Successful Weight Loss Leads Julie to Become a Health Coach

Meet Profile Plan's newest certified coach—Julie Whitsell!

Julie started her own weight-loss journey with Profile in May 2020 after a tough conversation with her doctor. “I was pre-diabetic, obese, and had high blood pressure and cholesterol. My doctor said to me, ‘You are committing suicide by food.’ It might sound harsh, but I needed to hear it. It was my ah-ha moment. I thought, why am I doing this to myself? I have control over this.”

Now, Julie is down 47 pounds and feeling great. She saw her doctor after 6 months on Profile and received an outstanding report. “He was blown away. I am off my blood pressure medication. I’m not using a CPAP anymore, which is HUGE. All my labs are really good. It feels great.”

Trying another weight loss program

Julie first discovered Profile from a friend. “I wasn’t even aware she was doing Profile. We hadn’t seen each other for a few months because of Covid. When I saw her, I was like WOW! She had lost 70+ pounds and looked fantastic. She was telling me how great she felt and how she no longer had knee problems. I told her, ‘I need to know what you’re doing.’”

Yet, Julie remained unsure that Profile would work for her. “This has been a life-long struggle for me,” she said. “My kids don’t know anything other than Mom being on another diet. So, I was hesitant to give another program a try.”

Then her local Profile store ran a special, and Julie made the choice to fully commit for 3 months. “And in the first week, I already felt better. I was having trouble walking up steps because of joint pain. My ankles and wrists were feeling better in the first few days.”

Why this weight-loss program worked for her

Julie’s success continued as she faithfully followed her custom Reboot nutrition plan, which includes Profile food and grocery store food. “I like 99% of the Profile foods I have tried. And I’ve tried new vegetables I never thought I would. One of my goals was to weigh less than my husband who doesn’t have a weight issue, but he eats the healthy meals I make so he started losing weight too. I told him, ‘You have to stop. I’m trying to catch up to you,’” she laughed.

And soon all of the small non-scale victories (NSVs) Julie was experiencing started to add up. “It’s not about the number on the scale. I used to take two acid reducers a day. I haven’t had an acid reducer since my second week on Profile. Then it wasn’t long before I was able to put my wedding rings back on after not being able to wear them for two years. It’s about all of those NSVs.”

She also credits Profile’s one-on-one coaching for her successful weight loss. “My coach Allie has been a tremendous help. Sometimes she just listens to me because she knows it’s what I need. Other times she’ll give me education and suggestions. I truly think of her as a friend. One time I hit a plateau and when I lost 3 pounds after it, I think Allie was more excited than me. It’s nice to have someone in your corner like that.”

Why successful weight loss was so important to her

At the beginning of the Profile journey, a member is encouraged to think about why they want to lose weight to use as motivation. For Julie, there were several reasons. “My mom was overweight, had many health problems, and passed away when she was 60. I’m 58 and was following in her footsteps, so I had to sit down and have a talk with myself. I want to be here for my kids, and be around for future grandkids. I don’t want to be that grandma who just holds them. I’m going to be on the floor playing with them.”

Another big why for Julie was to feel good about herself. “I want my kids to be proud of me. I want my husband to be proud of me. And I want to be proud of myself. Before Profile, I hated having my photo taken. I felt so much shame, pain, and just wanted to hide. This program has made such a tremendous difference in my life. In the way I feel, the way I look, and my confidence level. I have a desire to go out and do things. I no longer want to hide.”

Becoming a Profile health coach

And now Julie is starting a new adventure with Profile. She just passed her coach certification and is starting to coach part-time. “For years I have thought I would like to do something of this sort. To get control of my issues and then help somebody else do that. Because I get it. I know how being overweight is. It affects every single aspect of your life. It’s mind-consuming.”  

Julie works full-time as a circuit clerk but says these few hours she devotes to Profile feed her soul. She is excited to start helping members get healthy. “I’m anxious to have members that I meet and follow throughout their journeys. Because I know how I feel now and how life-changing it is. I would love to help somebody feel that way.”

Looking forward to the future

And her own successful weight loss journey is one she continues. “I’m not quite yet to goal, but now it’s not a matter of ‘I wonder if I’ll lose that weight.’ It’s a matter of when it’ll happen.” Plus, she knows it’s something she is going to be able to maintain. “With Profile, I feel like this is something I can truly stick with. It’s a lifestyle.”

Ready to start a lifestyle change of your own? Come learn how Profile Plan can help you with a free consultation.