Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Jane.
Sarah, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I did not always look like an “athlete”. Five years ago, I weighed 226 pounds. I was extremely unhappy with my outer appearance. I could not grasp how I let my weight get out of control. So, I decided to make a commitment to myself to look and feel better by losing weight. I changed my diet and ran every day and within three months I lost 32 pounds.
My progression plateaued because of my monotonous regimen. I came across CrossFit during Summer 2014. I did it for about 2 weeks and I was sore every day of that two week period. At the time, I never knew my muscles could get sore or what it meant to experience muscle fatigue. Though I was becoming accustomed to a different approach to working out I gave it up. I picked it back up in 2015 and stuck with it. I ended up losing about 60 pounds total. I enjoyed my new look and workout challenge, I got better at CrossFit and started doing local competitions. I enjoyed the team aspect of the sport. I was competing against myself in a room full of people that were doing the same. I would finish workouts fast and instead of going home I stayed and encouraged the other athletes to finish the tough workout. Coaching and encouraging my peers came naturally and I felt good doing it. I noticed that coaching and encouraging others to do their best was my calling.
After much prayer, God revealed to me my purpose in life. It’s to love and encourage others the same way I did for myself and still continue to do. I decided to start my own fitness training business in December 2016, Sprint. Squat. Slay., my very own mantra for fitness and everyday life. Women get mixed ideas of what weight training is and my goal is to educate, empower, and inspire women of all ages, colors, and sizes to get out of their comfort zone and push past physical limits in order to reach their goals. I am adamant about expressing and promoting mental, spiritual, and physical health in order to become a better version of myself. For me, fitness is more than just working out to look and feel good, it’s about maintaining a consistent and healthy lifestyle. Sprint. Squat. Slay. evolved in to Sarah Jane Fitness. Sarah Jane Fitness represents the numerous ways a person can achieve strength just by moving. I recognize how tough a fitness journey can be which is why I find it extremely important to educate my clients about developing a balanced nutritional regimen in order to maintain a better lifestyle.
Has it been a smooth road?
Uhh… NO! Which part of the business or the weight loss?! Lol! My journey was and is far from a smooth road. It is the most tedious, tiring, and frustrating process I’ve encountered. It is also the most rewarding, fulfilling, and proudest process I’ve encountered. Like many, I refer to my lifestyle as a journey because its something that I am always in pursuit of adapting to. Similar to other important lifestyle adaptions, fitness levels and goals should change. My goals from 2013-2015 are no longer goals of mine. I’ve set bigger ones and they haunt and excite me. It’s going to take more effort than what was required of me at my earlier stages. I struggled with falling off the wagon with cheat meals, cheat days, and long periods of time without working out. To some degree, I struggle with some of those now. It is not to the same degree as the earlier stages, so I celebrate that. I celebrate my progress every step of the way. Life is not linear and neither is body weight, It fluctuates and that is totally fine.
My advice to women starting out is don’t get caught up in the numbers on the scale. Don’t treat your health, body-image, and level of fitness as a means to an end, It may be motivational to use a wedding or trip as a reason to want to look a certain way, but remember those events are temporary. The point of your journey is to make it sustainable and enjoyable for your everyday lifestyle. Be patient and consistent.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Sarah Jane Fitness – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I am a fitness trainer that specializes in women’s strength and conditioning. I am known for my challenging, effective, and fun workouts. I am adamant about representing my brand in manner that is relatable to other women. I do not hide the fact that I did not always look the way that I do now, It took a great amount of hard work, consistency, and dedication to myself to get where I am today. I thank God for my focus and commitment level. I am also thankful to be alive, healthy, and active. My goal is to empower, educate, and inspire others to do the same for themselves. God blessed me with the resiliency and determination to start a project and see it through. I feel honored and blessed to share my gift with others by coaching them through challenging workouts. I am proud of my transparency. Along with body image issues I had trouble opening up to others about my struggles. I kept a lot personal struggles to myself. Transparency is so important in my journey because it allows me to connect with my clients and them with me. I love my body and the way I look. I love that I SLAY in and out the gym. In order to “SLAY ( Stay Loving All of You), its important to embrace flaws and not hide behind or from them. It can’t be used against you if you are using it to better yourself. To me, fitness is not only about maintaining an active life, its about building a strong foundation that can withstand physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual changes.
Who have you been inspired by?
I am inspired by many women. My mother and grandmother are two of the best examples of how I learned to be hardworking and loving. They taught me to be strong and Christ-like. My close friends inspire me, I love watching the women they are becoming. I am proud of their hustle and accomplishments and it only makes me want to go harder in my work. Beyonce is such an inspiration to me, Of course, I love her music, but the way she represents herself in a bold, unapologetic, and fearless way is so awesome. I love the energy she exudes and her self-awareness. Michelle Obama is a huge inspiration to me. She is the epitome of boldness, regality, class, and realness. I’m also inspired by the heart and hustle of my clients. They push me to be a better coach. I absolutely love their drive to become a better version of themselves. I love that they embrace stepping out of their comfort zones.
Pricing:
https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=14760693
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sarahjanefitness.com
- Email: contactsarahjanefitness@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamsarahjane/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarah.makanjuola
Image Credit:
Darnell Porter, Shot by D. Porter
Iselee Hill (@iselee) – MUA
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