paleo can be. She also wants to be a voice for the transplant community. A heart transplant is not a death sentence. It’s a gift, a gift to have a second chance to live out your dreams . . . and that’s exactly what I’m doing.

Other random things about Megan in the Q & A:

 

Tell us about the Paleo diet?

The paleo diet follows the outline of eating foods that were available during the Paleolithic era. It focuses on whole, natural foods. The main things not allowed on paleo are grains, dairy, legumes and processed sugar.

How has Paleo helped you?

I’ve been eating mostly paleo for almost two years. For me, it started out to help me sleep better. I am a heart transplant recipient and have battled with insomnia and high blood pressure due to some of the transplant drugs I’m on. I decided to do Whole30 (a stricter version of paleo) for 30 days and see how I felt. For the first time in years, I was falling asleep without the help of medications and my blood pressure was stabilizing. After my first Whole30, I was hooked. I stay pretty strict paleo and will have a treat here and there if it’s worth it.

What got you into cooking such amazing meals?

Honestly, I’ve hated cooking my whole life. Ask my family, friends and boyfriend. But once I started eating paleo, cooking became a lot more fun. If I was craving chicken tenders, it became a challenge to see if I could make a healthy, paleo version. Now, I really enjoy creating delicious recipes and taking my time in the kitchen.

How often do you work out?

I try to work out three to four times a week.

What do you like about HIP?

I can easily say, HIP is one of the hardest, but most rewarding workouts I’ve ever done. I always leave class feeling exhausted, but stronger!

What’s your go to snack?

I try not to snack throughout the day and eat larger meals, but if I need a quick something before a workout or in the middle of a long workday, I’ll grab an RX Bar, banana and almond butter or some little clementines.