Innholdsfortegnelse for 15-sep-14 i Woman's Own

Oh joy! Finally a celebrity has admitted what most others try to hide – that pregnancy does make you put on weight. Girls Aloud star Kimberley Walsh has said of her first pregnancy, ‘I’m bigger all over!’ And even admitted her fingers are swollen ‘like sausages’. After so many stick-thin stars posing with football-sized bumps, aren’t the words of the 32-year-old singer refreshing? She added, ‘It’s a natural thing and people need to see everyone gets bigger.’ Thanks Kimberley – you’ve made so many of us women feel 100 times better!…

Kelly Brook, 34, has revealed she’s not a girl to be messed with! While dating actor Jason Statham, she caught him flirting with Gwyneth Paltrow at Madonna’s wedding. ‘Jason started to swing his hips from side to side and do a little jive with his arms, saying, ‘Gywnnie, Gwynnie. Sexy, sexy!’’ Kelly said, ‘He then turned round, only to be met with my fist in his face.’ Ouch! And Danny Cipriani also connected with Kelly’s knuckles when they were dating. They were at the Spearmint Rhino strip club in Las Vegas and Kelly discovered her man had given his phone number to a stripper. ‘I punched him straight in the face,’ Kel’s written in her new tell-all book.…

When Nicole Harker’s long-term relationship ended there were only two things she was determined to walk away with – her pet dogs, Oscar and Didi. Forget the expensive furnishings and gadgets she’d helped to buy for the rented Cheshire home she had shared for over two years with her partner, Matthew*, the emotional battleground became the couple’s pooches. Bitter battle ‘Our relationship broke down in spring 2010 and I told Matthew I didn’t want money or furniture, just our dogs,’ recalls Nicole, 33, an actress who owns a dog-walking, sitting and rehoming service. ‘Since I got them six years ago, Oscar and Didi have been like my children. When I’m not working, I’m playing with them or taking them for walks and they sleep in my bed at night. To…

Medicine is a marvellous thing for tackling health woes – but sometimes you’re not near a chemist, don’t want to pop a pill, or are simply suffering something drugs can’t help with. So what do you do then? Get your body to help you out. Here are 10 tricks to know about… 1 If you think you’re going to faint Cross your legs at the knee and clench your bottom a few times as hard and fast as you can, or press your hands together hard. ‘Fainting occurs when the brain doesn’t get enough oxygen but both these clenching exercises speed up blood flow,’ says Dr Nynke van Dijk, who trialled them at the University of Amsterdam. 2 Hiccups They can be seriously annoying, but forget all those traditional remedies…

Amy Halliday is 32 and lives in Bury, Greater Manchester, with her husband, Marc, and their children, Amee, 13, and Becky, 12. She works as an English teacher. Amy loves travelling and decided to use Quidco for booking holidays. ‘I earn money on travel insurance, car parking and holiday bookings,’ she says. ‘In 2011, Marc and I got married in Las Vegas and we earned about £200 cashback on the trip. It was brilliant. Recently, I booked a holiday to Mexico and earned another £200 cashback.’ Amy now always logs on to quidco.co.uk whenever she makes any purchase. ‘I’ve earned money on clothes from Oasis, Christmas presents such as tablets and a digital camera from Tesco – and even bike accessories from Halfords. I also earned cashback from my Sky…

Friends close to Pauline Quirke have revealed their fears over the star’s recent weight gain, saying she’s too busy to eat properly. ‘Pauline is bigger than ever and she’s blaming her busy schedule and quick fixes for gaining weight,’ a source said. With a new series of Birds Of A Feather in the pipeline, along with Pauline’s involvement with her performing arts academy for youngsters, Pauline has a lot on her plate. ‘She’s on the go all the time so she’s picking up unhealthy, fast foods just to be able to fill herself up,’ the source added. Pauline famously lost 8st in 12 months in 2011 – dropping from a size 20 to a 12 by following the LighterLife diet, also popular with co-star Linda Robson. Relaxing her diet And…

Would you – when you’re out at a restaurant, enjoying a meal with a friend or your partner – bring out your book from your handbag and start reading? Certainly not, most of us would cry! Yet it’s a fact that more than a quarter of us regularly do this with our phones. Halfway through a meal, sitting in a posh restaurant with friends or our other halves, we take out our mobiles to write texts, check Facebook, emails or even take a call. We seem to care little how antisocial – and indeed offensive – this can be to a dining companion left to stare awkwardly at their food or reread the menu. Even worse, the person on the phone is often snorting over some private joke in a…

FRAGONARD MUGUET LILY OF THE VALLEY EAU DE TOILETTE, £18, M&S Light neroli and pink peppercorn melt into jasmine and lily of the valley, mixed with spicy amber and musk. It’s a versatile day-to-night fragrance. ETERNAL LOVE EAU DE PARFUM, £16, M&S Don’t be fooled by the light and fruity top notes of bergamot and peach. This one’s a sultry little number with a jasmine and sandalwood base. AVON LUCK FOR HER EAU DE PARFUM, £15, AVONSHOP.CO.UK A long-lasting EDP for this price? We kid you not! Even better, this oriental fragrance smells as rich, glamorous and luxurious as it looks! No one will ever guess the price tag. EAU DES MATINES, £19, LECOUVENTDESMINIMES. CO.UK Get your five-a-day in one spritz, with notes of…

Stephanie Law, a solicitor in the family law department at Blacks Solicitors, says: ‘First, you need to contact a firm specialising in family law. Currently there are no agreements specifically covering pets – it would come under a wider prenuptial agreement with a specific clause relating to the animals. An agreement can cost from £750- £1,500. Discuss with your solicitor who owns the pet, who would look after it and who would pay for things like vet bills, pet food and insurance.'…

Do you really need them? We’re becoming a nation of pill poppers, with many Brits admitting they visit their GP in the hope of leaving with a prescription. Forty per cent more people were prescribed antibiotics between 1999 and 2011, according to recent research. Many were for minor ailments, such as coughs and colds, for which antibiotics don’t work. How to be happy Sometimes the simplest things can give us a boost. And as life coach Sophia Davis reveals, often they come from nature itself. According to research*, our top 10 feel-good favourites are: 1 Walking in the sunshine 2 Getting into fresh bed sheets 3 Going on a country walk 4 Being complimented on what we are wearing 5 The smell of sea air 6 Getting flowers 7 A…

The new collection has hit the shelves at Brantano and, with a fabulous 20% off, now is the time to start getting ready for autumn and winter! Choose from on-trend heels to boots and flats. And you’ll find a pair at Brantano for every member of the family. To take advantage of this massive discount, just cut out the voucher below and take it to your nearest Brantano store. Or, to shop online from the comfort of your own home or on your mobile, go to brantano.co.uk. Great brands With more than 150 stores nationwide and the option to purchase online, Brantano makes finding fabulous big-name footwear easy. Choose from top brands such as Clarks, Skechers, Rieker and Emilio Luca. HOW TO CLAIM IN-STORE Just cut out this voucher and…

CLAIRE SAYS: ‘Mark and I met when we were about 15 at school in Bedford. We instantly became friends – we liked the same things, shared the same humour and got on really well. ‘Then one day, 18 months later, Mark told me he liked me as more than a friend. I told him to stop being stupid. But a few days later, at the end of January 2002, he came over to mine. We were hanging out in my room and we found ourselves kissing. I pulled away and said, ‘We shouldn’t have done that.’ ‘Mark had to go home and I rang my friends who all told me I was the only one who couldn’t see we were meant to be together. So, from the next day, we…

You might have seen me in Woman’s Own before, as just a few months ago I was celebrating winning four jackpots in two months. Back then, I was amazed to have won over £29,000. But now I’ve had three more jackpot wins and have scooped a total of over £75,000! I myself a fairly lucky person, but I’m still reeling from the fact I’ve now won seven times! I’ve always enjoyed bingo, and used to play regularly at my local hall. Then I heard about online bingo from a good friend, Pam. I wasn’t sure at first, as I loved chatting to all the other players at the hall, even if it was just about the weather. But then I discovered Woman’s Own Bingo, where you…

PIC OF THE WEEK Win £50 if we feature your photo Stay safe Your recent article on what children get up to on foreign holidays really made think. Young people are more at risk than I thought. I sincerely hope that parents take your advice and youngsters are sensible when they’re away without their parents, for their own sake. Jennifer Shelden, Leicester Exciting news! I was very glad to hear that comedy star Miranda Hart is set to host the new series of The Generation Game , filling the shoes of the likes of Bruce Forsyth and Larry Grayson. I love the show and, providing Miranda doesn’t take the comedy aspect too far, I think it will definitely work well with a different kind of host on board. Programmes like…

Planning BABY NO.2 Simon Cowell can’t get enough of babies now he’s a dad – and number two is on the cards. The X Factor judge, 54, has admitted he can’t wait to give Eric a brother or sister with fiancée Lauren Silverman. Simon revealed, ‘Of course I’d like another. I’ve thought about having one in between X Factor series.’ INSIDE Brangelina’s WEDDING Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie might be worth a cool £16.8 million but their recent wedding wasn’t a flash affair. Instead, they married at their French estate Château Miraval with just 22 guests. It’s said Angelina wore a dress bought off the rack and they toasted their nuptials over a bottle of wine, worth £15, from the estate. And…

It was the sort of dramatic spat you’d expect to see on The X Factor or Celebrity Big Brother – Iain Watters threw his melted baked Alaska into the bin after it had been removed from the freezer by fellow competitor Diana Beard. But the controversy has led to an even greater outcry: What’s happened to our Bake Off ? Since its move to BBC1, the show seems to have employed new audience-pulling tactics, leaving some to question whether producers are trying to inject more drama and tension, as found in some other reality shows. And now former contestant Jordan Cox, who was eliminated in week three of this series, has said that producers are putting too much pressure on the contestants. ‘I know that for the four hours they…

With my platinum blonde hair, flat stomach and firm bust, I look pretty good for a 48-year-old mum-of-six. Perfecting my outer shell took two years and cost me more than £24,000. But before you condemn me as vain for chasing youth through surgery, I beg you to hear my story. Because I’ve spent all this money on myself for a reason far removed from simply wanting to look good. In fact, it’s only now that I’m coming to terms with what I’ve done and why. I grew up the eldest girl of five children, near Dublin. Dad, Patrick O’Brien, was a labourer and Mum held a series of jobs from cleaning to working in factories. The first time Dad abused me I was only four. I didn’t like it but…

WHAT TO DO When doing your weekly shop, check you include these basics (right) to create the delicious 1,200 calorie a day meals (Monday to Sunday). You’ll need a few store cupboard staples too: dried pasta shapes, garlic purée, ketchup, tomato purée, risotto rice, butter, reduced-fat mayo, cooking oil, soy sauce, brown rice, stock cubes, Marmite. The milk on the shopping list is to use up over the week in cereals, cups of tea or just as a healthy drink whenever you fancy. You don’t have to exercise on this plan, but a 30- minute brisk walk or 5- minute jog 3 times a week will speed up weight loss and keep you healthier TOP TIP SHOPPING LIST *Use discount supermarkets such as Aldi or Lidl Bran flakes, 500g, 59p…

Shouldhe miss his son’s wedding? When I met my now husband 18 years ago, he was married with two sons aged six and eight. We fell in love but I told him not to leave his children and wife. He left anyway and his ex set about poisoning his children against him. I have never met his children – it was the only way she’d let him see his kids. Now his eldest son has invited my husband to his wedding. I’m not invited and my other half says he won’t go on principle, but I think he should. Help! Yvette, 52, Kent Let him take a stand. For 18 years, he’s let his ex dictate his relationship to his children. Even when his kids were older he still didn’t…

That's a fact! According to Ocean Finance, a quarter of us want a built-in BBQ in our gardens HOW SECURE IS your garden? Did you know that the average garden contains nearly £400 worth of plants, bushes, trees and shrubs? Yet according to recent research conducted by M&S Bank, over half of homeowners don’t know if their garden is covered by insurance. With gardens often an easy target for thieves, it’s vital you take action. Here’s what to do… Is your garden covered? One in five people say that their shed contains over £1,000 worth of gardening tools and equipment! And worryingly, nearly 25% of shed owners admit to leaving theirs unlocked at times. Your insurance should cover you against: Theft Fire, lightning or explosion Storm or flood Malicious damage…

Fumbling with her coins, Joy Watson felt the colour rising in her face as she struggled to count out the right money. There was a long queue behind her at the checkout and people were starting to tut impatiently. Yet Joy was helpless to go any faster. For aged just 56, she is living with Alzheimer’s – the incurable form of dementia associated with people far older. It’s the most heartbreaking diagnosis for the mum-of-two, who knows her condition will only grow worse until she is unable to perform basic functions. ‘I suffered terrible depression at first,’ she admitted one time after I’d got to know her through my work with the Alzheimer’s Society. But what makes Joy so incredible is that she decided not just to battle back from…

(10 SEPTEMBER) This year Colin will gain a better understanding of his own power both at work and home – and he’ll want to protect his reputation. He’ll only want to work on projects close to his heart – expect to see him behind, not in front of the camera. Colin Firth Aries 21 Mar – 20 Apr You’re juggling a tricky situation where your craving for change means you get caught up in other people’s dramas. Ignore them. You’re moving forward, faster than many would like. At the weekend your cheerful vibe is infectious. For more call 0901 609 4780* Taurus 21 Apr – 20 May Friends and children still present challenges but this is another fabulous week for romance and sex! If life between the sheets has become…

It’s fair to say that the last few years have been a whirlwind for Sheridan Smith. As well as starring in some of our favourite TV dramas, the actress, 33, has won numerous awards and become a regular at red carpet events. Now she’s back on our screens as Cilla Black in a new biopic about the presenter. We caught up with Sheridan to chat about her life as an actress, meeting her idols and why, despite all her success, she’s still racked with self-doubt… Did you meet Cilla before playing her? We went to dinner and I was so nervous. When you’ve grown up watching someone on telly you just hope they’re going to be as nice as they come across. And she was. Was she happy with you…

Loose Women Literally! Claire Sweeney, Carol Vorderman and I had a great girlie night out – if only I could spill the beans! Claire did tell me that One Direction’s Zayn Malik is a fan of her old show 60 Minute Makeover . Onthe ROCOS ! Actress Cleo Rocos threw one of her legendary tequila bashes recently. Bake Off winner John Whaite and I tore up the rug with Emma Bunton before I called it a night, only to hear Melanie C turned up later. Must be losing my touch. I’d never leave the building before a Spice Girl back in my heyday! WAN more night Denise Van Outen’s show, Some Girl I Used To Know, opened with starry…

Car I’ve never actually owned my own car as I only learnt to drive earlier this year when Emmerdale producers made me. My character is a mechanic and a carjacker so driving was a pretty vital skill and they sent me off on a three-week intensive course. Drunken night out It wasn’t until I was 18 because I looked too young to get served anywhere before I got ID. I got drunk at a nightclub with a mate who was underage but unfortunately the bouncers overheard him saying he was only 17 and they kicked him out. Kiss It sounds a bit cliché but it was with a girl at school and we did it out of sight of the teachers with two of our friends on lookout. It only…