Julie Davis’ journey to plant-based living is as unexpected as it is inspiring. With a background in aerospace engineering, her career began in a world far removed from the health and wellness space she now occupies. However, personal challenges with weight and well-being gradually shifted her focus from engineering planes to engineering healthier lifestyles. Julie shared her transformative story on the NHA Health Science podcast, hosted by Dr. Frank Sabatino, where she dove deep into her path toward becoming a plant-powered lifestyle coach.

A Lifetime Struggle with Weight

From an early age, Julie Davis faced the challenges of being overweight. Growing up in a family where everyone else seemed slim only heightened her feelings of frustration. Like many, her early efforts to lose weight focused heavily on exercise, but she had little understanding of how nutrition impacted her health. It wasn’t until a turning point during her college years, while working as an aerospace engineer, that she realized just how unhealthy her eating habits had become.

The Wake-Up Call: Fast Food Addiction

Julie recalls a summer where fast food became a daily staple, and not just the occasional indulgence. Fueling airplanes by day and fueling her body with fast food and soda by night, she found herself trapped in a cycle of poor dietary choices. It was during this period that she reached what she calls her “rock bottom.” Despite her love for hiking and outdoor activities, Julie found herself unable to keep up with the physical demands, which spurred a realization that something needed to change.

The Aha Moment: Discovering Plant-Based Nutrition

It wasn’t a health crisis but a book that became Julie’s catalyst for change. While dining at a vegan restaurant, she stumbled upon Food Revolution by John Robbins. The book opened her eyes to the ethical and environmental impacts of animal agriculture, leading her to rethink her food choices. What began as a journey for animal welfare soon expanded into a full commitment to plant-based living, as Julie discovered the health benefits of whole, plant-based foods.

Transitioning from Aerospace to Coaching

As Julie transitioned to a plant-based diet, her health, energy, and overall well-being improved dramatically. However, it wasn’t until she quit her aerospace engineering job to become a stay-at-home mom that she began contemplating a new career. With the onset of COVID-19, she became increasingly passionate about public health and food politics, and her desire to help others make similar lifestyle changes grew stronger.

The Birth of a Plant-Powered Coach

After discovering her passion for plant-based nutrition, Julie pursued certifications in wellness and nutrition from Cornell’s Center for Nutritional Studies. Realizing that she could make a real difference in people’s lives, she decided to become a plant-powered lifestyle coach. Her approach centers on helping individuals make manageable, sustainable changes to their diets, one step at a time. She emphasizes meeting people where they are, particularly when it comes to food addictions and making gradual transitions toward healthier, plant-based eating.

Navigating Relationships While Changing Diets

One of the biggest challenges Julie faced was how her dietary changes impacted her relationships, particularly with her husband. As she embraced a plant-based lifestyle, her husband initially resisted. Julie shares that these tensions are common for many of her clients and discusses the strategies she teaches for navigating these dynamics. Despite the challenges, Julie’s relationship has grown stronger, and she remains committed to helping others face similar hurdles in their own homes.

Helping Others Find Their Path to Health

Julie now runs an online coaching program designed to help individuals transition to a plant-based diet while also addressing weight loss. Her coaching involves one-on-one and group sessions, as well as practical culinary advice. She helps clients tackle real-world barriers, whether it’s managing a family’s dietary preferences or learning how to cook new plant-based meals. With her programs, she aims to empower her clients to take control of their own health, one step at a time.

Looking Ahead: Julie’s Vision for the Future

Julie’s work has expanded to include coaching individuals dealing with chronic health issues, such as cancer, who are looking to improve their diets for better health outcomes. She sees a future where plant-based nutrition becomes a cornerstone of preventative health and hopes to continue making an impact in the lives of those seeking a healthier, more compassionate way of living.

To learn more about Julie Davis and her plant-powered lifestyle coaching, visit JulieDavisCoaching.com. You can also join her private Facebook community, Plant Powered Weight Loss Community for Women 40 Plus, to connect with others on a similar journey.

Episode Highlights

[00:00]             Introduction.

[01:30]             The start of the journey.

[04:00]             Addicted to fast-food and ice cream.

[08:00]             The Food Revolution is the catalyst for change.

[13:00]             Still struggling while sustaining on Slim Fast.

[17:00]             From aerospace to nutrition coaching.

[20:00]             A global reach as a virtual coach.

[25:00]             How one’s personal environment either supports, or hinders, health goals.

[29:00]             The fallacy of quick fixes.

[32:45]             Barriers to success.

[36:00]             The truth about vegan substitution foods.

[39:45]             Understanding what compels people to make healthy changes.

About Julie Davis

Julie Davis is a certified Health and Wellness Coach with a deep passion for empowering women over 40 to achieve sustainable, healthy weight loss through plant-based nutrition. As the founder of Julie Davis Coaching, LLC, she offers a comprehensive program that combines online courses, group coaching, and personalized one-on-one sessions, all designed to guide clients toward their health goals. Julie holds a master’s degree in Lifestyle Health Sciences and Coaching from the University of North Texas Health Science Center, as well as a certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition from the prestigious T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies and eCornell. She is also a certified Health and Wellness Coach through Wellcoaches.

Before transitioning into the health and wellness space, Julie’s first career was in aerospace engineering, where she worked as a systems engineer. This background has given her a unique perspective, teaching her the importance of a systems approach to problem-solving. Julie integrates this mindset into her coaching by considering the big picture—acknowledging that health and well-being are influenced not just by individual habits, but by the environments in which we live, work, and play. She understands that lasting behavior change is difficult and often requires adapting to challenging external factors.

Having experienced her own health transformation, Julie’s journey from a junk food omnivore to a committed whole-food vegan has spanned nearly 20 years. This personal evolution has fueled her conviction in the power of plant-based eating to prevent disease, promote vibrant health, and enhance overall quality of life. She’s passionate about helping others embrace the potential of a plant-strong diet, assisting clients in shifting from living in fear of illness to living life with joy, vitality, and anticipation of what’s possible.

Julie’s coaching philosophy blends practical culinary instruction with behavior change science, helping her clients overcome barriers and build healthy, sustainable habits. Her mission is to guide women toward achieving their ideal weight, improving their health, and living their best lives with the support of plant-based nutrition and personalized coaching strategies.

About Dr. Frank Sabatino

As a recognized authority on the benefits of a plant-based lifestyle, Dr. Frank Sabatino has cared for and inspired thousands of people for over 40 years. Dr. Sabatino has a PhD in cell biology and neuroendocrinology and has done extensive landmark research on calorie restriction, stress, and aging. He currently is on staff at the TrueNorth Health Foundation in Santa Rosa, CA, and serves as the Director of Health Education at the NHA.

Dr. Sabatino’s passion and life’s work include raising awareness about the benefits of whole-food, plant-exclusive nutrition (without added salt, oil, or sugar), health rejuvenation and stress management.

Dr. Sabatino is the author of Weightless: Compassionate Weight Loss for Life, a groundbreaking guide to sustainable weight loss through a compassionate, plant-based lifestyle. Drawing on extensive clinical and personal experience, Dr. Sabatino offers practical strategies to overcome food addiction and avoid fad diets, risky drugs, and surgeries. The book provides meal plans, recipes, and lifestyle tips, emphasizing whole, plant-based foods and addressing the role of stress, sleep, and environmental toxins in weight management. “Weightless” empowers readers to achieve their weight goals healthily and sustainably, benefiting both people and the planet.

About NHA

The National Health Association (NHA), founded in 1948, is a nonprofit organization that promotes the benefits of a plant-based diet. The Association provides educational materials, educational events, and services to thousands of people around the world.

The mission of the National Health Association is to educate and empower individuals to understand that health results from healthful living. The NHA recognizes the integration of all aspects of health: personal, environmental, and social.

The NHA also provides travel experiences around the globe through the NHA Plant-Based Travel and cruise division.

More information: https://www.healthscience.org/

Scholarships

A unique benefit of the NHA Conference is the selection of two medical students who receive a full scholarship to the conference.

Contact Wanda Huberman for more information on how to apply for the scholarship.  whuberman@healthscience.org

NHA membership

For a very nominal investment, you can enjoy incredible benefits of the NHA membership.

Members of the NHA enjoy a subscription to the award-winning quarterly health journal, Health Science, access to the “Members Only” section of the NHA Website (which contains all 43 years of back issues of the magazine),  the ability to download for free many classic out of print eBooks on the history of the Natural Hygiene Movement, including Fasting Can Save Your Life and The Greatest Health Discovery, discounts on books, and early notice of the NHA events.

Only $35 a year for basic membership within the United States.  https://www.healthscience.org/join-renew/