Today we’d like to introduce you to Julia Phillips.
Hi Julia, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I got into the nutrition and wellness space after working at a demanding corporate job for three years. I remember feeling like I was doing all the “right” things – bringing my lunch, doing high-intensity exercise, and working my butt off – but I still constantly felt bloated, inflamed, tired, and just not good about myself. I was living in Southern California at the time, and the nutrition and wellness scene was exploding. I was hearing how you could strategically use food to fight fatigue, bloating, and inflammation. I also realized that so many foods and habits I thought were healthy had actually been contributing to all my health issues. So, I started spending all my free time learning about nutrition.
Soon, I became so obsessed that I enrolled in a year long health coaching certification program (the Institute of Integrative Nutrition) and then deepened my nutrition knowledge for two more years at ACHS (American College of Healthcare Sciences) to pursue a certification in nutrition consulting. Gradually, I started health coaching women on the side of my corporate job and knew that this is what I was meant to do. I took the very big leap of faith and took my health coaching business full time in 2021. I had worked with brides to prepare for their wedding, but it wasn’t until I got engaged that I truly realized the amount of pressure there is on a bride to look “perfect” on her wedding day. I quickly discovered how much health advice that was being given to brides was outdated, harmful, or overall inaccurate. So, I decided to document everything I went through, as well as my bride clients’ experiences, and after my own wedding, decided to pivot my business to serve brides exclusively. My mission is to help brides feel confident and empowered in their food and lifestyle choices – to not only look and feel amazing on their wedding day but forever!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
When I first decided to go back to school in nutrition, I was having to balance that with working a (very) demanding corporate job. I feel like I never truly had a weekend because I was either working or studying! Then, when I started taking on clients on top of that, as much as I loved it, in hindsight I was very burnt out for a period of time. I remember thinking things would get easier once I took my business full time, but I personally really struggled for the first several months. I am a one woman show right now, so I am the nutrition consultant, the sales team, the marketing team, the finance team, the IT team, and I had to learn how to prioritize and balance that (because there is ALWAYS something that needs to be done). I’ve also had to address many limiting beliefs I hold about myself, my worth, money, success, and what’s possible. I feel like I have had to do a lot of self-exploration that I otherwise probably wouldn’t have thought about for years.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a certified health coach and nutrition consultant that works with brides to achieve their health-related goals for their wedding without dieting, tracking, or counting. I teach basic nutrition education, which helps my clients to learn how their body reacts to certain foods and gives them freedom and flexibility to enjoy their pre-wedding celebrations. And, because I believe health is all-encompassing, I provide information on lifestyle aspects such as sleep, stress management, self-care, and daily movement. My focuses in my practice are sustainability and flexibility. I want brides to go through my program and not only feel beautiful and confident on their wedding day but have those tools to use forever.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
For my health journey – it’s learning that you don’t have anything if you don’t have your health… I’d say 2020 taught us all that pretty quickly. Sometimes I think health and wellness are such buzzwords these days that people don’t truly understand how important “being well” is. But taking care of yourself is one of the most important things you can do.
For my business journey – it’s to never underestimate what is possible for you. My life before pursuing a career in the health and wellness field was sitting in a cubicle for 10-12 hours a day, miserable. I thought that would be my life for the next forty years. The fact that I get to wake up and work when I want, where I want, doing something I am super passionate about while helping others is the most fulfilled I think I have ever felt.
Pricing:
- The BRIDE Method – $397
Contact Info:
- Email: hello@juliavanhealth.com
- Website: www.juliavanhealth.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliavanhealth/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/juliavanhealth
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@juliavanhealth
Image Credits
Shannon Wilson (wedding photo), Sarah Tribett (headshots)
