Sarah already had one part of the equation figured out.
She showed up to the gym consistently, completed her small-group personal training sessions, and made exercise a priority. But despite all that effort, she felt like she was undoing her progress with the choices she made outside the gym.
“Once my food choices started to spiral, it became really hard to get back on track. I knew I couldn’t do it on my own this time.”
The timing for Rise Up wasn’t perfect.
She had hit another frustrating weight-loss plateau, the holidays were right around the corner, and spring break was quickly approaching. On top of that, she was within about 20 pounds of a weight she’d dreamed of reaching for years.
“I knew Rise Up wouldn’t get me all the way there, but I hoped it would get me close enough to motivate me to keep going.”
Having completed Rise Up once before, Sarah already knew what the program offered.
What she needed most was accountability.
“I knew it would take effort, but I also knew it would give me the structure and accountability I needed to recommit to myself.”
For Sarah, nutrition—not exercise—was the missing piece.
Breakfast and lunch usually went well, but dinner was a different story.
“I’m a big fan of cereal and ‘girl dinner,'” she laughs. “Rise Up forced me to be more intentional. Planning ahead and meal prepping made all the difference.”
Six weeks later, Sarah achieved much more than she expected.
“I’m really proud of myself. I exceeded my own expectations, and people started commenting that they could see a difference—even before I could see it myself.”
The physical transformation was exciting.
The emotional transformation meant even more.
“In six weeks, I found some happiness again. It’s amazing how much the way you feel about yourself can affect your mental health. I proved to myself that I could do it.”
She not only lost body fat—she gained muscle, confidence, and momentum.
One of Sarah’s proudest accomplishments had nothing to do with the scale.
At the start of Rise Up, she could only do two or three push-ups.
So she created a personal goal: complete 10 push-ups on her toes.
Almost every night, she’d practice—even if it meant climbing back out of bed because she’d forgotten.
By the end of the program, she’d reached all 10.
And months later, she’s still doing them.
Rise Up also helped Sarah rediscover a walking pad she’d abandoned years earlier.
Now she walks during meetings, answers emails while getting steps in, and has even inspired coworkers to do the same.
For Sarah, that’s what makes Rise Up different.
“It’s the accountability. Knowing Coach Marissa would be reviewing my tracker made me think twice about every food choice. It wasn’t about perfection—it was about making better decisions more consistently.”
When someone asks if Rise Up is worth it, Sarah is honest.
“It takes effort and it can be mentally challenging, but you’ll get out of it what you put into it. Some days I didn’t have 100% to give, but Rise Up taught me that 90% is still better than giving up altogether.”
Her advice?
Find another Warrior doing Rise Up alongside you.
“Having someone to check in with, encourage you, and celebrate the small wins makes all the difference.”
Today, Sarah’s biggest takeaway isn’t simply that she lost weight.
It’s that she proved something to herself.
With the right support, accountability, and a willingness to keep showing up, she discovered she was capable of far more than she ever believed.