Exploring Life & Business with Sammy Warnement of The Body Effect

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sammy Warnement.

Hi Sammy, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I have been a dancer and athlete for my entire life — I began dancing at the age of two, playing soccer at age three, and swimming competitively at age six — so I was nearly always active while growing up. Because of this, I was generally a strong but slender girl, as I didn’t feel like nutrition really played that big of a role in how I looked. I gained some weight in high school but played it off as just “growing into my body”.

Then I graduated and went off to college… for the first time in my life, I no longer had someone telling me what to eat or when. I also went from dancing 20 hours a week to doing virtually zero activity in my first semester because I wasn’t doing competitive dance anymore. And although I dodged the “freshman 15” in the first semester, I wasn’t so lucky when I returned to school after Christmas break.

I then gained about 20 pounds in less than three months, and I was devastated. I no longer recognized myself — I started hiding behind my clothes; I avoided going out with friends; and I spent almost all of my time that I wasn’t in class just by myself in my dorm room (usually bingeing on pizza. The breaking point for me came on the bus on the way to class (since I had also stopped walking across campus like I did in the first semester). As I sat there, I could suddenly feel my stomach jiggling in a way I had never experienced (or noticed) before.

So I decided it was time for a change. I found a local personal trainer who had actually graduated from my school (the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) and hired her almost immediately. And within six weeks, I had lost 12 pounds. Although I hadn’t lost all of my gained weight, the confidence I gained from being active again and getting stronger was immeasurable, but I knew I wanted to be able to help others to do that too.

So I went back for my sophomore year and declared Exercise & Sport Science as my major so that I could become a personal trainer. I chose an advanced track so I would have a deeper knowledge within my field; pursued internship opportunities every summer; became a Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) in 2014; and graduated magna cum laude in my major in 2015. I also gained a certification as a Performance Enhancement Specialist through NASM so I could specifically help athletes to improve their skills as well.

I then relocated to Los Angeles to pursue a personal training and professional dance career. Shortly after beginning work at a corporate gym in LA, I realized how much more I could help my clients if I was able to educate and coach my clients on nutrition, as personal trainers are often not legally allowed or qualified to coach people about nutrition. So I studied and become a certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist (FNS) through NASM in early 2016.

I left the corporate fitness world after a few years because it seemed to be a bit of a “boys club” — Although I am highly qualified in my field and was promoted quickly within the company, my insights and expertise (both in fitness and in business) were not being valued by the all-male leadership team within my region and district. I refused to sit back and watch my male counterparts at other locations get praised for doing the same or less while I was being critiqued for “not following protocol” in an effort to not only make the business more profitable but also to improve our clients’ experiences. It was no longer a good fit for me, so I branched off and created my own business, The Body Effect LLC.

I have used my business to work with clients all over the world — most were in the U.S., but I also had clients in Canada and even one in Luxembourg! By moving my coaching online, my clients can be anywhere and complete workouts and tasks at any time that is most convenient to them by using customized workouts and nutrition plans designed by me.

As the years went by and I struggled to maintain my own weight while I focused on clients, I noticed that mindset plays a far bigger role in health and fitness than most people realize. I not only worked to improve my own mindset and mental health but also gained another certification as a Behavior Change Specialist (BCS) with NASM in 2020 so that I could adequately understand the psychological aspects of habit change, especially as it relates to health.

In December of 2020, I decided to use TikTok to reach a greater audience. The main reason I got into the fitness industry was so that I could help as many people as possible to feel stronger, more confident, and healthier; so why not use social media as a means to reach them? In 45 days, I grew my account from 66 to 10,000 followers! I also became a certified Women’s Fitness Specialist (WFS) with NASM in early 2021 so that I could cater more to my overwhelmingly female audience (97.1% female vs. 2.9% male) and their specific needs.

I have used 2021 as an opportunity to work with more women than ever before by offering affordable pre-made workout plans; coaching women 1-on-1 to work together on their specific goals; and utilizing group programs for women with similar goals to be able to work on goals in a community setting! In 2021 alone, I have coached over 200 women to help them reach their personal goals. It has been a WILD year to say the least!

Now, just over one year after creating my own TikTok community, I have over 93,000 followers! I love that TikTok gives me the opportunity to help so many incredible women, and I look forward to working with as many of them as I possibly can in 2022 through my new program, Happily Ever Healthy!

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
My journey to this point has been anything but smooth — I’ve dealt with financial insecurity, imposter syndrome, mental health issues, declines in confidence, weight struggles, and judgment from people who don’t understand why I won’t get a “real job”. I’ve met people who tried to diminish my expertise because of the way I look — claiming I’m not thin enough or strong enough to be a good trainer. And I’ve had people tell me that I can’t be a good trainer because I’m a woman.

I knew that entering the highly judgmental fitness space meant I would encounter people who would question everything about me, not always letting my education and abilities speak for themselves. I realized years ago that it was up to me to help change the narrative about women in fitness.

And I recognized that the fitness and diet industries profit immensely off of keeping people unaware of healthy and balanced methods to reach their goals. Countless products (ex: waist trainers, detox teas, fat burners, etc.) exist for the purpose of getting people’s money without actually providing them with sustainable results — and some of these can actually be dangerous. Companies (ex: Herbalife, Arbonne, ItWorks, etc.) also benefit from not teaching people about healthy nutritional habits. And unfortunately many “coaches” even work to gate-keep information from their clients so that they become dependent on having the support and knowledge from the coach.

So I actively work against these companies and coaches to teach people that they don’t need “quick fixes” to be healthy; that they don’t need to give up their favorite foods to lose weight; and that they don’t need to spend years paying for someone to coach them when they could learn sustainable habits (in a reasonable amount of time) and continue on with those for the rest of their lives!

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I founded The Body Effect in early 2017 and it has grown to allow me to serve women all over the world!

I specialize in helping busy, working women lose weight without needing hours on the treadmill and without them having to give up their favorite foods/drinks (like wine and pizza)! I’m known for providing my clients (and followers) with realistic, sustainable tips that allow them to live their lives while getting results. And I’m also known for my love of wine and donuts (which I regularly feature in my content)!

I truly believe that being healthy does not require any extreme measures. No one will find me recommending strange supplements (like fat burners or skinny teas), waist trainers, any diet with a name (such as Keto, Intermittent Fasting, Whole30, etc.), crazy amounts of exercise, or elimination of any foods (unless it’s a food that someone doesn’t like!).

For nutrition, I teach my clients about the 80/20 Rule which is the simplest way to a balanced “diet” (referring specifically to our overall consistent eating patterns). The 80/20 Rule involves having 80% of one’s total calorie intake come from whole, natural, nutrient-dense foods (such as protein, veggies, fruits, beans, legumes, etc.), and having 20% of one’s intake come from “enjoyment foods” — typically things that aren’t as “nutritious”, but that provide happiness and nourishment in other ways. There are no “good” foods and no “bad” foods… just some foods that provide nutrients, while some foods give joy and can be enjoyed in moderation. This allows me to help my clients overcome emotional/stress/binge eating, diminish cravings, and heal their relationship with food for good!

I’m incredibly proud that I have built my brand to promote true balance in all aspects of health and fitness. It’s not about being “perfect”; it’s about being consistently balanced with nutrition, workouts, and mindset!

I aim to have something for everyone in The Body Effect offerings and programs! Currently, I have three main ways to help potential clients.

The first is my LIVE LEAN. LIVE FIT. 4-week home workout e-books! I developed Phase 1 as a way to get women who are beginners or intermediate/advanced with workouts going on a consistent plan and Phase 2 as a way to progressively challenge the body so women can continue to get results. Each e-book includes 20 unique workouts (40 in total between the two) designed for weight loss and strength-building — 12 full-body resistance workouts; 4 abs only workouts; and 4 Tabata (interval) workouts — as well as sample workout calendars and an introduction to the basics of exercise science!

My second offering is my 1-on-1 14-week coaching program, the Balanced Body Blueprint! This program is for the woman who wants a completely customized approach to her fitness and weight loss journey. I work closely with each individual client to heal her relationship with food, establish a consistent (and manageable) workout routine, and identify and overcome mindset blocks (many of which develop during childhood) — all while helping her achieve the goals that she has set.

My latest offering is Happily Ever Healthy, a lifetime access individual/group hybrid program aimed at helping women achieve and sustain lifelong results! Within this program, clients will have access to a complete monthly workout program, bi-weekly group coaching calls, a vault of over a dozen educational videos (addressing things like balanced nutrition, the science behind various different workout and stretching routines, craving control, behavior change science, etc.), and weekly customized nutrition feedback. One of the biggest gaps that I’ve seen in the fitness industry is a lack of ongoing support for clients after a certain amount of time or after they’ve reached a certain goal or milestone. I’m aiming to change that with this new program by making it lifetime access — as long as the program exists, clients will have all of the program components available to them, including being able to request feedback on their nutrition tracking each week. Happily Ever Healthy gives women all of the support and tools they need to be successful without the 1-on-1 price tag or the cost of an in-person coach.

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
My college personal trainer Katie Martin deserves credit for my decision to even go into fitness in the first place! The way she not only taught me more about exercise (I already knew quite a bit because of my background in dance and because I had been going to the gym since I was 12) but also helped me regain my confidence changed my life!

I also have to give credit to my mom, Pam Pearson, who has been my biggest supporter throughout my life! She has supported my dream of becoming a professional dancer as well as my dream to start and run my own business that can support myself and my future family. She’s done this not only financially but also through endless words of encouragement — like when I wanted to quit my corporate fitness job and had limited knowledge of what I would be getting myself into. She has never stopped wanting the best for me!

Lastly, I want to give credit to my fiance, Max Cameron! He and I have been together for almost nine years (and are getting married in June of 2022), and he definitely had no clue that our lives would lead to where they are now. We met at UNC-CH (on the first day of college), and after graduation he supported my decision to move to LA to pursue my dreams (ultimately moving out here about four months after I did). He then continued to support me through several difficult years when my business was barely making enough to support myself, let alone contribute to our future. But no matter how many times I questioned what I was doing or if I was capable of succeeding or if I should just go back to corporate fitness, he always reassured me that my dream was worth fighting for and that the work I do is so important!

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: thebodyeffect.net
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebodyeffect/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebodyeffectbysammy/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@sammywarnement?

Image Credits
For the main photo as well as “additional photos” 1, 4, 5, and 6, credit goes to Marissa Hyland!