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Two-week diet plan that will mean you look and feel great at Christmas party – Mirror Online

Posted: November 10, 2019 at 6:45 pm

Want to look your best for the Christmas party? Its easier than you think. Whether you want to shed a few pounds or banish bloating for a flatter tum, our fast-acting plan will help you blitz up to 7lb roughly equivalent to one dress size in just two weeks.

Packed with foods that are both energising and tummy trimming, our plan ensures youll shed weight without feeling tired during the hectic festive season.

And all the recipes many of which are simply healthier versions of your favourite foods are super easy and quick to make.

Follow our daily meal plan for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Plus, to help keep cravings at bay, you can also select two snacks from our list. Dont fancy one of the meals on the schedule or dont have the ingredients handy? No problem. Simply swap in a meal of your choice from another day.

Youll eat around 1,400 calories a day a safe amount for healthy weight loss. No food groups are cut out and you can eat everything but in reasonable quantities, with lower amounts of fat and sugar.

The diet is also packed with filling high-fibre foods and lean protein, so you wont feel hungry and succumb to cravings. Plus, because its low in salt and filled with potassium-rich fruit and vegetables, it will also help you get rid of excess fluid and lose that uncomfortable bloated feeling meaning your dress will zip up that bit more easily.

1. Fill up on fibre

Food that stays undigested in your system longer than 24 hours can release gases that bloat your tummy. The answer is to eat plenty of fibre-rich fruit, veg and wholegrains as they help keep your digestive system working efficiently.

2. Chew more slowly

Its not just about what you eat, but also how you eat. Smaller bits of food are easier for your stomach to break down, and eating slowly gives your brain sufficient time to register when youre full, which can help prevent overeating.

3. Feed your gut

A probiotic supplement or daily yoghurt drink can help banish bloating by increasing the number of friendly bacteria in your gut, improving digestion and reducing IBS-type symptoms.

4. Slash salt levels

Salt is found in many shop-bought and processed foods, which is bad news for bloating as it encourages your body to retain water. Get label savvy and avoid foods with a high sodium content. When cooking use herbs and spices to add flavour to meals instead.

5. Ditch ready meals and fizzy drinks

The additives in processed foods and soft drinks ferment in your stomach, producing gas and a swollen belly bad news when youre trying to trim your tummy.

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Two-week diet plan that will mean you look and feel great at Christmas party - Mirror Online

Financial Inequality Makes a Green Diet Impossible for 20% of the Earths Population – NullTX

Posted: November 10, 2019 at 6:45 pm

Whereas climate scientists want more people to eat greener, that vision might not be viable. The cheapest way of living on a green diet is still too expensive for 20% of the worlds population.

It is well-known how most humans are actively contributing to the climate change problems through their eating habits.

Doing something about this issue is not necessarily straightforward.

The easier option is to switch to a green diet of sorts. It would involve eating more fruits and vegetables.

Plant-based foods and replacements are also high on the agenda of climate scientists.

As the number of different food types increases, one could expect this change to occur naturally. Unfortunately, that is not necessarily the most logical outcome.

Putting any scientific concerns aside, there is another crucial factor to take into account.

The cost of a green diet is simply too high for one-fifth of the Earths population. In the end, it always comes down to money in one way or another.

As fruits and vegetables make up most of the food budget, the problem becomes apparent fairly quickly. A green diet requires the most expensive ingredients worldwide.

It is believed that fruit and veg take up 31% of the average household budget. Although that is a promising figure in its own right, it also causes a lot of financial strain for low-income families.

That doesnt mean the green diet isnt viable in the long run.

If the wealth of low-income countries were to increase, so would the number of people eating green. On paper, at least, as things are the exact opposite in the real world.

Image(s): Shutterstock.com

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Financial Inequality Makes a Green Diet Impossible for 20% of the Earths Population - NullTX

Eddie Hall weight loss: Strongman cut one thing from diet to shed astounding five stone – Express

Posted: November 10, 2019 at 6:45 pm

Eddie Hall is strongman and TV personality who has won the titles of UKs Strongest Man and Englands Strongest Man numerous times. The star has recently slimmed down and explained his healthy transformation was due to cutting one thing from his diet. By ditching carbs, Eddie dropped from his starting weight of 31st 7lb by around five stone.

The strongman had an interest in sports from a young age and was a national champion swimmer for many years in his youth.

First lifting weights at age 13, Eddie made the decision to become the worlds strongest man when he was 19-years-old and started adjusting his exercise routine to help that.

With his physical strength such a big part of his career, Eddie explained the importance of nutrition in his life.

He told Express.co.uk: Nutrition is key, if I didnt eat everything in sight I wouldnt be anywhere near as strong as I am now.

READ MORE: Weight loss: Top five snacks to help you shape up revealed - which has fewest calories?

Ive always had a good balanced healthy diet just times that by four, so if you have a bowl of porridge Id have a bucket of porridge and its as simple as that.

I eat it quite easily, being a big guy I can eat a lot so I need to feed the body.

After winning the title in 2017, the athlete became concerned about his health and decided to slim down.

He said: When I won the worlds strongest man at 29, I was 31st 7lb, thats what I had to be the strongest man on the planet.

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I had a few health implications, working with blood doctors and nutritionists I got a bit worried.

Eddie cut back on carbs in a bid to shape up and managed to drop around five stone by ditching the food group.

I need to now take a step back and look after my health, he told Express.co.uk.

I cut my carbs out and over the last two years I lost a total of 30kg, or five stone, and I feel a lot better for it and am enjoying my life better for it.

He explained removing unhealthy carbs can be the best way for dieters to get into shape.

The best tip I have would be cut the carbs a little bit, they are the source of all health and obesity problems in this country, Eddie added.

That was the easiest thing I did, up my proteins and fats and cut the carbs a little bit and it worked for me first hand.

Speaking of what carbs should be cut, he said: Crisps and chocolate. Now I tend to stick to the basics, potatoes, rice, pasta, stuff like that, good quality fruits.

Since taking a step back from his career as a strongman, Eddie has taken on different challenges which have been documented on the small screen.

He is back on screen for Eddie Eats America, which airs on Dave tonight. The show will see himl travel around America to take part in some of the biggest and best eating challenges in the US.

Eddie will also show off his strength tonight in Strongest Man in History which will air on History. The athlete will join other strongmen as they attempt famous feats of strength to separate the myths from the truth.

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Eddie Hall weight loss: Strongman cut one thing from diet to shed astounding five stone - Express

Diet secret that led to fast food addict’s 44kg weightloss – 7NEWS

Posted: November 10, 2019 at 6:42 pm

A 114kg McDonald's lover has revealed how she dropped 44kg in nine months - while still enjoying Chicken McNuggets.

Jessica Dotson, from Alabama, claims she spent around $2500 a year on McDonald's food, munching on 20-piece McNuggets and large fries at least five days a week.

Scroll down to see Jessica's day on a plate

The mum-of-two claims she had always been big but decided to make a dramatic change after giving birth to her second child and realising she needed to be healthier to be there for her children.

"It was basically gluttony and eating and eating and eating. I had McDonald's nearly every day," Jessica says.

"Food was my coping mechanism so whenever I got upset about something I would just eat."

The 26-year-old weighed 114kg at her heaviest with rocketing blood pressure and cholesterol - and feared she may be heading towards a heart attack if she didn't lose weight.

But, certain that if she cut out all her favourite food her diet would fail, the determined mum instead cut her portions in half, at first limited herself to 1,500 calories a day and tried to bring more vegetables into her diet.

More on 7NEWS.com.au

Then, in February, she began an intermittent diet plan which helped Jessica drop 44kg in just nine months.

"I did a lot of research on weight loss and saw a lot of people talking about intermittent fasting, which is where you eat but you have a 16-hour window where you don't eat," she says.

"It's supposed to help lower your blood sugar. I just did research to find a plan which I thought would be the best one for me."

While Jessica admits it was "hard work at the beginning", soon her new regimen was bearing results.

"I really try not to cut anything out. If I tried [other diets], they would fail because I would want something [and eat it]," she explains.

"So it has been all about moderation and self-control. Sure you can have a piece of candy but you have to eat that one piece and not the whole bag. It was a lot of self-control and self-determination."

As well as cutting back on her calories and fasting for 16 hours a day, Jessica started dancing to YouTube fitness videos before getting the confidence to join the gym.

Her efforts mean Jessica has dropped eight dress sizes from a size 26 to a 10 and is now 65kg, meaning she's lost 49kg in total.

The mum still allows herself a treat McDonald's with her kids - although her 20-piece McNuggets and large fries have been swapped to a six-piece box and small fries.

"I don't go to McDonald's as much as I did, and I've saved a lot of money," the mum says.

"I've gone from going once a day to maybe twice a week, something like that.

"It's mostly at the weekends with my kids. It's now more of a treat. I've saved probably $35 a week. I didn't necessarily go every day but I would go five days a week.

"Lately it's been good to have the extra cash if I need it for something. I had to get completely new clothes and everything"

As for her new look, Jessica is thrilled but determined to keep going.

"I feel confident now. I'm not there yet because I was so big for so long.

"It's still hard to see myself as smaller. Sometimes I still see myself as big. That's something I have to work on because it's a major, drastic change.

"I can do more stuff with my kids. I get more active with them walking to places. Buying clothes is a lot easier too."

Jessica's diet before

Breakfast: Pancakes with sausage, or pop tarts

Lunch: McDonald's (usually a 20-piece McNugget box with large fries), noodles or macaroni

Dinner: The same, depending on what had been for lunch

Snacks: Pop-tarts, nachos, chocolate, chips

Jessica's diet after

Breakfast: Bacon and eggs

Lunch: Chicken and vegetables, occasionally a McDonald's (usually a six-piece McNugget box with small fries)

Dinner: Small portion of macaroni with green beans

Snacks: Small snack of around 100 calories, such as a Slim Jim jerky snack or packet of crackers

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Diet secret that led to fast food addict's 44kg weightloss - 7NEWS

Weight Loss: Following these tips at night will help you reducing weight fast – News Track English

Posted: November 10, 2019 at 6:42 pm

If you are trying to lose weight, then these tips can help you lose weight better by doing at night. If you are not convinced, then let'sknow what are the things you can do to get close to your goal of losing weight. For this it is important to know that the hormone melatonin helps your body more Calorie burners help in the production of brown fat. While in complete darkness, your body already produces melatonin. So to promote the goal of weight loss, keep it dark in your room at night.

If you want to lose weight without leaving rice, then you must read this

Also note that H2O means water helps in detoxing your body. Which helps in reducing weight. But drinking too much water at night can make you go round the bathrooms overnight. So take plenty of water for one hour before bedtime. If you want that you do not feel heavy in the morning, then avoid taking too much salt especially Chinese dinner at night. By taking more salt at night, you feel heaviness the next morning due to staying in the body all night. Therefore, at night, include boiled vegetables or lean protein in your diet which is not filled with too much salt. '

Dark chocolate is helpful in reducing weight, know other benefits

Follow these tips to reduce weight after cesarean delivery

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Weight Loss: Following these tips at night will help you reducing weight fast - News Track English

6 Foods To Improve Memory And Concentration – Version Weekly

Posted: November 10, 2019 at 6:41 pm

Did you know that the foods you eat can help you concentrate and get things done? Caffeine present in coffee, flavonoids in chocolate, and the amino acid L-theanine in tea can sharpen your focus provided you get these in moderate amounts. Having blueberries or taking flaxseed oil can also be useful. Meanwhile, seafood is rich in iron, which is important not only for improving attention but also memory and learning.

Do you find that your attention drifts off every once in a while? The ability to concentrate, focus, and stay on task is important for accomplishing anything. And when you consider cognitive functioning, the ability to pay attention and stay focused is the gateway to other cognitive functions if you cant pay attention to something, you cant understand, learn, or remember it.

As we grow and develop, our ability to concentrate also improves. For instance, 6-year-olds can focus on a task for only about 15 minutes but by the time they are 9 years, they should be able to stay focused for around an hour. But if this is the case, why is it that we find our ability to focus floundering quite often? We find it difficult to concentrate for many reasons, including our interest in the task at hand, our physical and emotional state, our environment, our neuropsychological mapping, and our skill level vis-a-vis the task. A variety of physical and psychological factors can help enhance this ability food is one such factor.

To improve your power of concentration, try these foods out.

Many of us start our day with a cup of coffee. And theres a good reason why coffee works so well as an eye opener caffeine! Consuming caffeine inmoderate amountscan not only improve your ability to focus and concentrate, it can also make you feel more energetic and alert, quicken your reactions, increase accuracy, improve short-term memory, and increase your problem-solving abilities.

But do keep in mind that the key word here is moderate. Too much coffee can leave you feeling jittery. Its not a good idea to have more than 400 mg of caffeine in a day. An 8-ounce cup of coffee contains around 95 to 200 mg, so no more than 23 cups a day. Experts also suggest that pregnant women should either avoid caffeine or limit their consumption to 300 mg in a day.

Yummy chocolate can also help improve attention and concentration. This is because cocoa beans are a rich source of flavonoids, particularly epicatechin and catechin which have antioxidant properties. Cocoa also contains caffeine. And according to research, cocoa can improve attentiveness as well as mood. So bite into a delicious dark chocolate bar or have an antioxidant-rich cocoa drink when you feel mentally fatigued and distracted.

Tea is said to the most commonly consumed beverage after water. Like cocoa, it is a great source of flavonoid antioxidants. Tea also contains the beneficial amino acid L-theanine, which can modulate certain aspects of brain function. Studies have shown that L-theanine significantly increases brain activity in the alpha frequency band. This means it can relax you without making you feel drowsy, promote mental alertness, and improve attention. No wonder Buddhist monks commonly use tea to help sustain attention over long periods of meditation. You too can try a cup of tea when you find that your focus is fading. But then again, no going overboard. Limit to 23 cups a day.

Blueberries are another food that can be beneficial for your brain. Researchers have found that sustained attention improves after having a blueberry drink. But blueberries dont just help you concentrate, they may improve your memory too. Research suggests that the neural circuitry involved in sustaining attention is enhanced by avonoids present in blueberry may be responsible for these beneficial effects.

Iron is a particularly important mineral for your brain. It plays a role in making dopamine, a neurotransmitter that is not only involved in attention but also memory, learning, stress responsivity, and hormonal regulation. Studies have found that when iron-deficient women were supplemented with iron, their cognitive performance as well as performance accuracy improved.

Crabs, oysters, clams, and fish are all rich sources of iron. If youre a vegetarian, lentils, kidney beans, raisins, and green leafy vegetables like spinach work well too. And do keep in mind that your body is able to absorb iron from plant sources better when accompanied by foods like citrus fruits, tomatoes, and sweet peppers that contain vitamin C.

Adult men need about 8 mg of iron per day while adult women need about 18 mg per day. About 45 mg of iron per day is theupper limitthat can be safely consumed. Excessive amounts of this mineral can be harmful, so do run it by your doctor before taking supplements.

Flax seeds contain alpha-linolenic acid, an omega 3 fatty acid. This essential fatty acid cannot be synthesized by the human body and has to be supplemented through diet. It is well known that alpha-linolenic acid is beneficial for your heart, but did you know its important for your brain too? One study found that when children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were supplemented with flaxseed oil and antioxidants in the form of vitamin C they were benefited. And symptoms like inattention, impulsivity, restless, and self-control were improved.

But do keep in mind that its best to avoid flaxseed oil while pregnant or breastfeeding as it can have hormonal effects.

Link:
6 Foods To Improve Memory And Concentration - Version Weekly

Every Investor Should Consider These 3 Telecom Stocks – Nasdaq

Posted: November 10, 2019 at 6:41 pm

Telecommunicationsector stocks offer a unique blend of characteristics that are typical of utilities and technology companies. These companies require substantial capital expenditure to build network infrastructure and reserve portions of the radio spectrum. But these acquired assets help them establishwide moatsand enjoy relatively secure recurring revenues from internet, mobile, and television customers. As a result, most major telecoms have relatively high financial leverage in their capital structures.

At the same time, telecommunications are subject to more rapid changes in the market compared to energy or water utilities. The rise of cable television, the internet explosion, the rapid adoption of mobile products, cord-cutting, and the upcoming rollout of5Gare notable instances of transformative periods in telecommunications, all of which can create rapid growth or deterioration of business fundamentals.

Image Source: Getty Images

When assessing telecommunication stocks, it is therefore important to identify companies with healthy balance sheets and stable growth outlooks, that have the financial means and a demonstrated intention to invest in the upcoming 5G transition. Such companies should have good long-term growth potential, with the proliferation of the Internet of Things (IoT) and ubiquitous connectivity. But these stocks should also be positioned to safely weather economic cycles and pay dividends to bolster portfolio returns when stock prices are volatile.

BCE(NYSE: BCE) is a Canadian telecoms company that provides telephone, mobile, and internet services, as well as television and radio content. Investors will be attracted to the stock's5.02% dividend yield, and with its modest positive growth outlook for the medium term. ItsEV/EBITDAratio of 8.9 is very reasonable, indicating that holders are not overpaying for exposure to fundamentals. BCE's debt-to-equity ratio of 1.3 is also reasonable, albeit slightly higher than the telecom industry average. With a current ratio of 0.6 and interest coverage of 4.78, the company's financial health would only be seriously jeopardized by drastic market deterioration. BCE's free cash flow has steadily increased to $3.85 billion over the trailing 12 months, and it is in a great position to benefit from the rollout of 5G.

AT&T(NYSE: T) is the world's largest telecommunications company, with large mobile and fixed telephone customers in North, Central, and South America. The stock pays a 5.2% dividend yield, which is conspicuously higher than the 4.03% delivered by competitorVerizon(NYSE: VZ). AT&T's 8.16 EV/EBITDA ratio is also cheaper than its primary rival's. AT&T's 1.02 debt-to-equity is substantially lower than Verizon's, indicating a lower level exposure to catastrophic risk if market fundamentals change drastically. The company's 3.4 interest coverage and 0.74 current ratios indicate sufficient short term financial health to meet obligations. AT&T is in position to lead the market in thenext generationof telecoms while phasing out its legacy business.

Telus(NYSE: TU) is a national provider of mobile, internet, television, fixed telephone, IPTV, and home security services in Canada. While smaller in scale than competitor BCE, the company still grades out favorably on several key metrics. A 4.64% dividend yield and an 8.45 EV/EBITDA ratio are both attractive at the current price of $37.61. Its financial health metrics are similar to BCE's though slightly skewed toward more risk. Telus has a 1.59 debt-to-equity ratio, 4.05 interest coverage ratio, and a 0.71 current ratio. These are all suitable if market conditions are stable to improving.

All three companies carry some risk related to high leverage, paired with massive capital expenditure requirements. As witnessed in previous shifts in telecommunication norms, the technology landscape can change rapidly, leaving poorly positioned incumbent companies in a terrible situation. If operating cash flows dry up for extended periods, there might be difficulty meeting the fixed financial obligations associated with servicing debts.

These three stocks all have stable outlooks and clear exposure to the opportunities of 5G, and they all pay excellent dividend yields. AT&T kicks off the highest dividend income among the group, with no discernible difference in upside exposure or financial health risk.

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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

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Every Investor Should Consider These 3 Telecom Stocks - Nasdaq

Awkward! ‘RHOA’ Kenya Moore Struggles With Exactly When Her Daughter Was Born on ‘WWHL’ – Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Posted: November 9, 2019 at 8:46 pm

Talk about an awkward moment. During an appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, Real Housewives of Atlanta star Kenya Moore seemed to get her daughters birthday mixed up with another day. The comment added fuel to the rumors that Moore staged her daughters due date to coincide with the premiere of season 11 of RHOA.

Moore was on the set of Watch What Happens Live onNovember 3rd. During the interview, the RHOA star told Cohen that todayis her birthday, referring to her daughter, Brooklyn Doris Daly.

The two also watched a clip of Moores baby girl, prompting a bigsmile from the RHOA star.

The moment was a sweet tribute to Moores child, but it was ruined after fans pointed out that she got her own daughters birthday completely wrong. According to All About The Tea, Moore gave birth to her baby on November 4th, not the 3rd.

Fans remembered the birthdate well because it happened to coincide with the premiere date of season 11 of RHOA. Bravo had fired Kenya Moore after season 10, so some fans theorized she lied about the due date to take attention away from the premiere.

There is no telling if Moore was lying about her daughters realbirthday or not, but there is no arguing that she got the date wrong during herinterview with Cohen which is pretty embarrassing for the new mom.

There has been a lot of speculation about Kenya Moores returnto RHOA in season 12. While there are still many questions surroundingher marriage and split from Marc Daly, Moore has been accused of returning onlyfor the paycheck.

During a recent appearance on The Wendy Williams Show,Moore opened up about her alleged money issues and insisted that the reportsare completely false.

I make my own money, Moore shared.

Williams, who is once again friends with Moores RHOA rival, Nene Leakes, did not stop there. The host commented on how Leakes is actually the top earner on the show, which Moore was quick to correct.

Thats not not true, Kenya Moore told her.Kandi makes the most money, so if I was coming for anybodys purse andbag, it would be Kandis.

Bravo has not confirmed the salaries for season 12, but it ispossible that Burruss makes the most. After all, both Leakes and Moore havetaken seasons off in the past.

Speaking of Leakes, Moore appeared to make amends with herduring season 10. But their friendship completely fell apart when Moore leftthe series the following year.

In her interview with Williams, Moore explained exactly whatwent wrong between her and Leakes. Per Moore, she did not appreciate how Leakescompletely ignored her during her pregnancy and never asked how she was doing.

When I had a high-risk pregnancy, that I wanted my entirelife, she never once called me, Kenya Moore explained. When I did showup, she never checked on my child. She never said, Is everything okay?

Leakes also did not check on Moore when she left the series. ForMoore, it seemed like she didnt care about her because she was no longer apart of the series.

When Leakes started insulting her during her pregnancy, Moore had enough and is still not on good terms with her co-star. That could change as the season progresses, but it sounds like Moore and Leakes will never make up at this point.

Meanwhile, just to add more fuzziness to Kenya Moores babydrama, fans were surprised at how quickly she lost her baby weight in themonths after her daughters birth.

Moore actively posted photos of her transformation on socialmedia, including shots that showed her rocking some abs only six months afterher daughter was born. The rapid weight loss has only added fuel to the rumorsthat Moore is lying about her babys birth.

Moore and the father of her child, Daly, announced their divorceat the end of September. The pair exchanged vows in a secret ceremony in 2017and have yet to finalize their divorce.

It is still unclear why the couple separated, though Daly has been fighting rumors that he cheated on Moore and was living a double life in New York City accusations he and Kenya Moore have denied.

New episodes of the Real Housewives of Atlanta air Sundaynights on Bravo.

Link:
Awkward! 'RHOA' Kenya Moore Struggles With Exactly When Her Daughter Was Born on 'WWHL' - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

I Almost Gave Up on Working Out, but Then I Tried Swimming – msnNOW

Posted: November 9, 2019 at 8:46 pm

POPSUGAR Photography / Sarah Wasilak I Almost Gave Up on Working Out, but Then I Tried Swimming

Let's make one thing clear: I'm a runner, not a swimmer. The last time I felt like I knew what I was doing in a pool, I was pretending to be a mermaid with my swim floaties on, both of my legs stuffed into one side of my dad's jogging pants capped off with fins. This was, naturally, my mermaid tail. Man, I wish I still had that confidence.

Anyway, runners are crazy (like, bats*** crazy), and when I suffered through plantar fasciitis in my foot a few years ago, I thought I'd never be able to exercise again. "If I can't run, what can I dooooo?" I wailed to my family and friends. For me, running provides mental sanity - the two go hand in hand. I had never dealt with an injury before, but it's only natural that the time would come since the sport involves a lot of pounding on the joints, which is obviously not ideal for our bodies. Nevertheless, runners are crazy. Runners do it anyway.

"What about swimming laps?" my dad asked me one day as I sulked at the kitchen table in my plantar fasciitis boot, which was meant to keep my foot straight and stretched, thereby breaking up the pain area.

I immediately recited my uncle's perspective on swimming (he is a fellow crazy marathon runner and may or may not have encouraged me to "run through the pain" at some points in my life): "But the pool gets you all wet."

I remember the next morning vividly. I was still living at home with my parents at the time, and my awesome dad woke up at 5 a.m. to drive me to the pool. I definitely didn't have a proper one-piece, so imagine a fashion editor strolling into the lap pool in a plunging monokini, only to be greeted by the lifeguard: "You have to wear a swim cap." A what now?

It took a few weeks, but once I got into the thick of it, I had my own goggles, silicone ear plugs, swim cap, and Speedo, and I had taught myself the two strokes I still rely on today: freestyle and breast stroke. I watched YouTube videos to perfect my form, and in order to feel like I got in a good workout, I routinely swam for 40 minutes every single morning. You'd think that'd be boring, but it wasn't.

Swimming quickly became a form of meditation for me. I felt relaxed and at peace under the water. I was sweating without, you know, physically feeling it, and I was definitely getting my heart rate up - swimming is an aerobic activity after all. Every morning as I unstrapped my plantar fasciitis boot and tucked my hair into the swim cap, I felt better and better about my situation. I had found a way to release endorphins and simultaneously become a mermaid again!

I told myself that after enough physical therapy sessions and rest, I'd be running again and wouldn't need to practice swimming any longer, but then I reasoned with myself and figured it'd be beneficial to take a few days off from running. Mixing up your workouts is the best thing you can do for your body, and I had been majorly failing in that area before I introduced swimming into my routine.

Now I swim at Hamilton Health and Fitness in Jersey City, NJ, which has the most peaceful, spa-like atmosphere. I do some laps, then I might mix in a quick HIIT workout in the shallow end with flutter kicks, bicycles, jumps, and hops to get my heart rate going.

I still consider myself a beginner - I'm no professional - but at the start, I had the same questions you probably do about swimming. Can swimming help you tone any areas of your body? How many calories do you burn? Can swimming be part of a weight-loss program? It took me long enough to ask! I checked in with Scott Riewald, senior director of high performance at the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, and Teri McKeever, UC Berkeley's head coach of women's swimming and diving, and got some answers. Keep reading for some useful information and beginner tips that'll help you get into the low-impact sport that's so good for your body.

"The benefit of swimming over running is that you don't have the gravity and pounding of your joints. It's great for people with injuries or for people as they get older," Teri said. Meanwhile, Scott highlighted the pros and cons to both activities, just to put it into perspective for you. "Swimming is a full-body exercise, and you engage muscles throughout the body - from the legs, to the core, to the upper back. It is also a low-impact form of exercise, and for people who experience knee or other lower-body joint pain, swimming provides relief from the pounding those joints take when running and allows you to still train. With that said, there are also challenges faced by swimmers. Technique is important - flaws in technique can lead to overuse types of injuries, particularly in the shoulders, after hundreds or thousands of strokes."

Scott said that how many calories each person burns depends on a number of variables, including their gender, their weight, the exercise intensity, and the muscle groups used. However, he estimated that an hour of slow swimming (something that might be indicative of a beginner swimmer) likely will burn around 400-500 calories.

"Swimming is a great exercise that can improve fitness and become a part of a weight-loss program," Scott said. "As with any type of exercise, if you want to use swimming to build health or lose weight, the key is commitment and consistency. One workout will not make a significant change in any health or performance variables." It may come as no surprise, but actual results from swimming come with time, he added.

While swimming is an excellent cardio exercise, it can help you tone your body, too. Scott said it can tone muscles all throughout the body but that the areas most targeted are the shoulders and upper back. "Serious swimmers often have well-developed deltoids, lats, and trapezius muscles - and have that classic 'V' upper-body shape," he said. Like with almost all physical activity, swimming requires a strong core to maintain a proper position in the water, and swimming can help strengthen core muscles.

Teri tapped into an idea I had when I first started swimming: "I think you can go to the pool and just watch what others are doing and give it a try," she said. At first, I did this a lot. But if you're looking to maintain proper form and really enjoy the activity, Scott said to learn more than one stroke to add variety. "Swimming freestyle is the most popular and easiest way to go, but being able to throw some backstroke in or breaststroke will increase the enjoyment and also allow you to train some additional muscle groups."

And while it may be tempting to jump in the pool and swim at a steady pace for 30 minutes, it's important to mix up your speed and intensity, Scott said, adding that a swimming workout should include intervals and a mix of speeds. "Not only will it train all of the energy systems, but it will help you get faster as a swimmer at all paces," he said.

Ultimately, these are the reasons I will continue to keep swimming in my workout regimen, even though my injury has healed. In fact, when my quad tightens up and my joints feel that first hint of pain from too many days of high-intensity work, I skip a run, even if I had originally planned to lace up my sneakers. Instead, I jump into the pool and embrace the change of a calming activity, even though it involves getting all wet.

Related video: Poll: Three in 10 adults haven't swam in more than ten years [via Buzz60]

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I Almost Gave Up on Working Out, but Then I Tried Swimming - msnNOW

Kelly Brook on embracing her curves, finding The One and why life definitely begins at 40 – The Sun

Posted: November 9, 2019 at 8:46 pm

TWO years ago, having spent some time living a quiet life in the countryside away from the limelight, Kelly Brook stepped out on the red carpet once again.

It was a film premiere at the Royal Albert Hall and she had picked out a slinky black sequinned dress to wear for the occasion.

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But as she posed in front of the flashing cameras something shed done countless times in the past she got a jolt. Because the bank of photographers were yelling at her to breathe in.

As she tells the story, its impossible not to gasp at the rudeness. The cheek! But Kelly is quite sanguine about it.

Well, Im glad they told me! she laughs. They actually thought they were doing me a favour, but yeah, it was a bit of a shock.

But they knew me as skinny, and all of a sudden Id turned up with bigger boobs, a bigger bum, bigger arms just a lot bigger, so I think it was a shock for them as well!

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Kelly was aware that shed crept up to a size 16, thanks to enjoying the slower pace of life in Kent, regular hearty pub lunches and finally feeling settled in her personal life. But nevertheless, that red carpet experience proved a wake-up call, as she puts it.

It dawned on me then that even though I felt the same, I was obviously bigger and maybe I should do something about it, she says.

Since then, Kelly has made several lifestyle changes, losing 2st and going down to a size 12.

Its been a gradual process, which has seen her take up running three times a week and following a SlimFast eating plan to achieve her Size Sexy all in time for her milestone 40th birthday later this month.

The Size Sexy thing really resonated with me because if you get to an age where youre fitting into a large or extra large and you actually feel really happy and healthy, then why should there be a stigma?

Although Ive lost weight on my SlimFast journey, Im still not the thinnest Ive ever been in my life. But nor would I ever want to go back there, because some of my thinnest times were also my saddest.

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Its certainly true that Kelly has battled through some incredibly difficult periods in her life. Quite apart from the well-documented career highs and lows, there has been much personal heartbreak and tragedy.

She has spoken before about the devastating impact of her miscarriages and of losing her dad Kenneth very suddenly when she was just 28.

Some of my thinnest times were also my saddest.

His death during her run on Strictly Come Dancing in 2007 forced her to pull out of the show, too grief-stricken to carry on.

There were also several energy-sapping off/on relationships with the likes of Danny Cipriani and Thom Evans, before French/Italian model and actor Jeremy Parisi, 33, came into her life four years ago, bringing with him some much-needed calm and stability.

I breezed through my 20s and had loads of amazing experiences, but I feel my 30s they were quite bad, she says candidly.

I put a lot of pressure on myself in my career, in my relationships and I dont know, sometimes it was like banging my head against a brick wall.

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"I didnt feel like things worked out particularly well. It felt like everything I started failed. I was sacked from big TV shows and Id be caught in these really turbulent relationships with boyfriends.

And I wasnt able to manage those relationships very well because I was always on a plane between here and Los Angeles. I tried to juggle so much and I think the anxiety and stress of always being on the go kept my weight down.

"You end up really thin because of whats happening in your life. As soon as I started slowing down and found a nice, happy relationship living in the countryside, everything changed. And my body changed with that.

"I was eating at my local pub and being with an Italian boyfriend who just wants to eat pasta all day and all night. But whereas he was going out for a five-mile run every day I was just lazing around!

Part of Kellys journey and the idea behind Size Sexy has been to embrace her naturally curvy body shape rather than striving for what she recognises is no longer possible.

My body likes being curvy, she says. It would be really difficult for me to be a skinny girl cos its not my shape or who I am and Im not going to aspire to be something thats unattainable.

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It was finding that middle ground and being healthy rather than what people would consider a size zero or super-skinny. It was about being the best version of myself, and for me a size 12 is a good size. And now its about maintaining a healthy, happy weight.

Her weight loss and new outlook have also given Kelly back some of the confidence she can now see she lost. When she was at her biggest, she would use editing apps to slim herself down on social media selfies.

It would be really difficult for me to be a skinny girl cos its not my shape or who I am.

I feel better in clothes now. I feel better in my underwear. I feel better on the beach. I dont feel I have to retouch my Instagram pictures like I used to, giving myself these stupid long giraffe necks. She whoops with laughter.

Everyone was busy going on about me slimming down my waist, but no one actually realised Id made my neck smaller as well! Thats the real trick. If you want to look young and thin, pull your neck in! No, no, thats bad advice. I dont do that now.

She doesnt need to. She never needed to. Whether at her slimmest or at her most curvy, Kelly has always oozed beauty and sex appeal. Its effortless.

While her body might have generated a lot of headlines over the years, her face is just as gorgeous, and its refreshing to see such natural radiance without the aid of fillers and Botox.

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Im more into skincare than anything else, she says. Retinol is my best friend. Its all about the retinol. I dont know what it is about lip fillers, but young girls just want that look.

"I dont know, its not really my generation. I dont want those big silly lips. Im very 90s, so Im still drawing mine on with lipliner. I still love the 90s supermodel look whats not to love about that?!

Kelly was just 19 but already a lads mag favourite when she was chosen to replace Denise Van Outen as Johnny Vaughans Big Breakfast co-presenter a lifetime ago, she says.

It began what she describes as a rollercoaster ride with both the media and the showbiz industry itself.

She only lasted five months in that job, but the lampooning and slingshots and sexist accusations of airheadedness continued long afterwards, with history pretty much repeating itself 10 years later when she joined Britains Got Talent as the fourth judge but was axed after less than a week.

That 19-year-old girl wasnt treated very well in the beginning, she agrees. I kind of feel sorry for her.

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"She was vulnerable and naive going into this industry with no idea about the impact it was going to have on her life and her family. I dont even feel like that was me because Ive learned so much since then.

I think people just wanted to write me off. They didnt want me to succeed and did everything they could to make me fail. It was pure sabotage for so many years.

"But Im stronger now and I can put that negativity to bed by having a happy, healthy life. Its taken a long time to get there but Im here.

Her ability to bounce back from each setback is impressive and shows theres true grit behind the megawatt smile and bubbly personality.

Undeterred by her Big Breakfast battering, she kept going and went on to land other TV jobs, including fronting Celebrity Love Island as well as finding success as an actress both this side of the pond and in Hollywood with parts in Smallville and movies The Italian Job and School For Seduction.

But if shed known then what she knows now, would she have chosen a different career? She looks taken aback. It doesnt appear shes ever even considered this.

The last...

Movie you watched?

Fractured. It was a Netflix movie. I like a good horror film.

Box set you watched?

The Widower, about the guy who killed all his wives. Oh, and Fleabag.

WhatsApp message?

From my friend asking if I want to go pumpkin- picking.

Time you cried?

At my uncles funeral a couple of weeks ago.

Time you lost your temper?

Oh god, every day. I only really lose it when Im tired.

Kiss?

Probably this morning with Jeremy.

Well, it was my livelihood and so you have to keep going because what else are you going to do? Its all I ever knew. I went to stage school and there wasnt an option to do anything else.

Ask her if shes ever had therapy to guide her through the more challenging periods in her life and she shakes her head.

No. This interview is like therapy, just sitting and talking about it. So no, Ive never had therapy or anything like that. Probably should have but I didnt.

But I think working at Global [where Kelly co-hosts Heart FMs drive-time show] is great because Ive got a job where I talk to people every day and connect with them. And to stay in a job for longer than a few weeks without getting sacked

She laughs again. Its like: Ah, I can do this! Im not a bad person. Im nice. People do like talking to me. People do like working with me. Because that self-doubt makes you start to wonder. You think: God, theres something wrong with me. Why isnt this working out?

With hindsight, can she see that self-doubt was misplaced?

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No! With hindsight I can see sometimes it was me, but Id also like to think Ive learnt from that. Im older and wiser. Were all still making mistakes, but you just dont want to make the same one twice.

Like, I probably made a few reckless decisions in terms of my personal life, too, but they were quite fun at the time dating crazy people who didnt have my best interests at heart, but whatever.

"I dont regret things. I just think I could have been kinder to myself over the years. I think we could all do that.

She did eventually grow jaded with the industry, though, hence the recent years she spent in semi-retirement in the Kent countryside.

It was the job offer at Heart at the start of this year that coaxed her back into the public eye, and in radio shes found a new career she loves and can see a real future in. Turning 40 puts the cherry on top of her new beginning.

I feel like Im finally growing up. I had Peter Pan syndrome, running around like a teenager. Id go home and see my old school friends and they all seemed so grown-up, married with children while I was still single, hadnt quite found The One.

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I feel that now Im hitting 40, a lot of that drama and stress has kind of melted away. I was always torn over what to do and I had a lot of guilt, but now Im actually like: Its not the be all and end all if I dont get married and I dont have children.

"If I do, its amazing and Im excited for that. But if I dont, its fine. When you hit a milestone birthday like this you do start thinking about your career, your relationships, where you live, those debts youve still not paid off.

I feel that now Im hitting 40, a lot of drama and stress has kind of melted away.

"All those things. Am I happy? Am I where I thought I was going to be? So Im thinking about everything.

Which obviously begs the question: is she where she thought shed be? She smiles. And then skilfully avoids giving a straight answer.

I love my life, I love my boyfriend, I love living back in London and Im focused. So I think things are quite good! Ive found a new kind of happiness.

"I think I associated drama and fireworks with happiness, but it all fizzes out quite quickly. Now Ive found a more slow-growing, longer-lasting, healthier happiness thats going to see me through the next 10 years. Hopefully longer!

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The birthday celebrations involve a trip to the States with Jeremy followed by a family meal in central London on their return. Shes not bothered about presents, preferring experiences over stuff that clutters up her life.

I just like to travel so if he books a nice hotel or takes me somewhere, thats perfect for me. I dont really like things like jewellery Im always getting rid of things and clearing my life out. I dont want to accumulate any more s**t!

The streamlining applies to the professional side of things, too. Theres no real desire to go back to acting Kelly says she was offered a part in a film recently, but turned it down because it would have eaten into her annual holiday allowance at Heart.

Im not as thirsty as I was, she says. Less is more at the moment. I dont feel like I need to be out every night or on every red carpet or be on telly all the time or do pilot season in LA.

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"Im not burnt out from it, but I feel like Ive been there and done it. I want to spend more time on myself, looking after Jeremy, looking after our home and doing my job and thats it. Thats my focus.

The last time we met, she described herself as a survivor. It seems like a fair assessment and when reminded of this, she nods.

I mean, gosh, when I look at the people who have come in and out of my life over the years and Ive just navigated my way through. Its like a jungle really, isnt it? I feel like Ive come out the other side, like: Ahh Ive made it.

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Kelly Brook on embracing her curves, finding The One and why life definitely begins at 40 - The Sun


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