A grandmother-of-four has credited a sugar-free diet and daily exercise for her youthful looks and abundance of energy.
Carolyn Hartz, from Perth, Australia, gave up sugar after a pre-diabetes diagnosis.
Now, almost 30 years later, she’s in incredible shape and wants to share how she got there.
After her diabetes scare, Hartz vowed to cut out the sweet stuff in order to get her blood sugar back on track.
Once she’d achieved that, she decided that sweet treats could be eaten in moderation - and would occasionally indulge in something tasty, albeit sugar-free.
She later went on to launch her own company SweetLife, selling a sugar alternative called Xylitol, and has also since published a cookbook called ‘Sugar Free Baking’.
Hartz, who turned 70 in July, credits a healthy, sugar-free diet and mindful eating for helping her stay on track.
In fact, she’s been sugar-free for 28 years now, according to the Mail Online.
She is also a fan of regular exercise - playing tennis, meditating and going for regular walks with her husband.
“You have to watch what you put in your mouth — that’s number one — and two, you have to move your legs,” she told News.com.au.
The grandmother-of-four admits she’s had some cosmetic work in her time, but insists that it’s not the reason she’s stayed so youthful.
Acknowledging that it can be difficult to keep the weight off as you age, she told the Mail Online that it’s all about taking control of eating habits.
“We know our metabolism slows down as we get older it just means we have to take control and make healthier choices and work a little harder,” she said.
“I believe it is very important to be aware of the type of food you eat and the quantity of food you eat.
“Mindless eating can lead to unnecessary weight gain. I say to my customers ‘taste and enjoy every mouthful’, it will help you slow down and you will be less likely to overeat.”
For those considering cutting sugar from their diet, HuffPost UK executive editor Poorna Bell said she tried it - and it was no walk in the park.
When she went cold turkey from sugar, she experienced physical side effects including headaches, grumpiness and lethargy.
“My body just felt awful, like I had the flu,” she wrote in a blog post.
But at the end, it was totally worth it.
“Would I recommend it? Hell, yes. It will be one of the hardest things you do, but I finally feel like I’m not enslaved to sugar,” she explained.
To cut down your sugar intake effectively, check out these top tips.