The Missouri woman, pictured before and after her weight loss, has now shed an impressive 35kgs. Photo / Kate Met Kale Facebook
The Missouri woman, pictured before and after her weight loss, has now shed an impressive 35kgs. Photo / Kate Met Kale Facebook
A 30-year-old woman has shed an astonishing 35kgs in just 16 months after discovering the undiagnosed food allergies that had led to her piling on the pounds.
Katrina Buening, from Springfield, Missouri, struggled with her size from a young age - with her weight eventually ballooning to 108kgs, according to Daily Mail.
Before her weight loss, Katrina loved to eat out and ate junk food but she now practices clean eating. Photo / Kate Meets Kale Facebook
Katrina, who is now an online health and fitness coach, had been dieting in vain since the age of 13 until she finally discovered the mystery behind her persistent weight gain was undiagnosed allergies.
"I have a lot of health issues that are directly related to food allergies," Katrina - who now weights a svelte 73kgs - explained.
"I was eating things that I didn't realise were hurting my body and this kept me in a constant state of inflammation and when we are inflamed it causes us to gain weight.
"I did that for a few years and that lead to a 45kg weight gain.
"Before that I was always on a diet, even from a young age I was overweight and started my first diet at 13.
Katrina says her undiagnosed allergies led to her weight gain. Photo / Kat Meets Kale Facebook
"I believe I always struggled with my weight because of my food allergies but I didn't start putting the pieces together until about two years ago and - once I figured it out - I saw massive results."
Katrina's issues with food allergies and weight led to her suffering from a whole host of conditions.
"I developed a long list of health issues, fibromyalgia, hypothyroid, adult acne and arthritis that all led to depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts,' said Katrina.
Katrina, pictured at a heavier weight (left), says it was only in the last two years that she learned the cause of her health issues. Photo / Kat Meets Kale
"I went to three different doctors and they couldn't figure out what was wrong with me.
"Two years ago, God led me to an online challenge group that helped me stay accountable long enough for me to start feeling good and see results.
"I did finally find a doctor to help me figure out what was wrong and my health issues are now all controlled by eating health and exercise."
The 30-year-old puts her impressive weight loss down to her new diet and exercise regime. Photo / Kat Meets Kale Facebook
Before her weight loss, Katrina loved to eat out and ate junk food but she now practices clean eating and exercises for 25 minutes every day.
"Losing weight has changed my life in every aspect, I went from barely being alive, to living.
"I was so sick and in so much pain, I was ready to die and thought about how I could take my life.
"I feel great now, I no longer struggle with suicidal thoughts, depression, anxiety or my other health issues."
The fitness coach says that God led her to an online group that helped her stay accountable. Photo / Kat Meets Kale Facebook
Katrina documents her incredible transformation on her blog and Instagram and says her transformation is so dramatic that even her family members don't recognise her.
"There are people that don't even recognise me, even family! I had that happen recently actually at a holiday event," she said.
"People think you have to spend hours and hours in the gym, but you don't, I did it in less than twenty-five minutes a day.
"The key is nutrition but you need to drop the diet mindset, that will just set you up for failure, eat clean and balanced and pay attention to what you are eating.
"If a food makes you feel lousy, stay away from it and find foods that give you energy."
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