When I met Sarah years ago on the playground, we clicked instantly. She has just moved on up to my current neighborhood from my hometown. She had a similar college degree, interests and she was even adopted like me! So we had a lot of ground to cover! Later, we found out that they had coincidentally sold their old home to a couple of our best friends still living in my hometown. I love those small world coincidences and it helps us realize that we are all connected!
Little did I know what a fierce friend I had made! I knew she was fit and healthy, but not at this level! This is one of those stories that you need to awe at. Now our daughters, Stella and Bella, are besties and I’m happy to have such a strong and healthy role-model for our little women!
Sometimes as women, we take our insecurities out on others and it’s easy to want to “hate on” a mom of two with abs of steel but…. If Women Empowerment has taught me one thing, it’s to cheer on people who inspire us, and learn whatever you can from them! Because “Strong Women Build Each Other Up, Not Tear Each Other Down!” We need to encourage hard work and dedication — even if it means that those friends often miss out on the fun times in order to build their dreams — willpower needs warriors and cheerleaders!
So Let’s Hear It for This Warrior Woman: Sarah Gabriel is a Mama with Momentum to Be a BodyBuilder!
Sarah Gabriel is a mom of two children, Stella, 4, and Roman, 10 months, and “bonus mom” to Michael, 13. She lives in Willow Grove, PA with her husband, Mike, and children. Sarah is a full-time marketing writer and amateur bodybuilder. So she is busy woman that must be so committed to her sport.
I asked Sarah some of the questions I wonder about and I think can help my mama readers to realize their full potential with this #NoExcuses Story!
Q&A With Sarah
Q: What motivates you to compete in bodybuilding?
A: I have always been an athlete in some capacity, but bodybuilding allows me to sculpt the exact physique I want, and I truly love the training so it was a perfect fit. I first learned about the sport of bodybuilding from a woman at my gym who asked if I wanted to train for a competition together. We did, and after that first competition I was hooked. My motivations are to beat my last physique each time I compete, and to set an example for my kids of what you can accomplish when you apply consistent hard work and dedication to a goal.
Q: How do you find time to train, meal prep, etc. with a full time job and two young children?
A: Bodybuilding is an individual sport but takes a team effort from your family to be successful. My husband is my biggest supporter and makes sacrifices of his own to ensure I can train properly. I get up at 4:15am 6 days a week to train in the gym, and my husband will get up with the kids and start their day, so I can finish my workout. It can be exhausting, both physically and mentally, which is why a little break from training at that level is a good idea in between competitions! Meal prepping is another staple of successful training. I typically do two big preps each week so all my meals are weighed, measured and packed. That way, I don’t have to spend time outside of that preparing my own meals. That allows me to cook “real” meals for my family and spend more time with them when I’m not at work or the gym.
Q: What’s next for you?
A: I’m always chasing the ultimate goal of becoming a bodybuilding pro and competing at the professional level. I placed third and fourth in my two classes at my most recent competition. I know the areas I need to work on to improve for the next one. I am now in my improvement season and will continue to train for those goals and compete again sometime in 2019.
So, maybe we aren’t all cut out to be bodybuilders, but we can all take a page from Sarah’s book of self-discipline and determination, as well as, the value of successful planning and a supportive spousal system. Just remember, she did this all with a newborn and another young child, so it is possible! Just set your own goals, create plans to crush those goals and make sh*t happen!
With the 31-Day Fall Fit Challenge about the start on October 1st, let’s use Sarah’s story as an inspiration that Moms can set and crush our goals! And our families can be a part of the success story!
Plants Power Purpose 