Innholdsfortegnelse for Monday, March 04, 2024 i Woman's Own

It’s a bumper issue this week, packed with more of everything you love. We’ve got 20 bags under £20 on p22, dinners in a dash on p50 (steak and egg sandwich? Yes, please!), and you can test your Loose Women knowledge with our quiz on p84. Find out the fitness mistakes that will age you on p34 – as well as some brilliant youth-boosting activities. I like the sound of a countryside cycle – although I’m not very good on two wheels! Plus, is sex the key to happiness? We reveal all (ooh la la!) on p48. Enjoy, and have a great week! The Woman’s OwnHealth & Beauty special is on sale NOW Join us online goodtoknow.co.uk/womansown womansown@futurenet.com facebook.com/womansownmagazine twitter.com@WomansOwn Woman’s Own, Future plc, 121-141 Westbourne Terrace, London W2 6JR…

After Holly Willoughby stepped down from This Morning last October, the show was set for a big relaunch at the start of 2024. A source revealed at the time, ‘The feeling now is that change must be made - and this is the impetus needed. This Morning boss Martin Frizell is working tirelessly to give viewers what they want – a warm, buzzy, feel-good magazine show, marshalled by two fresh new anchors.’ Earlier this month, it was announced that Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard would be the show’s new hosts. But while producers were trying out a roster of new presenters, regular Friday co-host Alison Hammond had been stepping in frequently. However, in recent weeks the star has been notably absent. So with the hit ITV daytime show at last…

Dashing in from the cold, I took off my coat and closed the door behind me. ‘I’m back,’ I called to my husband Richard, then 33. It was February 2023 and I’d just dropped our daughter April, then six, at school. Slipping off my boots, I was greeted by Richard and our youngest, Luke, then 21 months, who welcomed me with a grin and cuddle. ‘I’ve only been gone a few minutes,’ I laughed, cuddling him back. ‘HE LET OUT AN AGONISING SCREAM’ As he toddled after me, giggling, I headed for the kitchen. ‘Fancy a cup of tea?’ I asked Richard, who was working as an IT technician from home in the living room. Clinking two mugs on the kitchen counter, I boiled the kettle as Luke played across…

Mom Mom jeans have come a long way since the 80s and 90s and are now a firm staple. Sitting snugly on the waist and loose on the hips and thighs before gently tapering at the leg, they make a great choice for both hourglass and pear shapes. Give these a sporty vibe with chunky trainers and a slogan sweater. Barrel A more modern silhouette, barrel-leg jeans are having a moment. Like a straight-cut but with a much roomier leg, they’re both comfy and effortlessly cool. The built-in belt helps to give extra definition on the waist. Wear with more feminine pieces – a flouncy blouse and delicate shoes. Wide-leg Infusing style with comfort, these wide-leg jeggings are elegant and easy to wear. Sitting high on the waist, the voluminous…

IF YOU HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT YOUR HEALTH, SEE YOUR GP. CONSULT YOUR GP OR MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL BEFORE TAKING NEW SUPPLEMENTS. *PSYCHOLOGICAL BULLETIN. **WOMEN’S HEALTH SURVEY. Have you heard about? SLEEP DEPRIVATION CAN MAKE YOU UNHAPPY Been staying up late? It could be having an impact on your mood*. Reviewing 154 studies on sleep deprivation, researchers found that people’s positive emotions significantly declined if they got four hours less sleep than normal, but they also felt less positive from any reduction in sleep. Ditch Netflix for a warm bath and start your evening routine at the same time each night. It worked for me Julia Mitchell, 62, from Lancashire ‘I used to wake up with aching joints. I now take Syno-Vital Hyaluronic Acid +Vitamin C (£30.99 for 30 sachets, modernherbals.com), a…

My mother was abusive Q My father left when I was four, and with three kids, it was hard for my mother. She’d lock us outside in the cold, hit us and scream at us constantly. But at other times, she could be kind and loving. My siblings will have nothing to do with her, but I feel obliged to stay in contact as she’s 82. I still feel upset when I’m with her, especially as she insists we had a perfect childhood and refuses to apologise for the past. A It’s doubtful that your mother will ever admit to how abusive she was to you all, but you can refuse to play into her rewriting of the past by ignoring what she says. You can also stop waiting for…

Need to shape up fast? Soup could be your solution. ‘Water-rich soups have a low number of calories per portion compared with other foods,’ says nutrition expert Professor Barbara Rolls. ‘Water adds weight and volume to your meal, so you can have a satisfying amount without harming your waistline.’ Overwhelmed by the prep? Don’t be – on those busier days, you can opt for shop-bought instead. You’ll shed unwanted pounds, boost your overall health and look fabulous, too – in just three days. Here’s how… Your soup diet plan For three days, simply have four bowls of soup a day – one for breakfast (yes, really!), one for lunch, another late afternoon and a final bowl an hour or two before bed. You can mix or match the recipes and…

Ellen Manning, 41, is perfectly happy being child free Having an abortion isn’t easy to talk about – especially if, like me, you’ve had more than one. It shouldn’t be anything to be ashamed of, yet there’s always a fear of judgement from family and friends. Even if people say nothing, the silence after you say the dreaded A-word speaks volumes. Those unspoken questions: How could you be so careless? How could you get rid of it? Why wouldn’t you want a baby? That last question is actually one that plenty of people feel comfortable asking. There’s also the assumption that abortion is something we go through when we’re younger and something we will inevitably regret one day. But the thing is, I don’t. When I was in my mid-20s…

Banoffee pie PREP TIME: 30 MINS, PLUS CHILLING CALS: 500 FAT: 32G SAT FAT: 19G CARBS: 50G SERVES 10-12 You don’t even need to turn the oven on for this delicious showstopper! YOU WILL NEED 300g chocolate digestive biscuits100g butter, melted150g dark chocolate, roughly chopped, plus extra, grated, for the top397g tin Carnation caramel3 large bananas, sliced300ml double cream2tbsp Kahlúa or other creamy liqueur such as Baileys (optional)You will need: 20cm springform cake tin, the base lined with baking paper HOW TO DO IT 1 Whizz the biscuits in a food processor to make fine breadcrumbs. Add the melted butter and pulse until combined. Press the mixture into the base of the tin, and 5cm up the sides (a flat-bottom glass will help). Chill for 1 hr until firm. 2…

‘YOUNG ’UNS WASTE SO MUCH TIME’ I visited my parents recently. While I wittered on about the weather, the kids and life in general, I noticed that, while they had complaints, they both seemed a lot happier than me. So, when I read about a study that found that people over 55 have a better quality of life and that there’s a ‘happiness gap’, with older people feeling consistently more content and secure than those aged 16 to 34, well, it all made sense. It led me to ponder the secrets of my parents’ happiness. I asked them for some tips, and here’s what happened when I spent a week following their advice… DAY 1 GET ACTIVE As a working mum-of-two, I don’t have much time to exercise. But my…

27 February-4 March 2024 ARIES 21 Mar – 20 Apr A social person, you love organising get-togethers. Now would be a great time to arrange a day out or short trip with friends to bring a new sense of community. TAURUS 21 Apr – 20 May You find change challenging, but are ready for something different. Take a leap of faith. The universe knows what you need – trust everything will work out well. GEMINI 21 May – 20 Jun You’ve been reflecting on areas of life that are important to you and how to take a new direction. Notice the signs you’re receiving and follow your heart. CANCER 21 Jun – 22 Jul Your gentle, sensitive nature is an asset, but means you can end up feeling hurt. If…

THE ESCAPE ROOM by L.D. Smithson (£14.99, HB, Bantam) The clues are all around you – but can you spot the killer? Eight complete strangers arrive on a sea fort off the coast of England. To be crowned the winner of a reality TV show, they must solve a series of puzzles. But the stakes are higher than any of them could imagine. One false move could be deadly. How much are the contestants willing to sacrifice for glory? As the bodies pile up, it becomes clear that a murderer is lurking inside the fort. The only way to escape is to win. Let the games begin! An electrifying read. On sale 29 February. THE WOMEN by Kristin Hannah (£16.99, HB, Pan Macmillan) 1965. Twenty-year-old Frances ‘Frankie’ McGrath has led…

JENNIFER HUDSON There’s nothing Grammyaward-winning singer and actor Jennifer loves more than an encore. So in 2009, five months after David Otunga proposed to her on her 27th birthday, Jen, now 42, re-popped the question, giving David his own diamond ring. The couple went on to welcome a son, but never married, and split in 2017. RITA ORA When singer Rita, 33, proposed to film-maker Taika Waititi, 48, in the summer of 2022, he said ‘yes instantly’. And just a few weeks later they married at home in LA, with only ‘about eight’ guests. Discussing their engagement, Rita admitted, ‘[There was] no real getting down on one knee. It was more like, ‘I want to marry you. Let’s just do it.’ ELIZABETH TAYLOR Hollywood icon Elizabeth wed a staggering eight…

1 NADIA SAWALHA, KAYE ADAMS AND JANE MOORE APPEARED ON THE VERY FIRST EPISODE IN 1999, BUT WHO WAS THE SHOW’S FOURTH PANELLIST? AThe Apprentice’s Karren BradyBThis Morning’s Holly WilloughbyCEastEnders’ Letitia DeanDRadio 2’s Sara Cox 2 WHICH OF THE PANEL HAS NOT APPEARED ON STRICTLY ? AFrankie Bridge BKaye AdamsCNadia SawalhaDGloria Hunniford 3 JUDI LOVE APPEARS ON CELEBRITY GOGGLEBOX WITH WHICH OF HER LOOSE WOMEN COLLEAGUES? AKatie PiperBSunetra SarkerCOlivia AttwoodDCharlene White 4 WHO IS COLEEN NOLAN’S ACTOR EX-HUSBAND? ABrian ConleyBRobson GreenCShane RichieDMartin Kemp 5 HOW MANY TIMES HAD JANET STREET-PORTER BEEN MARRIED BEFORE SETTLING DOWN WITH LONG-TERM PARTNER PETER SPANTON? AThreeB FourCFiveD Six 6 WHAT WAS THE NAME OF LINDA ROBSON’S CHARACTER IN BIRDS OF A FEATHER? ASharonBTraceyCDorianDLesley 7 BRENDA EDWARDS FIRST FOUND FAME AS A CONTESTANT ON WHICH REALITY…

Laura Norton ‘KERRY MAKES QUITE AN ENTRANCE!’ The Emmerdale star on her return to the soap… Over the years, many famous faces have rocked up in Emmerdale and this week it looks like superstar Cher has come for a visit! Except it’s just Kerry Wyatt dressed as the pop icon! She’s been away, working on a cruise ship, because Laura Norton, who plays her, has been on maternity leave. In October 2022, Laura gave birth to daughter Ronnie, her second child with fiancé and former Emmerdale co-star Mark Jordon. Their son, Jesse, arrived in January 2021. So, since she’s been off, has Laura had time to keep tabs on Emmerdale’s goings-on? ‘I’ve seen bits and bobs just because of the time of day that it’s on, because it’s bed and…

Katherine ‘I’D LOVE TO BE A LOOSE WOMAN’ In recent months ITV’s Loose Women has been switching up the panel and introducing new faces. So could comedian and TV presenter Katherine Ryan be the show’s latest addition? After working closely with Judi Love on their new ‘really funny and really inappropriate’ show Out Of Order, she certainly thinks so. When Woman’s Own caught up with the Canadian star, 40, she told us, ‘I like working with Judi, I love her. I’m obsessed with Judi Love! I really admire her and she’s a dream to work with.’ Katherine continued, ‘I should be a Loose Woman! I feel like I’m the loosest!’ She explained, ‘I’m over 40 now and I really get on with all of them. I love being a guest…

She’s often hailed as the voice of reason on Loose Women, largely due to her cool and composed demeanour. As one of the show’s original panellists and a former royal correspondent, it’s easy to see why Jane Moore is such a hit with viewers at home. But while she’s always chatty and happy on-screen, behind closed doors, Jane, who is mum to Ellie and Grace and stepmum to Lauren, has endured some personal sadness in recent years. In 2022, she announced that she and her husband of 20 years, PR guru Gary Farrow, had separated. Here, the 61-year-old fills us in on what’s next for her… Hi Jane, great to see you! You were there at the start of Loose Women in 1999 before stepping down and rejoining in 2013.…

ENDANGERED NAMES Has yours made the list? Pretty sure I’ve been an endangered ‘species’ since the day I was born. Same goes for my mum and nan. Wonder if you are, too? I suspect many of you will be, which you can either take as making you a very special, unique, lovely thing, or so ‘old school’, your lessons were handed down on tablets of rock by a bloke called Moses. Who is definitely endangered himself. Because today, it really is all in the name. New research carried out by the BabyCentre has examined the biggest declines in names given to nippers between 2022 and 2023 – and the results are curious, to say the least. Moses is one of the most ‘endangered’ boys’ names predicted for 2024, while another…

There’s often an in-joke among midlife women about letting ‘a bit of wee out’ when we do anything too adventurous, such as bouncing on a trampoline or laughing too hard. Even a cough or a sneeze could be considered high risk at times! As we get older, bladder complaints such as incontinence, nocturia and the urge to go can become more common. In fact, one in three women experience bladder issues, but 57% would never seek treatment for the problem.* Feel like life is too short to put up with it any longer? Here’s what could help. Is your lifestyle to blame? Incontinence is the most typical bladder problem for women. ‘While it’s common in those who’ve had children – due to damage caused to pelvic floor muscles and ligaments…

Want to rewind a decade or two? The good news is that any form of exercise is a great remedy for the passing of time, as it reduces fragility, keeps you supple and gives you a glowing complexion. But if your regular routine is leaving you feeling wiped out and haggard, then bad habits could be to blame. Ditch these common exercise mistakes and the anti-ageing benefits will follow… SLOUCHING ON A WALK Shuffle along instead of striding out on a walk? Bad posture can be instantly ageing. Plus, maintaining good posture helps your body to work more efficiently, which means you’ll be able to keep going for longer before you get tired, says fitness coach Jules Scudder at Running Rewire. It could also help you to breathe better. Maintain…

‘Spending time with Sofia is the biggest reward’ Kayleigh Greenacre, 37, lives in Bedford. Giving a final wave to my students, I closed down the Zoom call, then looked over at my daughter Sofia. It was during the lockdown in 2020 and I was working as an assistant headteacher from home while looking after my daughter Sofia, then three. She’d been begging me all morning to play with her, but I’d been so busy with work, I’d not had time. Now, as I watched her hunched over her colouring book, her face serious with concentration, I felt a pang of guilt. In that moment I knew I wanted so much more. I wanted to show my bright, beautiful daughter that she could do anything she wanted. But to do that,…

When we moved into our house, the bathroom was downstairs and although it was a good size, it was quite dated, with brown tiles and brown walls. We lived with it for around four-and-a-half years while we did other work to the house, but we always knew we’d relocate the bathroom upstairs eventually. CHANGING ROOMS We began to plan the new layout, and decided to turn the existing downstairs bathroom into a snug, with doors out to the garden – and it made sense to do all the work at once. Although we knew the old bathroom hadn’t been fitted well, it was only when we ripped out the bath that we found out it had been leaking into the floor and subfloor for years! Upstairs, the new bathroom was…

Peering at the chalkboard, I listened intently as my GCSE English teacher wrote the word ‘nice’ then aggressively scratched a thick cross through it. ‘Nice,’ she muttered, as if the word itself was nasty. ‘Never use the word nice. There are a hundred better words.’ She etched on my consciousness that nice is bland. We should aim to be exciting, unusual, spectacular and hilarious. Maybe we want to be brilliant, interesting or talented. But nice? No one should aspire to be, simply and humbly, nice. LIFE ENHANCING Over the years, I’ve pondered this. And recently, after reading On Being Nice, a School of Life book (a global organisation which aims to help people live more fulfilled lives) I wondered – what if we’re all so busy trying to be thinner,…

CLASSIC CREAM Team with a pair of on-trend, wide-leg jeans. Jacket, £45.99, sizes xs-xxl, Zara SCENT-SATIONAL Notes of wild berries. Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau de Toilette 50ml, £54, Superdrug SAFEKEEPING Store your glasses or sunglasses in style. Case, £16, Caroline Gardner PRETTY PASTELS Add a subtle touch of colour to your spring style. Earrings, £18, Oliver Bonas ON DISPLAY Showcase your favourite fresh or dried flowers. Vase, £9.50, M&S ALL IN THE DETAIL Set the table in style this Mothering Sunday. Tablecloth, £42, 12-piece dinner set, £90, set of 4 napkins, £22, plant pot, £28, jug, £30, all Lucy Tiffney at Next RAISE A GLASS Coloured glassware is making a huge comeback. Gin glasses, £15 for two, M&S SWEET DREAMS Enjoy a peaceful, undisturbed sleep. Silk eye mask, £8.99, amazon.co.uk…

She first rose to fame as a 19-year-old single mum auditioning for The X Factor in the hopes of becoming a pop star. But while singing isn’t her profession nowadays, The X Factor certainly changed Stacey’s life for the better. A well-loved member of the Loose Women panel, author and DIY guru, there isn’t much the mum-of-five, 34, can’t do now. Over the years, fans – including her 5.8 million Instagram followers – have come to rely on her for decluttering tips and mum hacks, but above all, her unapologetic honesty. So it’s unsurprising that when Woman’s Own chatted to Stacey about series four of her home improvement show, Sort Your Life Out, the star admits filming away from her five children was ‘a struggle’. Here, the ‘queen of clean’…

My fitted embroidered gown flowed beneath me as we swayed along to Tracy Chapman’s Fast Car. ‘I love you, Mrs Tatum,’ my new husband Oli, then 29, said, holding my tiny waist. It was June 2019 and after seven years together, we’d tied the knot. Now we were centre stage for our first dance and I’d never felt more beautiful. After months of pre-wedding dieting to slim down my size-12 figure, my size-8 dress fitted my slim 10st body like a glove. And didn’t I deserve to feel special? Because the journey to get here hadn’t been easy. As a child, I’d been diagnosed with the rare genetic condition Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). It meant my body didn’t produce enough collagen to support my connective tissue. My joints had worn away…

COIL CONFUSION Q A few years ago, I had a Mirena coil fitted and my periods stopped very quickly. This means I don’t know where I am in terms of my cycle, but I’m getting lots of hot flushes and night sweats, so I think I may be menopausal. Am I right in thinking that if I decide to take HRT, I will only need oestrogen? A The Mirena coil secretes small doses of progestogen into the lining of the womb and works well as the progestogen component of HRT for five years. As long as yours was fitted within that time, you don’t need extra progestogen, but you would need to have the Mirena coil replaced every five years. My chest hurts after starting new meds Q Just recently,…

Pizza omelette SERVES 3-4 Fast and thrifty eggs get an upgrade with this takeaway-inspired omelette – perfect for lunch or dinner. PREP TIME: 5 MINS COOK TIME: 9 MINS CALS: 342 FAT: 23G SAT FAT: 10G CARBS: 6G YOU WILL NEED 8 medium eggs1tsp dried Italian herbs, or dried oregano, plus extra to sprinkle30g finely grated Parmesan cheese or mature Cheddar cheese1tbsp olive oil4tbsp tomato passata or pizza sauce90g sliced pepperoniHandful pitted olives, chopped125g ball mozzarella, roughly tornHandful basil and/or oregano leaves, to garnish (optional)Leafy salad and crusty bread, to serve (optional)You will need: 23cm ovenproof frying pan HOW TO DO IT 1 Heat the grill to high. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, dried herbs, parmesan and a pinch of salt and pepper. Heat the oil in the…

CLUES & ARROWS Fill in the clues in the direction of the arrows. Sudoku To solve the puzzle, each 3 x 3 box, each column and each row must contain the numbers 1 to 9. Wordsearch What was the name of Tinker Bell’s friend and the protagonist in the 2014 film Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast? The answer is the one missing from the grid. CALFCHICKCUBFAWNFOALJOEYKIDKITTEN LAMBLARVAMAGGOTOWLETPIGLETPUPPYTADPOLE CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Permits (6)4 Liquefy (8)10 Nosy parker (7)11 Broken up (7)12 Curved structure (4)13 Combine (10)15 _ Warwick, singer of Walk on By and I Say a Little Prayer (6)16 Fundamental nature (7)20 Headache tablet (7)21 _ Flynn, star of films Emma and Stardust (6)24 On display (2,8)26 Clip (4)28 Synthetic material (7)29 Conflagration (7)30 2022 musical heist…

Film MADAME WEB Out in cinemas now Dakota Johnson stars as the titular Marvel superhero whose job as a New York paramedic leads to clairvoyant abilities. She soon uses them to fight off a murderous man and save a group of teenage girls who find they are all in some way connected. Performance ICONS: ORCHESTRAL 25 February-6 May 2024, The London Palladium. Tickets from £41 The London Palladium is hosting its first monthly orchestral residency, celebrating the music of iconic artists. Hear songs from the likes of The Rolling Stones and David Bowie performed by legendary saxophonist Leo Green and his orchestra. Tour AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN THE MUSICAL – UK TOUR 23 February-9 November 2024, multiple locations. Tickets from £20 Based on the award-winning 80s film, this timeless…