A mum has revealed she looks so young, she often gets mistaken for being her teenage son’s friend.
Sarah Reid, 43, from Kingswood, south Gloucestershire, says she could pass for her 19-year-old son Damian’s bosom buddy, all thanks to a strict lifestyle of two workouts a day and no alcohol or smoking.
The mother-of-two – who said she’s regularly prompted for ID at bars and supermarkets – also let slip the secret weapon to her youthful glow – wearing no make-up.
The former carer, who used to weigh 20 stone before vowing to shed the weight when she was pregnant with her son Damien, said her inflexible habits now cause strangers to take her for Damien’s friend rather than his mum.
She recalled: ‘A few years ago I went to Subway with my teenager and the server asked Damien: “What does your friend want?”
Sarah Reid, a mum from Kingswood, south Gloucestershire, has revealed she looks so young, she often gets mistaken for being her teenage son’s friend (Pictured: Sarah, 43, and her son Damien, 19, at a Pride event a few years ago)
The mother-of-two said her youthful looks often require staff at bars and supermarkets to request ID to prove her age
‘It has happened to me quite often, like when I went to Pride with Damien. Sometimes it is frustrating like when I am causing a queue in the supermarket.
‘I never drink alcohol or smoke, I keep fit and I never wear make-up because I have sensitive skin’.
The mum – who once met Princess Anne – also has an obsessive fitness regime which consists of working out first thing every morning and last thing in the evening.
She used to weigh 20 stone, but vowed when she was nine months pregnant with Damien to run the London Marathon, to the surprise of her colleagues.
‘People didn’t think I could run the London Marathon’ she said; ‘My colleague laughed in my face. I was determined to prove them wrong’.
She lost 10 stone in two-and-half years and completed the Bristol half marathon in 2006 and 2007.
She then ran the London Marathon in 2008, clocking a time of four hours and 26 minutes.
She added: ‘I showed [my colleague] the medal after[wards] and it wiped the smile off his face’.
The mum has an obsessive fitness regime which consists of working out first thing every morning and last thing in the evening
The former carer also let slip the secret weapon to her youthful glow – wearing no make-up (Sarah pictured meeting Princess Anne several years ago)
But the sprightly mum has endured a barrage of health battles brought on by epilepsy, with things coming to a head in 2016.
While employed as a carer for vulnerable adults, Sarah began experiencing five seizures a day, and things became too severe for the mother to carry on at work.
After undergoing brain surgery in 2016, she continued to keep fit, but opts to exercise from home because of her seizures.
She said: ‘I have my routine, I work out for an hour-and-a-half before anybody else has got up’.
Sarah also does a work out in the evening on her stepper, often while watching a film.
Laura used to weigh 20 stone before vowing to shed the weight when she was pregnant with her son Damien (Pictured: Sarah after giving birth to Damien in 2004)
Sarah also recalled the moment she was asked to provide identification when buying a beer for her father’s birthday – at the age of 40
Her current Weight Watchers plan means Sarah assigns points to different exercises and aims to hit the figure of 18 every day.
A 15 minute walk would classify as a point, while 15 minutes on the stepper translates to two points.
The grueling routine has paid off, as Sarah recalled the moment she was asked to provide identification when buying a beer for her father’s birthday – at the age of 40.
She continued: ‘I don’t have a driving license and don’t often take my passport out, so I say: “Is my disabled bus pass any good?”‘
Sarah now lives with her husband and carer, Mark, 48, and their two children, Damien, 19, and Lauren, 12.
She devotes her time to volunteering, and has raised more than £18,000 over the years for epilepsy, young carers and domestic abuse charities.
Sarah has advised those wanting to look younger to search for an activity which they love doing.
She said: ‘Find something you enjoy. I have tried lots of different sports but I struggled a lot with things like tennis.
‘I got into ice skating which was great fun’.
From time to time Sarah rewards herself with a trip to Wetherspoons for a vegan pizza.
r
***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk