“Whooooa ohhhh we’re half way there, whooooa oh living on a prayer!  Take my hand we’ll make it I swear, Whooooa ohhh living on a Prayer!”

Thank you, Bon Jovi, for being today’s behind the scenes inspiration.(insert winky face:))

I’m so excited and yes just a tad bit dorky!  I am officially half way to my next big goal! Whoop, Whoop!

First let me catch you up.  I had a baby October 29^th, my beautiful daughter Haven Promise.  I ate 100 percent on plan and yet sadly I gained 79 lbs.  It’s hard to even type that!  It was MISERABLE.  Walking was painful, moving was painful, well almost everything was painful!

I have been implementing THM for the past 8 years, since right after my daughter, Araya Hope, was born. I lost the weight quickly.  I went on to have my first official THM pregnancy 4 years later, gained 50 lbs. and lost it over a period of 8 months.  Well needless to say, when I gained 79 lbs. this time, I was none the less flabbergasted!  I kept asking the Lord WHY????  If I learned anything, I have been taken back to a place of great humility.  I felt the Lord remind me of the pains of excess weight and the devil and angel on my shoulders.  One saying, “see you’re the fat girl.  See you can’t do it,” repeated over and over again.  Then my triumphant side would say, “nope I’m going to lose this!  I’ve lost 100’s of pounds over and over, I can do this.”  Then the devil again “not this time. You’re the fat girl.”

WELL……I am still working on it, but you better believe I’m shutting that ugly voice up!

I am speaking the Truth over myself!

I am a conquerer!  (Romans 8:31-37)

I am a warrior! (Ephesians 6:10-18)

I am chosen by God! (Colossians 3:12-17)

He has a plan and purpose for my life! (Jeremiah 29:11)

And because of Him I will persevere! (Hebrews 12:1)

When asked one word that would describe me, I would say “determined.”  I have always been determined, but my determination to do things, doesn’t stop the part of me that sometimes wants to curl up in a ball, in my closest, and cry at the mirror reflection.  I’ve had to focus on my why!

I use to be the fat girl, when I was 10 years old and I carried that inner self-image into my adult life.  I have to fight off those demons all the time.  And with each pregnancy, losing weight presents itself with more challenges. I have 5 beautiful babies and I have been pregnant 15 times. My body has done some incredible things.  And with that, I have to note my season and make necessary changes to the way I implement Trim Healthy Mama.  I have to pay more attention to my fuels, I have to make sure I’m exercising, but not over exercising.  Not only do I need determination.  I need FOCUS!

I have been called by God to lead by example.  As a coach, it is with utmost integrity that I live a life of example.  Because that is what I teach my clients to do.  We are all leaders and ultimately the best coach is YOU!  I want to instill that in anyone who works with me.  Because YOU matter! YOU are important.  YOU are created for a plan and a purpose!  And God wants to fulfill that in YOUR life.  But guess what it takes?  It takes YOU!  Your participation, your ability to identify your weaknesses and your ability to say enough is enough, I have to change.

Okay Sarah, so what did you do?  I had to remind myself of my purpose.

For the longest time I wanted so badly to help the overweight kids, but the Lord spoke to me and said, you can’t help the kids unless you help the mamas.  The mamas are the one’s bringing in the food.  My friend and fellow Coach, Vicky Rigsby, shared her wisdom with me, “The battle begins at the grocery store, not the pantry door.”  And I can’t tell you how much that resonates with me.  And I repeat that all the time.  It’s the truth!  We have to be accountable at the grocery store.

I gave myself plenty of grace after having my daughter, time to recover and refocus.  Then January came and my sweet Coach friend Tami Hudson from “Healthy Life 4 You” messaged me.  “Hey Sarah, I’m doing this Healthy Wage thing, want to join me?”  Hmmmm, what in the world is Healthy Wage?  Well in short, you bet on yourself to lose weight in a certain amount of time.  I didn’t like the idea of betting, because I don’t bet.  Buttttt I do like the idea of investing in myself!  I spoke to my wise father, who is THM coach, Derek Drummond, and he said “people buy gym memberships to invest in themselves and then don’t use them, it’s the same thing.  You decide if you’re going to do it and use it.”

I am a huge Dave Ramsey fan, and that actually made this decision harder, because I had to ask myself if this was a good use of my money.  I decided to Leap into Faith!  I don’t have the prize in hand yet, but I will!  I’m determined!  I invested in myself, because I believe in me.  Not because I am great, but because He is great and will see me through.  I am half way to my next goal and I hope to not just achieve it, but CRUSH it! I have until July 3^rd to lose 20 more lbs.  I invested $20 a month in myself for 6 months to lose 40 lbs.  When I win, I will receive $1,250! YES! I will do this!  That is my attitude. I want that attitude to be so contagious.  I want you to catch this bug, this one is worth catching! I want you to succeed in your goals, because I know you can! Truly if I can do this, you can!

I partnered with my friend Coach Tami and asked my friends, Coach Nikki, Coach Derek, my husband, Richard, and several other friends to join me.  And they said “YES!”  And you know who started this all?  Coach Jasmine! She messaged Tami and boom a wave was created. You see, even coaches need coached, even coaches need accountability.  We all need to make waves and you never know when you might be the one to start one! (Thank you, Coach Jasmine, you started a Tsunami!)

I started another coaching group in February, not only as a coach, but as my own client.  I was focused and determined to see what 40 days truly reflects.  These pictures are a true reflection of what can happen in 40 days of implementing THM. I lost 13 lbs. in 40 days.

I’m going to share my secrets with you.  Why? 

Because I am for YOU!  I want you to win! 

5 steps to WIN!

1. Get laser Focused and Determined! (Narrow in on what you need to do)
2. Know your why! (What sparks joy in you? What gets you going and excited?)
3. Set your SMART Goals. (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-based)
4. Take ACTION! (Strap on those tennis shoes, plan your meals, and make the next best decision)
5. BE the EXAMPLE! Someone needs you and is watching you!

What Trim Healthy Mama principles can you implement?

Here is what I have been doing with great success.

I went back to my THM ROOTS, when I first implemented the plan, and I am laser focused.

1. Start with the grocery store! What foods are you bringing home?  It’s up to you mama!  Bring home healthy options, so you don’t fall into temptations.
2. Implementing three S days followed by 2 E days on rotation. (This is not for everyone, but this is what I am doing. Please pay attention to your body and listen to it.)
3. Exercise every day! That includes walking on days I don’t want to do anything else.
   1. Work-ins, Beachbody workouts, dance, stretching, your favorite workout, just DO SOMETHING! Something is better than nothing! I keep harder work outs to 20 mins.
   2. When I walk it is usually for 45 mins to an hour and with a friend, it’s exercise combined with therapy. (Thank you, Bree Witt, for being my walking buddy. I value you and our thought-provoking conversations! You inspire me!)
4. Watch your Heavy S intake! I know I love my heavy S desserts, but having them ALL THE TIME, has been doing me a disservice.  What can you do instead?
   1. Try a fuel pull dessert
   2. Have tea with some sweetener, try different flavors to make it more fun. As Pearl would say, “you are that girl” who has tea instead of heavy S desserts.
   3. Have a trimmy, there are some awesome one’s in all the cookbooks. Try something new, be adventurous.
   4. CLOSE the kitchen! Set a time that is non-negotiable.  After 8p.m. Kitchen is CLOSED!
5. Get an Accountability partner! Seriously I can’t stress this enough.  Get someone who spurs you on and guides you closer to your goals.  My friends encourage me, challenge me, stretch me and make me want to be a better person.  Who are those people in your life?  Identify them and grab them!  Then SHARE your goals, YES!  Share them!  It’s so important.

I’m not to my goal yet, and I don’t know when I will be at goal weight, but I do know that I am not giving up and I will persevere, because I am worth it and I am choosing to lead by example.  If you need help and support and you don’t know where to turn.  I want to personally invite you to my next coaching group.  I want you to experience what Leaping into Faith looks like.  When you fully commit, leap into faith and participate, watch what God can do in 40 days!

I will end on this note, “Take my hand, we’ll make it, I swear, Whoa ohhhhh living on a prayer!”  That’s truly what I am doing! I would love nothing more than to see us all walk in VICTORY.  I’m Leaping into Faith! Here’s to the next 20 lbs. about to GO, GO, GONE!

It is my greatest desire to help you succeed. Here are some helpful ways to connect with me and get more help on your Trim Healthy Journey!

Be sure and check out my sidebar for more information on where you can find me throughout the internet!