Health & Fit:'How I Lost Over 80 Pounds And Finally Stopped Emotional Eating With Keto And The 16:8 Diet'

By womenshealthmag
august 29, 2019

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My name is Allie Burk. I’m almost 30 and from the Cincinnati area. I work as a teacher.

'How I Lost Over 80 Pounds And Finally Stopped Emotional Eating With Keto And The 16:8 Diet' © Allie Burk Allie Burk got stuck in a cycle of emotional eating but discovered keto and a version of intermittent fasting, the 16:8 diet, that helped her break her habits.

I struggled with my weight since 4th grade. I can distinctly remember the first time I noticed that I was overweight: An adult at my school called me "big girl"and it truly hit me to the core.

I would hide candy wrappers and food from my family. I also began to emotionally eat and would use food as a crutch to make me feel happy when I was sad and give me something to do when I was bored. As I got older, I couldn't help but feel discouraged by the fact that I wasn't the same size as my friends were.

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In middle school and high school, I played soccer all the time, which helped me get in shape a bit. But I was still eating whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. After high school and into college, I stopped playing soccer and gained, well, more than just the Freshman 15.

I tried all kinds of diets. But I would lose a few pounds only to gain them all back and more as soon as I got tired of tracking or tired of eating the same foods. I continued gaining until I ended up at 245 pounds. That's where I stopped weighing myself; I couldn't bear to see my weight any higher.

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My turning point

In 2017, I saw pictures from a friend's wedding and felt hurt and ashamed of the way I looked. I was also experiencing some health issues that I thought might be related to my weight and overall unhealthy lifestyle.

So I started my health journey that December, and I began solely by working out and getting into cardio. Months later, in May 2018, I felt ready to overhaul my diet. I first tried to follow a point system, where I assigned point values to food and had an allotted number of points to eat within per day. I ended up eating whatever I wanted as long as it fit my points, not thinking about nutritional value, which ultimately led to me bingeing. I decided to try the keto diet instead and I haven't looked back since.

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The keto diet gives me energy, I don't feel bloated or uncomfortable after I eat, and I don't feel deprived or starving. With keto, I eat real, whole foods that make me feel good. About five months into my journey, I also started to do 16:8 intermittent fasting (which is when you eat all of your meals within an 8-hour period each day, like between noon and 8 p.m, for instance).

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I have lost over 80 pounds since starting my weight-loss journey in 2017. Before I changed my life, I was pre-diabetic and struggled with binge eating and emotional eating. But keto has helped me gain back some control in those areas. I’ve learned that my journey is my own, though, and what works for me may not work for everyone. And on the flip side, I now know that I don't have to follow exactly what everyone else has done—I have to lean in to what works for me.

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What I eat in a day now

Breakfast: Bacon and cheese omelette with half an avocado
Lunch: Lettuce wraps, salads, or dinner leftovers
Snacks: String cheese, cucumber slices, nuts, nut butter, or berries
Dinner: Salmon cooked in coconut oil with some type of green, topped with ghee
Dessert: ChocZero chocolate

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How I sweat

I started running and working out at a gym when I begin my weight-loss journey, and I still love working out this way. I often watch documentaries to help the time pass. I really love food-focused documentaries.

My longest cardio session to date was when I got so absorbed in The Magic Pill documentary; I was so intrigued by the power of food and what it could and couldn't do for my body. (That was when I went home and started researching keto and how it could help my health and weight loss!)

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My top three tips for success

1. Be consistent. When I am consistent and repeat the habits and behaviors that are working for me, I see results. When I bounce around and don't keep up with what's making me feel good and strong and successful at any given point, I can feel it. Don't fix what isn't broken.

2. Keep it simple. You don't have to make complicated recipes with crazy ingredients to see results. Try your best to consume real, whole foods that make you feel good.

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3. Find what works for you. People have sooo many opinions about what you should and shouldn't do to lose weight, or what you should and shouldn't eat. Honestly, none of those opinions matter except for your own and that of any MDs, therapists, or dietitians that you trust and who believe in you. Do what works well for your lifestyle and for your mental health. Your health journey isn't going to be a quick fix, and you have to figure out what the habits are that you can sustain. It will take time, but you are worth it.

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Gallery: The most dramatic 'Biggest Loser' transformations of all time

'How I Lost Over 80 Pounds And Finally Stopped Emotional Eating With Keto And The 16:8 Diet'

1/41 SLIDES © Getty Images

The Biggest Loser was known for having some seriously impressive transformations. Contestants shed hundreds of pounds-and even half their body weight, in some cases-in an attempt to change their lifestyle and win the $250,000 grand prize. In honor of the series coming back in 2020, we're sharing the most jaw-dropping results in the show's history.

2/41 SLIDES © NBC - Getty Images

BEFORE: Rachel Frederickson

Rachel was 260 pounds when she joined the show. She made it clear from the start that she was there to work hard and change her life-and she did.

3/41 SLIDES © NBC NewsWire - Getty Images

AFTER: Rachel Frederickson

Fans were shocked when Rachel revealed at the finale that she was just 105 pounds. She had lost 60 percent of her body weight, and people were concerned it was too much. Rachel later said she lost the weight by eating 1,600 calories a day and working out. "I'm extremely proud of the way I lost the weight," she said during a media conference call, per the Los Angeles Times.

4/41 SLIDES © NBC - Getty Images

BEFORE: Allen Smith

Allen, who started at 325 pounds, went on the show because his weight was impacting his career as a firefighter. He also said he was worried that he wouldn't pass his next physical at work.

5/41 SLIDES © NBC - Getty Images

AFTER: Allen Smith

Allen didn't win season 8, but he definitely accomplished what he set out to do. He lost 116 pounds, or 35 percent of his body weight, on the show.

6/41 SLIDES © NBC - Getty Images

BEFORE: Rebecca Meyer

Rebecca was 279 pounds when she started the show. She made it to the makeover portion of the show, but unfortunately didn't win the overall title.

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7/41 SLIDES © NBC - Getty Images

AFTER: Rebecca Meyer

By the end, Rebecca lost 139 pounds and nearly 50 percent of her starting body weight, which earned her the $100,000 prize for most weight lost by an eliminated player.

8/41 SLIDES © NBC - Getty Images

BEFORE: Bill Germanakos

Bill started the show at 334 pounds and competed alongside his twin brother, Jim. At the start, he admitted that he had a "body built by baklava." Steady weight loss, combined with a serious dose of grit, eventually helped him win season four.

9/41 SLIDES © NBC - Getty Images

AFTER: Bill Germanakos

Bill didn't mess around: He lost 164 pounds-nearly 50 percent of his body weight. Bill later said that being around his family and kids helped keep him motivated. "The Biggest Loser Campus is a place of hope," he told People.

10/41 SLIDES © NBC - Getty Images

BEFORE: Michelle Aguilar

Michelle started season 6 at 242 pounds and said that she worried her weight was holding her back in life. Michelle competed in the season alongside her mom, Renee.

11/41 SLIDES © NBC - Getty Images

AFTER: Michelle Aguilar

Michelle ended up winning the title after losing 110 pounds. She later told Access Hollywood that she spent "hours, upon hours, upon hours" at the gym to lose the weight.

12/41 SLIDES © NBC - Getty Images

BEFORE: Olivia Ward

Olivia started the show at 261 pounds, and competed alongside her sister Hannah. The opera singer said she joined the show because her weight and polycystic ovary syndrome diagnosis meant she probably wouldn't be able to have children if she didn't lose a significant amount of weight.

13/41 SLIDES © NBC NewsWire - Getty Images

AFTER: Olivia Ward

Olivia ended up losing 129 pounds and took the title for the season. She's now a senior instructor at SoulCycle.

14/41 SLIDES © NBC - Getty Images

BEFORE: Hannah Curlee

Olivia's younger sister, Hannah, also competed on the show. Hannah started out at 248 pounds, and made it to the final round.

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© Medisite Antibiotic resistance: a natural compound in green tea would help fight it Antibiotic resistant bacteria are a real threat to global health. In the next 30 years, the number of people who die from it could rise to 10 million. Researchers have just discovered a promising new avenue to combat them. By combining a polyphenol found in green tea with an antibiotic, they have overcome one of these superbugs.

15/41 SLIDES © NBC - Getty Images

AFTER: Hannah Curlee

Hannah lost 120 pounds, which was 48 percent of her body weight. She didn't win the title, though-she was edged out by her big sister.

16/41 SLIDES © NBC - Getty Images

BEFORE: Danny Cahill

Danny weighed 430 pounds when he started season 8. He said on the show that he wanted to lose the weight so he could be healthy for his wife and children.

17/41 SLIDES © NBC - Getty Images

AFTER: Danny Cahill

Danny lost 239 pounds by the end-nearly 56 percent of his body weight-to claim the title. He's kept the weight off and currently runs TheDannyCahill.com, a self-help, motivational company.

18/41 SLIDES © NBC - Getty Images

BEFORE: Abby Rike

Abby's reason for going on the show was truly heart-breaking: She gained weight after her husband and two children died in a car accident. She weighed in at 247 pounds when she started her journey.

19/41 SLIDES © NBC - Getty Images

AFTER: Abby Rike

Abby ended up losing 100 pounds, which was 40 percent of her body weight. She's now a motivational speaker.

20/41 SLIDES © NBC - Getty Images

BEFORE: Shay Sorrells

Shay started season 8 as the biggest contestant the show had ever seen. She was 476 pounds at the initial weigh-in.

21/41 SLIDES © NBC - Getty Images

AFTER: Shay Sorrells

Shay ended up losing 172 pounds by the show's finale, which was 36 percent of her body weight. She was later challenged to try to lose even more weight by the end of season 9-and she dropped an additional 52 pounds.

22/41 SLIDES © NBC - Getty Images

BEFORE: Heba Salama

When Heba joined the show, she was 294 pounds. She quickly won fans over with her outspoken nature.

23/41 SLIDES © NBC - Getty Images

AFTER: Heba Salama

Heba ended up losing a whopping 156 pounds. She didn't win the overall title, but she was named the Biggest Loser of the eliminated contestants and won $100,000.

24/41 SLIDES © NBC - Getty Images

BEFORE: Ryan Benson

Ryan was one of the original cast members of The Biggest Loser in season 1. He weighed 330 pounds at the beginning of the show.

25/41 SLIDES © NBC - Getty Images

AFTER: Ryan Benson

Ryan lost 122 pounds-about 37 percent of his body weight-to become the show's first winner ever. Unfortunately, he gained the weight back, but he told Yahoo Health that he's on a new weight loss journey.

26/41 SLIDES © NBC - Getty Images

BEFORE: Matt Hoover

Matt weighed 339 pounds when he first joined the show. He ended up meeting (and falling in love with) Suzy Preston during filming.

AFTER: Matt Hoover

Matt lost an amazing 157 pounds, which was 46 percent of his body weight, to become the season 2 champ-and he ended up marrying Suzy. They now have two children together.

BEFORE: Suzy Hoover

Speaking of Suzy, she weighed 227 pounds at the start of the show. Like her future husband, she also made it to the finale.

AFTER: Suzy Hoover

Suzy's transformation was jaw-dropping. She lost 95 pounds to end up at 132 pounds by the end of her run on the show.

BEFORE: Erik Chopin

The 35-year-old New Yorker was 407 pounds at the start of the show, making him the largest contestant the show had ever seen at that point. Given his size, many people didn't think he could win.

AFTER: Erik Chopin

Erik proved everyone wrong: He lost 214 pounds, which was nearly 53 percent of his body weight. Erik later went on to become a motivational speaker.

BEFORE: Ali Vincent

Ali, who competed alongside her mother in season 5, was 234 pounds at the start of the show. She worked hard and eventually made it to the finale.

AFTER: Ali Vincent

Ali became the first-ever female winner of The Biggest Loser in 2008, losing 112 pounds. She went on to write a book about her experience called Believe It, Be It: How The Biggest Loser Won Me Back My Life.

BEFORE: Helen Phillips

The Michigan native was 48 years old when the competition started. She weighed 258 pounds, with a BMI of 41.5.

AFTER: Helen Phillips

Helen ended up losing 140 pounds, dropping down to 117 pounds at her final weigh-in. She also lost an impressive 54 percent of her body weight.

BEFORE: Michael Ventrella

Michael appeared on season 9 of the show. At the start of the season he weighed 526 pounds, making him the heaviest person to compete on the show at that time.

AFTER: Michael Ventrella

Michael lost an amazing 264 pounds, or half of his body weight. He ended up breaking Danny Cahill's previous record of 239 pounds lost at the finale.

BEFORE: Jeremy Britt

Jeremy was just 22 when he joined the show. He weighed 389 pounds at the start and had a BMI of 59.1.

AFTER: Jeremy Britt

Jeremy became the youngest-ever winner of the show, losing 199 pounds-more than half of his body weight.

BEFORE: Toma Dobrosavljevic

The 36-year-old from Illinois was 336 pounds at the start of season 16. His BMI was 46.9.

AFTER: Toma Dobrosavljevic

Toma lost 171 pounds to become the winner of The Biggest Loser. He beat runner-up Sonya Jones by just one pound, making it the closest percentage between the winner and runner-up in any season.

Antibiotic resistance: a natural compound in green tea would help fight it .
© Medisite Antibiotic resistance: a natural compound in green tea would help fight it Antibiotic resistant bacteria are a real threat to global health. In the next 30 years, the number of people who die from it could rise to 10 million. Researchers have just discovered a promising new avenue to combat them. By combining a polyphenol found in green tea with an antibiotic, they have overcome one of these superbugs.