I Quit Sugar founder Sarah Wilson has opened up about why her new life in Paris is superior to her time in Australia.
The entrepreneur, who made millions documenting her sugar-free lifestyle, appeared on The Project on Friday evening and said she felt more appreciated as a middle-aged woman in the French city.
“As an older woman, over 50, it really is a beautiful place because there is a real appreciation for different age groups,” the 50-year-old said.
'You don't turn fifty and become invisible. There's the food. There is a culture of people being on the street and a conversation happening.
'It's the least lonely I've been. It is a wonderful place if you are alone as an older woman.'
I Quit Sugar founder Sarah Wilson (pictured) has told why her new life in Paris is superior to her time in Australia
Wilson explained that in Australia she was 'clipped' as a strong-willed woman, and that 'anyone in Australia who doesn't fit the stereotype' of a 'larrikin' person is treated as a suspect.
“For anyone who is outspoken about climate issues or the issues that affect Australia and Australia as a nation and our cultural identity, it's a place where it's hard to get a sense of it,” she said.
“If you rock that boat, that Larrikin mythology, you can easily get shot.”
Wilson revealed last week that she felt unsupported in Australia and was never able to land another television gig after hosting one season of MasterChef Australia in 2009.
The entrepreneur, who made millions documenting her sugar-free lifestyle, appeared on The Project on Friday and said she felt more validated as a middle-aged woman in the French city.
“I don't think we have yet created the space for discussions that push boundaries,” said the journalist and broadcaster Stellar magazine.
She said Australian TV lacks a “space for women to talk about big political ideas that could make some waves,” before adding emphatically:I'll be honest, part of the reason I'm here and not in Australia is because I don't feel stuck in Australia.”
She continued, “I felt left out to a certain extent and instead of continuing to complain and be upset, I left so that I can still love my country and still feel like I can come back.
“I hope one day I can come back to a country where women like me can talk about big issues on mainstream television.”
Wilson said that in Australia she was “clipped” as a strong-willed woman, and that “anyone in Australia who doesn't fit the stereotype” of a “larrikin” persona is treated as a suspect.
Wilson now lives in Paris, where she says she lives a “simple life,” without many of the luxuries she enjoyed at the height of her career.
The journalist explained that she does not live a “lavish lifestyle” but chooses to live frugally by staying in a small apartment and cooking most of her own food.
She now runs her own Substack, which has 50,000 subscribers, where she writes about a variety of topics from health and wellness to politics, climate change and transgenderism.
Wilson has been particularly outspoken on the topic of gender dysphoria among teens and children.
She also hosts her own podcast called Wild with Sarah Wilson, featuring in-depth interviews with experts on a variety of polarizing topics.
Wilson revealed how she felt unsupported in Australia and was never able to land a television gig again after briefly hosting season one of MasterChef Australia in 2009 (pictured)
Wilson is known for her best-selling 2012 book I Quit Sugar and has since published more than 30 others.
In February 2018, she made headlines when she announced she was selling her I Quit Sugar empire.
The health guru, who became popular for her cookbooks full of sugar-free recipes, donated the money from her handsome winnings to charity.
Wilson sold her trove of recipes to Sam Wood's 28 program, owned by former Bachelor star Sam Wood, for an undisclosed amount.
After closing the business, Sarah traveled the world and embarked on a journey of self-reflection with a walking tour.
“I don't think there's a lot of room for women to express big political ideas that could cause a bit of a stir. “I'll be honest, part of the reason I'm here and not in Australia is because I don't feel held in Australia,” she says. (Pictured on MasterChef Australia in 2009)
She revealed her discoveries in her book This One Wild And Precious Life, which was published in 2020.
Sara told me Body+Soul about her travels: 'I've explored everywhere from Slovenia to Greece, Jordan and the Australian desert. I would go on wild adventures to develop the theories, practices and life hacks with which we can change the world today.'
The avid traveler, who suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder, then revealed the mental health benefits of getting out in nature.
“I'm going to be really confused,” she said of her time in the urban environment.
'I'll also feel quite stuck within myself. We are a culture that does not go to extremes and I find that suffocating.
Wilson now lives in Paris, where she says she lives a “simple life,” without many of the luxuries she enjoyed at the height of her career. 'I don't have a luxurious lifestyle. I live in a small apartment here in Paris, which is much cheaper than in Australia,” she says
'When you go into nature, you take risks. You have to jump over logs and navigate around rocks, so all your senses are stimulated – and that brings me to life.”
Despite making a name for herself quitting the stuff, Wilson now says she eats sugar every day.
“Personally, I eat sugar every day,” Wilson said on the podcast I can not live without you.
'I don't eat and count it, I don't weigh it, but I intuitively know how much my body can handle and what the right amount is.'
Wilson is known for her best-selling 2012 book I Quit Sugar (pictured) and has since published more than 30 others. In February 2018, she made headlines when she announced she was selling her I Quit Sugar empire
For Wilson, the right amount of sugar comes down to “a glass or two of red wine” every evening, a few pieces of fruit and chocolate – between 75 and 80 percent strength – a day.
She said she eats between six and nine teaspoons of sugar a day, according to World Health Organization guidelines.
“Every time I eat more, I always realize that's why I feel so bad,” Wilson said
Before writing I Quit Sugar, she said she discovered she was consuming as much as 30 teaspoons of sugar every day.
After closing the business, Sarah traveled the world and embarked on a journey of self-reflection with a walking tour. She revealed her discoveries in her book This One Wild And Precious Life
“There's a lot of misinformation out there – a lot of people think I still don't eat sugar or drink alcohol,” Wilson said on the podcast.
But now that she said she knows what her body can handle in terms of sugar, she has introduced a little bit back into her diet.
Wilson has also reaped the tremendous benefits of cutting out excessive amounts of excess sugar, including more energy, clearer skin and better overall health.
She is currently writing a new book, which Stellar says is “about the collapse of a lot of things that are going on” and deals with politics and the environment.
She is currently writing a new book, which she says is to Stellar, “about the collapse of a lot of things that are going on” and is about politics and the environment