How Simon Heale Built a Fulfilling Career in Health and Lifestyle Coaching After Graduating from HCA

HCA Graduate Health Coach, Simon Heale

Introducing one of our inspiring HCA graduates, Simon Heale, who has successfully transitioned into a new chapter in lifestyle coaching. After decades of bodywork and holistic therapies, Simon found that training as a Health Coach was the natural next step - one that aligned deeply with his personal values and gave him tools to support sustainable, long-term behaviour change.

Simon moved from a theatrical background and acting into the world of bodywork in 1992. Since then, he’s trained in Sports and Remedial Therapy, along with various other body–mind practices, all supporting his aim of helping individuals release physical, emotional and psychological pressure. Now, with health and lifestyle coaching part of his toolkit, he’s supporting clients in even more lasting and personal ways.

What inspired Simon to explore Health and Lifestyle Coaching?

“I am constantly striving to learn and understand more about health, wellbeing and frankly how to look after this amazing thing, the body which we should treasure but generally don't. As I am nearly 60 I have been looking at the sustainability of my practice and how to carry on working in this arena but without the amount of manual pressure. I heard of Health Coaching as a thing through a client, looked into it, and it aligned so many areas of my work and values.”

Simon’s motivation reflects a wider shift, many practitioners are now recognising the long-term potential of lifestyle coaching, not just to reduce physical strain, but to broaden the scope of their support and make an impact through lasting behavioural change.

Can you share your experience with the Health Coaches Academy?

“Of all the training I researched, HCA stood out for having the breadth of syllabus I wanted, a solid and exciting nutritional foundation and approach and lastly the level of coaching qualification clinched it for me. The fact that I could do the training as quickly or as slowly as I needed helped too.

Being able to offer another approach to health through nutritional awareness and breaking habits has been and is still exciting. The depth of the course material and tools are incredibly supportive. Lastly, the connection made through the tripod has been wonderful as we still speak each month, sharing ideas, catching up or just having a moan.”

Simon’s experience highlights how training in health coaching can naturally expand into lifestyle coaching, bringing in conversations around habits, mindset, and day-to-day choices in a way that’s deeply supportive and practical for clients.

A Lifestyle Coaching Success Story: Supporting Real Change at Any Age 

“My Health Coaching career has only just begun but one of my first clients was an 82 year old gentleman who had lost his mojo, felt low, and most importantly had stopped running.

I offered him various possibilities, including a nutritional approach through Health Coaching and it felt right for him. We agreed upon an 8 week programme. If we fast forward to now: it took longer than the 8 weeks, he decided a break after 5 weeks was necessary, there were many bumps in the road which were mainly about him adapting to new behaviours and choices at his age, but slowly (that is the key!) and with supportive coaching, he established new eating habits, more helpful routines, got rid of things that were holding him back and found a deeper sense of purpose again. He now runs his target mileage each week, has lost weight, feels wonderful and his relationships are flourishing. It’s not just about eating better, it's so much more than that, but it takes time, courage, awareness and a whole lot of support.”

This kind of transformation is a great example of how health coaching, especially when combined with a lifestyle coaching perspective, can bring about real and lasting change, not just in physical health, but in confidence, motivation, and personal fulfilment.

“Down in the dumps, overweight, and unfit. That’s what I felt as an 82-year-old who’d stopped distance running for over two years... I feel younger, fitter, and happier all round.” — Simon's Client

Championing Men in Health and Lifestyle Coaching 

“For one there are very few men in lifestyle coaching , and very little training compared to women. I have been championing for more men to enter health coaching as we have our experiences of health and wellness, our challenges, our fears and expectations to bring to the party...

As a representative of this gender and as a Health Coach I am duty bound to lift the veil around health and wellness, to help men understand their bodies, what they need to flourish, and how to be the best versions of themselves for themselves, for those around them and for society.”

We would love to know, what are your future goals as a Health Coach?

“Realistically, I see lifestyle coaching becoming my main modality in a few years, as I ease back from body-working. This will give me the time and flexibility to know which area of health I am most comfortable to work with and who I am best equipped to serve. I envisage this to be a combination of 1-1’s, talks and groups for NHS, schools and corporate/business. I need to learn more about aspects of nutrition, specifically around stress and inflammation and I can see this being something I settle on.”

Simon’s goals reflect a wider trend: many Health Coaches are now working in areas once considered the domain of medical or corporate professionals. Whether in NHS settings, schools or business, there’s growing space for health coaching to contribute meaningfully to real-world wellbeing.

Thinking of a New Direction?

Simon’s journey is a reminder that it’s never too late to start a new career that feels aligned, purposeful, and impactful. Lifestyle coaching offers a meaningful way to help others while creating a flexible, fulfilling professional life.

If you’re curious about where a career in health and lifestyle coaching could take you, join one of our free introductory webinars. You’ll meet our team, explore our course, and see how you could start your own journey.

Join a Free Webinar Here

To follow Simon’s journey, you can find him on Instagram at: @settlewithsimon