Sarah Ferguson says cancer treatment helped her overcome her demons

Sarah Ferguson has always spoken openly about her issues with binge eating, bravely starting the conversation to help others going through the same feel less alone.

The royal has shared in the past that she has felt "addicted" to food since childhood, telling HELLO! in 2021: "I have known what it's like to struggle with weight since the age of 12, when my parents' marriage ended and I blamed myself.

"I started comfort eating and piled on the pounds and this carried on into my adult life. Food had become my addiction and every time things got difficult, I ate to compensate," she said.

Sarah shared she has finally managed to overcome her addiction to food, crediting her breast cancer diagnosis and treatment with helping her.

"It took me being literally carved up to cut away the addictions of self-doubt and self-judgment that I have lived with since the age of 11," she told the Daily Telegraph on Sunday.

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Touching on her addiction once more, Sarah said: "Don't wait to be cut open in order to cut away the addiction. My addiction was my addiction to food. So I ate to compensate for my feeling."

The 65-year-old went on to say that cancer helped her reprioritise and centre her life, explaining: "When I got cancer I put my life back in the middle and food back in its rightful place, not intentionally. It just happened because I realised that I was eating instead of living. At 65, I'm now free of the shackles of unworthiness and self-doubt."

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On finding her sense of purpose, Sarah added: "I am a badass grandmother with a sense of purpose, a badass grandmother, a sexy, sappy, badass grandmother."

Sarah Ferguson's lifestyle overhaul

Though cancer has helped Sarah overcome her demons, she has spoken in the past about lifestyle changes that helped her manage her weight.

1. Healthy eating

The Duchess of York is a dedicated fan ofGianluca Mech's ketogenic approach to weight loss, explaining: "I don't think there's a one-diet-fits-all approach and every one of us should eat what suits us at different stages of our life.

"I have chosen to follow this diet for the last 18 months and I know, along with exercise and sleep, my weight and health have improved dramatically," she continued.

2. Therapy

Sarah also relies on talking therapies to keep her strong, telling HELLO!: "I did have and still have mental health issues, which I work at literally every day, I really do.

"I have been in therapy for 24 years. Sometimes I talk to my therapist on a weekly basis, and then sometimes, when it gets really tough, I jump in and get a quick hit of trying to understand the negativity of the demons of my mind."

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3. Fitness

While Sarah doesn't often speak about her fitness regime, she previously sung the praises of personal trainer Josh Salzmann in a testimonial on his website.

"I personally believe in listening to your body and smart training. Don't overtrain, and sleep and good nutrition are just as important.

"All of these values have been taught by Josh to me and I personally can say I have lost close to 50 pounds, by not overtraining and incorporating the above disciplines."