While working with Julie I was able to lose weight and learned to eat healthier and make better choices. The workouts provided were challenging and that is what I needed. I loved how Julie was there for me every step of the way and I am so grateful for that. I would HIGHLY recommend Julie as a heath coach. She is amazing!!
Vickie R. | St. Louis, MO
The perfect combination of strength and endurance training. The intensity is at a level where I can lean out without altering my diet if I don't want to. Also, the variety in the workouts keeps me interested and keeps my gains from stalling.
Brandon | St. Louis, MO
I can't commend Julie enough on her programming. Her nutritional guide and food plan were super informative, helping me to make sense of what I was eating and how it would help my body. The food plan was delicious AND filling. The workouts she planned were the perfect mix of butt kicking but realistic. Most of all, she helped me realize that what I needed was a LIFESTYLE CHANGE, not a diet. This has made my results more acheiveable, has given me grace in making decisions, and has made me feel GREAT. I started a month long program and am continuing to eat in ways that led me to a 20+ lb. weight loss that I am confident is sustainable and will continue to trend down. Would recommend Julie's services to ANYONE, whether it be for weight loss, to just feel better, to increase athleticism, etc!
Lindsay H. | Evansville, IN
I've been working with Julie for 6 months now and she has transformed my thinking and the way I life my life. So much so that I've lost over 50 lbs. and have kept it off. I view food as fuel now, not just something to eat.
Maria G. | St. Louis, MO
It is truly remarkable the power of setting aside time with like minded people to focus son self-love, self-care, and personal growth. Thank you, Julie for creating this space, for your support and for allowing me to find my voice this weekend. It was exactly what I needed at this point of my journey. You have changed my life, you are changing so many lives, you are changing the world.
Angela B.. | Chicago, IL
I've always been a fairly active person. Julie took my nutrition and exercise routine to the next level. The information I've obtained and invaluable. I enjoy having someone that holds me accountable and truly cares about my success.
Anthony F. | St. Louis, MO
Dear Julie, Thank you for including me at the women's retreat. I didn't really know what to expect other than it would be restorative because of the verbiage that used to promote the weekend. Who couldn't use a weekend of R&R. So I thought I would go with an open mind and an open heart. As an adult I love continuing education, I am always learning new things for mental acuity. The mind changes as our bodies do and I like to challenge both. The weekend at Redemption Ranch has brought me a peace an calm I didn't know could exist. I watched as the women around me looked hard at what was in their thoughts and how it affected their daily lives. It was so beautiful to see the raw emotion and honesty that was shared in a loving and non-judgmental environment. I have gained a new respect for myself and those around me. I came home more caring and loving to those around me. As I begin my school year as a middle school teacher, I am refreshed. Self-care and self-love are paramount to a healthy life. I have made those changes that were taught. I am looking inside for gratification. I am talking to myself in a much more positive light. I have a calm in my heart that I have never felt before. I made the changes and my emotional hygiene is much cleaner. I have always worried and worked on my outward appearance , now I am working on the inside appearance! And I feel so damn special! Thank you, I love you Julie
Malinda B. | Louisville, KY
Julie, I am not a good writer or speaker at all. But, here it goes… You are Awesome! I learned so much from your weekend retreat (still processing some). I have to say the first night I wasn’t for sure what I had gotten myself into, but knowing who you are and how you are just by talking with you had me trusting that you wouldn’t steer me wrong. hahaha But, seeing that I wasn’t the only person dealing with something and digging deep figuring out that it could be from so long ago was truly amazing. Being around like minded people, listening to everyone else is comforting. I’m starting small, working on things like journaling and listening to positive pod casts. That has helped me start my day a little different than rushing around last minute to try to get everything in…although I am still procrastinating on some things. I may need to reevaluate again. Needless to say I would love to go to another one of these retreats again, just to get what I may or may not have gotten from it the first time.
Crystal K. | St. Louis, MO
To say that this retreat was life changing for me would be accurate. I had no idea what I was going to experience when I arrived but I knew that as a mom who had lost her identity and some of her spirit to motherhood I needed to do something for myself. I walked in the door, as I'm sure many others did, with nerves of feeling inadequate, of fear of what to expect as well as a fear of sharing myself with others. I can honestly say never once, after that first moment, did I feel those feelings any longer. Over the weekend so much was shared (if you wanted it to be), we listened, laughed, cried, loved and learned. I smiled. From the true inner part of my soul, I felt happiness. I felt excitement of what my life already IS and what is to come. We talked about things that hold us back, things we could do to change our mindsets, we practiced these things as well. I left with a mind that was spinning with deep thoughts, things I had never thought of or didn't really want to, but with that I also had so many tools to tackle those things.
I don't know what magic was bestowed upon us at Redemption Ranch, but we all were under the spell of it. There was raw honesty and unconditional support from a group of women that, to me at least, were all strangers mere hours before arriving. I've been home a week and have implemented so many new things. I am thinking differently about how and why I am doing the things I do. I am so very excited to see what happens in my next chapter because I know it'll be amazing!
THANKS JULIE!!! Without you this never could have happened. You are making a difference in every person you touch. Love ya!!!
Laura F. | Elgin, IL
I attended Julie FitSmith's Empowered retreat in 2019. I have been on a health/wellness journey for about 8 months, which happened unexpectedly. I have seen positive changes in myself in how I think about nutrition. I have changed how and what I eat. I have also started to make positive life changes that bring me joy and happiness, although those changes have been difficult to make.
It truthfully took me time to commit to the retreat: I am a very cautious person when it comes to spending money, and am very cautious when investing in healthcare as I am a healthcare professional myself. It also had to make sense with my personal life, to take the time away from my family. Although I had all these valid thoughts, I also knew this was something I could really benefit from.
Going into the weekend, I had zero expectations, just an open mind, willing to participate. Even with this mindset, the retreat exceeded any expectations I would have had. I made great connections with the other women who attended the retreat. This was my favorite part. I left the weekend with self-care strategies that Julie taught us, that are simple to implement no matter how busy a person's life is, and that are effective. After the leaving the retreat, I felt better than when I arrived.
Julie's Empowered retreat was the boost I needed to continue my health and wellness journey. I couldn't be happier with my results. I am excited for the next retreat, and highly recommend other women going. It is life changing.
Kaitlynn A.. | Carmel, IN