From Feeling Sick Every Day to Training for a Half Marathon: Kristi Kocsis’ Plant-Based Journey

When Kristi Kocsis became vegan at 19, she did it suddenly.

It was Thanksgiving morning. Her family was preparing for the holiday meal, and Kristi had just finished reading a chapter about slaughterhouses that she could not forget. By the time she came downstairs, her mind was made up.

“I’m a vegan,” she told her mother.

Her mother, like many parents in that situation, had one immediate question: what was she supposed to do with that?

That moment marked the beginning of Kristi’s long relationship with plant-based living. But as she shares in her conversation with Dr. Niki Davis on the Plant Based Support Podcast, becoming vegan was only the first step. It would take years, several health challenges, and a deeper understanding of whole-food, plant-based nutrition for Kristi to begin rebuilding her health in a way that felt sustainable.

In the early years, Kristi says her diet met the basic definition of vegan, but it was not necessarily nourishing. Like many people starting out, she leaned on convenience foods, processed substitutes, chips and salsa, and simple salads that did not provide the foundation her body needed.

Later, after adding animal products back into her diet for a period of time, Kristi says her health declined. She gained weight, felt ill often, and was diagnosed with hypothyroidism. Even while managing that diagnosis, she continued to feel that something was not right.

Her turning point came when she began learning more about the difference between vegan eating and a whole-food, plant-based lifestyle. With guidance from Chef Chloe Stein and continued exposure to lifestyle medicine education, Kristi started to see plant-based nutrition through a new lens.

The shift was not just about what she removed from her plate. It was about what she added: more whole foods, more education, more movement, more consistency, and more attention to the daily habits that shape long-term health.

In the episode, Kristi also describes a frightening discovery. After years of feeling unwell, she finally found a doctor who tested her blood sugar. Her numbers were in the 400s — high enough that her doctor told her she likely should have been in the hospital.

Until then, Kristi says diabetes had not been part of the conversation.

The diagnosis helped explain symptoms she had been experiencing for years. It also deepened her commitment to lifestyle medicine and whole-food, plant-based eating as part of her overall care. Kristi is clear that medication played a role in her journey, including metformin and Ozempic, but she credits plant-based nutrition, education, and lifestyle changes with helping her make meaningful progress.

Today, Kristi has lost 150 pounds. She is walking thousands of steps a day and training to run a half marathon in 2026.

Still, she does not speak about her story as though she has reached a final destination. Her focus now is not simply weight loss. It is nourishment, movement, mental health, sleep, relationships, and the broader pillars of lifestyle medicine that help her feel well enough to keep going.

That is part of what makes this conversation stand out. Kristi’s story is not packaged as a quick transformation or a perfect before-and-after. It is a story about what happens when someone keeps asking questions, keeps seeking support, and keeps making the next possible choice.

She also speaks frankly about the emotional side of being dismissed in healthcare settings, especially as a woman living in a larger body. At times, she says, she was told to lose weight or consider surgery, without receiving the full investigation or education she needed.

For people who have had similar experiences, Kristi’s story may feel familiar. Many people know what it is like to leave an appointment with more shame than clarity. Many also know the exhaustion of trying to change without enough practical support.

That is where the conversation turns toward community.

Kristi emphasizes that major lifestyle change is rarely just about willpower. It is about access, information, encouragement, and having people around you who believe change is possible. She encourages listeners to start small, avoid all-or-nothing thinking, and look for credible education from people who are not selling fear or quick fixes.

Her advice is simple: break the process down. Learn more. Question what does not feel right. Build habits slowly. Pay attention to the people around you. Choose support that helps you move forward.

For Plant Based Support, Kristi’s story reflects a central part of the organization’s mission: helping people turn evidence-based nutrition into daily practice through education, expert guidance, and community support.

The episode is a reminder that health change is rarely a straight line. It is personal, practical, emotional, and often much harder than people assume from the outside.

But it can begin quietly.

 With one meal. One walk. One better question. One person who says, “You do not have to do this alone.”

Watch the full episode here: From Feeling Sick Every Day to Training for a Half Marathon: She lost 150 pounds!

Learn more about Plant Based Support at plantbasedsupport.org.

This content is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional about personal health decisions.