The Pickett Street Team includes some highly passionate, motivated individuals. This week, I was able to chat with Sarah Troske, the team’s Transaction Coordinator and resident kick-ass, glam hero. On Saturday, October 6, Sarah will participate in the Washington IronMan Natural Bodybuilding Championships, which sounds, as I sit here in my sweatpants eating cereal, nothing short of amazing.
According to Sarah (Pickett Street’s Bodybuilding Queen), the show is “all tan, glam, and muscles—where the body becomes art, and the competitors show off their masterpieces.” Sarah says that the show is pure entertainment: each competitor performs their posing routine in front of a panel of judges as the crowds ooh, ahh, and cheer.
Here’s what Sarah had to say about her inspiring bodybuilding journey and how this journey carries over into her work for Pickett Street Properties.
How did you first become interested in bodybuilding?
In May 2017, I was four months sober and I woke up one morning with a feeling and a vision. I wanted to be strong, I wanted to be ripped, I wanted to be shredded, I wanted to look like I could kick ass. I not only wanted to be physically strong, but I also wanted to be mentally strong. I wanted confidence, I wanted to be more positive, and I wanted to really love myself. My mom always told me growing up that you can’t love anyone else until you love yourself first.
On my birthday, my Pickett Street team leader Jesse Moore gave me three workout sessions with Ray Hecita at Pure Results Fitness. I was hesitant at first and then finally reached out to the gym. I did the lean out program for 90 days, which took my body fat from 39% to 16%. I never thought that could be possible.
What I am doing is 100% for me. Many people might ask why I want my body to look “manly.” When I get older, I want to be able to say that I am in the best shape of my life and that I achieved great things.This is a lifestyle change. I am not doing all this work for nothing and then going back to the old ways. I’ve discovered that this goal isn’t just a physical change—it’s mental too.
I’ve recorded myself saying positive affirmations such as “I am awesome, I am strong, I am successful…etc.” There are a total of 50 affirmations that I listen to every day. I also journal every night. I write what I am grateful for that day.
I would break my success down like this:
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75% nutrition (what I eat & when I eat)
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10% physical (gym- weight lifting & cardio)
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10% mental (mindset- staying positive)
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5% sleep (average of 8 hours each night)
What’s a typical day look like for you now that you are on this journey? What does a typical work-out look like?
A lot of my day revolves around food, from the time I wake up to the time I go to bed. I eat every two to three hours, which is about seven meals a day. Eating the right foods and keeping my metabolism working efficiently is critical to my success. I weigh all the food I consume and track my macros. Consistency is key. The daily disciplines have now turned into habits.
I go to the gym anywhere from three to five times per week. I workout with personal trainers at Pure Results Fitness. I spend two hours on average at the gym. Each session is focused on a different muscle group, and I make sure to do cardio everyday.
What or who inspires you? How do you stay motivated?
My main motivation comes from within myself—seeing the results that I produce inspires me to keep going. Some people that I follow for inspiration:
Oksana Grishina
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Mike O’Hearn
Ange Hauck: Her Transform Your Life Podcast has been very helpful to me!
Layne Norton
Do you ever have days where you just want to stay in bed? How do you push past those days when you don’t feel like working out?
I am not a morning person at all, so when I need to get up early to do a workout I set my alarm 30 minutes earlier than I need to. Recently, I woke up to my alarm, rolled over, and hit the snooze. I was tired, I was sore from my previous days workout, I heard the rain outside, it was dark, it was cold, and I wanted to stay in bed. I hit the snooze again. Before my alarm went off for the third time, I said to myself, “Sarah, you need to get up and do this. You’re going to be mad later in the day if you don’t get your workout in.” I got up because I do what it takes. Our daily decisions are either taking us closer or further away from our goals.
How does your passion for bodybuilding translate into or connect to your work for Pickett Street?
Both my bodybuilding passion and my work for Pickett Street focus on this idea: “Create safety outside of comfort zones so that I can impact lives.” We help people buy their first home, sell a home, or even invest in real estate. As our clients make one of the largest financial decisions of their lives, I am there to guide them during each step and make the transaction as smooth as possible.
Another way my two worlds collide is through focus, perseverance, and mental toughness. I focus on tasks and issues at Pickett Street as I would focus on isolating and working certain muscles during my workouts. If I can do what I am doing with bodybuilding, I can accomplish and resolve any issue that comes my way within my daily work.
Thank you so much, Sarah! If you’re interested to watching this tan, glam, and muscle extravaganza on October 6th, follow Sarah via Instagram: @sarahtroske
To contact the Pickett Street team, call or email them at 425-502-5397 or info@pickettstreet.com.