Innholdsfortegnelse for Monday, February 20, 2023 i Woman's Own

Trying something new, even something that sounds simple, can feel scary. But on p62, reader Vic Paterson proves that taking the plunge can end up being one of the best decisions, and often brings with it lots of unexpected fun – even when it’s just dyeing your hair a new colour! It’s not just readers being daring this week, on p54 we look at some of the most eye-popping outfits worn by celebrities – from that Liz Hurley dress (wow!) to Lady Gaga’s meat ensemble (I’d give this one a swerve). They might not all take your fancy, but they’ve certainly left an impression! Pancake Day is fast approaching and on p32 we’ve got moreish recipes you’ll be desperate to try – the chocolate ones are definitely the winners for…

CAROL VORDERMAN She’s been single for more than 15 years but that doesn’t mean that Carol Vorderman is missing out on all the fun. In fact, far from it. The 62-year-old revealed she currently has five different men on the go, admitting, ‘This whole assumption, “Have you got a man?” Well, no, actually I’ve got five!’ She added that she’s never felt freer. ‘I don’t really want to marry again… So I have ignored looking for one person and I have a number of what I’ve called “special friends”.’ Whatever works for you, Carol! FERN BRITTON She split from husband of 20 years, Phil Vickery, 61, in 2020, and has been single ever since. The 65-year-old, who shares daughter Winnie, 21, with Phil and has three children with first husband…

BOSSY OR BULLYING? I’ve been a boss and I’ve also had a boss who tried to bully me. They failed. Because I refused to let them win. But the whole subject of the difference between ‘bullying’ and being firm in the work place has risen its ugly head again with the fact our deputy PM, Dominic Raab, is facing accusations that he wasn’t a nice person to work for. Incredibly, there is no standard definition in law as to what ‘bullying’ actually is. A boss can yell at you, and legally, that’s perfectly OK. But some of the following do give you grounds for complaint: excluding and ignoring people and their contribution; spreading malicious rumours; regularly undermining someone; denying someone’s training or promotion opportunities; using social media to humiliate,…

Breakfast SWAP Blueberry muffin and full-fat latte (560 cals) Raisins in a fruit loaf count as one of your five-a-day. FOR Slice of toasted fruit bread and skinny cappuccino (190 cals) SWAP Scrambled eggs on buttered white toast (550 cals) Fresh herbs are antioxidant-rich – add basil, oregano, dill or parsley. FOR Omelette with herbs (150 cals) SWAP A full English fry-up (850 cals) Mushrooms are a source of vitamin D and contain B vitamins to provide energy. FOR Grilled bacon and mushroom on sandwich thins (360 cals) SWAP Crunchy Nut Cornflakes with semi-skimmed milk (180 cals) Pick this cereal that’s high in fibre for a healthy bowel. FOR 1 Weetabix with semi-skimmed milk (105 cals) Lunch SWAP Chicken Caesar salad (450 cals) Egg in this salad swap helps…

Chocolate and Nutella buckwheat stacks PREP TIME: 10 MINS COOK TIME: 10 MINS CALS: 600 FAT: 72G SAT FAT: 31G CARBS: 110G SERVES 4 Buckwheat is naturally gluten free and full of flavour and nutrients. It has a great nutty taste that works well with this chocolate and nut combination. YOU WILL NEED For the pancakes: 150g buckwheat flour1tsp baking powder1tbsp sugar1 medium egg284ml carton buttermilk60ml milk60g butter, melted1tbsp vegetable oil To serve: 150g dark chocolate4tbsp golden syrup300ml double cream, whipped150g NutellaFew scoops of ice cream100g toasted hazelnuts,roughly chopped HOW TO DO IT 1 In a bowl, mix the buckwheat flour, baking powder and sugar. Make a well in the centre and crack in the egg, then pour in the buttermilk and milk. Whisk to form a smooth batter. Add…

Real life behind the headlines It may be 2023, but abuse directed against the LGBT+ community is on the rise in the UK. New stats* reveal that 68% of LGBT+ people were subjected to a hate crime in the past year and one in four of those surveyed reported suffering physical injury from a hate-fuelled attack. From verbal abuse to online threats and physical violence, such crimes have become commonplace. And with 75% of victims too afraid to report such incidents to the police, the problem could be more severe than it appears. But why are things getting worse, and what more can be done? Woman’s Own speaks to one woman whose son took his own life after suffering mental health issues, following a violent assault... ‘His future…

Lorraine’s SEX CONFESSION Lorraine Kelly was left red-faced when co-star Ben Shephard, 48, brought up her sex confession live on air. They may have been married for more than 30 years but Lorraine and husband Steve Smith still keep the fire alight. The TV veteran, 63, revealed camera operator Steve sends her naughty messages while she’s on air. ‘After 30 years, Steve still fancies me,’ she said. ‘He’s a real boob man and will text me during the show if I’ve got a nice dress on to say, “Nice boobs”.’ Lorraine, who shares daughter Rosie, 28, with Steve, explained, ‘Intimacy is important at whatever stage of a relationship you’re in. You’ve got to keep that alive.’ It’s not the first confession the star has made about her and Steve’s sex…

URBAN JUNGLE A feel-fabulous coat will elevate the simplest of outfits. Coat, £38, sizes 4-20, Primark BEAUTY UPDATE The transparent fabric makes for easy touch-ups. Make-up bag, £16, Accessorize ABSTRACT ACCENTS Blurring the line between functionality and art. Vase, £10, Dunelm BACK TO BASICS Ideal for layering. Jumper, £19.99, sizes 6-18, New Look SPORTS COUTURE For working out or lounging. Leggings, £17.99, sizes xs-xl, H&M IN THE DETAIL Make your home a sanctuary with cosy throws and chic candles. Throw, £35, cushions, £17.50 each, tumbler, £12 for four, candle holder, £14, terracotta vase, £9.50, all M&S CAFE SOCIETY Brighten up your dinner table with vibrant dishes. Plate, £2.49, H&M Home NO SWEAT Perfect for off-duty dressing. Sweatshirt, £17.50, sizes 6-22, F&F Clothing SAVE THE MOMENT Display happy memories in a…

IS IT DEMENTIA? Q My memory is starting to worry me. I keep forgetting where I have put things and the other day, when I was driving to see a friend, I suddenly lost my way. It’s a journey I do regularly so it really concerns me. Should I see my GP? A I often say to my patients, it is normal to forget where you have put your car keys. What is not normal is to forget what they are for or find you have stored them in the fridge! But losing your way on a familiar journey is more worrying. So please make an appointment to see your GP who will do something called a mini mental state examination, which is a standard set of questions to assess…

Ramp up recovery My skin loses the plot when the seasons change, but thanks to Vichy Minéral 89 Prebiotic Fractions Recovery & Defence Concentrate, £31, lookfantastic.com, the transition was smoother this winter. It uses probiotics to calm, niacinamide to balance and volcanic mineralising water to restore lost moisture. Jess Quenching cream Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Hydrating Mask, £25, John Lewis & Partners, is aptly named – it’s like a massive drink of water for my thirsty skin. I apply it before going to bed and my skin always looks happier, plump and soothed by the morning. A little goes a long way. Rhiannon Soothing serum Aveeno’s entire Calming range is brilliant, but Aveeno Calm + Restore Triple Oat Serum, £16, Sainsbury’s, is a real hero. It instantly restores my…

1 Do a sweep of the house Find a large box, or even the laundry basket, and walk around your house, room by room, gathering up anything that doesn’t belong there. Once you’ve tackled all the spaces, or your basket is full, return the items to their proper home or throw them in the bin or recycling tub. This easy task will have a big impact on the everyday clutter that accumulates around your home. 2 Employ the four-box method A tried and tested way of decluttering when time is of the essence is to use the four-box method. Find four large boxes and label them as recycling, rubbish, charity and store. Whether you’re tackling your living space room by room or by type, this method encourages you to make…

CLUES & ARROWS Fill in the clues in the direction of the arrows. WORDWISE Amen, ament, amine, amino, ammine, ammo, ammonite, amniote, anime, anomie, atom, emit, imam, inmate, item, maim, main, maintop, mane, mate, matin, mean, meant, meat, memo, mien, mime, mine, mint, mite, moan, moat, moment, monte, mope, mote, name, nome, omen, omit, pimento, pitman, poem, pome, potman, ptomaine, tame, tamp, tampion, tampon, team, temp, tempo, time, tome. Answer: PANTOMIME Sudoku To solve the puzzle, each 3 x 3 box, each column and each row must contain the numbers 1 to 9. Wordsearch Bornholmian, Jutish and Insular are dialects of which language? The answer is the one missing from the grid. ARABICBENGALIDANISHDUTCHFRENCHGAELICGERMANGREEK HEBREWHINDIPOLISHRUSSIANSWAHILITHAITURKISH CROSSWORD Put your feet up and have a go at this old classic. ACROSS 1 Good…

Film THE SON Out 17 February Hugh Jackman and Laura Dern star as divorced exes who struggle to help their troubled teenage son when he shows signs of depression and self-harm. Written and directed by the creator of The Father, this tense family drama packs a similar emotional punch. Podcast THE THERAPY CROUCH WITH PETER CROUCH AND ABBEY CLANCY New episodes released every Tuesday (Acast) Husband and wife Peter Crouch and Abbey Clancy bring you laughter, advice and hilarious recollections from their early days as a couple. This podcast sees the pair undergo couples counselling and will no doubt leave you wanting more. Event HEATHERS: THE MUSICAL – UK TOUR Until 7 Oct 2023, multiple locations, from £13 Based on the 1988 cult film, Heathers: the Musical follows Veronica’s desperate…

KYLIE JENNER The beauty mogul, 25, recently attended Paris fashion week wearing a Schiaparelli dress that included a lifelike lion’s head. The dress annoyed animal rights activists, but the brand insisted, ‘No animals were harmed in making this look.’ It explained that ‘foam, wool and silk faux fur [were used], and [it was] hand-painted to look as lifelike as possible’. JARED LETO The Met Gala is known for pushing the boundaries of fashion, but nobody could’ve expected actor Jared to show up holding a life-size model of his own head. The 51-year-old, who starred in the film House of Gucci and wore the brand to the 2019 event, accessorised with the realistic severed head tucked under his arm. It’s certainly more out there than your classic clutch bag! LADY GAGA…

For years they’ve been ITV royalty, but have the wheels finally fallen off for Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield? The pair have been presenting This Morning together since 2009, but with their popularity recently questioned, it seems there could be another dynamic duo at ITV ready to take the helm. Over the past couple of years, Alison Hammond, 48, and Dermot O’Leary, 49, have proven their worth in the show’s Friday slot, and it seems as though fans are calling for them to take over completely. ‘Please can Alison and Dermot present more! Switching off when Holly and Phil on,’ one fan wrote, while another added, ‘Dermot and Alison are awesome.’ Meanwhile, fans appear to be losing affection for Holly, 41, and Phil, 60. ‘Phil and Holly are so boring,’…

As my husband Shaun walked into our bedroom, I pulled the duvet up to my neck to cover myself. You’d think I’d be showing off my slimmed-down body after losing more than 10st, but with an envelope of saggy skin hanging off my stomach, I’m nowhere near feeling confident. My weight problem started young. By the time I was four, my mum had taken me to the GP as she was concerned about my size, but doctors couldn’t find a reason. By eight, I could fit into adult size-14 clothes, and six years later I was 15st and struggling with anxiety and depression. SECRET SNACKING I was relentlessly targeted by school bullies and stopped eating during the school day in the hope it would stop them picking on me. Yet…

Have you heard about? SHORT BURSTS OF EXERCISE CAN BOOST LIFE EXPECTANCY Find long workout sessions dull? Fear not – short bursts of exercise can still have a big impact, says new research*. That’s right, findings showed that just three to four short bursts of up to four-and-a-half minutes of activity every day – such as running to catch the bus or vacuuming – were linked to a 40% reduced risk of early death from any cause, including cancer. It worked for me Jane Livingston-Payne, 48, from Surrey ‘I suffered with cystic acne for most of my adult life. I tried everything from acne products to pills and lotions from the doctor, but nothing helped. I felt self-conscious and even used to avoid people. I now use Clarol Silver Serum…

Health ask us My parents make me feel guilty Q I am in my 50s and my parents are in their late 70s. I grew up with them telling me they loved me on the one hand and criticising me on the other. In their eyes, I was fat, stupid and married down. They are still hyper-critical of me. I am so angry and depressed around them that I have decided only to go when necessary, but this has made me feel even more guilty. Help. A Good for you for doing something different that’s better for you. Guilt is there to stop us from doing harmful things, but it is not helpful in situations such as these. It’s not meant to stop you caring for yourself. Try to see…

With four children (Flo, 24, Annie, 22, Monty, 20, and Dolly, 13), I spend my life doing things for other people, but for some baffling reason this isn’t considered to be kindness – just the often thankless duty all we mothers have to endure. As much of what I do also goes wholly unappreciated, I don’t even get that little feel-good kick of satisfaction for putting another human being first. I know I am kind. I must be. The last time I did something for myself was back in 1997 when the Spice Girls were still topping the charts. So when I was asked to take on the challenge of a week of random acts of kindness, I knew straight away that the recipients Must Not Be People I Am…

READER QUESTION Q I’ve heard it’s possible to get cheap deals at Amazon Warehouse. How do I do this? A When you visit amazon.co.uk and opt for Amazon Warehouse in the dropdown box, you’ll find items that have been pre-owned, warehouse-damaged or returned by customers. Depending on their condition, some items are more deeply discounted. To find the best deals try using this handy tool: moneysavingexpert.com/amazon-warehouse-discount-finder. Go green for less Donate your unwanted Monsoon clothes to your local store and you’ll get a £10 voucher to spend on new purchases of £50 or more. Simply hand in your items at the till – it’s quick, easy and available in any Monsoon store. Find out more at monsoon.co.uk/clothes-for-life.html. 3 easy ways to... increase your home’s value If you’re planning to put…

14-20 February 2023 ASK ALEX A ‘WHAT IS MY HOROSCOPE TODAY?’ ARIES 21 Mar – 20 Apr Life can be a constant juggling act. Step away from your busy life for an hour when a family member asks for help. TAURUS 21 Apr – 20 May You may feel your energy evaporating. If so, plan some exciting events and pamper yourself. Ask a friend for advice. GEMINI 21 May – 20 Jun It’s a week for love and people find you a delight to be around. Don’t ignore your chemistry as relationships deepen. CANCER 21 Jun – 22 Jul You would like to nurture your intuitive side. There are online courses to help you understand what you’re experiencing. LEO 23 Jul – 22 Aug Accept invitations to enjoy yourself, meet…

NOT THAT KIND OF EVER AFTER by Luci Adams (£9.99, PB, Little, Brown Book Group) Bella Marble’s life is far from a fairy tale. The aspiring writer craves nothing more than to find ‘the one’. But no matter how many racy romps she braves on London’s dating scene, princes remain pretty thin on the ground. To make matters worse, while Bella remains decidedly single, her best friend is moving out with her ogre-like boyfriend. As her illusions of a ‘happily ever after’ crumble, Bella makes up her mind. If she can’t find her Prince Charming, she can have a lot of fun kissing frogs… A witty take on the joys of female friendship and the trials and tribulations of 21st-century dating. THIS COULD BE EVERYTHING by Eva Rice (£16.99, HB,…

Shania Twain ‘I’VE BEEN VERY IMPRESSED!’ The singer joins the judging panel of ITV1’s Starstruck… More fans of superstar singers team up for a new series of the talent show which sees them transform into their icons and perform some of their greatest hits. Multi-million-selling country star Shania replaces Sheridan Smith on the panel of judges, alongside singer and West End star Beverley Knight, Queen frontman Adam Lambert and comedian Jason Manford. ‘IT WAS SO EXCITING!’ In each episode, teams of three superfans perform one by one, with the best trio going through to a sing-off where the amateur singers compete against each other for a place in the final. The show also sees the judges and host Olly Murs performing together… ‘We had so much fun!’ says Shania. ‘Those…

Real life in my experience Walking down the street to my local shop, I saw a stranger gazing at me. Smiling back, I knew what was coming next. ‘I love your hair!’ she called. Thanking her, I gave my cropped, blonde tresses a ruffle and the afterglow of her compliment kept me smiling for the rest of the afternoon. It was September 2021 and I was still getting used to the attention that my dyed hair attracted. Having been brunette with shoulder-length hair for years, in May I’d decided I needed a change. I felt like my long, dark tresses were ageing me prematurely, my face drooping, making me look old and grumpy. ‘I FELT MORE CHEERFUL FROM HEAD TO TOE’ CHOP AND CHANGE I headed to the hairdresser’s and…