'I looked better getting married at 53 than I did at 23!'

Wellbeing coach Sarah-Jane Clark, from Swindon, shares how she achieved her dream of wearing a size 10 wedding dress after losing 12st

- LEBBY EYRES

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 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