A mother has revealed she looks so young she is often mistaken for her teenage son’s friend.
Sarah Reid, 43, from Kingswood, south Gloucestershire, says she could pass for her 19-year-old son Damian’s close friend – all thanks to a strict lifestyle of two workouts a day and no alcohol or tobacco.
The mother of two, who said she is often asked for her ID in bars and supermarkets, also revealed the secret weapon to her youthful glow: not wearing makeup.
The former carer, who weighed 185kg before vowing to lose weight when pregnant with son Damien, said her inflexible habits now mean strangers mistake her for Damien’s friend rather than his mother.
She recalled: ‘A few years ago I went to Subway with my teenage self and the waiter asked Damien: “What does your friend want?”
Sarah Reid, a mum from Kingswood, south Gloucestershire, has revealed she looks so young she is often mistaken for 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 appearance often requires staff in bars and supermarkets to ask her for identification to prove her age.
‘It’s happened to me quite often, like when I went to Pride with Damien. Sometimes it’s frustrating, like when I cause a queue at the supermarket.
‘I never drink alcohol or smoke, I keep fit and I never wear makeup because I have sensitive skin.’
The mother, who once met Princess Anne, also has an obsessive fitness regime that involves working out first thing in the morning and last thing at night.
She used to weigh 185 stone, but when she was nine months pregnant with Damien she vowed to run the London Marathon, much to the surprise of her colleagues.
“People didn’t believe I could run the London Marathon,” she said. “My partner laughed in my face. I was determined to prove them wrong.”
He lost 62 kilos in two and a half years and completed the Bristol Half Marathon in 2006 and 2007.
He then ran the London Marathon in 2008, clocking a time of four hours and 26 minutes.
He added: “I showed him (my colleague) the medal afterwards and the smile on his face was wiped away.”
The mother has an obsessive exercise regimen that consists of exercising first thing in the morning and last thing at night.
The former carer also revealed the secret weapon to her youthful glow: not wearing makeup (Sarah was photographed meeting Princess Anne several years ago).
But the vivacious mother has had to endure a series of health battles brought on by epilepsy, which came to a head in 2016.
While working as a carer for vulnerable adults, Sarah began to suffer five seizures a day and things became too severe for the mother to continue working.
After undergoing brain surgery in 2016, he continued to stay fit but opted to exercise at home due to his seizures.
She said: ‘I have my routine, I work out for an hour and a half before everyone else gets up.’
Sarah also works out in the afternoon on her stepper, often while watching a movie.
Laura weighed 180 stone before vowing to lose weight when she was pregnant with her son Damien (pictured: Sarah after giving birth to Damien in 2004)
Sarah also recalled the time she was asked to show ID when buying a beer for her father’s birthday, at the age of 40.
Her current Weight Watchers plan involves Sarah allocating points to different exercises and her goal is to hit 18 every day.
A 15-minute walk would be classified as one point, while 15 minutes on the step translates to two points.
The grueling routine paid off, as Sarah recalled the moment she was asked to show ID when buying a beer for her father’s birthday when she was 40.
She continued: ‘I don’t have a driver’s license and I don’t usually get my passport out, so I say, ‘Is my disabled bus pass of any use?’
Sarah now lives with her husband and carer, Mark, 48, and their two children, Damien, 19, and Lauren, 12.
She dedicates her time to volunteering and has raised over £18,000 over the years for charities fighting epilepsy, young carers and domestic violence.
Sarah advises those who want to look younger to find an activity they love to do.
She said: ‘Find something you like. I’ve tried a lot of different sports, but I found it very difficult to do things like tennis.
‘I got into ice skating and it was a lot of fun.’
Every now and then, Sarah rewards herself with a trip to Wetherspoons for a vegan pizza.
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