She ran five marathons over five days, but thankfully – a year on from her epic Children in Need challenge – Sara Cox’s fitness regime is now far more relatable and achievable.
‘I’m a member of David Lloyd, which is the nicest gym I’ve belonged to – I don’t have any kind of deal with them, it’s just a nice place to go,’ says this month’s GH cover star. What does she do when she’s there? ‘I love weight training,’ she explains. ‘It’s really important for women to do strength training a couple of times a week if they can.’
Fitting fitness into her schedule can’t be easy. As well as hosting her teatime BBC Radio 2 programme, she shares a podcast The Teen Commandments with friend Clare Hamilton, she has a third book in the pipeline and is a mum to three.
Still, Sara describes her 50s as ‘a golden time’. Back in the 90s, she explains, ‘you smoked a lot of Malboro Lights and survived on slimmer soups and coffee. It wasn’t remotely healthy!’ Today, her schedule is far more sensible. Her fitness non-negotiables include ‘going to the gym a few times a week, even if I’m super busy,’ she says. Then there’s ‘walking the dog. Taking the stairs at work – we’re on the eighth floor at new Broadcasting House. I think a lot about my gut health; I glug kefir, I love kimchi, I try to add good bacteria to my gut with Greek yogurt and coffee. I was thrilled when I discovered that coffee is good for the gut.’
Jonty Davies
Having pushed her fitness to the limits last year, and now found an equilibrium that works for her, what’s the one thing she’d recommend to other women? ‘Move more! Get out, walk the dog, eat well,’ she says. ‘More generally, I’m trying to read a book when I wake up rather than looking at my phone. It’s hard, but I feel so much better.’
This year, GH is getting fit (enough). Join us!
The Fit (Enough) Club is an accessible, realistic and fun fitness community for women who hate fads and like treats. Sign up to the Good Life newsletter and, along with wellness tips and health advice, you’ll get a weekly dose of fitness advice, videos and expert insights.
Get your Fit (Enough) Club fix to keep you moving and motivated throughout 2026. You’ll also receive your special welcome pack.
Ready? Get set… Go!
Join the Fit (Enough) Club now!
Related Stories
