Meet Jenni
Jenni Joined Vida Health in January 2025, looking to improve her health and build sustainable habits that fit into her life.
Like many members, she had spent years searching for solutions.
“I’ve tried probably every diet plan under the sun,” she says. “I did some other online weight loss programs, but no one actually gave me the one-on-one attention that I have at Vida.”
That support came at a critical moment in her life.
“It was a huge wake-up call when one time my glucose spiked so high I thought I was having a slight stroke in the car, and my son had to start driving for me because I felt horrible,” Jenni recalls. “That was when this whole journey for health started, and I’ve never wanted to feel that way again.”
Through a combination of coaching, clinical support, and a GLP-1 medication as part of her care plan, Jenni began making steady progress toward better metabolic health.
And over time, the changes became undeniable.
“I was very excited. I’ve been able to stop other medications and other supplements. Everything was down. No more fatty liver problems. My A1C was down to the normal range. My blood pressure has been back to the normal range. My glucose numbers were down.”
But while those outcomes mattered, her story didn’t stop at weight loss.
The spark: A runner is born
As Jenni’s confidence grew, so did her curiosity about what her body was capable of.
Running entered the picture thanks in part to her husband.
“So my husband got me running,” she says. “Our first date was a 5K, and I remember calling my mom saying, ‘I think I’m going to die.’ She goes, ‘Well, I hope he’s worth it.’ And nine years later, he absolutely is.”
What began as something she did alongside him gradually became something she deeply loved for herself.
And what made the experience even more meaningful was the connection she built with her Vida provider, Emily, who is also a marathon runner.
“When I first met with Emily, there was a connection there,” Jenni says. “She was very warm and welcoming. I knew she could help me with my race, nutrition, and how I could pace myself. She knew what would be asked of my body with the GLP-1 shots.”
Together, they worked through the realities of marathon training while supporting Jenni’s broader health goals.
“We worked on hydration. We worked on protein. We worked on what to have and not to have before and after,” Jenni says.
Including, as she jokes, finding better fuel for long runs than “chicken in a bag.”
This wasn’t a prescribed intervention or a digital recommendation. It was a commonality that emerged naturally through human-to-human connection, and it helped shape the course of Jenni’s journey in ways no static care plan ever could.
Care that adapts, not resets
As Jenni’s goals evolved, her program evolved with her.
Rather than abandoning the progress she had already made, her care team built on it. Coaching sessions shifted to support endurance, training, recovery, and fueling strategies while continuing to reinforce the healthy habits and metabolic progress she had worked so hard to achieve.
At Vida, we don’t force members into a fixed path or a one-size-fits-all definition of success. Care adjusts as life changes, motivation shifts, and new goals emerge. We use both the science and the situation to support members through every stage of their journey.
Because sustainable care doesn’t end when someone reaches a milestone. Sometimes, that’s exactly where a new chapter begins.
And for Jenni, that chapter opened up an entirely new outlook on life.
“I look forward to the day. I want to get up. I want to live. I want to explore this next part of my life.”
Seeing the bigger picture
As Jenni trained for the Boston Marathon, another layer of meaning emerged behind the race itself.
“What made it really special [was] my dad, 12 years ago, had a massive stroke on a business trip and was brought to Mass General into their E.R. department,” she says. “Unfortunately, two days later, he had passed on, and my mom and I had gone up there and they were so great to us. They made us feel welcome. They made us comfortable.”
Well, you’ll never guess what hospital was fundraising through the Boston Marathon for their E.R. doctors and nurses this year.
What began as a personal health journey became deeply connected to honoring her father’s memory by running the marathon for Mass General.
“If I was going to train for yet another marathon and raise a great deal of money, it was going to be for something that was near and dear to my heart.”
When the Vida team learned more about Jenni’s story, we were deeply moved by her resilience, vulnerability, and determination. In support of her journey, Vida made a sponsorship donation toward her Boston Marathon fundraising efforts.
Because this is what Vida stands for: whole-person care for our members, supporting what matters to them.
Back to the starting line
Healthcare conversations often focus on medications, meal plans, or clinical outcomes. And while those things matter, they’re only part of the picture.
Stories like Jenni’s remind us what care can look like when it truly meets people where they are.
It’s about helping members pursue evolving goals — even unexpected ones. It’s about keeping people engaged through trust, consistency, and human connection. Jenni’s journey was made possible through consistent coaching, flexibility in her care, alignment with her personal motivations, and support through life’s transitions.
When Jenni crossed the finish line in Boston, she wasn’t just completing a race.
She carried her progress, her support system, and the memory of her father with her every step of the way.
“When I crossed the finish line, I texted Emily [Jenni’s Vida Provider] to say I did it. I was done,” Jenni says. “And she called me back. She was so happy for me.”
Today, Jenni is down 55 pounds and still going.
“This has brought me back,” she says.
And as Jenni puts it, running a marathon is a lot like pursuing better health:
“One mile at a time.”
