The Hippie Carnivore: Finding Freedom Through Meat, Mind & Body

Written By Natalie Burns

Three years ago, I reached a point where I was exhausted — physically, mentally, and emotionally. I had tried everything I thought was healthy: lean proteins, high-fiber diets, tons of greens, seeds, and nuts. I wasn’t living on junk food, but my body just wasn’t responding the way I hoped. My anxiety was sky-high, my energy was gone, and depression crept in until I barely recognized myself.

At my lowest point, I weighed 211 pounds. I didn’t want to do anything. I was stuck in a cycle of stress, overthinking, and defeat — until one day, I decided to do something different.

Discovering Carnivore

In 2022, I listened to a podcast by Mikhaila Peterson where she interviewed several people who healed from everything from diverticulitis to crippling anxiety through the Carnivore diet. I had heard about it before, but never believed it was something I could actually do. Still, something clicked that day — and I thought, what the heck, why not try it?

Within a month, my anxiety started to fade. My depression lifted. Within six months, I had lost 60 pounds. But more than that, I felt clear. My brain, my body, my energy — it all felt aligned for the first time in years.

That was the start of my Carnivore journey, and I haven’t looked back since.

Losing My Way and Finding It Again

When I launched my business, Burns Bright Homeschool Haven, I fell into old habits again — not the worst ones, but enough to slowly pull me off course. It started with a little candy here and there, then turned into every day. I was drinking coffee constantly, reaching for quick energy instead of real nourishment.

Even though I kept Carnivore as my base, my body let me know I wasn’t doing right by it. My weight crept back up to around 195 pounds. My inflammation flared. My anxiety started whispering again.

A few months ago, I made the choice to go back — fully, cleanly, and completely Carnivore. I quit cold turkey. Since then, I’ve already lost around 10–15 pounds of inflammation, and more importantly, I feel my peace returning.

Rebuilding from the Inside Out

This time, it’s not just about food. It’s about movement, mindset, and reconnection.

I’ve started working out again, focusing on functional movement, building hip strength, and improving my posture and alignment — all with one goal in mind: to be able to skate again by February.

I used to skate, and I want to feel that freedom again — gliding, strong, and confident in my body. Every day I move, I’m rebuilding that version of myself.

Becoming the “Hippie Carnivore”

Somewhere along the way, I realized that my lifestyle is a little different from the typical Carnivore crowd. I’m not a “gym bro.” I’m not chasing macros or perfection. I’m a barefoot, Birkenstock-wearing, hippie-hearted woman who believes in connection — to nature, to spirit, to our true design.

People talk about “grounding” like it’s a trend. For me, it’s just how I’ve always lived. I’m barefoot 99% of the time (unless the mosquitos win the battle that day!). I love my long skirts, the dirt under my feet, the smell of the earth after rain. That’s my happy place.

I call it the softer side of Carnivore — spiritual, grounded, feminine, and free.

Because healing doesn’t have to be harsh or militant. It can be soulful. It can be graceful. It can look like a woman in a flowy skirt, barefoot in the grass, eating steak with gratitude.

Where I Am Now

Today, I’m focused on healing my meat, mind, and body — every layer of it. I’m moving intentionally. Eating simply. Living truthfully.

I want to connect with others — especially women my age — who are going through the same midlife shifts: hormones, menopause, energy changes, anxiety, feeling disconnected from their own bodies.

We’ve been told we have to “manage” it or “accept” it, but I don’t believe that. I believe we can thrive again — strong, grounded, and clear-minded — when we return to what our bodies are designed for.

My Message

Carnivore gave me my life back. But more than that, it gave me clarity — physically, emotionally, spiritually.

If you’ve been searching for peace in your body and your mind… maybe it’s not about adding more. Maybe it’s about going back to the basics.

Just eat some meat.
Move your body with intention.
Stay grounded in who you are.
And watch what happens.