Pursuit of Wellness - Sami Spalter: “How I Lost 80 Pounds” + Her Journey of Strength, Resilience, and Redefining Success

Episode Date: October 14, 2024

Ep. #141 On today’s episode of Pursuit of Wellness, I sit down with the amazing Sami Spalter to chat about all things fitness, nutrition, friendships, and healing. We dig into our fitness journeys, the highs and lows of finding what works for our bodies, and the struggles of navigating trauma, coping mechanisms, and saying “yes” to life’s challenges. We also dive into the power of female friendships, how to build your support circle, and why it’s crucial to nurture your “front row” who cheer you on. From hitting rock bottom to lifting weights, we talk about finding confidence, feeling grounded, and embracing our unique paths. Plus, we get real about food choices, hormones, and why moving your body is a privilege worth celebrating! Leave Me a Message - click here! For Mari’s Instagram click here! For Pursuit of Wellness Podcast’s Instagram click here! For Mari’s Newsletter click here! For POW Brand Promo Codes click here! For Sami Spalter Instagram click here! For Transform Pod Instagram click here! For Form Instagram click here! Show Sponsors: Visit BetterHelp.com/pow today to get 10% off your first month. That’s BetterHelp.com/pow.  Sleep is the foundation of health, and there is nothing better than waking up feeling refreshed and ready to attack the day. Use code POW for 20% off your order at dreamrecovery.io Today my listeners receive 20% OFF any AquaTru purifier! Just go to AquaTru.com/POW - that’s AquaTru.com/POW and automatically receive 20% off any Aqua Tru water purifier. That’s 20% OFF any AquaTru water purifier when you go to AquaTru.com/POW. Save time and money by getting it all in one place with Thrive Market. Go to ThriveMarket.com/pow for 30% off your first order, plus a FREE $60 gift! That’s ThriveMarket.com/pow.  Show Links: How To Find Self Love, Overcome Grief, & Lose Weight With Sami Clarke And Sami Spalter Form Clothing Form Podcast Chomps - Use Code: POW for 20% off your first order Hu Chocolate Topics Discussed 00:00:00 - Introduction  00:01:58 - Style influences  00:03:36 - What kind of potato would you be 00:05:16 - Sami & Mari’s transformative journeys 00:06:29 - Finding the process that works for you 00:07:58 - There is no “finish line” in your healing journey 00:10:01- Compassion for your “old self” 00:12:20 - Traumatic events, coping mechanisms, and giving yourself grace 00:13:01 - FIlling the void and successfully changing your life 00:16:38 - Challenges of entrepreneurship and saying yes to the hard thing 00:19:06- Power of female friendships and building your circle 00:22:30 - Struggling with friendships 00:24:35 - Attracting the friends you and and nurturing friendships 00:29:55- Finding “Vision Holders 00:34:05 - What Mari loves about her friends  00:34:58 - Supporting vs comparing 00:38:30 Building your “front row” who supports you 00:39:38 - Feeling unsatisfied with your career 00:42:37 - Hitting rock bottom and finding confidence 00:45:54- Feeling grounded and accepting your success 00:50:34 - Evolution of Sami’s fitness journey 00:54:32 - Working through insecurities at the gym 00:57:07 - Finding your community and getting to know yourself 00:59:33 - Moving your body is a privilege 01:01:26 - Sami’s arms and weight lifting for women 01:06:10 - Birth control, estrogen, hormones 01:06:40 - Nutrition, restricting, and not feeling like a prisoner 01:13:13 - Mari’s food and skincare journey 01:15:42 - Being mindful of food decisions and listen to your cravings 01:19:56 - Whatever you want is possible 01:20:35 - How to get a Form promo code!

food for me was a very comforting thing. Food for me was my drug of choice. And like that expressed itself in what my body then turned to look like. This is the Pursuit of Wellness podcast, and I'm your host, Mari Llewellyn. Hi, guys. Welcome back to the Pursuit of Wellness podcast. Today we have a very, very exciting episode, highly anticipated. We are talking to one of my closest friends, Sammy Spalter. If you don't know Sammy, I highly recommend you go check her out. Her and I have just a ton of overlap in our life experiences. She lost 80 pounds a year or two ago and has just been through such an evolution of personal growth. She's also a very successful business woman, someone I really look up to and admire. She has such a positive outlook on life and has been through so much. I think today's episode is going to really speak to you guys. We

got to really dive in deep on her fitness journey and actually how she lost the weight. She got very detailed with me, which I really appreciated. We talk all things fitness, nutrition, friendships, and healing. We dig into the highs and lows of finding what worked for our bodies, the struggles of navigating trauma, coping mechanisms, and saying yes to life's challenges. We also dive into the power of female friendships and how to build your support circle and why it's crucial to nurture your front row who cheer you on. From hitting rock bottom to lifting weights, we talk about finding confidence, feeling grounded, and embracing our unique paths. Plus, we get real about food choices, hormones, and why moving your body is such a privilege worth celebrating.

I know you guys are going to absolutely love this episode. So without further ado, let's hop in and talk to Sammy Spalter. Sammy? I'm back, pal. Welcome back. Hopefully no tears this time. Maybe I'm down a cry. Maybe a cry maybe a tear yeah honestly i feel like my makeup is really cute today so you know when you have that one streak it's like that one tear you have you look beautiful today you look beautiful today and you have a different style happening i'm a skater girl like i really mean today like i don't know if the girls know but you are usually like a dress or a skirt you're like a feminine gal because i'm not one to like put a top and a bottom together so the dress really just like eases me of all discomfort yeah i do like a

set yeah you love a drop waist i mean when you're all torso five two no leg you love a drop five two no leg five two no leg she looks good in a drop waist guys and every time i see a drop waist 5'2 no leg 5'2 no leg she looks good in a drop waist guys and every time I see a drop waist anything I'm like wanting to send it to you but I'm like

she probably already has it but the second it goes out of style I'm like really screwed like these capris gotta go gotta go they really gotta go

I'm pissed off about it whoever allowed whatever long lean human was like oh capris let's make these trend like Sammy would look really good in those. Sammy Clark would look amazing. Okay. She literally wanted to make some for

her apparel company. And I go, Samantha, I've never vetoed anything. Like I will always honor anything in business as a good idea from anyone who presents anything. And I get that these capris are trending, but that was vetoed before she could even finish her sentence. Capri. Yeah, we're done. The way that they would be Bermuda shorts on me. Do you know what I'm saying? Because I have a thick thigh and a long thigh. God. It would be a Bermuda.

I have like a tater tot of a leg. You are a tater tot. If you were a type of potato. Sweet. One of the long sweet potatoes. Okay. Don't you think? Yeah. and i think i'm a tater tot right yeah yeah a little fried potato just a little fried oh no the voice guys sammy has a

voice so when i first met sammy it took a minute for the voice to come out yeah but then i started hearing this voice that she does for like her dog or just like certain occasions. My husband. Her husband. And now after Cicely, all I do is this voice. I think like scientific studies have actually proven that when someone uses their baby voice around you, it's because they feel safe and comfortable. Totally. And like research shows.

No, it's a vulnerability thing. Yeah. And Sammy also, instead of saying, how's it going? She says, what goes? What goes how's it going she says what goes and now i go what goes and greg's like oh my god yeah all of the other like dudes in our crew look at the wives and they're like what happened here what happened because we're all talking in these crazy voices like if i call you moose i reallyose. Anyway, guys, as you can tell, Sammy and I have gotten very close. We have a lot of overlap in our journeys.

And if you guys haven't listened to my initial episode with Sammy and Sammy Clark, I would recommend you go back because that was like a very profound episode. We hear about it still to this day. Sammy got very real and raw with me, which I really appreciate. And it was very moving for so many people.

And it was a lot of tears and like just really impactful. So I highly recommend you guys go back. But having Sammy here by herself today, I feel like we can really talk about our weight loss journeys, how similar they were, but also how different, like in a way. I think that's what excites me most is you and I are both faces of like what is possible for anyone listening to this, but the way to which we went about it was actually very different. Yep. A hundred percent. Most, most aspects of it were different, but like

the results both show. So I think for everyone listening, like I hope from what I'm sharing with what Mari is sharing that you can find what feels best for you. And it could not even be what either of us did. Like there are so many options and so many modalities at this point. And I think that's what is the most challenging aspect of quote unquote, like starting a journey is how do you start? And I just want to kind of cut the cord at the top of like, that looks different for everyone. And there's no blueprint of how you're going to change your life and how you're going to start a journey, like a weight loss journey. But yeah, listening to this, just like make sure that you're taking

your own perspective of like what feels good for you versus what has actually changed our life. The best advice I think, because anytime in my fitness journey, I started to look too closely at what someone else was doing. I would go down paths that weren't for me. Like I was, you know, very inspired by these IFBB bikini bodybuilding pro girls. Don't get me wrong i love hearing from you because i still don't even know about that life dude it's a a whole world and it was such a big thing back in 2017 to do a bodybuilding competition that i really like in a way it helped me reach for the stars i was like i want to be as muscular and in shape as that girl but it also i wasn't listening to

myself at some points, like you and I have spoken about keto and trying various diets along the way and, you know, dealing with over-restricting sometimes. And just, I think as Sammy just said, really check in with yourself and think about your schedule. Like what does your life look like? What do you actually want? What's attainable for you? But what I love about our stories is it's proof that like you were overweight most of your life. Yeah. I was overweight for two years. I had mental health struggles my whole life. So like there's different things happening here and you can take a lot of different pieces from these journeys. Yeah. And I think even as someone sitting here, you know, like 85 pounds lighter than who I once was, I'm still making so much meaning of how that actually happened. Like there's no end in sight. And I've actually been asked by like a few people really close to me,

like, do you feel like you've crossed the finish line? And the reason I don't say yes is because I feel like this is my life now. Like doing what I am doing is such a beautiful gift to myself because I can sustain it for my entire life. So I don't see a finish line where I just change and like revert back or, you know, like even continue to like open up new doors because I know what's working for me now. And yeah, like I've been maintaining my weight now for a year and a half, but I'm really in this meaning making season of, okay, where did that 85 pounds come from? Like, I feel like it's more recent for you. Yeah. Like you're still untangling what, I mean, I guess I should be too, honestly. Mine was a

little bit longer ago, but in my head I still, yeah, I guess it's like, why did that happen? What was I going through? Like, what was my old self protecting myself from? I think that is a great thing to reflect on. I don't do it enough. I'll say that. I tend to like dissociate from my old self and it's something that I like, think I have a lot of guilt around. So it's difficult to think about, you know?

Yeah, I mean, it's even interesting what we were chatting about when I first sat down of before I have conversations like this, I actually like to look at old pictures of myself and just really ground myself in what I've before I have conversations like this, I actually like to look at old pictures of myself and just really ground myself in what I've accomplished, but also really ground myself in the self-compassion of, oh, my God, like I love that version of me. And like I hold so much space for that version of me. And gosh, like I'm so proud of the decisions that she was able to make to get me here now. Yeah.

Because I'm not here now if she wasn't there then. Right. Yeah. Because I'm not here now if she wasn't there then, right? And I think it's really easy for us to just like keep moving on, keep moving on, you know, 90 pounds lighter, 85 pounds lighter and like these beautiful lives that we've created. But we need to also remember where we came from and the why. Yeah. No, you really inspire me in that way. I feel like you have a way of speaking very positively about your old self and you have a lot of compassion and just like the softness I can tell you have. I'm a little like harsh with myself, even in my head. And it's like in a very, and I'm sure it is for you too, but I have to be so intentional to like have love for my old self. It's really difficult for me.

I mean, that vulnerability is everything. And like best friend to best friend. Like I also look at that old picture of myself. I'm like, holy shit, you were so fucked up. Like I also see the problems that I had. And I think that's where that self-compassion is so needed. I guess. And also, you know, I know behind the scenes, the things you're doing to like uncovered

why, like the books you're reading and the research you're doing, like that probably helps you have more compassion, I would guess. It helps make sense of why that happened to me. Yeah. And I feel like you've been one of like the most powerful voices in the space saying like, no one's going to come save you. You have to come save yourself. And there's no like, like you are not a victim here. You just need to be the one to save yourself. And yeah, like as you mentioned, I was overweight my entire life, but I was also dealing with a lot of the same traumatic events my entire life that happened within my family.

And food for me was a very comforting thing. Food for me was my drug of choice. And like that expressed itself in what my body then turned to look like. Yeah. self in what my body then turned to look like. And yes, we'll speak to all of the nutrition and fitness changes that you and I both made, but now I'm in the season of, okay, let me more deeply understand how that actually happened and cure myself or not even cure myself because there's no cure here, but really hold myself in a safe space of, okay, this is what you were surrounded in. So like give yourself some grace.

Like you did your best, you know? You did your best. You were managing the circumstances as best you could. Like a lot of what we were doing was probably out of like survival. I know I feel that way about my journey. Like the self-harm, the drinking, the numbing, the partying. Food was just like one of many things that I did back then. Comfort, escape. Fully escape. Just like what? Filling a fat void.

Fat, no pun intended. Straight up, there was a lot to fill. A chunky void. I got real full off on that void. Same girl. Like literally anything that took me out of my body, I was there for. And I have to check in now with what I'm doing every day. And am I still kind of filling a void? Like, I think that's still within me. I think it's a reason that I built my company a little bit, like a little piece of it is like, I have a chip on my shoulder and I want to show everyone that I can do it. And I think a lot of people who become successful are filling a void or have a chip on my shoulder and I want to show everyone that I can do it. And I think a lot of people who become successful are filling a void or have a chip on their shoulder and that's okay.

It gets you far enough, but then you need to figure out, okay, like what's the real reason I want to keep doing this? Yeah. What is your why? And I think even anyone who's down to like deeply change their life and change everything about themselves to be their best self, which like it's easy to call this a weight loss journey, but there's so much more than the weight loss. Like you and I have both successfully changed our life. That is saying yes to the hard thing. And I think that anyone who's down to say yes to the hard thing is also going to chase

that in their career as well. Pursuit of Wellness is sponsored by BetterHelp. Therapy is something that has been a consistent part of my growth journey for a very long time. I first did therapy when I was 14. I still do it now. It is something that I feel really, really helps me with the big stresses in life, the small stresses in life, and just really gives me more perspective. I think when we bottle up our feelings and don't talk about them, it can turn into a really negative feeling and can affect us in every way of life. Therapy is a safe space to get things off your chest and really figure out how to work through whatever's weighing you down. I always recommend to friends going through something, do therapy.

It is one of the best things I've ever done for myself. If you're thinking about starting therapy, give BetterHelp a try. It's entirely online, designed to be convenient, flexible, and suited to your schedule. Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist and switch therapists at any time for no additional charge. Get it off your chest with BetterHelp. Visit betterhelp.com slash pow today to get 10% off your first month. That's betterhelp, H-E-L-P dot com slash pow. As you guys know, I've had Todd anderson the sleep expert on this show multiple times and he is such a wealth of knowledge and he's also the founder of dream recovery which is his science-backed sleep brand they have amazing tools to help you get the best sleep of your life dream recovery has science-backed solutions to help you feel your best each morning he is such a wealth of

knowledge i trust anything he does in the sleep space. And he has a brand new product called the New Dream Tape Plus. It combines the benefits of mouth tape with a skincare routine. I think many of us women are nervous about using mouth tape. I know I have such sensitive skin, so I'm always concerned about what could be in the actual mouth tape and is it negatively impacting the skin around my mouth and that's why he created mouth tape with clinically backed anti-aging ingredients

that are infused into the tape such as collagen biotin vitamin d and vitamin b sleep is the foundation of health and there is nothing better than waking up feeling refreshed and ready to attack the day use code pow pow for 20 off your order at dreamrecovery.io. That's code POW at dreamrecovery.io for 20% off your order. Oh, the career is even harder. You have to do hard things every day. It's insane. Like it feels like you're getting up and getting punched, getting up, getting punched. Oh my God. Yeah. I read a quote recently that was basically verbatim owning a business is like having the best day of your life and then the worst day of your life, but every 30 seconds. No, that is so accurate. Like you could get the

best news in the world one day and the next day you're like, shit. But I think it's really powerful. And I know we're going to chat about like career and friendships today beyond just weight loss. I think it's really powerful that you and I have that common thread of like we do like to say yes to hard things. And we didn't just do that in our personal life. We're actually leaning into that in all facets of our life and to have that in common in a female friendship in, you know, you're 30 now, I'm 29 in this stage of life is everything. No, it's wild. It's wild. Like when I met you, it was a unique connection. It's a unique position to be in, to own your own company and just have the level of responsibility that you and I have

at our age. It's a lot. And I now feel like I have someone to bounce ideas off of and cry to and ask advice from. And no, it's been the biggest blessing of all time, truly. You know, when you just said I'm 30, it was giving, you're basically 30. I'm'm 27 Kendall anyway well I'm still 29 yeah she's younger than me guys okay anyway I love how that was our intro we just went full full send I love that though we dove off the deep end but now guys you had a ton of questions for us kind of across the board weight loss fitness nutrition fitness, nutrition, weddings, adult friendships, career, husbands. So we're going to kind of dive in and ask each other questions and kind of just give our thoughts. Are we ready? We're ready. Okay. Let's pow down.

Let's pow down. Guys, do we like that as a segment? Sammy came up with this pow down thing. I think we need hats. You love a hat. I love a checker hat. Anytime we say anything, do we like that as a segment? Sammy came up with this pow down thing. I think we need hats. You love a hat. I love a checker hat. Anytime we say anything, you're like, make it a hat. They're on a bumper sticker. I'm ready. You need a what goes hat.

What goes? Oh my God. No, it's literally a merch line. What goes, moose? Okay. Anyway, Taylor's going to like this episode. Yeah. Hi, Taylor.

Hi, moose. We love you. Okay. Taylor's going to like this episode. Yeah. Hi, Taylor. Hi, Moose. We love you. Okay. How do you go about finding adult friendships, finding a friend group? What advice? You are the person to give advice on this. Like, guys, the only reason I have friends in Austin is Sammy Spalter. Like, she connected me with everyone I know. That word is what I'm going to use.

Connector. Yeah. I feel like I am a really powerful connector. I would never say I'm a good networker because I'm just not as interested in that. But when it comes to like deeply connecting with human beings, that's what like gets me going. And I think that's why I'm not as big in group settings. Like I love having like really dynamic one-on-one friendships. And I'll never forget when you and I first met and you were still living in LA. So backstory, I used to live in LA. Mari lived in LA. I moved to Austin January, 2023. I moved to Austin with my then fiance, now husband, knowing one person, Nikki Newberg.

And I always tell Nikki, like, you are my anchor because she connected me with so many people. And I was just down in this season of saying yes, but also knowing myself well enough to, like, know my own interests, know the people who resonated with me. I was going through, like, a very deep season of grief when I first moved to Austin, met Lauren Ludwig immediately who had lost her dad a few years prior, met another girl, Jenna Westbrook, who lost her dad a few years prior. Like it was almost like the universe can like present you who you're asking for if you just open up and say yes. And I think vice versa when we were chatting at a form event in LA and you and Fi were like putting it in my ear, you know, like we love Austin. I'm like, done. Like just get your ass to Austin. Don't even worry about making friends. Like I got you guys. And the reason I felt so secure in saying that was because I knew you and I already had so many shared interests. And I'm like,

I can connect you with as many people as possible. And it's not this weird high school territorial thing where it's like, this is my friend. And like, you can come into my friend group. It's more like, I know your heart. I know this person's heart. I know that you guys have a lot in common. And even if it's not having things in common, our friend group is actually very different and very diverse. And I think that's what makes it so dynamic and fun. So if you're in a place right now where you're either trying to find new friends or if you're moving and you don't really know how to tap in, all you need is one person to connect you to one more person. And that's where friendships start. And even last night we were having dinner and my dad and brother are in town and my dad looks at Mari and I and he's like, how long have

you guys known each other? Like you're using the same language, you have the same voice. Like it's crazy how quickly you can find forever friends. And what I love most about our friends in Austin is that it's actually a perfect reflection of like where I want to go versus so many of my other friends. I love them to death, but it's like a lot of the history that keeps us together. Right. And even in moving to Austin, like Andrew and I were really, really dead set on I want friends who have traditional values. They want to get married. They want to buy the house.

They want to have babies. They want to chase their career goals. They want to invest in their community. And I think you and I like to speak for both of us and definitely chime in here. When you're living in a place like L.A. or wherever it might be and you're already kind of like one foot in, one foot out, that's kind of this like toxic seed that won't let you invest in the people around you yes I think LA is pretty transactional I think a lot of people go there for a purpose which is fine like it has a season it's for business and then you leave I'm coming at this from an angle of

agree with everything you said by the way like we have the most beautiful friend group of like different personalities different interests but like enough overlap to where it makes so much sense I you guys know I've moved around my whole life and because of that I don't have a lot of old friends none of my friends in England I mean I stay in touch but you know it's not the same, went to high school in New York, moved to Philly. So I never really like kept those high school friends. I was always onto the next. And I think I've always had a deep yearning for friends, like female friends. And I definitely have, I guess you'd call it a mother wound or like a female relationship wound so it's

always been something that I like I'm so hungry for but haven't always known how to approach I guess so I think when I was younger I actually struggled um keeping friendships because the second that they indicated that they were leaving or I don't know I had like these abandonment issues and like oh my gosh they're leaving me they don't know, I had like these abandonment issues and like, oh my gosh, they're leaving me. They don't like me anymore. I'm just going to cut them off because it's easier that way. Like I'm not going to get hurt. I feel like you and I have confided in each other about we've never been like a true battery pack type of person. Like I'm sure everyone listening to this, you can think of your friends who identify with like their one best friend. And I feel like you and I have the capability of such depth

to like get really close with people. Yeah. But we're never going to like put ourself in a battery pack where like your full identity is in one friendship. Yeah, that scares me. That scares the shit out of me. Yeah, it frightens me. And I think, you know, in LA, I obviously,

Fi was my friend in LA and I had Celeste, two people I really appreciate and love. But outside of that, kind of struggled. Like I had a hard time really connecting with girls and moving to Austin. I was so, so we drove the van to Austin from LA and I sat in the van and I journaled and meditated, which isn't really my vibe. But like I wanted to set an intention of I am going to prioritize friendship in this new place. Because in LA, I kind of ignored it. I focused on work. I was very like unflexible. I wasn't willing to change my schedule for friendship.

Yeah. Like if someone wouldn't fit within my work schedule. Which is a sacrifice you need to be willing to make. Yes. Like it's an investment. There's a time and place for that for sure. Like I wasn't just going to get coffee in the middle of the day. I was like, no, I'm in the office. Like that was very common. And I was totally, that was, yeah. Like let's go to the beach at 3 PM on a Wednesday. And I'm like, girlfriend. No. Um, but moving to Austin, I was like, okay, our team is big. My schedule can be more flexible. I just need to be willing to say yes and make time for this. And if you were to see

like my social schedule now compared to then, and also my happiness and how fulfilled I feel, it's astronomical. It's a different season. Oh my gosh. And I love that you're sharing that, like you took that moment to ground yourself in being so intentional of saying like, I want to make friends because if you're listening to this and you're struggling with your friendships or like wanting to attract new friends, that is like a two-way street that you have to put out the energy and the vibes of, I want to invest in this, in this phase of life, in this season of life, because it's not something that's just going to land on your lap. And it's something that also needs to be nurtured. Yes. You have to put intentional effort. Like one thing I have

noticed with you guys, with Sammy, Taylor, Ansley, the whole crew, you put in a lot of effort. Like you check in, you remember everything. Like how did that meeting go? Or can I do anything for you? Oh, I have sourdough bread. Can I drop it off? And I'm not used to that. Like it was new for me, but I love it so much.

And I admire it so much. I was like, that's how I want to be treated in a friendship. And that's how I'm going to treat my friends. And it's just been this amazing learning lesson. And for anyone listening who does want to cultivate these close friendships as an adult, put in an effort, like go out of your way. Oftentimes I feel like I'd get in my head like, oh my gosh, I'm not going to ask them to hang out.

They don't want to hang out with me. Like we get in our own heads about it. They probably do. Oh, absolutely. And it's almost like dating. Yeah. It's funny because most of us are married in our friend group about it, they probably do. Oh, absolutely. And it's almost like dating. It's funny because most of us are married in our friend group, but like you kind of have to treat it like dating and that, again, it has to be this two-way street. When I think about my old friend groups, I think a lot of the people I was surrounding myself in was like another form

of escapism. And it was really easy to be like one of 25 girls that are all getting blacked out drunk at a bar. It's like, how close are we really? Right. And like, you know, you have those party friends. And granted, like there are still a few girls who I'm still like soul sisters with from that era because we both honored each other's change

and honored each other's growth. And there's always going to be this constant evolution. Like just mentioned, most of us are married right now. A lot of us are like excited to start families too. That's going to be like a whole new wave of change. And I think it's just this really honest conversation with self and with your friends of, okay, like what are you looking to get out of your friendships? Like are you just looking to be out of your friendships? Like,

are you just looking to be a number in the system and go out with 25 girls to just be surrounded? Yeah. Or do you want these deep life-changing relationships? Do you want to have these forever friends? I always say friends are either a reason, a season, or a lifetime. So you either find that reason. And for me, that reason back in my day was a form of escapism, or it's a season in that same lane of like, I'm in my party girl era and these people like to party. Or it is that lifetime where you can grow together and you can continue to, I mean, I think of Sarah and Ariella, my two best friends that I've had since I've literally been like a cognitive conscious human being. And we are all so different now. Yeah.

But again, like those are my sisters. And like that will totally continue to be like forever friendships. So I think that there's a lot with friendships and like attracting these new friends in our adult era is knowing yourself and knowing who you want to attract. And that's why I'm obsessed with our friendship. I love surrounding myself with people who care about themselves, their health and their wellness. They care about the love and the relationships that they have in their life. They have, whether it's a beautiful relationship, a beautiful marriage, even just that relationship with self, that they have career aspirations that, you know, even if it's not a quote unquote career that means you own a company, it's just something that you're passionate about that you wake up and choose to do every day.

Like these are the things that I want to attract in friends. Yeah. And just to toot your horn, Mari, like you literally have proven to me that like your dream friends exist. You just need to go out there and really throw yourself at them and like share your love for them and welcome that love back. And there's a girl that I love, Amber. She always refers to these things as vision holders.

And in your life, and Sammy Clark was a huge vision holder for me on my journey. And now she's literally my chosen sister and business partner. A vision holder is essentially the person that emulates everything that you're inspired to do in your life. And they're essentially holding the vision to which you want to accomplish. And there's no, like, comparison or competition within that. It's truly just an example of what is possible. And, like, you are such a vision holder for me and so many. And for anyone listening to this who wants to better yourself, ask yourself,

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with Thrive Market. Go to thrivemarket.com slash pow for 30% off your first order plus a free $60 gift. That is T-H-R-I-V-E market.com slash pow. I feel like you can also find pieces of that in different people absolutely like for me I admire you in so many ways like the way you communicate the way you hold friendships the way you talk to Andrew the way you keep your house like there's so many things about you Andrew keeps our house over for being real. No, but you guys, the positivity that you and Andrew bring is unbelievable. Greg and I are like blown away by it, the way you make people feel around you. And then I have people like Celeste who I'm like, oh my God, she has the most beautiful baby, the most amazing relationship with her baby. She's such a good mom. You know,

I feel like there's pieces you can take from different people in your life. Absolutely. And like build your beautiful puzzle of all of these pieces that make you, you, because we all have our own parts too. I actually thought it was really interesting in the Q and A box that we both posted on my side. I got one that asked if there's ever any like weird competition or comparison between you and I. And I think it's just like such an interesting topic that we should lean into. Let's do it. Because I feel like we covered friendship. So why don't we go to Korea and talk about that? Yeah. I mean, we both work in health and wellness. We both have our own podcast. I mean, there's so many commonalities. And again, like I think back to the friendship aspect, that's what attracts me so much to like wanting to invest in you and wanting to pick your brain and like also pour

in your cup as much as you pour in mine, which I will say is like such like a 50-50 thing. Like I feel like you reciprocate everything and then some. And I have never for a second had a thought of I need to compare my life to yours. I need to compete with what you've created. If anything, I think it goes back to that vision holder of like, look what's possible. Thank you. I feel, I wish they could see behind the scenes because in Sicily, we're in the pool having a time and we are literally bouncing ideas, giving each other suggestions because we have

an outside perspective. And I also feel like there is room for everyone and more in this space. Like you and Sammy have such a different presence than I do. Like the bloom girl is different to the form girl. It doesn't even matter. Like to me, I was saying this to you yesterday, my value set relationships are here. Business is here. Like, yes, I care so much about my business, but I care so much more about my friendships and how magical and how much more powerful that we can support each other instead of, I don't know. I mean, I'm, I'm not a very competitive person, but like how much more powerful that we can support. Like I fricking love wearing my form outfits and, and tagging form. Like it makes me happy to see you killing it. I love seeing your show. Like I just, it feels good to support other people. And yeah, that's a funny question, but.

I think it is funny. And I think it's just like the real truth of, I feel like as women, we are raised to look at other women as competition. And like, I don't know, maybe this does have to do with my weight loss journey and like just who I was growing up. I always was kind of a bit different. I kind of always was like the biggest girl in my friend group. And I just have like a different personality than most, you know, like I've always just been a little different. So I think innately I've never compared myself to anyone. Yeah. It's funny you say that because I feel that way about myself too. Yeah. Because I always had this weird voice. So maybe it's like our biggest blessing but also a curse of like yeah no because like when and also when you're building a business sure like have your inspiration but if you spend too much time looking left and right yeah you're never

gonna have your own vision and your own like journey like you really need to pave your own lane and do it your way yeah and then now we have we're in this place where we met each other at a pretty established point and we both have our own success. And it's like, let's have fun with this and share ideas and, and also lean on each other when it gets hard, because, oh my God, this shit is lonely. Yeah. It is really lonely. And I think to find people who can relate and like, even in the career grind, it's, it's such a real thing of, um, you, you deserve to be surrounded by people who want what's best for you and your front row. That's what you, yeah. Like I always talk about, you know, Nikki, who we mentioned her mom quoted, you create your front row who show up for you and

everything. And I know who's in my front row and I don't have to play pretend with that. And the loyalty and the support that I get to feel in my day to day is why I'm able to do what I do. I also feel like when you have a really good front row, it's really easy to quickly tell who is not in your front row. Oh my God. It's kind of like dating again. Like when you, when I met Andrew Spalter, I looked at every other dude from my past and I was like, literally what in the actual heck? Yeah. Like, no, like it's laughable. Yeah. And I think you can just do that across any facet of life, whether it's like a new

job that makes you look at a past role and you're like, what was I thinking? Yeah. No, it gives perspective. Yeah. Perspective is everything. On the topic of career, a lot of gals were asking about, have you ever been unsatisfied with your career? Like, let's talk about a time where we didn't love our jobs. Cause I want to give the girls, like, I don't want them to think we just like had it great the whole time. Like, where did we start from? You know, it's really interesting because I've never had a boss. Like it's, it's kind of this like weird thing. Cause you started right out the gate with Frankie. Yeah. Like my brother and I had our own business, and now Sammy and I have our own business. But like there were some big failures within, I mean,

literally just this past week we were supposed to launch a new activewear line and the fabric was wrong somehow. Wait, really? Oh, fully like two sports bras. Like it was night before launch. Did they get produced? No. Like it was night before launch. Did they get produced? No. Full production was sent.

We had a rush in order. And Sammy was doing a wear test. I haven't even gotten it yet. This is, again, like why I would tell anyone who's starting a business like slow and steady. But more than anything, like we are failing left and right. Yeah. And I honestly am grateful for those times. And I think early on in my career where I would cry to my brother who's my business partner and cry to my dad and he's like, just keep trying.

And I think that's what I want everyone to hear is like we're all just trying out here. And I'm definitely trying my best, but like it hasn't just been this like easy road, gold star, especially when you're innovating and disrupting and like being an entrepreneur and doing something new. So yeah, like for me, I think there's been some really hard moments in my career where I'm like, why did I say yes to this? Like I could have just done what everyone else, I wanted to go to law school. Like literally there was a part of me where I'm like, why did I say yes to this? Like I could have just done what everyone else, I wanted to go to law school. Like literally there was a part of me where I'm like, I'm going to keep studying. I'm going to go to law school. I'm going to be this corporate attorney. And meanwhile, like now that I'm so deep in my identity of who I am in this day and age, like I could have never,

ever, ever, like I'm so thankful for my lawyer because that's not me. But my goodness, when you take this path or if you're even thinking to take the entrepreneurial path, just know there's really hard days, but that's what makes the big day so worth it. Period. And yeah, it is quiet and it's lonely and no one can really relate until you find your Maris of your world. And if you're in a corporate role where you're like, shoot, like I actually have this entrepreneurial bug,

that corporate world's not going anywhere. Like you can always go back. And I think that's such a beautiful thing to remind yourself of too. Like your life's not over when one bad thing happens. You've got to persevere. So good. Like get knocked. I think this is a quote from Kendall who I interviewed yesterday.

I'm going to mess this up. She says, you can get knocked down, but you can't get knocked out. Love that. You just got to get back up. Is she like a boxer or something? I think she is. No, agree 100%. I'll speak to, and I think you guys have heard me talk about this, but I had a few internships

throughout college and my memories of these internships were me shaking like a leaf, terrified my boss was going to talk to me, hiding in the bathroom, feeling like I didn't know what was going on. Like I had zero, zero, zero confidence in myself and what I thought. Didn't even really know what I wanted. And then I worked at Orange Theory Fitness. I was at the front desk getting heart rate monitors thrown at me, ducking sweaty towels, cleaning toilets. But it's funny because of course I was unsatisfied with that, but it taught me so much. Like it was, I'm so grateful I had that little season. I'd show up at 4am to open up the studio. That was mid fitness journey. It was a way.

Which is also a crazy level of discipline if you think about that insane I used to be insane like I know I still have it in me but it's funny when you're in like like hitting rock bottom and feeling like I have to fix this like I do not have a choice it's crazy what you can do honestly Honestly. When do you feel like you found that first like oomph of confidence? It was the second that like I realized I was not wavering on my plan. When I kept showing up at the gym, when I kept waking up at six in the morning, when I kept eating the food, I was like, oh, I'm not quitting. Like I was afraid, I think, for the first couple months that I was going to quit because I'm not quitting. Like I was afraid, I think for the first couple months that

I was going to quit because I had quit everything else I'd ever done. And then the second I realized I wasn't quitting, I was like, oh, I, I think I can do anything. So for me at the time, working at Orange Theory and showing up before in the morning and sticking to that was a challenge. Like I had never done anything like that before. I would skip class in college I wouldn't show up to internships like I was very accountability no for yourself no like I really didn't hold myself to a high standard showing up at orange theory and cleaning the toilets was like I am fulfilling a promise to myself and it was during that time I'm serious I'm just picturing you like deep in your toilet being like this is is for me. This is for the greater good. No, but like.

My future self is so grateful. It's kind of crazy. And sometimes I go in a gym and I smell the cleaning smell of the same. And you can feel it again. Same cleaner I would clean the toilets with. And I'm like, oh my God. Like that was kind of the crux of my work ethic. And I was getting my degree at the time.

And I remember my Instagram began exploding while I worked there and the trainers at the gym coming up and being like, Oh my God, like what happened? Like, how did you do that? Will you say that I trained you? Like they wanted to be involved in it. And I had a fear of quitting orange theory. Cause I was like, no, no, no, this is my normal job. Like this, this can't go anywhere. And it took me a minute to kind of take that leap of faith. And it's funny looking back, I'm like, how did I push through those years of not leaving the house, not leaving my computer, just working, working, working. I didn't have anything to lose. I was like, let's just freaking go. It's Orange Theory or this, it's cleaning toilets or this. You've got to try. You don't know until you try. Right. My dad always

taught me. Right. And now look where we are. Like it's pretty insane. It is insane. Do you feel grounded? What do you mean? In what you've achieved? No, I think, I think sometimes I do. I mean, you and I have had this conversation of like, I know that's why I want everyone else to hear it. You know what you're doing. I know what I do. You know the phrase like when people have a hard time seeing themselves in the mirror the way they actually appear, like quote unquote body dysmorphia. I sometimes feel because the growth of Bloom and everything was quite quick. I have a hard time mentally catching up to the girl cleaning the toilets and now. And I talk about it like I do interviews. I answer questions. I know that I'm the founder of Bloom but I think I have a hard time conjuring up like the confidence and showing up confidently about myself and I think also because of the way I was

raised like wealth was not celebrated in my household I have a hard time being proud of that it's definitely like a continuing struggle for me. Yeah. I think it's such like a beautiful part of your journey that I'm so excited for you on. And even similarly, like what you were saying of like your achievements and like what's come out of like the true fruits of your labor that you're eating now that you have this like dissociation from, I relate so much in what my body looks like. And, you know, I am someone who was so career oriented and like

so academically driven for so long that I knew I was always going to achieve great things. I just didn't think I would look and feel this way doing it. Yeah. Yeah. So it's honestly kind of the, yeah. And I hope, yeah, for everyone listening, like these are some of the key differences that I would say of, you know, like I, when I graduated college and I said yes to working with my brother, it was to like achieve great things. Like I never wanted to do anything lightly, but what I would have never known back then in 2017 is that I would be here looking like a literal different human being, feeling like a literal different human being. Like I sacrificed my own health to achieve what I thought was my identity because my identity when it came to my health was like, you're just this overweight girl.

Yeah. Wow. And I thought I was this undisciplined girl. Yeah. Cleaning toilets at 4 a.m. I mean. Yeah, I was cute about it though. Yeah. I had a uniform. Yeah.

It was a vibe. I'm just so proud of you too for like being so open of the work that like you still want to do. Because everything that you have achieved, you are so deserving of thank you and i think that like there's a beautiful element that you're gonna feel like so deep in your soul so soon of like fuck yeah i did this like you did this i know i'm waiting to have that moment yeah and like what you were saying earlier about the finish line. Yeah. There is no finish line, babe. Like there is none. Truly, like, I don't know.

I've had some moments where I'm like, I think buying a horse for me was a really big deal. And I know that sounds silly, probably. Why do you think? That was the thing when I was a little girl, when I was like, I'm saving up my allowance for a horse. Well, this is what cracks me up. That meme of like, when I win the lottery, like there will be signs, you know, like Mari's sign. I'm like, dude, like where are the mini horses right now? Like the second we see a full rainbow of mini horses on your property, like we've.

Yours is going to be 12 golden doodles and like the biggest pool you've ever seen. Oh, absolutely. I need a fat body of water. Sammy needs to be in water at all times. Fun fact. I am a cancer. So maybe that has to do. You're a water sign, right? Water sign. Yeah. Let's transition into weight loss. Let's do it. Let's talk fitness. Let's talk nutrition. Let's talk facts. Facts. I, again, I'm like so here to give exactly what happened in my life and like how I saw results and how I've felt the way I feel. And I think like for everyone to know there's such a dichotomy with weight loss.

There's the things that you eat and the movement that you do. And then there's on the other side of it, there's like the feeling that you have and the like emotional awareness within it all. So I think like a lot of these questions have to do with one and then a lot of the questions have to do with the other. So I think it's really important for us to like holistically hit both. Let's start. I feel like I want to start with exercise. Let's do it. Like what was the evolution of your workouts? Where did you start? It's hilarious. What did you do at the beginning? CrossFit. No. Oh, I knew that. I knew that. So CrossFit. There's a video of you doing crazy weights. Oh yeah. Like I could lift. When I was heavier, I could lift a ton of weight. Yeah.

Like I almost envy how much I could lift back then. Yeah. But honestly, the only reason I signed up for this CrossFit gym was because it was walking distance to my literal beach shack in Venice Beach. Which I have to say was smart. It was smart. Because if you make the barrier to entry easier, you're more likely to do it. How many classes were there in LA where you're doing a 30 minute drive to then not be able to find a parking spot and then the class is over? Like don't make it hard for yourself. $45 on a freaking Pilates class. Yeah. Like I respect that decision. I was hardcore about it. I walked into Paradiso and I bought a year long membership. No. Yeah. You're like, I'm doing this for a year. I don't do things lightly. I don't try to do anything in life. Like if I'm saying yes, I'm saying yes. And like,

I'm not going to try to work out. I'm working out five times a week and like, I'm going to be super disciplined in that. Yeah. So I had already like kind of started my nutrition journey, which we'll speak to, but day one, I joined a CrossFit gym and it was really intense. But what I loved about it was the community. And when you're early on, like y'all, I didn't even own a pair of walking shoes at this point. I maybe had one pair of leggings and then went to Target and bought the same workout top in three colors. It was basically a tight bra that then like popped out and was like loose around my stomach. Yeah, like a peplum. Because God forbid, I felt like a stuffed sausage in every single workout

outfit. And I'm wearing like extra, extra larges. Like I didn't even have any association with my size at the time, but I asked them, I'm like, what sneakers do I need? What equipment do I need? They're like, you need these no bull sneakers. You know that brand? They're like the flattest shoes ever. So I was wearing these all black, no bull sneakers. I had three tops and got a few more pair of extra, extra large leggings. And I was in there five times a week. Damn. And that's cool. That community was something. Well, they like hype you up. They really hype you up. And like they push you. I mean, it's like, it felt almost like military. Like you're competing for something. Yes. Not that I could compete with any of these people. I mean, truly on the days where it was like run a mile, do 10 handstand pushups, the modifications that my coaches would do for me was amazing.

But that's, can you speak to like, did you feel any intimidation or insecurity walking into an environment like that? At first, yes. And my brother would actually come with me. Frankie was super freaking fit at the time. Frankie like also goes through phases, but like Frankie was jacked at the time. Really? So that was really great. And then I got to the point where I could hold myself accountable. And like I had partners in that community that like knew my name, knew what I was up to, knew about like what I wanted to accomplish. And I have always been someone who wanted to surround myself with people who were doing more and doing better. And it's really motivating. Like I always say in

business, I never want to be the smartest person at the table. And when I was signing up for CrossFit, I definitely wasn't walking in there wanting to be the fittest person in the room. So it was really cool to see these like literal athletes doing the same shit that like I wanted to do. It's kind of like me looking up to the IFBB pros in bodybuilding. You were around these insane athletes, like shoot for the stars, be around the best. And I would crush myself in those workouts. Damn. I was going for it, like really, really going for it. And I would crush myself in those workouts. Damn.

I was going for it, like really, really going for it. And then after that year, I... Question. Yes. Did you go into your journey saying, I want to lose 85 pounds? No, I never thought 85 pounds was possible. I had been overweight my whole life. I was the heaviest kid in my first grade class. I don't know why and what happened in first grade. We were all put on

a scale in front of each other. Straight up. No. No. Oh my God. That's the type of thing that you never forget. And yeah, I'm literally 23 years later still remembering this moment of being the heaviest kid when I was in sixth grade. I won't forget little moments of like my doctors growing up saying like, Sammy, like you're only 13. You shouldn't be carrying this much body fat. Just, you know, across the board, so many moments that were so telling. So no, I never thought that like who you are seeing here today was a possibility for what I could look and feel like.

It is wild to know this version of, I almost feel like a little sad that we didn't know each other before. I don't know. Like I feel like there's this whole part of you that I don't know, but I see how it affects you now. Like when I think about, oh my God, Sammy has not always looked like this or felt like this. Well, now I've got fake boobs and abs. Yeah, girl. Now you have like delts and it's crazy. But like the people listening probably feel like you're this perfect. You've been this way your whole life.

Oh no. But hearing this, it's like, it gives me so much perspective on the way that you are. I think my favorite compliment is when it has to do with like my smile and like my personality because for the longest time, the only thing I could identify with was my personality. I had such a complete dissociation from my body that, you know, I just, I didn't really love it. It was like I was like renting someone else's house that I was living in. Like it just wasn't mine to love.

You do have the best personality and smile of all time. Thank you. I think like my warmth comes from the fact that. You know what it's like. Yeah. And that also has fueled this amazing business that you've built. And even when you're talking about like the clothes, I'm like that must be in your head when you're designing these clothes too.

Absolutely. For form. Yeah. I mean we do have a few slutty numbers, but. I like to look really skinny. I know you like the slutty bras, so we make them for you. I do. It makes my boobs look bigger.

Now I do. But yeah, like I, there's like a whole spectrum of self that I identify with. And yeah, I never thought this was possible for me. And it's been such a journey from CrossFit to, okay, like I want to try a yoga class. I want to try. What was off to CrossFit? So I got like a class pass membership, which was a really amazing way, a really effective way to try a lot of things. Yeah. And I was just being in the season of being open. And at this point, you know, I wasn't going to happy hours anymore. I was going to like 5 p.m. workout classes. And some of my best friends, Laura at the time would like go to any class I wanted to try because she was just super into health and wellness too.

Australia? Yeah. And she was a great accountability partner for me during that time. I started doing hot yoga. I started doing mega former Pilates. I went to this class called plate fit, which is literally one of those vibrating plates. I tried anything and everything. And what I learned was, oh my God, it doesn't need to be this like crazy intense CrossFit-esque version that that type of community can actually exist in many different modalities. But like none of them were really hitting me as much as I know I needed to find the movement that I wanted to do every day for more than just aesthetics. Like I think a lot

of people move their body to look a certain way. At this point in my journey, I was addicted to movement because it made me feel a certain way because it was fulfilling a promise that I was making to myself because it was allowing me to get to know myself to a deeper level than I had ever learned before. And it wasn't about how hard the workout was. It was about walking away and feeling like my cup was full, not empty. And I think a lot of workouts can kind of empty your cup. Totally. Totally. And I do think like the discipline you learn from an intense workout, like a CrossFit. I mean, I was super intense for a while with my workouts. Perhaps that's what we needed at the beginning because it teaches you pure discipline.

Discipline is self-love. Like you'll hear me say that all the time. When you learn self-discipline, that is the number one form of self-love because if you can't show up for yourself, how are you going to do great things for yourself? In anything. In anything in life. This is not weight loss. This is life. Yeah. Period. Period. I think fitness taught me everything I know about work ethic. Like it is the reason I'm able to show up at my job every day because you just show up. You know what I really want everyone to hear? If you have the privilege to move your body, you are doing your entire life such a disservice by not embracing movement. And if you haven't found the movement for you, keep looking because it exists. I agree.

It is such a privilege. It is the best form of therapy. What happened for me after class passed was COVID. We were in a pandemic. There were no more classes. I became obsessed with walking. Yep. I think a lot of girls are using, like, even if they don't like working out, walking's there. Walking is a gift. You get to go outside. You get to get sunshine in or just fresh air in. You get to have it stack so many other things you love. You get to invite your friend or call the person who makes you happy. Listen to a podcast like Pursuit of Wellness that betters you. Like whatever you want to do, you can do while walking. And if you

have legs that move, walk. It is a gift. Oh my God. I'm obsessed with walking. I still walk 10 to 20K steps a day. I'm obsessed. Guys, Sammy walks like 10 miles a day and does calls and gets her whole day done. My team knows like if I want to be like as mentally active as possible, I should be moving. I think that's such a thing. Like I like to do therapy on the move. Oh, I do therapy on a walk. It gets my mind going. Which is dangerous and awesome because we have the trail.

No, I know. And like the shit I have said about like the deepest, darkest parts of me on that trail. Like crying. Literally crying. The first time I went to your event here in Austin, I met Nikki and she was like, I saw you on the trail. I wanted to say hi, but you were doing something really serious on the phone. I was like, oh my God, I was in therapy.

You were like fully in therapy. Yeah. But like it's such a, it's like a mental, it's like a psychological thing when you're moving. Yeah. Your thoughts are going, I open up more. Like it's really a thing. I feel like with fitness, you and I both need to talk about weightlifting. Yeah. Your thoughts are going, I open up more, like it's really a thing. I feel like with fitness, you and I both need to talk about weightlifting. Yeah, let's go. Because,

okay, so obviously now, you know, like I love walking. I still do love slower movement and I intuitively work out, like I know what I'm craving day in and day out. Yeah. But weightlifting for me is what literally changed the way my body looked. Yeah. It's a composition thing. It's a composition. Like it would have been one thing. Sure. You probably could have lost the weight, cardio, cutting calories, but you would not look like this. No. If you didn't weightlift. No. Like everyone's seen Sammy's arms, right? I am obsessed. And I love that I get to say this, like this, honestly, like if you don't know me, this is going to sound so fucking arrogant, but like, I love my arms. I love my arms. I hate that I'm wearing a long sleeve shirt today. What am I thinking? Yeah. Your arms are

famous on the internet, but like, you don't get that by walking. I'll tell you that. No. Tell us, tell us the arm routine because a lot of girls wanted to know, especially in your wedding dress. Yes. So I think also like for any bride out there, having a wedding on the books is the most motivating thing, but it doesn't always need to be about the event. Like I have honestly gotten even more toned up since our wedding. And I'm really proud of myself for saying our wedding

because I always say my wedding and I feel so bad. No, I say my wedding. Andrew was there. I don't feel bad. Yeah. It was my wedding. I mean. You were attending. Yeah. Yeah. It was my wedding. I mean, you were attending. Yeah. Greg. Andrew showed up to my wedding. I'm kidding. Kind of kidding. Okay.

But truly I have even toned up more since then because I'm always refining as a person. I do upper body at least three times a week. Guys, Sammy does not want to train lower body with me. Well, I just think like you are in your glute season. I'm so excited. Now that we have Brinley on form, like all of her gym programs, Brinley's booty, like that girl's putting out a glute program and that I am so excited for. Guys, if you haven't followed Brinley, what's her last name? Joyner. Joyner on Instagram. Her butt is unbelievable. I hope this isn't coming off scary or creepy, but like, no, I tell her all the time. I'm like, I am obsessed with your butt. I would, I can't stop looking. If I were with her in person, I'd be like, I'm so sorry.

Between Brinley's butt, Sammy's ads. Like it is just, and I think that's like, there's no coincidence of why I'm a co-founder of form, like building out my dream programming of what I need. And I'll tell Sammy, like, I need an upper body, no repeats for my lazy days where I don't want to show up. And like, no repeats are the best way to just like push through because it's really exciting. And like, there's no circuits that you can kind of get tired of. You love these, right? Love. Okay. So there's a few things that like have actually changed my life and it has a lot to do with my biceps and my shoulders. And again, this is on that side of the fitness journey that has all to do with working out and like the

way that that changes your actual muscle and your build and around the world with something as simple as fives. And it's truly just like you lift over your head and you go down, you go up. Don't you do that on walks sometimes? Yes. Why else? I'm obsessed. That alongside some just side lifts and front lifts. Like Sam works those into most of our upper body workouts on form

because of I'm literally obsessed with that. They're for you. They're literally like just know every upper body workout on form has been me screaming at Sammy over a voice note because I love her so much. And she like gifts me with all of these things that make me feel my best. And then just, I mean, some straight traditional, like not even compound exercises. And I love progressing. Like I started with tens. I do bicep curls with fifteens. I can press overhead 20s. Like we're going, we're doing the damn thing. Progressing is huge.

It's huge. I think a lot of girls are scared to up the weights. Yeah. Because they don't want to look masculine. You will look more feminine. Oh my God. In my opinion. I agree.

I agree. And like, I will, I don't think I've ever said this out loud. There was a point in my journey where I actually never thought I could think that I was too lean and I felt too lean. And I crave being toned. Like I really, I'm not here to look skinny. I'm here to look strong. Yeah.

Like skinny to me is a curse word. I want to be a strong, badass girl. Like that's why we're doing it. That is to be functional in real life, to put a strong, badass girl. Like that's why we're doing it. That is to be functional in real life, to put the suitcase in the over, well, it is nice to have help from the husband. Andrew still puts my suitcase in the over. Yeah, yeah. But like to know that we can. I can. If I want to, I can. Period. Period. I think a muscular upper body is the most gorgeous thing on a woman. Agreed. Like when I started my journey, that's what I wanted because to me, it is the physical representation of hard work. Yes. To put muscle on as a female is really

challenging. It's tough. Especially I'm super estrogen dominant. You are? Super. I mean, I just got off birth control for like over 10 years. And also if you're doing anything like that, I would definitely like work with someone to figure out, like look at your blood panel and understand where you're at. But yeah, like I'm not high in testosterone at all. So it's really tough for me to build muscle. I'm high in testosterone. Yeah. But I'm also tall. You're tall and small. My muscles are like these. Yeah.

Yours go like these. Yeah. So I can build, yeah. Pros and cons. Pros and cons. Let's speak to the nutrition real quick, along with your weight training. Like, let's talk. I want to talk about your day-to-day now, because I know we've both been through keto and we've done various things. Yeah. What does your diet look like now that keeps you lean, putting on muscle, strong, healthy? So I work with Shira Barlow, my nutritionist, who I know Mari's also met with and interviewed.

And Shira has changed my life because I, who I know Mari's also met with and interviewed. And Shira has changed my life because I will say like talking to fitness and nutrition, nutrition was my issue. I did play sports growing up, but like I never knew how to eat. And nutrition is actually my relationship with food is where I held a lot of my trauma. I know I said it earlier, but like food for me was a comfort thing. It was an escapism thing. It was, oh my God, like the love that I was missing from certain aspects of life was so beautiful in that big bowl of pasta or in that cheesy slice of pizza, whatever that can look like. So Shira has really helped me with the emotional side of eating. Wow. So I want to let anyone know that like this isn't just what I put in my mouth. There's a lot of

emotional baggage when it comes to my relationship with food. But when it comes down to what that looks like day in and day out now, as someone who was strict keto for years, I no longer would ever put myself in a box with like a one word diet. You should never be a prisoner to a plan. You should never restrict yourself. You never need to restrict yourself to lose weight. You should never be sad when you are losing weight. It's actually a really happy, healthy thing you're doing. So if you feel sad on your journey right now, just know there's a better way. And I'm someone who eats a slice of sourdough bread with butter every single freaking day. Every day. And even more than that, actually, I am someone who has my favorite substitutes for really yummy desserts

every single day. And sometimes they're actually not substitutes. Like we just went to Sicily together and you watched me literally down a vongole a day, which is literally like- Both of us had a vongole like issue actually. So good. Every day. It's so good. We were fine. Everything's fine. We were fine. So I do still intermittent fast. I now being off birth control, I'm feeling like hormonal changes and really knowing the days where I do need breakfast. And I allow myself, obviously, to eat when I am hungry. So most days I am intermittent fasting.

For lunch, I eat a big-ass bowl of meat. Mari and I had a call yesterday, and I'm just like drinking my big old water. I'm like, sorry, I'm just downing my giant bowl of meat. What kind of meat? It changes. I'll do ground beef or I'll do pulled chicken. Yesterday I did pulled chicken with olive oil, sea salt, a little vinegar, a little balsamic vinegar. It's giving Mediterranean.

It's giving like straight bowl of meat. It's not cute. Sometimes if I want to make it pretty, I'll do a side of avocado and some like tomatoes or broccoli or something. And that is seriously, guys, what I crave. But I love the olive oil addition because you're getting your healthy fats too. I'm a big on healthy fats. I'm really big on healthy fats. And you know what I've realized? I used to crave the pasta for the olive oil, for the cheese. It wasn't actually the pasta. That was just the carrier of it. Exactly. Exactly. And I do still eat pasta. I mean, Shira and I say this all the time,

but like everything's on the table. I just know what's worth it. And I kind of go through my day budgeting for what's worth it. So I don't track anything. The only thing that I am really mindful about is the amount of grams of protein I have. So like I have my substitutes, like my Owen protein shakes, you know, I'm obsessed with. Each one has 32 grams of protein. I try to have 120 grams of protein a day. That really helps me get there. I have my chomp sticks. Those are 10 grams of protein.

I'm averaging like two a day just because I'm hungry and I crave protein, guys. Like this is something that I'm not doing to do. I'm doing this to like truly satiate myself. Protein is something that I think a lot of people don't get enough of and they don't realize how satiating it really is. Like it will keep you full. It keeps me really full. Yeah. And then dinner, I'm very lucky in that I married an entrepreneur, but if he wasn't an entrepreneur, he would definitely be a chef. And Andrew whips up some amazing meals for us. So like just the other night we do our like healthy version of chicken parm.

I saw that. So it's just, you know, pounded chicken. We do a grilled chicken version with our favorite red sauce. I'm big on dairy. I actually have like a great relationship with dairy. So I do eat cheese. And then we did a side of this fun like substitute pasta. It's called Carbonata.

Oh, I think I've heard of this. Yeah, I get it on Amazon. It has like a bunch of protein in it. It's just like the highest protein pasta that's out there. Definitely not something I would eat every day, but like was craving it for our beautiful Italian meal. Yeah. And, you know, I definitely crave vegetables and fruits.

And I love finding my desserts that, you know, really work for me. I'm obsessed with Hugh chocolate bars. I know you are too. I went through a major phase of those. Major. I just think it's like really so amazing to be at a point in my life where like I have full food freedom. Like I do not restrict myself ever, but I also still carry such self-discipline. Yep. And you can have

something and not go overboard with it. Yes. Yeah. The freedom in that's amazing. Oh my God. Because you never want to feel like that stuffed suitcase feeling, you know, like that is the most gross feeling that I can do to myself. If I am, I've binged in the past. Like if I'm binging to the point where I feel disgusting in my own body, I'm mad. Yeah. And also I think it's such a thing when you over-restrict. I know I've been through phases in LA of over-restricting where you are so hungry that you obsess about food.

Like I essentially gave myself a disordered way of thinking. I remember the first nutritionist I ever hired said, you're going to be hungry. Like basically what you're doing, guys, this is insane. Basically what you're doing is you're shrinking your stomach. So you're going to be hungry. So I normalized hunger. Like what the actual hell?

Yeah, no, you don't need to feel like you're dying. No, no. And I wish I could go back and tell myself that because I definitely, yeah. The intensity I brought to my fitness journey was kind of crazy because I needed the structure. I want everyone to hear how you're eating these days too, because I feel like you've also, even through like your skin journey have changed so much. Like, I feel like most of the changes you made were you'd already accomplished so much within like, you know, your body. And then it was your skin that really. It was my skin. Like, I think a lot of people thought I ate the way I ate for my body and it had literally nothing to do with that. It was all skin and acne made me really afraid of food.

And in retrospect, yes, I think certain things like dairy and sugar probably were triggering it a little bit, like inflaming it. But I had beliefs that eggs were breaking me out. And I still don't know about that. But my chicken eggs are not breaking me out. I just want to say that. The fact that you have your own chicken coop and get to eat your own. I also was going to take some last night. I know. I forgot. I'm going to drop some off at your own chicken coop bizarre to eat your own i also was

gonna take some last night i know i forgot i'm gonna drop some off at your house i have to get custom boxes um i had so much fear around carbs eggs like literally anything butter like great crazy basic items like yeah even olive oil frightened me sometimes like i i had you know with the podcast i had so many different experts on the show. You get a lot of information. I have so much information and I get so many DMs and comments and it's all going in my head. And all I wanted was to get rid of the acne. It was ruining my confidence.

And at the end of the day, it was a bacteria that went away with antibiotics and it had nothing to do with food. H.P. Laurie. H.P. Laurie ruined my life. We're mad at you, H.P. Laurie. You're mean and rude. She's gone. And she's gone.

And look at you glowing and eating what you want to eat. And I hold so much space for that version of both of us where it is kind of sad. Like, y'all, I used to make protein shakes with water. What the hell? Me too. Oatmeal with water. Like, no. No. I'm so sad. It doesn't have to be sad it was sad for a little oh my god i need to make a hat that says that like it doesn't have to be sad it should be happy

and healthy totally like and but also to give ourselves grace like it was an era of that when i watched what i eat in a day or experts experts were telling us. Yes. Yes. 100%. Yeah. 100%. So we were doing what we thought was right. But in retrospect, I would go back and say, you can have a little sourdough. You can have what you want. Yes. Absolutely. But it takes a while to get to the point where you can figure that out. And really understanding how to be mindful in your own body when you're making food decisions. Like ground yourself. You need to ground yourself. Like at the end of the day, this might sound weird, but we are primal human beings. You know what your cravings are and you know what your body needs. Like lean in and connect with yourself so

that you can give yourself what you need. Like do I really want to eat all of this or am I just... Take a breath. Like just simply taking a breath. How many times have you sat down at a Mexican restaurant and just poured chips on your plate? And like, I like literally dissociate. It's crazy. Yeah. And then the waiter comes for me to order. I'm like, I just finished an entire thing of chips. I don't know what just happened. Yeah. That used to be me. Yeah. Yeah. So to like really ground yourself before you eat is definitely like a form of

therapy that I've learned that I need. And also putting the phone down. Yeah. You should never have any sort of technology around, even if, I mean, I definitely can do better at this. Andrew and I will get really into a show and we're like, let's watch the show while we eat our big meal. And I'm like, this is not good. Yeah. Because you're kind of not even paying attention. You're not consciously aware of what you're consuming. And you're not enjoying either. Yeah. I think portion control is something I get asked really often. And I would say for me at this point in, you know, what I'm still maintaining and sustaining. Again, I've looked a certain way

for a year and a half and I've been making these types of choices for way longer. My fitness journey and wellness journey is like five plus years, but I've really mastered that at least half of my meal, if not more than half, is protein. And then you're filling in the gaps with your veggies and your carbs. Yeah, exactly. And then it's veggies and carbs. And I always save some room for dessert. Period. Period. End of story. We had ice cream last night. I'm not sure it was the best. I think we would have been better off with actual ice cream because guys, this was that like negative calorie fro-yo bullshit. That's pure chemicals. We don't feel well today. No, like diarrhea. Yeah. Well, I wasn't going gonna say it but

you said it so there we go i talk about poop too often on podcast i'm like i didn't know that about you i'm down yeah we both have diarrhea so yeah is that i'm not gonna say the name of the ice cream because i don't want to blow up their spot right but maybe we're just sensitive to yeah your dad hated it yeah well my dad likes the real stuff. And honestly, that's something I really respect. Like if you're ever finding yourself craving something and then you try to sub it in with something else and you're not satiating yourself, have the real thing, please. Have the real thing. Please have.

I ate mac and cheese last night and damn, it was good. All I needed was like that one little bit and oh my gosh, it moved mountains for me. It's so good i actually give my parents a lot of credit for how they fed me growing up because i ate real everything like the best cheese from wales spinach ravioli baguettes from the bakery fresh butter fresh milk it wasn't necessarily like health forward that is amazing but it But it was real. But it's whole foods. And that's why every American goes to Italy and loses a couple pounds. Yeah. Meanwhile, I was raised by my single father who was on a Walmart budget and I was eating Pop-Tarts, butter, some Oreos, some monkey bread, Cinnabons. It's okay. It's all good. Domino's pizza. Love that. Yeah. I see. I

didn't grow up on that stuff. I didn't even know what any of that was. I remember moving to America and being exposed to all of it and being like oh my gosh everything's blue and bright colored i remember like food shouldn't be fast like fast food like wonder bread i was like what is that gatorade oh yeah oh my god my mom believed that blue gatorade was like literally medicine if i had any issue my mom be like, just drink some blue Gatorade. It's funny because they were marketed to so hardcore. Guys, I feel like we covered a lot of the bases. I mean, we touched on bridal. We touched on career.

We touched on nutrition. We touched on fitness. I feel like we need a part three. Honestly, let's do it on transform. This is healing for us too. It is healing. I feel like we've we obviously talk about these things a decent amount and we do have these long chats but when do we ever sit down

for an hour and 15 minutes like this yeah you know this is like a real form of therapy for me so thank you and for everyone listening too we're just so excited for you guys and wherever you're at and I think I just want to let you know it's possible. Whatever you want for yourself. It can have nothing to do with weight. If you're here, I'm assuming maybe you can relate to Mari and I's stories in some way. But like whatever you want for your life is possible. And you are so capable and deserving of creating that. These are two people sitting here.

Like I did not think that I was destined for any type of success. Yeah. And look at your beautiful life. And look at yours. It's, it's insane. So as Sammy said, if we can do it, you can do it. I hope this was helpful. Sammy, where can they find you on the internet? Where can they find your brand? Oh my goodness. Your podcast. I feel like when it comes to social media, Instagram is my go-to. So at Sammy Spalter. And then in terms of our podcast, it's called Transform. We've had Mariam before. We're definitely having her on again. We're at Transform on Instagram. Form is at Form on Instagram. If anyone's listening to this too and like wants to try form, I am so here to get you guys a promo code.

Let's go. I definitely want to make sure. Honestly, actually, fuck that. If you are listening to this and you resonate, DM me. I will give you a form membership. You're pulling a Greg. I am like so here to make sure that everyone everywhere can access the best versions of them. And as someone who didn't have the tools to do that for literally 90% of my life until recently, Mari and I are creating a few

things that will help you a lot. DM Sammy, guys, you're going to get a free membership. Do it now. Right now. Do it right now. Love you all. Goodbye. You won't regret. And also check out the active wear. It's my favorite. I wear it every day. You're so supportive and like the best friend ever. I love you. Thanks for having me. Pow wow. Pow wow. Pow down. Pow down. Thanks for joining us on the Pursuit of Wellness podcast. To support this show, please rate and review and share with your loved ones. If you want to be reminded of new episodes, click the subscribe button on your preferred podcast or video player. You can sign up for my newsletter to receive my favorites at marilowelland.com. It will be linked in the show notes. This is a Wellness Lab production produced

by Drake Peterson, Fiona Attucks, and Kelly Kyle. This show is edited by Mike Fry, and our video is recorded by Luis Vargas. You can also watch the full video of each episode on our YouTube channel at Mari Fitness. Love you, Power Girls and Power Boys. See you next time. The content of this show is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for individual medical and mental health advice

and does not constitute a provider-patient relationship. As always, talk to your doctor or health team.