{"id":799595,"date":"2026-07-13T18:05:20","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T18:05:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/799595\/"},"modified":"2026-07-13T18:05:20","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T18:05:20","slug":"sara-davies-42-reveals-the-simple-weighted-walking-routine-thats-helping-her-build-lifelong-strength","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/799595\/","title":{"rendered":"Sara Davies, 42, reveals the simple weighted walking routine that’s helping her build lifelong strength"},"content":{"rendered":"

Crafting guru, Dragon\u2019s Den icon and Strictly alum Sara Davies is a very busy woman. And when we say busy, we mean busy. What with her businesses, media commitments and family life, Sara tells Women\u2019s Health that historically, she\u2019s struggled to prioritise herself. <\/p>\n

But then she had a health wake-up call. <\/p>\n

\u2018Honestly, I thought going on national telly might be the kick up the bum that I needed to lose some weight, and I still didn’t,\u2019 recalls Sara of her first series of Dragon\u2019s Den. So, as somebody needing accountability, she booked a private healthcare assessment, hoping the doctor would \u2018frighten me into losing some weight\u2019.<\/p>\n

Having had gestational diabetes during both of her pregnancies, Sara was aware she had an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes<\/a>. And sure enough, the doctor told her that her HbA1c levels were rising and that she was likely to become pre-diabetic within a year unless she made some lifestyle changes. <\/p>\n

So, upon the advice of her doctor, Sara started running<\/a>, committing to twice-weekly running sessions with a personal trainer for three months. She pre-paid everything and arranged for all communication with the PT to go through her personal assistant so that she couldn’t cancel last minute. <\/p>\n

\u2018By the time my alarm would go off at 5:30am, he’d already set off, so it just forced me to do it,\u2019 she says. Talk about friction-maxxing<\/a>. <\/p>\n

\u2018By the end of the three months, [running] was so ingrained in me, I would just quite happily go out for a run on my own in the morning.\u2019<\/p>\n

How Sara\u2019s fitness routine has changed<\/p>\n

While Sara still loves running \u2013 she does the Great North Run most years \u2013 she says that her perspective has changed in recent years. Inspired by her \u2018super fit\u2019 mum\u2019s approach to healthy ageing, and after connecting with a personal trainer specialising in midlife fitness, Sara\u2019s mindset shifted \u2013 and so did her fitness routine. <\/p>\n

\u2018I’ve spent years thinking I wanted to be thin, and actually now I’ve got to the point in my life whereby that’s not what’s driving me \u2013 I want to be fit and strong and healthy,\u2019 she says. \u2018I now look at the Gladiators and I’m like, oh my God, that’s what I want to be when I grow up.\u2019<\/p>\n

Sara\u2019s current fitness routine<\/p>\n

Sara aims to exercise three to four mornings during the week, adding a weekend run when she can.<\/p>\n

Power walking <\/p>\n

Now, though, walking makes up a bigger part of her routine. <\/p>\n

On several weekday mornings, she goes power walking<\/a> with different friends \u2013 usually wearing a weighted vest<\/a>. <\/p>\n

\u2018Not like a little stroll and a bit of chit-chat,\u2019 she says of these workouts. \u2018We are out of here and power walking for an hour at 6am with our weighted vests on \u2013 we do around 6k in an hour.\u2019<\/p>\n

\"saraSara Davies<\/p>\n

Weighted power walking has become an integral part of Sara’s routine<\/p>\n

Power walking, she adds, has been helpful as it puts less pressure on her joints, while also keeping her at around 60-70% of her maximum heart rate \u2013 often referred to as \u2018Zone 2<\/a> training\u2019, where the body uses a greater proportion of fat for fuel than at higher exercise intensities.<\/p>\n

\u2018Whereas when I go running, even though I don’t run that fast, I’m definitely operating above 70% of my heart rate, but fast walking keeps me right in that zone,\u2019 says Sara. <\/p>\n

While being in a calorie deficit<\/a> \u2013 expending more energy than you consume \u2013 remains the primary driver of fat loss, Zone 2 exercise can play a valuable role in supporting sustainable weight loss if that’s your goal.<\/p>\n

Strength training <\/p>\n

Proving that strength training<\/a> doesn\u2019t have to be complicated, Sara says she aims for one to two home sessions a week. They last no longer than 40 minutes including a warm-up and finisher.<\/p>\n

\u2018I don’t have any big, fancy, expensive equipment,\u2019 she says, referring to the affordable dumbbells<\/a> and kettlebells she\u2019s collected. <\/p>\n

Using a mixture of bodyweight, 5kg and 6kg dumbbells and 10kg and 20kg kettlebells, Sara follows a structured strength training plan from her PT Holly Davison<\/a>, with sessions typically built around two blocks of three exercises. <\/p>\n

\"saraSara Davies<\/p>\n

Sara’s home workout routine proves strength training doesn’t have to be complicated<\/p>\n

\u2018I’ve got quite tight quads as a result of running, and my hip flexors<\/a> are always quite tight, so a lot of the stuff she does with me is really focused around that.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018We seem to do an awful lot of deadlifting \u2013 my PT is always telling me how the deadlifts<\/a> are really good for me.\u2019<\/p>\n

A compound movement (an exercise using more than one muscle group at once), deadlifts are great for building functional, full-body strength. <\/p>\n

Other exercises Sara has been focusing on recently include: <\/p>\n

Her next challenge? \u2018I’ve just ordered a bar to clip over the top of the door frame because I see about dead hanging<\/a> being really good for you, so I need to learn how to hang.\u2019<\/p>\n

Sara’s daily health habits<\/p>\n

Alongside exercise, Sara has been focusing on the following health habits.<\/p>\n

Supporting her strength training with enough protein<\/a> (as well as adequate carbs, fibre and good fats), which is crucial for maintaining and building muscle. Never skipping breakfast.Refuelling after exercise. Meal prepping.A healthy sleep<\/a> routine.Oral health \u2013 having recently learnt about the link between type 2 diabetes and gum disease, Sara has also started using a daily mouthwash from gum experts Corsodyl.<\/p>\n

One of our most frequently asked questions here at Women\u2019s Health? How to build muscle and burn fat at the same time. So, we asked superstar trainer Oyinda Okunowo<\/a> exactly how to do it. In this 4-week plan \u2013 created exclusively for Women\u2019s Health COLLECTIVE members \u2013 you\u2019ll get the workouts and nutrition guidance needed to help you on your way to better body composition. Tap the link below to unlock 14 days of free access to Oyinda’s plan and start training today.<\/p>\n

Get the plan<\/a><\/p>\n

\"woman<\/a>\"Headshot<\/p>\n

Hannah Bradfield is a Senior Health and Fitness Writer for Women\u2019s Health UK. An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Hannah graduated from Loughborough University with a BA in English and Sport Science and an MA in Media and Cultural Analysis. \u00a0She has been covering sports, health and fitness for the last five years and has created content for outlets including BBC Sport, BBC Sounds, Runner\u2019s World and Stylist. She especially enjoys interviewing those working within the community to improve access to sport, exercise and wellness. Hannah is a 2024 John Schofield Trust Fellow and was also named a 2022 Rising Star in Journalism by The Printing Charity. \u00a0A keen runner, Hannah was firmly a sprinter growing up (also dabbling in long jump) but has since transitioned to longer-distance running. While 10K is her favoured race distance, she loves running or volunteering at parkrun every Saturday, followed, of course, by pastries. She\u2019s always looking for fun new runs and races to do and brunch spots to try.<\/p>\n