đź‘‹ Hi! Tell us about yourself and your training
HELLOOO! So excited to be doing this, so my name is Sarah, Sarah Elizabeth on Instagram. I am 20 years YOUNG emphasis on young because I feel like everyone is in such a hurry to grow up!
So I’m currently living in London but originally I am from Merseyside up north – always gonna be a northern girl at heart!
Aside from being a qualified personal trainer, I studied performing arts in college and since completing my course I’ve been lucky enough to land lots of acting jobs in London, which has been one of my primary income sources for the last year.
I am also a personal trainer. I studied level 2 and level 3 PT and fitness instruction at body focus Liverpool and got my qualification while I was studying performing arts! Busy girl lol.
So I have been training properly for around two years and I have COMPLETELY changed my body in that time. I’ve had quite an amazing journey but I put so much work in and the changes have been insane.
I have been going to the gym for just over that, however, I wouldn’t count it as proper training. I can vividly remember the moment I started the gym. I was stood sideways in a mirror and remember literally saying to myself “I don’t feel sexy”. Lol. I know that seems silly but I really didn’t feel good in my body.
It was crazy as well but everyone used to always tell me how amazing my body was as I was naturally skinny but no matter what anyone else thought – I wasn’t happy. So I did something about it. That’s the message I try to spread – do everything for you.
I wanted to feel sexy and confident in my body and I just didn’t so I hit the gym and my journey began. I was very skinny, with not much shape, when I started training.
Since documenting my fitness journey online I’ve worked with some of my favourite fitness brands including MYPROTEIN, whom I would buy from anyway – a win win!
Hands down the best thing about weightlifting and fitness is the way it makes you feel ….and the RESULTS. I can’t tell you how good it feels to be able to see progress with the naked eye.
⏱ Describe a typical day of training
You won’t get a bum from sitting on it.
Haha! So my training philosophy is: You won’t get a bum from sitting on it.
Not a truer word had ever been spoken.
You also will not get a bum from scrolling through fit girls’ Instagrams.
My workout split does vary but typically I train legs three times a week and upper body twice a week, which leaves two days free… which can be for rest/stretching/abs… there are many days where I am in the gym daily.
I’ll give you an example of how I trained this week:
- Monday – legs glute focused
- Tuesday – upper body – back and shoulders
- Wednesday – legs
- Thursday – upper body – arms
- Friday – legs glute focused
- Saturday – rest day
- Sunday – upper body (core )
I do not follow a specific programme as I make my own programmes – so I suppose I do follow programme lol but I create my own! I know myself the best and I know exactly what has worked for me. And I love to create things – so I create a workout plan for myself – and what better proof that it works than the results I have to show for myself.
I’m currently bulking. I always say with bulking you have to just make sure you’re eating in a s koi surplus – people think it’s all about the gym but personally I find the eating part the most challenging – hitting daily protein/calorie intake can be such a struggle!
I currently am training at PureGym, which works very well for me. It has all the relevant equipment and good environment to work in.
I also train in the Gym Group, again a fantastic gym with low joining fee so no excuse not to go!
I train alone always my biggest pet hate is having conversation in the gym and it drives me crazy, however, I like working out with my clients as I am very disciplined. But when it’s me training, I have to be alone.
Before training, I have to have had a good nights sleep, good breakfast and lots of water.
I can’t train on a completely empty stomach I don’t know how people do that to be honest! I get so hungry. But never straight after.
I often put some MYPROTEIN protein powder in my breakfast porridge!
After training, I always have a MYPROTEIN protein shake within the half hour after my workout. My favorite is vanilla whey-based protein powder.
My gym bag is always a mess lol but it always contains my resistance bands, towel, water bottle, protein shake, change of clothing, earphones, hair ties and sometimes a cheeky bag of haribo for after (not setting a good example here am I lolll).
My favourite exercises … hmm let’s talk about glutes shall we: Hip thrusts, pulse squats, leg press, lunges …to name a very small amount.
I do keep a training log! So I note down what weight I used on each exercise and sets/reps. That way I can always work in a progressive overload over time, and increase the difficulty of my workouts if I want to for next time.
đź‘Š How do you keep going and push harder?
My biggest tip is don’t wait until you feel motivated because you could be waiting your entire life.
My biggest tip is don’t wait until you feel motivated because you could be waiting your entire life. No joke. As humans we don’t feel motivation that often.
Discipline is the word you want to use – discipline yourself to go to the gym, it will be very hard the first few times (if you don’t normally like the gym!) but once you’ve formed your habit, there will be no going back!
Create a mood board or write down WHY YOU WANT YOUR GOAL. Come to terms with what you want: A bigger bum/flatter stomach, etc, and understand that you have to discipline yourself if you want these things.
I personally love training it was like an escape, so I’d say that’s how I have kept going for so long. Also, the insane changes I’ve seen in my own body inspire me because if I can do what I already have. Who knows what else I can do!
It’s easy to make time for the gym if you put your mind to it. Most gyms are now 24 hours open so quit making excuses!
🏆 How are you doing today and what does the future look like?
I’m smashing training at the minute and I’m working on something exciting for my followers and clients too!
I never like to share my goals with people but fitness wise – I’m taking personal training a little bit further and I’ve got some exciting things in the pipeline. So all I say is watch this space and keep in touch/follow me to see what I have in store for you!
I also have an email list for people interested in what I’m doing so be sure to get in touch and follow me to see what I will be getting up to this year!
🤕 How do you recover, rest and handle injuries?
I think with injuries it’s just a case of being careful and knowing the difference between good pain (discomfort that you feel doing a workout that shows it’s working! Your muscles are changing shape) and bad pain (when you are doing too much and potentially causing injury). This is where a trainer or coach could possibly come in handy, but you just need to listen to your body. Your body is doing all the work so listen to it.
I must admit I am quite bad with sleep because I stay up late then set my alarm for stupid hours lol. But that’s something I’m aiming to improve this year.
I don’t take any supplements at the moment but it’s something I’d be looking into this year – protein shakes have worked for me for the last two years!
🍎 How is your diet and what supplements do you use?
Ok, diet, diet, diet. The unspoken hero of everyone’s fitness journey one hundred percent. You underestimate how important diet is when it comes to hitting yourself fitness goals.
I do not follow a specific diet as I just ensure that I hit my macros and calorie/protein intake for the day! I do the same with my clients too. I ensure they are hitting their goals but not restricting them to a diet if they don’t want to.
I personally enjoy eating out and treating myself so a strict diet would get in the way of this! So I don’t worry too much but I just ensure I make healthy choices while I can and hit my daily goals. I use a fantastic app called, MyFitnessPal for hitting goals.
I have been bulking for a while, however, when I do cut, I just become a little stricter with what I eat and adjust my intake goals.
To add, I try to enjoy food as much as possible so I allow myself to cheat on special occasions!
Or just choose the healthiest option there.
I drink tea and coffee! Not alcohol as such (apart from the odd cocktail with dinner).
đź‘Ť What has inspired and motivated you?
I would always say I have inspired myself honestly, however, and I don’t read books!
Fitness wise, I like to follow other uplifting fitness influencers as I find this really motivating! And use your own success story as motivation. In the gym, I either listen to upbeat, crazy music or a podcast. There is no in between!
The best advice I’ve ever received is stop wishing for it and start working for it – so simple yet so powerful.
On Instagram, I love @gracefit and @tammyhembrow – both icons!
✏️ Advice for other people who want to improve themselves?
If you keep waiting for the right time, the right time will honestly never come!
Start right now!!! No excuses …. If you keep waiting for the right time, the right time will honestly never come!
If you are completely new, I’d recommend getting in touch with an online coach or starting a fitness plan from someone you trust (wink wink). If it’s all new to you, fitness plans are the perfect way to start your fitness journey, so I would recommend that one hundred percent.
If you’re experienced, I would say re-evaluate your goals. It’s easy to hit a plateau when you’re an experienced trainer as you’ve done almost everything lol! Make things fresh and exciting to stimulate your body. Change things up.
In the gym, I see a lot of terrible form! Often down to people going to heavy straightaway. There are lots of videos on YouTube and Instagram that you can watch to correct your form.
If you love other sports outside the gym, I think that is the perfect way of getting in some more cardio! Your sport can be your cardio and then stick to weightlifting in the gym!
🤝 Are you taking on clients right now?
Currently, I’m not taking in-person clients as I’m working on my online stuff right now but one hundred percent online, yes!
I’d recommend working with me because I’ve done it all myself before deciding to coach others. I am my own success story – some problem jump into coaching without knowing PERSONALLY what’s best. I’ve transformed my own body and I want to help others do the same – as it transforms your life. Get in touch and we can have a chat! For seeing results my number one tip is consistency!
đź“ť Where can we learn more about you?
Beat me to it as my website is coming soon!
My Instagram is @sarahelizabthh and I have multiple emails but the one connected to my Instagram is [email protected].
I also have a YouTube channel “Sarah Elizabeth“
