Samantha Pappert shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Samantha, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What is a normal day like for you right now?
A typical day for me starts with a workout, a high-protein breakfast, and feeding my cat before heading to Del Mar to train clients. My sessions usually begin between 6–9am, and I’m usually at the gym until 6 or 7pm.
In the breaks between clients, I make time to do some admin for the businesses or recharge—whether it’s a walk to Whole Foods, go to a coffee shop to do computer work, or shift gears to focus on Pappert’s Products Meal Prep Co. On the meal prep side, my day is filled with team check-ins, menu planning, calculating macros, updating photos, and all the behind-the-scenes work that keeps things running smoothly.
When I’m not focused on meal prep, I use that time for my training business—checking in with clients and refining their custom workout programs. My goal is always to strike a balance between the two, giving equal attention to both personal training and meal prep.
When I finish up with personal training clients at the end of the day, I’ll run a couple errands if necessary, and head home to meet my boyfriend. We usually go on a walk together, play with my cat, make dinner at home and unwind with some tv and get ready for the next day!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m Sammie,
a Certified Nutritionist & Certified Personal Trainer based in Del Mar, CA. I am born and raised here in San Diego, went to UC Davis for my undergrad, and have been back establishing roots here San Diego ever since. My boyfriend and I live in Del Mar with my 4 year old cat Akina. We love hiking Torrey Pines, bringing snacks and a book to watch the sunset and trying the many amazing restaurants nearby.
Throughout my life, I’ve always been very active and passionate about health and fitness. In 2020, myself, along with many others, suffered with health and body composition and I started going down a very unhealthy path. After I started noticing that my friends and family were also developing unhealthy behaviors around health and fitness, I decided to start conducting workouts in a local park. We would meet every week and soon enough people from the community also started slowly joining in. This is truly where I started to gain confidence and decide to pursue and career in this field.
So after months of hard work and going through a personal body recomposition journey myself, I wanted to show others that it’s possible to nourish & fuel your body without depriving themselves of delicious foods!
As a coach, to help my clients reach their health & fitness goals, I believe in adopting healthy, sustainable habits.
Having reliable meal prep is an easy way to integrate nutrition into your routine, to not only achieve your ideal body composition, but to also be able to maintain your healthy physique for years to come.
I’ve created Pappert’s Products Meal Prep Co.– where healthy nutrition meets convenience. Our meal prep service delivers nutrient-dense, wholesome meals directly to your door, saving you time without compromising on quality. From fresh greens and lean proteins to wholesome grains and healthy fats, we provide balanced meals that nourish both body and mind. Our commitment to sustainability and clean ingredients means you can enjoy great-tasting meals that are good for you and the planet. Let us help you stay healthy, energized, and ready to conquer the day.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
The part of me that has served its purpose, but has now been released, is the feeling that I needed everything to be perfect and caring too much about what others thought before taking action. When I was first starting out in the health and fitness industry, launching both my personal training and meal prep businesses, the mindset to be perfect helped me build a solid foundation and bring strong attention to detail. But over time, I realized that waiting for ‘perfect’ can just hold you back. I’ve learned that taking imperfect action, staying flexible, and learning as I go is often more effective. Letting go of that need for perfection has opened up more growth and allowed me to move forward with more confidence and creativity.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I’d tell my younger self: Stop worrying so much about what other people think. You don’t have to follow the same traditional path as everyone else — it’s okay to be different. In fact, that’s your strength. Dream BIGGER, take the risk, and trust that you’ll figure it out. You’re capable of so much more than you think, and the things that make you stand out now are the same things that will help you succeed later, even if you don’t see it yet.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
I personally value being genuine, authentic and respectful. In my line of work, people come to me with health and fitness goals that they want to accomplish, which can be a very vulnerable journey to embark on. And with the rise of social media consumption and the amount of ‘fitness influencers’ out there, knowledge can be misconstrued and extremely misleading.
One of the biggest lies in the health and fitness industry right now is that medications like Ozempic are a magic fix for sustainable weight loss. While I completely agree, they can be helpful in many medical cases, the way they’re being marketed and glamorized ignores the long-term consequences—like lean muscle loss, nutrient deficiencies, and rebound weight gain when people stop taking it.
It also feeds into the idea that health is just about being smaller, and that quick fixes are better than long-term, sustainable habits. But real, lasting health requires building strength, fueling your body properly, managing stress, and creating routines that work for your life—not just relying on a prescription. The truth is, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach, and chasing shortcuts often leads people further away from true health.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. If you retired tomorrow, what would your customers miss most?
If I retired the meal prep company tomorrow, I think customers would miss the extreme care and attentiveness that we put into each & every meal.
We really take the time to make sure each menu is thoughtful, balanced, and tailored for real people with real goals—while simultaneously being convenient & nutritious. They’d probably also of course miss the consistency and quality—knowing they can count on meals that are made with high quality ingredients, taste good, make them feel good, and actually support their lifestyle. I think a lot of them feel seen and supported through the food, and that’s something we take a lot of pride in.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.pappertsproducts.com/
- Instagram: @pappertsproductsmealprepco
Image Credits
https://sherylannephoto.com/
https://www.napierjphotography.com/
