Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sarah Bishop. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Sarah , appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

One of the biggest risks I’ve taken was stepping into full recovery from a life threatening eating disorder. One the surface, the risk would have been to stay stuck in the spiral of anorexia, a disease I struggled with on and off from ages 14 to 21. I can tell you though when you’re in the trenches of it, choosing recovery fully is an incredibly scary step.

I was in the middle of my third relapse, after being inpatient twice and hospitalized once for anorexia. I’d received treatment and gone through the motions of recovery many times up until that point, but hadn’t fully bought in. I was scared of who I would be if I let the disease fully go.

I will never forget sitting in my car during that final relapse, about to begin my junior year of college, with a bright career path ahead of me, dating someone who cared about me and I about him (my now husband)- and yet in the clutches of this disease that I knew was going to take it all away from me.

That was when I took the risk of recovery. I decided I was sick and tired of being the one think standing in my way, and that I would try something different this time. I slowly gained weight , I started training to build muscle and fuel myself like an athlete. I was truly vulnerable in therapy about the perfectionism, control issues, character defects and insecurities behind my eating disorder. And little by little I stepped further in to recovery.

That was at the end of 2016, and I have never regretted the “risk” of life with out an eating disorder. Recovery has come with endless lessons as well as blessings. My background was a huge catalyst for my decision to pursue a career as a Coach, to guide others with the education, compassion and sometimes tough love that I desperately needed when I was younger. The lessons I learned in recovery have taught me that I my potential is unlimited if I give myself a fighting chance. And that chance is what I hope to empower others to take on themselves in their own journeys.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I earned a Master’s Degree in Exercise Science from the University of South Florida after obtaining a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Sciences. Fitness and athletics were a cornerstone of my upbringing, and my coaching philosophy and personalized approach is deeply shaped by my own health journey. My goal for clients doesn’t stop at improving health and fitness, it extends to enhancing the overall quality of life and instilling bold self-confidence.

Always active growing up, play sports, I battled a life-threatening eating disorder throughout my teens and early 20s. Along the path to recovery, I learned to see nutrition and training from a lens of supporting the body. Focusing on building strength to sustain healthy performance and progressions, instead of trying to “shrink” the body. I found empowerment in seeing what my body could do when I fueled it and cared for it appropriately.

My passion for health, nutrition and fitness inspired me to pursue higher education, immersing myself in relevant research to health and physique goals in graduate school. In graduate school I worked in the Performance and Physique Enhancement Laboratory under Dr. Bill Campbell where I was involved in several papers pertaining to physique enhancement.

In my recovery journey I discovered weight training and found the gym floor to be a place where I could show myself what I was capable of. I fell in love with training to get stronger, and found that power and strength in the gym translated to all areas of my life. As I progressed with my training, I started learning more about bodybuilding and got involved in the community. The sport has epitomized a growth mindset for me. I have been training for and competing in bikini bodybuilding since 2018, competing for the first time in 2019. I found out quickly how much more muscle I needed to be the athlete I wanted to be. That journey developed my passion for bodybuilding even more, and solidified my mission and promise to myself to see all that I am capable of. As a coach, I love helping to show others how to achieve their fitness and physique goals in a healthier way and from that same mindset of growth.

I began working full time as Coach in 2019. After working for another coaching team and then myself for several years, I felt the itch for a greater impact. This stemmed a partnership with my good friend and respected colleague Meredith Paci at the end of 2023. Our goal with creating Fortify Health coaching is to help individuals with evidence based coaching practices to achieve not only their health and fitness goals, but elevate themselves in all areas of life. Our mission is to change the narrative in the industry to one where each individual is encouraged to take the pen and rewrite their story into one they are proud of and that fills them with joy and vitality.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

Investing in my client’s success. For me this means listening to their needs, asking questions and ensuring our plan is in alignment with their values and goals. This also means continuing to pour into my own continued education. In my opinion, passion isn’t enough to be a successful coach. If you want to be successful, help more people and have a broader reach, you must be a craftsman in your field. You must always keep an open mind (whether that’s with your clients or to new research or tools ), never be afraid to say “I don’t know” and have the tenacity to continue to elevate yourself as a coach. In my experience this trickles over to growth for everyone on your team, and your clientele naturally expands by nature of doing good and meaningful work.

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

Building a network. The health and fitness industry is large but also small, and it can be incredibly lonely. Connecting with other professionals who share your values can open you to endless career opportunities, chances to learn and expand your set of tools as a coach and help you build lasting friendships.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.fortify-health.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahfordbishop/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553934797653

Image Credits

Miss Multimedia