1. Biography
• Name: Sarah Akingbade
• Age: 22
• Height: 5’ 4”
• Starting Weight: 180 lbs.
• Current Weight: 129 lbs.
• Goal Weight: 120 lbs.
• Body Fat: 13 %
• Hometown: Searcy, AR
• Gym: Rhino Fitness
• Profession: Student (Early Childhood Education Major)
2. What got you started in bodybuilding/fitness?
I am NOT an athlete. I grew up as a very sick child in and out of the hospital…my own grandparents branded me as a lost cause! I never ran or played sports… heck, half the time I wasn’t even allowed to go outside! I was a fighter though, a daredevil at heart and whenever I did manage to escape, I usually ended up with some kind of scar or broken bone because I was never going to be the one to quit first!!
In college, I fell in love with a wonderful man but our fitness lives were so opposite it also seemed like a lost cause! I knew how precious real love is, and how fragile a healthy life is to keep. So when Deji told me that getting in shape and taking better care of myself was one worry he had about our relationship, I decided to take getting in shape as a challenge!!! It wasn’t easy, but nothing worthwhile ever is. Once I got over the fear that comes out in that little voice in your head telling you it’s not possible and actually let my body prove that voice wrong, I was blown away by how much I could do!! Fifty pounds later, I’m still blown away that this is the new me!
3. What keeps you motivated to train?
There are different levels of motivation. I am motivated when I look in the mirror. I am motivated by my husband, and his support, events that I want to look good at, people’s positive comments and support and seeing a number on the scale. All these and more can be motivating and yet, I think to truly make a transformation and make it a lifelong thing, your motivation has to go beyond that. There will be a day that no matter what your “goal/motivation” to lose weight is, it will not be enough to inspire you or push you through a workout. There will be days when you just don’t care anymore and it all seems too hard. Those are the days that will make or break you. You will either quit…no matter what motivation you had. Or, you will suck it up and push through. There, you will find the difference between motivation and determination!
4. What workout plan has worked best for you?
This is a hard one because there are so many effective principles that can be applied in the gym depending on your goal at the time. However, a few principles I apply to many of my workouts are the German Volume System, Time Under Tension, and Full-Body Basic Exercises. The German Volume System basically is 10 sets of 10 reps of whatever exercise done heavy but not at max weight. This will burn and break the muscle down to allow maximum potential for growth. While doing this, I will apply the Time Under Tension which means that at the point of stress where your muscle is most contracted you will pause, squeeze and hold the movement with slow release. It again put more stress on the muscle allowing for more growth. Since this type of exercise takes more time I try and stick to basic full body exercises that will hit multiple muscle groups such as: pull/chin-ups, push-ups, squats, deadlifts, standing shoulder presses, bench presses, dips.
5. What is your philosophy about cardio?
A necessary evil…LOL! Cardio is the most effective way to burn calories for fat loss. I try and do at least 20 minutes of cardio a day, usually pre-workout. I do think that women especially, can rely too heavily on cardio—which often results in them hitting a plateau or achieving that “skinny fat” look.
6. What is your philosophy about weight training?
I would encourage anyone to incorporate weight training into his or her exercise regime! It has been proven time and again to be an amazingly effective tool to increase health and aesthetic appeal!
7. Do you prefer HIIT or steady state cardio?
Personally, I like to do HIIT when I am on the track. I do lots of bleachers and sprints. If I am doing cardio indoors, I usually will hit up the elliptical or Stairmaster at a good steady pace, but high resistance.
8. What are your top 5 favorite exercises?
• Pull-ups / Chin-ups
• Push-ups
• Squats
• Bench press
• Dips
9. What is your philosophy about nutrition?
Abs are made in the kitchen. You could have the best workout routine in the world and if your nutrition is off, you will not reap the results!
10. What nutrition plan has worked best for you?
I do something called the zigzag approach. I will have 3-4 low calories, low carb days followed by one day of higher carbs and calories. This allows me to keep my body in a state of calorie deficit and maximize fat loss without letting it get to the point of starvation, where it will shut down my metabolism. I also space my meals so that I only eat 3-4 times because it is more convenient with my schedule. Studies have shown that there is actually an increase in protein synthesis when meals are spaced every 4-5 hours versus when eaten every 2-3 hours.
11. What is your favorite cheat food?
Oh, what isn’t on this list…LOL!! Peanut butter and chocolate are probably at the top.
12. What is your favorite health food?
Fruit of any kind!
13. What supplements have given you the greatest gains?
Fish oil helps with brain function, joints, hair/skin etc., as well as been linked in several studies as being effective in preventing many diseases/illnesses. Multi-vitamins…I know you know, but still it’s something most people will overlook or forget. They make a huge difference because for one, it’s impossible to eat enough of a variety to get the nutrients you need and even if you did, most foods in today’s market already are deficient in vitamins.
14. What does your pre and post workout nutrition consist of?
People have been ripped, lean and healthy for hundreds of thousands of years without pre or post workout shakes. I am not against protein powders and use them often, but I will say that as long as you are getting the necessary amounts of macronutrients in your diet throughout the day, there is no need to stress about what is going in five minutes before or after your workout.
15. Which tools have helped you most with your nutrition and training?
The “keep it simple” rule. Too much variety or complication messes up a simple process.
16. Have online resources (social networks) helped you in your training?
Bodybuilding.com, Calorieking.com, Bodyrock.tv, Alanaragonblog.com, Leangains.com and many, many more!!!
17. Who are your favorite fitness/bodybuilder competitors or role models?
Ava Cowan, Dana Linn Bailey, Obi Obadike, Layne Norton and many more!
18. What obstacles have you had to overcome?
Growing up, I had severe asthma induced by allergies, which resulted in a very weakened immune system. This, in turn meant I was constantly sick.
19. What was the biggest mistake you made when you first started training and what tips would you give to a beginner?
I wanted the weight to just come off easy and when it didn’t, I would want to quit or cheat on my diet. This created a terrible cycle and resulted in me running in place (so to speak) for a long time. Once you start, be patient with your body when the scale seems stuck and know that every day is a step toward progress!!
20. What are your future fitness goals?
I want to compete and do fitness modeling, as well as reach out and encourage others to make the same type of life change that I did!
21. Where can we find you on MuscleDog.com?
My profile is SteelStrong. Check it out for photos, stats and more!