EPIC Proportions

How changing the way they looked at carbs led two athletes (and former vegans) into a whole new Paleo-friendly world

- Neil Zevnik

He was a triathlete and a competitive runner. She was an Ironman contestant and a bike racer. Adhering to conventional wisdom, they believed that a vegetarian diet was the “clean” way to live, both physically and spiritually. And as high-functioning athletes, they carb-loaded with the best of them while consuming minimal fats.

Despite their rigorous regimen, Taylor Collins and Katie Forrest were plagued by various digestive disorders and inflammation. So they pushed further, into veganism, and then even further, into raw foods only. They even created and marketed a raw vegan bar for on-the-go athletes like themselves.

But if anything, their health worsened. They finally consulted a holistic practitioner, who had one salient and unexpected prescription for them: “Eat red meat.”