Get the latest OK! breaking news on WhatsAppOur community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More infoJoin us on WhatsApp My wedding day in September this year was truly the best day of my life. Walking down the aisle in a size 10, mermaid-style dress, I looked and felt a million dollars. My new husband, Paul Flounders, beamed as he saw me and, after we’d tied the knot, we spent the entire day smiling and laughing together. At last, I’ve found my soulmate – and he loves a healthy lifestyle as much as I do. It was all a far cry from my first marriage in 1994, when I was 23 years old. I squeezed into a size 26 frock, which was the largest dress they had in the shop. I’d tried to lose weight but I was stuck in a cycle of following fad diets, then falling off the wagon and bingeing. As a hairdresser, I was on my feet all day being active and sometimes I’d start my day eating a large packet of chocolate buttons just to keep myself going. My overwhelming memory of that time is one of relief that I could find something to fit me.
The wellbeing coach is now a huge fitness fanatic
The truth was I was addicted to food and had been from a young age. Starting puberty at 11 years old, I felt different from my friends and struggled with my body image, turning to food for comfort. I mistook my natural curves for being fat and I desperately wanted to be straight up and down like my friends still were. My family’s relationship with food was complicated. My parents were brilliant cooks and we always had homemade, healthy meals. But there was also a strong association between food and affection. My mum was an amazing baker and showed her love by making cakes. Every family gathering revolved around food. In my young mind, I started to equate sugar and sweets with love and comfort. At 14, I began dieting, which reinforced in my mind that there were “good” and “bad” foods. Instead of learning sustainable eating patterns, I was stressed about counting points. Later I tried restrictive plans which involved drinking just three milkshakes per day. Addicted to food
Sarah was a size 26 at her heaviest
The low-fat craze of the 1990s also had a big impact on me – I felt fat was the enemy and instead ate lots of ultra-processed low-fat food. But when I was in binge mode, I would eat any carbs I could get my hands on, like biscuits, cakes, chocolate and crisps. The cycle of dieting and binge eating continued for years, taking a toll on my physical and mental health, worsening my self-esteem and body image issues. Food addiction feels shameful – we talk openly about people being addicted to cigarettes, drugs and alcohol, but food addiction is hidden away. The turning point came when I was 24. I’d gone to see the doctor because my periods had stopped. I thought I weighed about 15st, but I was shocked to see the scales hit 21st 10lb. The doctor’s blunt assessment that I wouldn’t live to 40 if I didn’t lose weight was a wake-up call. I cried all the way home. I think that was my lowest point. She hadn’t given me any advice but, rather than turning to food for comfort, I decided to make changes. That night, I put on my trainers and went for a 30-minute walk, the first step on a path that would transform my life. I did it in the dark, while my husband was on a night shift, because I didn’t want anyone to laugh at me. After a few weeks, I felt less breathless. I also made small changes to my diet. I went cold turkey on the chocolate – I’d only let myself have a Freddo – and would do things like swap chips for a jacket potato. I introduced veggies and cottage cheese into my diet and ditched bread. Pregnancy didn’t derail me. After I gave birth to my daughter Chloe, now 26, I stepped on the scales in the hospital and I weighed 18st. Once I’d given birth to Jack, now 25, I was 15st 7lb. With both of them, I’d walked and walked in the country parks in Swindon and when they were toddlers I kept that up. I didn’t join a gym until I was 15st – it was a terrifying moment, walking in there. But I fell in love with exercise and the endorphins. When the kids were little, I left my first marriage and was on my own for five years. I went back to college and got a degree in education and taught hairdressing. By the end of my twenties, I’d lost 6st. There was so much spare skin, I had an operation to remove it in 2003. The skin itself weighed half a stone. My mum was nervous, but when she saw how much slimmer my midriff looked afterwards, she was amazed. I finally had snake hips! A gradual process
Wellbeing coach and mum of two Sarah-Jane Clark, from Swindon, during her first wedding
(Image: Edited with Google AI)
Sarah-Jane Clark managed to shed 12 stone
I married again, and my weight loss progress continued. By the end of my thirties, I weighed 12st. In my forties, I was around 11st 7lb. Now I’m in my fifties, I vary between 9st 7lb and 9st 11lb, at 5ft 6in. I’ve never resorted to yo-yo dieting in the way I did when I was younger. I’ve kept learning about nutrition and trying new forms of exercise. For my 40th birthday, I bought myself a 10-week running course. I discovered a love for running, eventually completing more than 50 half marathons and the London Marathon twice. At 49, I split up with my second husband, moved into my own apartment and embraced my newfound independence. I genuinely thought that was it for me and men – I was at peace with myself, happy with a busy social life. Of course, fate had other plans. Three years ago, I met Paul at the Sheffield Half Marathon. We bonded instantly – both non-drinkers who loved running, but while I hate cooking, he used to be a chef in the army. We are like yin and yang. Now, I focus on maintaining a healthy weight. I start each day with a breakfast of Greek yogurt, nuts and seeds and I batch-cook meals on Sundays. Exercise is a daily part of my routine, with a mix of strength training, HIIT workouts and a run on Sundays. While my experience of weight loss has been remarkable, the real transformation has been internal. I’ve learned to love and value myself and can finally set boundaries. Not everyone has been understanding. I’ve lost several friends who struggled to accept my newfound confidence. But at the wedding, I had people there who’ve been with me every step of the way and that meant the world to me. The worst thing about food addiction is loneliness. Because it’s a hidden addiction, you have no one to share that with. Everything is internalised. You hate yourself and then you’re being ridiculed in the street or told off by medics and you feel worthless so you eat again. It’s a vicious cycle. That’s why I started my support group – to provide a safe space for women like me to share their stories and support each other. Through Step By Step, I get to use my own experiences to empower women on similar journeys. We talk about the importance of self-love and of finding joy and fulfilment outside of weight loss. It’s about healing the whole person, not just the physical body. I consider myself an expert in weight loss because I’ve achieved and maintained such a dramatic transformation. The best bit is, I’ve done it through lifestyle changes alone, without any surgical interventions. I’m passionate about sharing that knowledge with others.
