Sara Davies admits she is ‘frustrated’ she’s not losing any more weight and feels ‘hung up’ on the scales after shedding three dress sizes.
The Dragons’ Den star, 40, told she was ‘gutted’ after her stylist on the BBC One show had to ‘size up’ her clothing last summer, which inevitably gave Sara the motivation she needed to make crucial changes.
After starring on Strictly Come Dancing in 2021, Sara lost ‘a lot of inches’ training everyday with professional partner Aljaž Škorjanec, 34, but once her time on the show ended, she ‘piled the weight back on.’
The entrepreneur says cutting out sugar and running training gave her the tools to shed three dress sizes, but the transformation didn’t happen overnight and now she keeps an eagle eye on the scales.
In an exclusive interview, she said: ‘People get so hung up on the number on the scales, but my scales haven’t changed. I get really hung up on it. I get on the scales all the time and I’m frustrated because I’m not losing weight.
‘This year, I haven’t actually lost any more weight at all, but I have seen the benefit of training. I have been getting amazing compliments though and it’s not about the numbers but it’s about how you look and how you feel and whether you are healthy.
‘I am eating well, I am looking after myself, and I’m going running a lot. I want to keep up the momentum.’
Sara’s new look hasn’t gone unnoticed by her fanbase, with Morning Live viewers showing their admiration for the TV star’s weight loss after she wore a bright orange figure hugging dress on the programme in September.
Sara Davies admits she is ‘frustrated’ she’s not losing any more weight and feels ‘hung up’ on the scales after shedding three dress sizes
The Dragons’ Den star told she was ‘gutted’ after her stylist on the BBC One show had to ‘size up’ her clothing last summer (pictured May 2022)
The entrepreneur says cutting out sugar and running training gave her the tools to shed three dress sizes, but the transformation didn’t happen overnight
It has been an uphill mountain for the mother-of-two who admits to previously being a yo-yo dieter before putting herself to the test by giving up sugar and signing up for the Great North Run.
She explained: ‘I got really fit while I was doing Strictly and I really toned up. I didn’t lose any weight, but I lost a lot of inches and a couple of dress sizes.
‘After Strictly I didn’t put any weight on, but I had clearly lost the muscle mass. Once I had lost the muscle mass and I had got out the habit of eating well and everything like that, I just piled weight on.
‘It all came to a bit of a head last summer when we were recording Dragons’ Den and my stylist had to size up all of my clothes. I was absolutely gutted. I thought I had let this get out of hand.
‘I needed something to aim for, so I signed up to the Great North Run last year, I cut sugar out of my diet for three months… sugar is the devil, it’s the sugar that gets you.
‘I cut out all sugar including alcohol, fruit, and everything and then from this year I have gradually introduced it back in. I haven’t been on a diet this year, but I have been eating a lot healthier.’
Sara’s health journey started with her appearance on Strictly, where she danced each week with Aljaž, who she supported at the BBC studios this season as he competes for the Glitter Ball alongside former Love Island star Tasha Ghouri.
While she still has the majority of her dances memorised, Sara admits her Couple’s Choice routine from Halloween week still haunts her.
Sara, pictured with Morning Live presenter Helen Skelton, supported Aljaž and his new partner Tasha Ghouri from the BBC studio earlier this season
Sara’s health journey started with her appearance on Strictly, where she danced each week with Aljaž and continued performing alongside the pro during the live tour (pictured January 2022)
While she still has the majority of her dances memorised, Sara admits her Couple’s Choice routine from Halloween week still haunts her
Despite having mixed feelings about her time on Strictly, Sara still watches the show and is rooting for her former partner Aljaž to win the competition with Tasha
She said: ‘I could probably stand up and do every one of my dances, especially if I hear one of the songs on the radio, I can shut my eyes and imagine my routines.
‘Last year, I was away on holiday in Spain with Aljaž and I wanted to do my Foxtrot, he said he couldn’t remember the choreography, but I could.
‘But during Halloween week and my Couple’s Choice performance I was at the bottom of the leaderboard. The judges were really critical, and I was really upset by it.
‘I have never, ever watched that dance back. I have never watched the VT from it, the lovely VT with my husband because it was my Couple’s Choice, I can’t bring myself to watch it even three years on.’
Despite having mixed feelings about her time on Strictly, Sara still watches the show and is rooting for her former partner Aljaž to win the competition with Tasha.
She added: ‘You know I have to back my boy, so I have to get behind Aljaž. I had the pleasure of meeting Tasha when I was at the studios a few weeks ago and she was the loveliest girl, and she went out of her way to come over and chat to me.
‘She was really appreciative that I came to support her. She is a lovely, gentle human being.’
One of Sara’s goals away from fitness is to encourage entrepreneurial women to achieve their business potential.
Sara, pictured with husband Simon, says she hopes to keep up the ‘momentum’ next year in terms of her weight loss and health and fitness journey
The Dragons’ Den star is currently working as the Chief Inspiration Officer for Avon and is on a mission to help women selling on behalf of the brand maximise their earnings this Christmas
And as the Chief Inspiration Officer for Avon, Sara believes one of the ways she can empower women to be their own boss is through becoming a representative with the long-running brand.
Sara has taken on the role of coaching hundreds of Avon Reps and Leaders in the run up to Christmas so they can maximise their earnings.
She hopes the extra income will help support them over the festive season during a time that people can feel under pressure with their finances.
‘I have been working with 1500 Avon reps and I do monthly coaching sessions with them, and I love it. They are so passionate,’ Sara said.
‘I give them homework, sometimes it’s to watch QVC and learn how they sell and other weeks I will tell them about customer profiling and how to target different customer segments. Avon has seen an 80 per cent uplift in the sales the reps have had as a result of the coaching, which makes my heart happy.’
During the cost-of-living crisis, Sara hopes becoming an Avon lady or indeed man can give some people a much needed lifeline and even provide novices with the confidence to grow a profitable business.
She added: ‘This year I have asked people to spread the word because there is still only a tiny proportion of Avon ladies that we used to have in the country doing this. There is a big opportunity especially in the run up to Christmas especially this year more than ever.
‘We have the cost-of-living crisis, money is tight, instead of putting Christmas on a credit card and worrying about it later, you can start a side hustle and that can pay for Christmas.
‘There are dozens of stories from our reps over the years where Avon has paid for their Christmas, not only the turkey but the presents under the tree and maybe a dream trip to Lapland or something.’