The wellness industry has begun to diversify — but there’s still a long way to go. And while there are many different definitions to the term “wellness,” Samia Gore is redefining the fact that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach.
The author and CEO of the wellness and supplement company, BODY Complete Rx, has amassed over 125K followers on Instagram simply by living her truth and helping others do the same. What started out as a journey of personal discovery after losing 80 lbs, and getting surgery to give her body an extra push, Gore, who is also a mother of four, initially sought to just share pros/cons of plastic surgery and the stigma within the African American community.
Now, years later, her collection of plant-based wellness supplements has garnered millions of dollars in sales, and seen support of celebrities like Nicole Murphy and Kenya Moore.
You’re wellness journey is a bit nontraditional as you opted to have plastic surgery after the birth of your 4th child. Because of the negative stigma for this — specifically in the wellness field — what made you decide to do so?
Samia Gore: In 2014 after having my 4th child I picked up a considerable amount of weight (about 80 lbs), and my body just wasn’t what it was before. Your stomach stretches out, your breasts change in size and things just fluctuate over the years. I made a decision that I wanted to do something about it. I didn’t want to just allow myself to be in a position where I didn’t want to be proactive about getting my body back and feeling better about myself. I started to research changing my entire lifestyle when it comes to eating habits. I started a social media page in 2014 — at a time when people weren’t really sharing certain things on social and what they were doing, especially when it came to plastic surgery — but I said “hey, I don’t mind being open about this.” Maybe I could connect with people who were doing the same things. I figured social media was a different platform where I could connect with people to share my journey. At first I started sharing my journey to lose 80 pounds, and how I was changing my lifestyle and my eating habits via supplements and incorporating a new lifestyle habits — drinking more water, eating more fruits and vegetables and just being happier in my life. Once I reached my goal weight is when I started looking into having a “mommy makeover” plastic surgery experience. That’s when I started reading different stories and everyone’s different experiences. I made the decision that I was going to do the surgery and began sharing that experience online.
What do you wish you knew back then, that you know now?
Having surgery is just the icing on the cake. There are definitely a lot of different layers that someone has to be prepared for in terms of transition and just seeing themselves in a different way post surgery. I went through my own journey sharing my experiences publicly and why I decided to do things the way I did. That grew a following because people were drawn to me sharing my story and my experiences.
What inspired you to create your plant based supplement BODY Complete Rx?
You may look good on the outside but it’s really about doing the work on the inside. That’s where a lot of my transition into focusing more on self-care, health and awareness for my audience and people that follow me. That’s where I diverted from just not only speaking about the surgery aspect but being concerned about a whole ‘nother gamut about going through the plastic surgery experience. It’s not just a quick fix.
What are your tips on maintaining weight loss?
It’s about establishing healthier lifestyle habits that will continue through a lifetime. That’s what I’ve found has worked for me. I’ve changed my lifestyle. I eat totally differently and I don’t deprive myself at all. I’ve found balance in what I eat and how I eat it. Maybe I’ll have just one piece of dark chocolate instead of the whole box. It’s about making those lifestyle changes that are doable and can be continued so you don’t continue a cycle of weight loss and then gaining it back, and then fighting to lose it again. That’s been the key for me, and I’ve constantly communicated it within my brand. It’s not just about taking a capsule or taking a protein. We want you to be establishing overall lifestyle habits.