After one year of building muscle with the help of NZ's popular online fitness coach Anjuli Mack, Sarah decided she wanted to compete on stage.
"I did an initial 90 day 'shred' and had a daily step target of 10,000, weight trained five times a week and incorporated some HIIT sessions towards the end of my shred," she said about the start of her journey.
"I then reverse dieted and focused on building muscle. This is the best thing I ever did and completely transformed my body composition.
"My daily step count reduced, cardio was removed and food slowly increased."
Sarah now consumes roughly 3000 calories per day in conjunction with her weight-lifting sessions.
I absolutely fell in love with the lifestyle and decided to work towards my first bikini competition with the WBFF (fitness and fashion show)."
However, because of the Covid pandemic and restrictions in NZ, the competition has been cancelled.
"But I am staying on prep to do a few photo shoots when restrictions ease to celebrate my hard work," she said.
Sarah said the biggest challenge during her lifestyle change was ditching the all-or-nothing mindset.
"Realising that if I slip up, the best thing to do is get back on track ASAP with the next meal," she explained.
"I realised that food will always be there, and once I learnt to track my macros accurately I was able to fit 'treats' into my day and still hit my daily target.
"I also started making healthier versions of my favourite takeaways (like burgers and chips) that were easier to fit into my macros, satisfied my cravings and actually made me feel good."
She said the initial 30 to 60 days of consistency was the hardest because it was such a big mindset shift.
"But now I automatically do things daily that improve or maintain my health without even thinking about it. I know what foods make me feel good or bad and nothing is off limits (in moderation).
The 24-year-old has since started an Instagram page documenting her health and fitness success, and many of her followers are in awe of her "incredible" transformation.
"OMG HOLY MOLY!!! The gains so proud!!!" her coach Anjuli commented on her three-year bikini progress snap.
"The growth on your legs is incredible. Amazing," another follower commented.
"Amazing transformation!!" said a third.
Sarah said hiring a coach made all the difference as it helped keep her accountable while also helping her to gain a better understanding of nutrition.
"I am still mind blown by the fact that I can now lose weight on much higher calories after a consistent reverse diet and long 'build' phase," she said.
"Get a coach, commit to at least three months and stay honest with yourself. Get back on track when you slip up.
"Learn how to accurately track your macros, start implementing healthy habits, take progress photos, check in regularly, stay patient, trust the process and then watch the magic happen."
