Latest news with #SarahJane
News.com.au
14 hours ago
- Business
- News.com.au
‘Monster amount': 29-year-old Aussie reveals problem with HECS debt
A young Australian woman has claimed that indexation 'is the same as interest' after expressing her annoyance that she still has a 'monster' HECS-HELP debt. Sarah Jane, 29, works a corporate job in Sydney, lives on The Central Coast, and creates social media content on the side. At the moment, she has been exploring sharing financial content with her followers. She recently created a TikTok video revealing how she spent $1600 during a particularly expensive week, with that clip amassing over 100,000 views. Speaking to Ms Jane said she started creating money content because she enjoys watching it herself. There is also a still fair amount of mystery around how other people spend their money, but whenever she speaks with her friends, everyone expresses feeling poor and wonders how other people their age are budgeting. 'We've never made more money and never been poorer,' she said. In Ms Jane's case, while she declined to get into the specifics surrounding her income, she said her HECS-HELP debt, which is currently around $30,000, is something that plagues her. 'I'm the most risk adverse person financially. I don't have a credit card, or a car loan and I don't have any personal debt,' she said. 'HECS was sold to us as teenagers as this interest free loan but indexation is the same as interest.' Higher education loans in Australia don't charge interest, but they are subject to indexation based on inflation. In 2023, millions of Australians saw their loans increase by a whopping 7.1 per cent — the biggest jump seen in 30 years. In June 2024, the indexation rate was 4.7 per cent. HECS-HELP loans are now indexed in line with either the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or the Wage Price Index (WPI), depending on which figure is smaller, with this change backdated to June 1, 2023. On June 1, 2025, a 3.2 per cent indexation was applied to all student loan debts. However, last week, the Labor government introduced a bill to parliament. If passed, it will see student loan debts slashed by 20 per cent for approximately three million graduates. Ms Jane was 24 when she completed her bachelor's degree majoring in media. It took her longer than average to finish because she paused her degree to travel. She's now shocked that, even with five years of full-time work under her belt, she is still paying it off. 'I thought my HECS was not going to be a concern in my life. I'll get a bachelor's degree and I'll work in my industry and pay it off,' she explained. 'It is still $30,000 or something.' Living with that debt hanging over her head means it is a 'bigger piece' of her life than she would like. 'I'm paying off a monster amount of HECS debt,' she said. The 29-year-old said the cost of living crisis has made her notice things like her student debt. 'As someone that gets paid monthly, it feels like it evaporates. The cost of everything has gone up dramatically,' she said. 'I commute from The Central Coast to Sydney and it is $20 just on transport. I bring my lunch and breakfast to work every single day and it still adds up to $40 a day between transport and buying yourself one or two coffees.' Ms Jane said she feels like it is so easy to spend more than you want to as it 'snowballs' and everything costs so much money these days. The young worker claimed that she's a complete type-A personality, with a spreadsheet where she tracks her ingoings and outgoings. However, being diligent often isn't enough. For instance, Ms Jane was 'massively shocked' when she spent $1600 in a single week, as she often only spends $350 a week. The $1600 spend was also a week where she had a few social occasions collide, including her best friend's birthday. 'It was the perfect storm and a one-off week,' she said. What she's most proud of, though, is that she has a firm understanding of her finances, even if she's sometimes stunned by the cost of living. 'I used to find finance really intimidating, I found it really scary and it used to make me massively anxious,' she said. 'The more you understand it the less confronting it is.'
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Dak Prescott's Fiancee Turns Heads At Cowboys Training Camp
Dak Prescott's Fiancee Turns Heads At Cowboys Training Camp originally appeared on The Spun. The Dallas Cowboys may be holding their training camp in Oxnard, but looking at Dak Prescott's fiancee you'd never think they left the Lone Star State. On Tuesday, the QB and his significant other shared a wholesome moment with their oldest daughter at the team's practice. However, its her cow-spotted getup that had fans talking. Dak and Sarah welcomed a second daughter back in May named Aurora Rayne. Two years ago, the couple had baby Margaret who Prescott credits for his near-MVP season in 2023. "It's dad strength is why I'm playing that way," Prescott said at the time. "Super exciting, it really is ... I'm blessed. Thankful. Everyone knows what my mom means to me. Being able to raise a little girl, I'm excited for the challenges. It's not going to be easy, especially being my daughter — or being a Prescott — but I'm looking forward to every bit about it." Dak will be hoping for similar results this fall after seeing his season end prematurely with a pretty severe hamstring avulsion that required him to go under the knife. And after signing a record-breaking $240 million last year, the three-time Pro Bowler knows he has to deliver the goods for Dallas when it matters most — in the playoffs. "[Criticism] comes with the territory. That comes with the $60 million," he told AllCity DLLS Monday. "Nobody wants to win more than me ... but at the end of the day, the quarterback is paid to fill in those gaps, and when you're not playing well, to understand that and to bring the team back. And have I done that when I needed to? Absolutely not in those crucial times. And if I had, the record wouldn't be 2-5." Expectations are fairly mild for the Cowboys in 2025, so we'll see if they can surprise some people its time to actually play the Prescott's Fiancee Turns Heads At Cowboys Training Camp first appeared on The Spun on Jul 22, 2025 This story was originally reported by The Spun on Jul 22, 2025, where it first appeared.
Telegraph
07-07-2025
- Telegraph
The genteel Welsh seaside town with Michelin stars, award-winning pubs and proud locals
Just before sunrise, Penarth was strangely astir. Cloaked figures emerged from the darkness, coalescing at the water's edge. Born during lockdown, the Dawnstalkers Sea Swim Club – less a club, more a community open to all – meets here every morning, year-round. As the sun broke the horizon and I disrobed to take my own plunge, I spoke to Sarah-Jane from Lancashire. On the basis of seeing the Dawnstalkers on Instagram, she'd moved here; she's since become engaged to a fellow swimmer. Not every visitor will find love in Penarth, but it's easy to understand the more general appeal. This small farming and fishing village in the Vale of Glamorgan boomed in the 19th century thanks to the building of the docks, the arrival of the railway and the tourism marketeers, who branded it 'the Garden by the Sea'. Penarth is still a box-ticker, offering both coast and countryside plus a community feel with big-city benefits: Cardiff is just 12 minutes away by train. This makes it prime commuter territory, with some of the most expensive addresses in Wales. But while gentrification has priced some people out, it has helped make Penarth more resilient. 'Many towns are struggling,' one local told me, 'but Penarth has bucked the trend.' What's it really like? Penarth is by the sea – well, the silty surgings of the Bristol Channel. But it's not really a traditional seaside town. Yes, it has a Victorian pier. You can buy ice creams (try Fablas), promenade under bulb-strung lampposts and look across to the Somerset coast. But there are no arcades, no sandy beach. 'Penarth has never been about the bucket-and-spade brigade,' explained John Davies, editor of Penarth View. 'If you want candy floss and rock, go to Barry Island [eight miles west]. Penarth is more genteel.' I mooched around, starting by the sea, walking past the tiny but exotic Italian gardens and up through the Edwardian landscaping of Alexandra Park. It all looked extremely well-kept. 'There's real pride in Penarth,' explained Nia Hollins of the Vale of Glamorgan Council. 'The people who live here are making the choice to be involved.' Many are retired professionals, with time on their hands and skills to impart. But there's fresh blood too. Davies also runs the Milkshed, Penarth's first co-working space: 'Our studios are fully let for the next two years,' he said. 'People don't want to commute into Cardiff. They want to come and grow their businesses here.' One new business taking a punt is Silures restaurant, which recently opened at Holm House hotel. This 1920s sea-view mansion was formerly a boutique hotel visited by an array of celebs, from David Hasselhoff to Gary Lineker. That closed in 2024 and it's now a collection of self-catering suites, to which Silures will add 'high-quality food at accessible prices', not least 25 per cent off lobster on Thermidor Thursdays. What's not to like? Parking is a constant source of grumbling, largely because there's no town centre car park. However, there's plenty of free parking on-street and on the edge of town. I made use of the large free site at Cliff Parade, near the much-loved Wilmore's 1938 Cafe. It was well-placed for walking to Comeston Lakes Country Park and along the Coast Path to Lavernock Point, following the fossil-flecked Jurassic cliffs. The car park was also a pleasant mile's walk into the town centre, past the mansions of Victorian shipping tycoons. On that walk, I passed a film crew doing things with cables and hanging around trailers. A sign warned of flashing lights and imitation weapons: 'Please do not be alarmed'. This sort of thing happens frequently here. This set-up was for Casualty, but Penarth has appeared in all sorts. For instance, the Pier Pavilion was transformed into a 1950s Miami cinema for Dr Who and, most recently, the town appeared in BBC comedy-sleuth series Death Valley. While the glamour of being on telly appeals to some locals, it riles others who argue the disruption affects trade – not to mention what it does to the parking… Do this… Support the high street. Start at Grade II-listed Windsor Arcade, where a family-run greengrocer Windsor Fruit Stores of Penarth sells every type of fruit and veg, and Umpa Lumpa sells every type of retro sweet. At the front of the arcade is Griffin Books, UK Independent Bookshop of the Year 2023 and heart of the community: it's just expanded into the shop next door and runs free story time sessions, six book clubs and author events. I had a good browse, then sampled cheese with Jean-Marc at Fauvette and popped into Brød to eat fresh-baked knude and sit where Timothy Spall does in Death Valley. Eat this… Eat everything more like. Over the past decade, Penarth has developed something of a foodie reputation, both in terms of variety and accolades. Chef James Sommerin launched his intimate, 24-seat restaurant, Home, here in 2021; it was awarded a Michelin star six months later. The trendy Touring Club, co-owned by celebrity chef Bryn Williams won a Bib Gourmand in 2024 for its unfussy small plates. Then there's Keyif for top Turkish, Mint & Mustard for Keralan curry and The Pilot for good food and real ale – it's CAMRA's 2025 Pub of the Year for Wales. But don't do this… Don't expect a day of seaside frolics. Penarth regularly ranks high on 'best place to live in Wales' polls but is a little lacking for holidaymakers. There's limited accommodation and few 'attractions'. For instance, Turner House – opened in 1888 so businessman James Pyke Thompson could share his art collection – is a fine building, and remains a community art-space, but won't take long to visit. The restored Art Deco Pier Pavilion is handsome, but its offering is fairly limited: cinema (mostly classics), music sessions for kids. That said, a new cultural manager was appointed in 2024, and has big plans to ensure the space is well used and enjoyed. From a local Mel Griffin, bookseller: 'We're only three miles from Cardiff, but Penarth is very much a separate town with its own identity. In the years I've lived here [since 2001] there has been a lot of development, and the seafront has been reinvigorated with the renovation of the Pier Pavilion. 'In the town centre, shops and restaurants have come and gone but there's still a great mix of independent businesses – you can get pretty much everything you need without leaving Penarth.' From a tourist Nancy Evison from Kent was drawn to Penarth by seeing the Dawnstalkers swim club on Instagram. 'I first visited them in 2022 – the community welcomed me with such openness,' she said. 'I always head straight for the pier when I arrive. I've stayed at the Beachcliff Hotel many times and just love waking up with a view of the pier at dawn.' 'It's just a really friendly kind of place, with the loveliest people,' agreed Ruth McMorrow from Belfast. 'And such a pretty wee seafront – driving down the hill, it took my breath away. I'd also really recommend the coffee and cookies from Stol Coffee.'
Hamilton Spectator
21-06-2025
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
Decoding your kid's report card: What it says and what it really means
Sarah Jane had just finished writing report cards for her Grade 7 students when she called her principal and declared she was done with teaching. 'It was the tipping point,' says the Niagara-area teacher who retired in 2021, marking the end of a 35-year career. 'I thought I just don't want to do another set of report cards and be all stressed out. It's so much work. 'I loved the kids, and I loved teaching. But I felt like report cards are too sugar-coated and sometimes even dishonest because we always have to say what the child does well … You want to find a child's strength, but we're always trying to phrase everything so positively that I think parents don't always know where their child is' academically. Jane is the creator of Ontario Report Card Comments , a Facebook group with nearly 15,000 members where educators share tips and support to get through one of the most nuanced, high-stakes and emotionally charged tasks facing teachers. Report card flashback: What teachers said to a future Nobel prize winner, a prolific author and a future premier The results of which are imminent: final report cards are about to land in the hands of students across the province. For families, it's a nerve-wracking moment that can bring great pride or crushing disappointment. Reviewing anyone's performance can be stressful and intimidating, says Brampton high school teacher Jason Bradshaw, but 'imagine speaking of somebody's child, that takes it to another level. People are going to be all the more emotionally invested. So teachers have a responsibility to be constructive and transparent.' But report cards don't always successfully reflect that. Vague, standardized language and a lack of personalization can leave families unsure of how their child is progressing. To help decode this familiar yet at times cryptic document, the Star spoke with educators who shared how challenging it is to capture a student's story in just a few chosen lines. That homework causing family tension every night? It doesn't count. While homework is important for reinforcing learning, Growing Success , Ontario's education policy on reporting student achievement, makes it clear assignments done at home shouldn't be factored into final marks. Still, skipping homework isn't without consequence — it can show up under learning skills, a key part of assessment for all students in grades 1 to 12. 'In the age of ChatGPT, a lot of educators are moving to the position where we simply do not evaluate work that isn't done in front of us,' says Bradshaw. 'We now have to build in time for students to complete that work entirely in class, to know it's authentic.' In high school, marks are given as percentages and accumulate over a semester. In grades 1 to 6, letters reflect progress since the last report — not from the start of the year. 'The kind of writing a student is doing in September isn't going to be the same as the writing they are doing in December,' says Angela Simone, a Grade 3 teacher with the York Catholic school board. 'It's not really fair to go back; you want to focus on their most recent work.' Teachers mark tests, presentations and assignments according a four-level rubric, which is translated into percentages or letter grades for report cards: Level 4 equals A- to A+ and 80-100 per cent; Level 3 is B- to B+ and 70-79; Level 2 is C- to C+ and 60-69; Level 1 is D- to D+ and 50-59 per cent. 'There's a lot of pressure to see those Level 4 or those As,' says Simone. 'But it's important that people recognize that a Level 3 means they're at the provincial expectations. So there's nothing wrong with a B.' Grades are based on numeric data. Learning skills rely on something else entirely — observation, interpretation and a fair amount of subjectivity. All children in Ontario grades 1 to 12 are evaluated on six competencies: responsibility, organization, independent work, collaboration, initiative and self-regulation. 'You really have to know the child and be able to back up anything you say with proof,' says Jane, who found evaluating these skills the most challenging and time-consuming part of assessment duties, likening it to having to write three separate essays on each student — one for every report card. Simone agrees it can be tedious. 'You don't want to be repetitive, and every child is their own and you want to speak to that child's individuality, but how many times can you say, 'Your desk is messy?' ' The subjectivity required also makes them possibly problematic. A 2018 study using Toronto District School Board data found that students with identical scores on standardized math tests may have different evaluations of their learning skills — differences that correlated with race and gender. Educators often discuss skill expectations with students, and in some cases, have them evaluate their strengths and weaknesses so, as Jane says, they 'take ownership for some of it.' Joanne Sallay, president of tutoring company Teachers on Call , notes that when students struggle, it's often not the curriculum — it's motivation: 'It's handing in work on time — organization, planning skills and how to study effectively. These are really important for the future of work — skills that as adults determine our success.' It's perhaps why on report cards, learning skills are given prime position. That doesn't stop students and parents from skipping over them to check out subject grades. 'We are hardwired to do that,' says Christopher DeLuca, a Queen's University professor of educational assessment . 'And yet, if we understand learning a little bit more deeply, we understand that how we learn impacts what we learn.' DeLuca adds that of all the skills measured on the report card, strong self-regulation is the most critical. The province's Growing Success policy states that all parents should receive 'standard, clear, detailed and straightforward information' about their child's progress based on the Ontario curriculum. That may explain why teacher comments can sound like they've been lifted from a jargon-filled curriculum manual — sometimes they are. 'It's hard when you have 30 students to write an authentic communication of each student's learning,' says Toronto public elementary teacher Andrew Delost. 'Sometimes it's going to sound robotic because a teacher might just be copying and pasting.' Delost recently developed Curricumate , an AI-based assistant to support Ontario educators as they navigate through 'pain points,' including writing report cards. Filling out a report card can take 20 minutes to four hours per student, plus months of tracking grades and recording observations. While professional development days are dedicated to the task, the work usually spills into evenings and weekends. Curricumate, which has 4,000 users, integrates the Ontario curriculum so teachers can select relevant comments and personalize them while maintaining student confidentiality. Teachers have relied on some form of comment banks for decades — whether self-made, shared by colleagues or provided by school boards. More recently, many have turned to tools like ChatGPT. Still, most agree: AI can support feedback, but it shouldn't replace it. Direct communication with parents, they say, remains the most effective way to support student growth. Even as generalized and vague as report comments might seem, clues lie within. 'Qualifiers are so important because that's going to give you a little hint,' says Simone. For example, if a comment on a science unit notes that 'Angela understands plants with a high degree of effectiveness,' she's at a Level 4; if with a considerable degree, she's at Level 3. (Level 2 would use some and limited for Level 1.) Simone says teachers rely on qualifiers particularly when measuring learning skills: If a teacher was to say, 'Sally usually listens well to lesson,' usually means she's not doing it all the time, that she could be chatty, says Simone. 'So even though it doesn't sound like there's an issue, the qualifier lets you know there might be one.' Growing Success advises teachers, when writing anecdotal comments, to 'focus on what students have learned, describe significant strengths, and identify next steps for improvement.' This asset-based reporting emphasizes positive attributes. 'It strengthens and bolsters student confidence,' says DeLuca. But some teachers call it a disservice. 'Only telling students what they're doing well gives them a false impression about what their strengths and weaknesses are, and unfortunately that can catch up to them,' says Bradshaw. 'I can understand how that might be frustrating for parents because we are essentially asking them to read between the lines.' Comments are limited by strict word counts, giving teachers little space to focus on more than one key message. This is especially challenging in math and language, where recent curriculum changes eliminated separate grades for individual strands. Instead of seeing distinct marks for oral communication, writing, reading and media literacy, for example, parents now get just one overall language grade. Check the attendance field. Teachers say missed classes and lateness are often overlooked by parents who may be unaware of their child's habits. Absences can explain why achievements are below expectations. Yes, but not easily. How failing grades are reported varies by board. (One board, for example, will round up a 46 per cent to 50 for a pass.) Up to Grade 8, a decision to hold back a child is made in consultation with parents; in high school, students who receive below 50 may repeat materials related only to expectations not achieved. But a failing mark should not come as a surprise to students or parents. 'Failures are used very judiciously, for a reason,' says DeLuca, 'A failure academically is not just about holding a student from progressing to the next grade, it has social consequences for life and career progression.' Assessment is important, says Bradshaw, but it shouldn't be the only priority. 'When we hyper-focus on marks and evaluations, it gives the impression that day-to-day learning doesn't matter.' Progress reports offer an early opportunity to flag concerns without assigning grades, but they come with their own challenges — especially since they come so early that some teachers, particularly itinerant ones, may have seen a student only a handful of times. More effort typically goes into the first provincial report card when there's still time for students to respond to feedback. Final report cards feel high-stakes, but by June, they should contain no surprises. That said, Sallay emphasizes even these reports should include clear next steps. 'I know that it seems final, but a report card shouldn't define your future success,' she says. 'Look at the recommendations and work on them; it doesn't mean you need to give up. 'It's the end of June, but next year is a whole new year.'
Scottish Sun
15-06-2025
- Health
- Scottish Sun
My ‘Nozempic' diet helped me shed 12st after cruel bullies told me I'd be pretty if I wasn't so fat
Sarah Jane went from a size 28 to a size 10 by following five simple lifestyle rules - here's how she managed to beat her sweet tooth FAT HACKS My 'Nozempic' diet helped me shed 12st after cruel bullies told me I'd be pretty if I wasn't so fat Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) WEIGHING in at 21st, food addict Sarah Jane Clark scoffed chocolate buttons for breakfast, and washed them down with a Coca-Cola. Cruel bullies taunted her with jibes about her size, while doctors warned she was eating herself to death and wouldn't live to see her 40th birthday. Shocked, the now 53-year-old took action and today the slender size 10 fitness guru tells Sun Health it wasn't weight loss jabs that saw her shed 12st. 8 Sarah Jane Clark lost more than 12st without jabs like Ozempic Credit: Sarah Jane Clark 8 She made some simple lifestyle tweaks which she says anyone can do Credit: Sarah Jane Clark Growing up, Sarah Jane, from Swindon, Wiltshire, was always self-conscious about her weight. 'I got all sorts of comments like: 'Oh you'll always be a big girl, it runs in the family',' she tells Sun Health. 'At school I was a curvy size 14, horrendous damage was done. One lad, aged 13, told me: 'You'd be a really pretty girl if you weren't fat'. 'I wouldn't buy skirts because someone said to me once: 'Your legs are like rugby players' legs, like tree trunks'. 'That stuck in my head for years and years and years. It was in my subconscious.' As a teenager, Sarah Jane suffered from severe acne and her hair was 'greasy and lank'. She was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) then her periods stopped and she was told she had high blood pressure and a high heart rate. 'I also ached from head to toe and I had chronic fatigue and brain fog,' the mum-of-two adds. Despite wanting to change, Sarah Jane felt completely addicted to food. By 14, she had tried The Cambridge Diet, a very low-calorie plan designed for rapid weight loss which involved drinking three shakes a day, but she would always end up bingeing. I LOVE my new 'Ozempic face' - it looks like I got jawline filler, I look 10 years younger AND I lost 60lbs 'There was no amount of sugary food that was too much - it was like a drug,' Sarah Jane says. 'I was absolutely addicted to sugar. I think this stemmed from childhood; my mum was really wonderful but was not affectionate at all. 'Her love language was baking and cooking, things like biscuits and cakes, and my gran was exactly the same. 'It was always sweet foods filled with jam, and always biscuits.' As she got older, Sarah Jane would start each day with a large bag of Cadbury Dairy Milk Buttons and a can of Coca-Cola. At lunchtime, she would tuck into a sandwich, with a packet of crisps, biscuits and cake. And for dinner, she would have a ready meal or takeaway. You can't just inject yourself with Ozempic and love yourself. I understand the desperation and would have ripped someone's arm off for a weight loss jab back in the day, but it is not the answer Sarah Jane Clark Sarah Jane would only drink full-sugar coke, coffee with milk and two sugars, and cups of tea accompanied by endless packets of biscuits. This highly processed, high sugar diet took its toll on her body, but also her mental health. 'I remember once in a restaurant, a group of lads pointed over to me, calling me 'the Hulk' and giggling,' she says. 'I worked in a hair salon at the time and my colleagues would arrange nights out and I wouldn't be invited. 'I would find out afterwards and they'd say: 'Oh we didn't think you'd want to come, it wouldn't be your thing'. 'But I knew that it was because they didn't want to be seen with me. I wasn't stupid.' 8 Sarah Jane, from Wiltshire, previously weighed 21st and was miserable Credit: Sarah Jane Clark 8 She is now super fit and happier than ever Credit: Sarah Jane Clark 8 Doctors had previously told her: 'You're eating yourself to death' Credit: Sarah Jane Clark Sarah Jane then worked with a consultant psychiatrist who said sugar was as addictive as cocaine. She was 'really pleased' to have an explanation as to why she couldn't stop eating, but it didn't help her quit junk food. Eventually in her mid-20s, when she was a size 28 and her periods had stopped due to her weight, she got the wake-up call she needed. 'Doctors told me: 'You are eating yourself to death. You won't make it to 40',' she says. Sarah Jane, then 25, began to make small changes, starting by simply walking for 30 minutes every day and drinking more water. She then banned takeaways and processed or unhealthy foods, and she lost 7st in 16 months. At 27, she gave birth to her daughter Chloe, now 27, and was then 18st - having lost 4st through walking and eating a healthier diet. A year later she had her son Jack, now 26, and was 15st 8lbs after giving birth. 'My body continues to amaze me' 'I hadn't really been on a diet, I just changed one thing a step at a time,' she says. 'But the healthier I became, the healthier I wanted to be. It just felt amazing.' Sarah Jane, previously an administrative assistant at a mental health hospital and now founder of Step By Step With Sarah Jane, went on to take up running and weight training at the gym. Despite being told she wouldn't see 40, she ran Cancer Research UK's 5km Race for Life for her 40th birthday, weighing 12st. She has now completed 50 half marathons and run the London Marathon twice, and stabilised at a trim 9st 10lb for the last five years. 'My body continues to amaze me. I love a healthy lifestyle,' she says. Sarah Jane's weight loss rules Walk for at least 20 to 30 minutes a day Increase your water intake Cut takeaways and processed foods - if a food has more than five ingredients, don't eat it Find a form of exercise you actually enjoy (e.g. running or weight training) Avoid weight loss jabs As well as losing weight, Sarah Jane found love. After splitting from her previous partner aged 28, she met and fell for Paul Flounders, 53, in 2021 and they married in 2024. 'I met Paul through our love of running and that's made a massive difference,' Sarah Jane says. 'When I told him about my weight loss journey, he said I was amazing. Because I didn't feel like that about myself I couldn't believe he would think that about me. 'He is an incredible man who has served in the forces, been all around the world and he thinks little old me is amazing, so we are a really good combination for each other.' 8 Sarah Jane started walking 30 minutes a day, drinking more water and banning processed foods Credit: SWNS 8 Sarah used to have chocolate and Coca-Cola for breakfast Credit: Sarah Jane Clark 8 She doesn't think weight loss jabs like Ozempic are the right way to slim down Credit: SWNS She hopes sharing her story will show others that anyone can turn their life around. 'Educate yourself about what you are eating and read the ingredients,' she says. 'If the food has more than five ingredients, don't eat it. 'Take food back to basics and move your body every day - a 20-minute walk daily will make you so much fitter.' And to women turning to weight loss jabs like Ozempic, she adds: 'People don't understand that food is highly emotional - a lot of women are eating their feelings so food addiction is massive. 'You can't just inject yourself and love yourself. 'I understand the desperation and would have ripped someone's arm off for a weight loss jab back in the day, but it is not the answer. 'You need to look at the psychological reasons for food addiction. 'I see people on jabs still eating crap food. I don't think it is the miracle people think it is.'
