"Back in the Ring: From Sidelines to Showing Dogs Again, Kristi's Story"
How Kristi Lost 90 Pounds and Reversed Psoriatic Arthritis at 62
Kristi ate a Standard American Diet most of her life, though she always enjoyed vegetables and fruit. She was active through her teens, showing horses and playing school sports.
After her father passed away when she was 20, her diet deteriorated. She steadily gained weight until she became obese, developed asthma and autoimmune issues, and struggled with low energy and self-esteem.
Though she enjoyed cooking and would periodically try to eat healthier, the pattern repeated: she'd lose weight, then pastries and chips would creep back in, and she'd regain it all plus more.
Kristi and her husband actively showed dogs in competitions, but she couldn't keep up physically. Her husband took over most of the handling because she couldn't walk far or fast enough—deeply depressing since she did most of the work with the dogs at home but couldn't be in the ring with them.
In 2023, her husband was diagnosed with fatty liver disease and Kristi with antral gastritis. She tried the Mediterranean diet, losing 20 pounds before stalling out and returning to processed foods.
The Gradual Awakening
By Christmas 2023, Kristi had regained some of the weight she'd lost on the Mediterranean diet. Plant-based eating videos started appearing in her YouTube feed, and she and her husband watched Forks Over Knives together. She decided to give the Mediterranean diet more time to see if she could improve her results.
Then in mid-January 2024, her husband surprised her by saying he wanted to go completely meat-free—he'd been watching those plant-based videos alongside her. This was shocking coming from a big meat eater. She agreed, and they started down this new path together.
Along the way, Kristi kept watching videos and came across Dr. Neil Barnard talking about the problems with cheese. She thought he was being too extreme and would think "oh this guy again!" whenever she'd see another one of his videos about cheese. But then she saw other plant-based doctors saying the same thing, and they all emphasized that eliminating dairy was crucial for anyone with skin issues.
Kristi has psoriatic arthritis and had active psoriasis appearing on her face, legs, and torso at the time. That was her turning point to try a plant-based diet.
Kristi lost a lot of weight those first few weeks, and within a month her psoriasis was disappearing. Carl's fatty liver disease was gone and her joints were starting to feel much better along with her skin clearing up. At this point, they weren't turning back.
Finding Well Your World
Well Your World popped up in their YouTube suggestions in January 2024, and the videos really resonated with them. "Even though we are much older than Dillon and Reebs we love the interaction and the kindness they both show," Kristi shares.
She loved the simple recipes, though it took time for their taste buds to adapt. She's tried other cooking programs before but canceled them all. "They just didn't give me the same value as Well Your World and the community they have created."
The free cooking videos on YouTube got them started, but their first aha moment? "Most definitely McReebs Sauce!! We were both struggling a bit with giving up salty/sugary condiments, but McReebs sauce covered all of those bases for us!" The carrot dogs and Cheese Sauce mix became game changers too.
"We are both so thankful we found WYW since it is a huge part of why we can stick with this way of eating."
The simple recipes and products—from Cheese Sauce to Veggie Broth to the soups and salsas—helped them through the transition. Kristi also values the community interaction through chats and Facebook. "It also helps knowing we aren't the only 'weird' ones out there." With her family not always being supportive, having a community that understands helps them stay on track.
The Transformation Timeline
It didn't take long to start seeing the health improvements for either of them.
Carl reversed his fatty liver disease within a couple of months.
Kristi's psoriasis improved within a month and was totally gone by the third month. Her joint pain from the psoriatic arthritis diminished steadily as did the pounds.
Her A1C went into normal range within 3 months—she's no longer pre-diabetic.
Cholesterol and triglycerides normalized for Carl quickly and hers have steadily been dropping.
Six months in, her doctor took her off one of her blood pressure medications and was able to lower her thyroid med.
She's lost almost 90 pounds and still losing. At her last bloodwork in May, her inflammatory markers showed normal for the first time in 6 or 7 years. This means that her psoriatic arthritis is totally in remission.
They both work out 3 days a week and Kristi is very active socially since she's much happier in her skin now. They hike at state parks and live a fairly active life. Her remaining blood pressure med has been cut in half and she's hoping when she sees her doctor in November that he says she can quit it altogether!
Life Now: Ready to Show Again
"I can walk our dogs now," Kristi says. Their two dogs are senior citizens and she has actually thought about getting a puppy to show and compete with when they're gone. "I never thought I would have the desire to put myself out there again like that, but now I'm looking forward to it."
She can keep up with her husband on their hikes instead of walking 5 minutes and then sitting in the car. She's not self-conscious when they're in a crowd and she likes herself when she looks in the mirror and doesn't avoid having her picture taken!
"I no longer feel ashamed when my husband wraps his arms around me. If he touches my arm he'll say OH muscles and it cracks me up!"
Kristi will be 62 years old in a few months and she feels better than she has in over 30 years.
A Typical Day of Eating
A typical day starts with fruit, oatmeal, another grain, or a smoothie—which Kristi knows some discourage, but they help her get more greens in. Lunch is usually a salad, leftovers, or a potato.
Their dinner rotation includes stir-fries, beans for nachos or beans and rice, Indian dishes with potatoes or grains, nourish bowls with tofu and vegetables, or baked potatoes with tofu and greens. She uses recipes 3-4 days a week and incorporates produce from their hydroponic tower garden most days.
"My Instant Pot gets used at least 5 days a week. That is my best shortcut for cooking beans and grains. It saves on grocery costs since dried beans/grains are so much cheaper than already cooked."
Their favorite Well Your World recipes so far? "Pizza Oatmeal Bake, Deconstructed Cabbage Roll Soup with Soy Curls, Mexican Charro Beans, McReebs Sauce! Sheet Pan Burger, Southwestern Black Beans & Potatoes and many others!"
Kristi's Advice: Give It Time and Emphasize Greens
Kristi's best advice is not to give up on a recipe just because you don't like it early on. She's found many recipes that seemed bland or meh when they first started but later became favorites once their taste buds adapted.
For those trying to lose weight, she emphasizes concentrating on lower calorie density foods. You can eat potatoes, grains, and oats, but also incorporate plenty of leafy greens and other non-starchy vegetables to support weight loss. She's stalled out a few times, and looking back, it's always because she stopped emphasizing greens and non-starchy veggies. She didn't gain weight on the more calorie-dense plant foods, but it did halt her progress.
"I think Dillon and Reebs are special in the WFPB community because they are accepting of you wherever you are in your journey. They admit they slip up on occasion and they never tell you that you can never have a treat or a less optimal meal. Their products help me stay on track and that is a big thing if you are trying to lose weight. And I love the sense of community and the innovative ideas like the new Membership scholarship program. They are simply one of a kind."
