Months after Jules Robinson's dream wedding to Cameron Merchant, the former Married at First Sight bride is preparing to welcome her "baby" called Figur - a shapewear line that celebrates all women.

Season six star Robinson displayed her 9kg weight loss at the star-studded Marsden Hotel launch in Burwood last week and she told Confidential that she's excited to help other women look and feel their best.

Jules Robinson at Marsden Hotels launch in Burwood. Credit: ESTEBAN LA TESSA

"It was my contribution to giving back. There were all these beautiful women who reached out to me and they were like, 'I've got a body like yours and I want to dress like you'," she said.

"I realised shapewear is my superpower that I wear and I felt like a lot of women put themselves in the 'I'm not enough club' and I wanted to share with people that you too can have confidence... shapewear makes me feel great.

"My belief for Figur is it's all about women supporting each other and you accept yourself and you accept all your flaws. There's no room for jealousy or hate and when you do that for yourself, you do that for other women. It becomes a revolving door of positivity."

Robinson, 37, admits the road to self-acceptance wasn't an easy one after being relentlessly bullied for her weight by social media trolls.

Ultimately, the weight criticism served as her inspiration to help other women gain confidence and she made a conscious effort to use women of all sizes and ages in Figur's advertising campaign.

"I picked 10 women who are size 8 to size 24, ages 25 to 68 and I chose people who were very different because I wanted the public to see themselves in the reflection," she said.

Married At First Sight star Jules Robinson (centre) is launching a new shapewear line. Picture: Supplied

"It was important for me to be real. All women are so different. Everyone strives for perfection and [to be] Instagram beautiful. Everyone has insecurities.

"Being on the back end of being trolled for my body, I said 'no, that's not fair'. I'm a healthy woman and even when I was bigger, I never dressed any different. I've always dressed the same and always felt good.

"So it was really important for me to show that size 8 women love shapewear too and size 24 women do too. It's all about embracing what you've got and working with that."

The WW ambassador was hailed by fans after losing 9kg ahead of her big day to former cricketer Merchant in November.

She said the key to maintaining her weight loss is balance.

Jules Robinson fought back against online trolls. Picture: Supplied.

"I lost 9kg for the wedding. To be honest, you know what December-January is like, I had the honeymoon and then Christmas so it's time to reel it back in again," she said.

"I'm kind of up and down. I think steady wins the race. I've done it really nice and slowly and not drastic. It's about wellness and learning tools for life, not just losing lots of weight.

"So if I have a naughty week, I know the next week I've got to pull it back. I always say it's so easy because you don't feel like you're on a diet so it's not hard. When you're on a diet you go 'oh I want all these naughty things' and nothing is naughty in WW.

"You just have to go, 'if I want to have that chocolate, it means I've got to have zero points for the rest of the day'. So you just learn how to maintain because maintaining is sometimes harder than the goal. The goal is sometimes easy and then you get there and go 'how do I sustain this?' That's where WW is for life where you're learning those tools.".

Read more:
MAFS star gets real about weight loss and trolling - Queensland Times

Running on treadmill is a good form of cardio, but often people make some mistakes which makes the workout less fruitful. Read below to find out some common mistakes that people make while running on the treadmill.

Working outdoors or indoors differs from person to person. Some people like to run in the open and go to parks for a quick run, while others love to run on the treadmill. The treadmill is one of the most popular workout machines that we have. It's one machine that's never empty in a gym. You will always find someone running on the treadmill. It's a great machine for running, but people usually do it mindlessly and end up doing it wrong at times.

Yes, running on a treadmill might look like a simple exercise to you, but doing it mindlessly might sabotage your workout and even cause injury. Read below to find out some common mistakes that people make while running on the treadmill. These mistakes will help you understand things that you need to avoid and will improve your workout as well.

Long strides:

Thinking about your pace is a must when you run a treadmill, but constantly thinking about it might divert your focus, which can lead to a fall. Your legs will figure out the distance, and you'll catch the pace with time. Avoid taking big steps, since your body weight will land in front of you, which is not so good for the knees.

Holding the bars:

We all need some time to get used to running on a treadmill. But if you are holding the bar of the treadmill constantly, then that's not a good thing to do. Firstly, you'll burn fewer calories, and you'll also mess up your posture. Try to walk naturally as you would normally walk outdoors. If you are finding it difficult to keep up with the pace, then reduce the speed or reduce the incline.

Treadmill without warm-up:

Warming up is essential before and after every workout. However, when it comes to running on the treadmill most people do so without a warm-up. And as a result, they get tired fast. The best way to run on a treadmill is to start slow. Begin with walking, then jog and then start running.

Holding breath while running:

Holding the breath is the most common mistake people make while performing any kind of workout. You have to keep breathing while running. Do not hold your breath or try to control it. Relax while you run.

You are doing the same thing:

One can do various things on a treadmill. Be it walking at a fast pace, or running slowly on an inclined mode, there are multiple things that people can do on one machine. However, most of us keep doing the same thing daily. While it's good to be consistent, when you follow the same routine, your body starts burning fewer calories. After every two-three weeks, change your workout routine.

Read more:
Weight Loss: THESE are the mistakes people make while running on a treadmill - PINKVILLA

The question of how to lose belly fat is one that resounds around the internet. It's actually a slightly meaningless questioning, because targeting 'belly fat' is laregly impossible outside of surgical procedures it's more of a matter of knowing how to lose weight in general some of which will be around your belly. If you want to burn belly fat and get fit, this is our 'six-pack' ho ho of tips, cheats and strategies. Although there's no magic bullet, there are ways to burn visceral fat or belly fat that are tried, trusted and true.

Important note here, everyone: Belly fat these days is often referred to as visceral fat because that sounds scarier. If you really need to shed visceral fat because it's endangering your life, that is an area where you should probably be seeking medical advice. This is about slimming down a bit.

Our lose belly fat tips aren't necessarily quick, and this is not about telling you how to get six pack abs although we have a few articles on that topic. No, this is just a six pack of tips to getting a healthier life and feeling comfortable with the girth of your mid-riff. We're not looking to fat shame anyone here or totally bro out, we're just offering advice.

We've got some great tips, a few cheeky shortcuts and key strategies to lose belly fat quickly, healthily and sustainably. As we just said, there are no quick fixes here; we want you to develop habits that ensure you'll stay trim for good.Weve also got the lowdown on the best exercises to lose belly fat, and all the gear youll need to get started although, of course, the most important 'gear' is the bit between your ears.

There's no hard-and-fast rule for slim-down success: the best way to lose belly fat is the way that works around your lifestyle. If you follow an unsustainable plan, you won't last: it's as simple as that. In this article we lay out six principles that are applicable to everyone, whether you're a total beginner starting your weight-loss journey or a seasoned pro who fell off the wagon over Christmas.

These guiding lights will keep you on the straight and narrow, whether you've got time to hit the gym every day or a shift worker looking to manage your schedule. Dont try to take on more than you can reasonably fit into one day. And, despite the name of this feature, don't fixate on 'belly fat'. It's important to reduce visceral fat, which does tend to lurk around the belly area, but that is best achieved by trying to slim down and tune up overall.

Here are six strategies to help you start losing weight.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The short answer to the question of how to lose belly fat is to burn more calories than you consume on a regular basis. In the fitness world, this is known as achieving a "calorie deficit".

If this sounds like a waking nightmare, there's a trick to it: what you need to do is ensure youre eating the correct kind of food to make sure you feel full and sated, even when consuming fewer calories than you're burning off. Certain foods are "empty calories" while others release energy slowly, keeping you fuller for longer.

But before that, you'll need to find a good way to track your calories burned and calories taken in. The free MyFitnessPal app is one of the best ways to record your calorie intake, but to track your calories burned, you'll need a dedicated fitness tracker. If you already own a smartwatch, most will offer calorie tracking as standard, but for those yet to make the plunge, the Fitbit Versa Lite is the best activity tracker you can buy right now. Check out the deal below.

Oh, and staying hydrated is crucial, as well

Fitbit Versa 2 | was 199.99 | now 159 at AmazonThe Fitbit Versa 2 is getting regular price cuts for the new year and is currently 40 off at Amazon and various other fine online retailers. The Versa 2 features advanced cardio tracking as well as the usual steps and sleep stuff, and has Alexa built in. It's also unusually stylish for a Fitbit.View Deal

Fitbit Versa Lite | was 149.99 | now 124.95 at AmazonThe Fitbit Versa Lite is the best affordable fitness tracker or smartwatch you can buy.It tracks deep and light sleep, steps, distance and calories, but that is barely scraping the surface of its capabilities. Via Fitbit's excellently presented app and sprawling ecosystem, you can use it as the basis of a complete fitness and diet programme. You can also enter your meals to log calories consumed, so you can have all your dietary data in one place.View Deal

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S'Well Marble Drinking Water Bottle | now 25.00 at John LewisIn this case beauty is more than skin deep. This bottle is vacuum sealed, which means it should be able to keep liquids warm for 12 hours and cold for 24 hours. Its stainless steel, has a capacity of 500ml and requires handwashing, and its definitely one for one-upping your co-workers boring flasks and supermarket specials.View Deal

BEEFit Biltong, 10 x 30g bags | now 16.99 on AmazonLooking for a calorie-dense but highly nutritional snack? Swap your bag of crisps or chocolate bar for biltong, a cured meat snack now in handy 30g bags, to keep yourself fuller for longer. It's packed full of protein to help build muscle after a workout, and comes in either BBQ or chilli flavour.View Deal

Intermittent fasting is becoming more and more popular. It involves significantly cutting calories or abstaining from food altogether for a portion of the day or week, and then cramming all your calories into a much shorter time window.

The best-known intermittent fasting plan is the 5:2 diet, where you eat as you normally would (although hopefully a bit healthier) for five days a week, then scoff no more than 600 calories two days a week.There are also variants of this diet where you consume almost no calories, two days per week. This is much more doable than it sounds, so long as you are in good general health, but it's not exactly fun.

However, for trainees who are serious but not that serious, there's the 16:8 diet. With this diet you have only 8 hours a day to fit all your meals in, but can only drink water (and maybe some black coffee, if you're feeling naughty) within a 16 hour fasting period outside of those 8 hours. Most choose to eat from 10am to 6pm, but as long as you stay within an eight hour window, you can start and finish at any time of the day. This isHugh Jackman's strategy, so if you have ever wanted to be in Wolverine shape

Why try fasting, though? Well, during the fasting period the body will run out of sugar to run on, and so will start eating up the bodys fat stores. The big negative is the adjustment period: if you're used to a big breakfast or an early dinner, a 16-hour fast feels tough at first, especially if you're exercising. You're going to get seriously cranky.

Soylent Nutrition Shake, Cacao (Chocolate), 12 Pack | now 35.00 on AmazonMarketed as a 'complete meal in a bottle' soylent is a perfect on-the-go quick feed for breakfast or lunch. With 20g of plant protein - to keep you going and slow-burning carbs to help you stay full, Soylent is vegan, gluten free, nut free, dairy free and low GI. At under 3 a shake, it's an ideal replacement to your usual hurried, bland supermarket meal deal.View Deal

Weight training is a great way to tip your muscle-fat ratio the right way

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Dead set on having chips? An air fryer can deliver a lot of the delicious taste with less of the not-quite-so-delicious oil

(Image credit: Future)

If you eat fried food all the time, switching to an air fryer will definitely cause you to lose weight unless buying one causes you to start eating loads of chocolate because you've reduced your fat intake. No, it doesn't taste as delicious as proper fried food of course not but it turns out meals with a good fried/roasted taste, but with up to 80% lower fat content.

If you don't eat fried food all the time but like to treat yourself now and then, switching to an air fryer could still help with you to lose weight. Even with a solid balanced diet and a good workout ethic, there will come a time when your willpower will falter and you'll want to fall back on your old favourites, like fried chicken, fish, chips and all the other foods you love normally dripping with grease. If you schedule in cheat days and do this in a controlled way, it's good to know you're cooking these foods in a way that still helps you hit your goals.

Enter the air fryer. The best air fryers are revolutionary pieces of kit that use hot air combined with a teaspoon of oil (as opposed to the gallons of oil found in the deep-fat variety) to cook your crispy favourites. If kitchen space and budget is no object, you can cook a whole chicken in the Philips Airfryer XXL, but if you're after something a little more economical, Ninjas AF100UK Air Fryer is lightweight, compact and versatile, perfect for portion control. Check it out below.

Ninja AF100UK Air Fryer | was 119.00 | now 89.00 at AmazonFry food guilt-free using comparatively very little oil and a blast of hot air. If you're a junk food addict, it's one of the best ways to arrange your cheat days so that you're still having guilt-free food while fitting your macros, calorie count or diet of choice. The Ninja model is lightweight, compact and versatile, also capable of roasting, dehydrating and reheating food in addition to the air fry function.View Deal

This is just one way to have your (fried) cake and eat it too. Swapping high-calorie pints of ice cream to the low-calorie versions like Halo Top or Oppo, or switching out cholesterol-laden butter for a healthier olive spread, are other easy ways you can make relatively simple lifestyle choices and still keep weight off.

There are two main types of exercise: cardio training and weights, otherwise known as resistance training.Although cardio burns a lot of calories while you do it, weight training builds muscle which burns more than fat as you go about your day. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you'll burn even when not working out.

Resistance training may seem scary if you're doing it for the first time, especially in the gym when the area's dominated by serious lifters, but you dont have to start adding big plates to the bar right now. There's plenty of ways to get started at home with smaller weights such as dumbbells, kettlebells and even medicine balls.

Were not going to list every single lifting exercise, so why not pick the body part you want to start toning up and check out some of our muscle-building how-tos. One you've done that, grab one of the best dumbbell sets on the market. They're not just for arms: you can use a dumbbell to work your core, shoulders, and even your legs with combination movements. Once you're comfortable in your own home, you can move on to more advanced equipment at the gym.

BodyPower 20 kg Cast Iron Spinlock Dumbbell set | was 59.99 | now 39.99 from Fitness SuperstoreYou just can't beat a good old pair of cast iron weights, and a testament to this is the fact they can be found under the beds of dads and granddads up and down the country. Get your own and they will last a lifetime and for all of their noisy, palm-chafing downsides, there is a kind of nostalgic loveliness to the spin collar set-up.View Deal

All of this aside, dont neglect cardio, as regular cardio workouts are important for fitness and stamina.

Electric Muscle Stimulation can help your muscles recover faster

(Image credit: PowerDot)

It may seem gimmicky when you unwrap your new six-pack vibrating belt, complete with a picture of Ronaldo on the box, but don't roll your eyes just yet. While you can't just sit there eating crisps and expect to get ripped, Electric Muscle Stimulators can help as part of a controlled dietary and exercise plan.

EMS can cause the muscles to contract, essentially tensing and untensing rapidly. During downtime post-workout, you can continue to encourage muscle growth with EMS, while the right bit of kit can also encourage faster recovery, allowing you to get back in the gym all the quicker. According to the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, EMS stimulates the muscle in the same way as a massage, prepping it for the next go-round.

It's not a bona fide shortcut to a six-pack, but it can speed up the muscle-building process with regular use.

(Image credit: Sixpad)

Our top choice is always SIXPAD as used by Cristiano Ronaldo, a man who takes great pride in his body. Perhaps a little too much pride, the unkind or jealous might say. Amazon also sells all manner of abs belts by brands we have never heard of, for about 20. Needless to say we dont recommend these.

PowerDot 2.0 - Smart Electric Muscle Stimulator | now 185 at AmazonAlternatively, the PowerDot 2.0 is a smartphone-controlled muscle stimulating monster.This neat muscle stimulator works from your phone, allowing you to control intensity, stimulation and goal. Reduce your recovery time and increase muscular performance, as the PowerDot working to support your gym schedule. This model has two stimulators, but you can scale up to four for 325View Deal

Planks are a tough abs workout and a great end-of-workout finisher

(Image credit: Taco Fleur from Pixabay)

As well doing both muscle-building and cardio exercises, if you want to lose belly fat its also important to switch up the pace of your workout.

Every time you workout, you should exercise using both steady state (working hard but not at max capacity, such as during brisk jog) and high intensity (going flat out, like sprinting) to torch your abdominal fat.

Steady state or aerobic exercises include cycling, running or uphill hiking.Its a crucial part of losing belly fat because it burns through your fat stores. However, it also uses your sugar stores for energy first, so you need to do steady-state for long enough to use up all that sugar before it eats into your fat reserves.

High intensity workouts use mainly sugar for fuel, so they don't hit the fat right away, but it does help in building muscle, which will help you torch fat even on days you're not exercising. Explosive weight lifting, sprinting and HIIT-friendly exercises like mountain climbers are all great high-intensity exercises.

A good fitness tracker will help you to gauge the intensity of your workout by monitoring your heart rate. For overall fitness trackers, check out the Fitbit Versa Lite above, but for a dedicated running watch, you can't beat the Garmin Forerunner 645, the best on the market right now.

Find out more about heart rate zone training

Garmin Forerunner 645 | now 276.93 at AmazonGarmin dominates the running/fitness watch category so totally, it's almost embarrassing for the competition. The most recent addition to their premium line, the Garmin 645, incorporates GPS and wrist heart-rate tracking, which is good for monitoring your resting and all-day rates. The 645 crunches a lot of data to suggest recovery times, make a decent stab at estimating your VO2 Max, tell you how optimal your training load and lots, lots more.View Deal

FitBit Aria 2 smart bathroom scale | was 119.95 | now 105.00 on AmazonThis clever scaletells you your weight, BMI and body fat percentage which is all a lot of people want. It then reports this to your Fitbit account, so you can monitor your weight trends and use it alongside your Fitbit wearable's daily calorie-burn estimates. Add MyFitnessPal or Fitbit's own dietary features and you can then sync your meal-plans, daily calories consumed and weight goals, if you want.View Deal

The most important thing to bear in mind is this: losing weight takes time. You'll have setbacks and slip-ups, but if you stay committed to your goal, you'll be fitter and healthier in 2020, building up great habits for many years ahead.

Need some help to get started? Check out all the latest deals on the kit you'll need to get fit in 2020.To start with, you'll need a killer playlist and a good set of workout headphones to listen to it on:

Beats By Dre Powerbeats Pro | now 219 on AmazonPowerbeats Pro are a 'game changer' for Beats; the quality of them is over and above anything the brand has produced before. Designed for workouts and running, the clever design of these true wireless buds means they stay still in your ears during even the most arduous physical jerks. Battery life is way better than most true wireless buds at 8-9 hours and they recharge incredibly fast.View Deal

Read the original post:
How to lose belly fat: burn visceral fat, feel fitter and reveal your abs in 2020 - T3

FODMAP is an acronym that stands for Fermentable Oligo- Di- Monosacharides And Polyols. Our team at Monash University coined the term in 2005 when we showed that this group of carbohydrates trigger symptoms of IBS in susceptible people, and reducing all of them together would have a greater impact on IBS symptom relief than reducing any one of them alone.

FODMAPs attract water as they pass slowly through the small intestine. They then pass undigested into the large intestine where bacteria ferment them. In people with IBS, this leads to excessive gas production and changes in bowel habit, along with many other typical IBS symptoms including pain, bloating and distension.

One in seven Australian adults are thought to have IBS. Our research, which has been replicated by groups all over the world, has shown the diet reduces IBS symptoms in three out of four sufferers.

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While a limited number of studies indicate weight loss is an unintended consequence of a low FODMAP diet, the diet is ill fit for this purpose. For people needing to lose weight, the food restrictions the FODMAP diet imposes are unnecessary.

Unless carefully implemented, the diet can compromise intake of nutrients such as fibre, iron and calcium. This can lead to a shortage of these nutrients if the diet is followed strictly long-term.

One example of this is the diet restricts intake of prebiotics, the fuel source for good bacteria in our bowel. Numerous studies have shown an unintended consequence of the FODMAP diet is it changes the composition of the gut microbiota. While the long-term consequences of these changes are unknown, it is not advisable to restrict FODMAPs unnecessarily.

There is no scientific evidence to suggest the FODMAP diet reduces acne.

A FODMAP diet is a three-step diet best followed under the guidance of an experienced dietitian.

People follow the diet strictly at the start, and relax and personalise the dietary restrictions over time. The aim is to strike a balance between adequate symptom control and a minimally restrictive diet.

In step 1, people reduce intake of all FODMAP groups below a threshold level. The aim of this step is to reduce IBS symptoms. If IBS symptoms improve sufficiently, people progress to step 2.

In step 2, people undertake a series of food challenges to determine which FODMAPs they can tolerate.

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In step 3, well-tolerated FODMAPs are brought back into the diet, while poorly tolerated FODMAPs are restricted, but only to a level necessary to control IBS symptoms.

The success of the FODMAP diet is due to its widespread uptake among patients with IBS. Backed by scientific evidence, the diet is recommended in various local and international clinical guidelines as a first-line IBS treatment.

As consumer demand for low FODMAP food choices grows, some companies have started to adopt Monash Universitys low FODMAP certification. Brands like Vegemite, Kelloggs USA, and Bakers Delight now offer low FODMAP-certified products.

But with bloggers and health gurus promoting fad diets under the FODMAP name, our research team is spending more time combating disinformation. This takes time away from our research and the support we can offer IBS sufferers.

To learn more about the FODMAP diet, visit monashfodmap.com.

Jane Varney, senior research dietitian in the Department of Gastroenterology, Monash University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons licence. Read the original article.

See the article here:
The FODMAP diet is everywhere, but experts warn it's not for weight loss - The Sydney Morning Herald

A 1970s-style paranoia thriller set amid the American interventionism of the 1980s made by one of the most exciting filmmakers of right now, The Last Thing He Wanted is a movie that refuses to behave as it should.

Directed and co-written by Dee Rees, the movie is an adaptation of Joan Didions 1996 novel of the same name. The story is a swirl of shifting allegiances, agendas and motivations as Anne Hathaway stars as American newspaper reporter Elena McMahon swept up in a story she cant see her way out of.

In the film, having been pulled away from her work regarding U.S. involvement in Central American revolutions, McMahon walks off an unwanted assignment covering the 1984 presidential campaign. Trying to help her ailing father (Willem Dafoe), she gets ensnared in a gun-running scheme that draws her back to Central America. She falls deeper into a downward spiral as she is pulled between a U.S. government official named Treat Morrison (Ben Affleck) and an operative of uncertain affiliation known simply as Jones (Edi Gathegi).

Though the film takes its liberties with Didions book inventing a fellow journalist played by Rosie Perez, ramping up the supporting character of Jones Rees has her own feelings as to whether it is a faithful adaptation.

It depends what you mean by faithful. I feel like to her cadence and to her language and to the milieu, I think it is faithful to Didions worldview, Rees said in an interview alongside Hathaway in Park City, Utah, a few hours before the films January premiere at the Sundance Film Festival.

Anne Hathaway in Dee Rees The Last Thing He Wanted, an adaptation of the 1996 novel by Joan Didion.

(Laura T Magruder / Netflix)

Rees first broke out at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival with her debut feature Pariah, which was picked up by Focus Features and went on to win Gotham and Spirit Awards and the NAACP Image Award for outstanding independent motion picture. After making the television film Bessie, she was back at Sundance in 2017 with Mudbound, which was picked up by Netflix and went on to earn four Oscar nominations.

All of which made it more startling when The Last Thing He Wanted premiered at Sundance to a calamitously dismissive reception. Yet since the film launched on Netflix on Feb. 21 it has been ensconced in the top of the platforms new daily rankings.

And where one poorly received film might once have derailed the career of a woman-of-color filmmaker like Rees, she already has plenty more projects lined up. A recent New York Times Magazine profile rattled off multiple possibilities, including an ambitious futuristic saga. It was also announced earlier this month that she is attached to adapt George Gershwins musical Porgy and Bess.

With The Last Thing He Wanted, Rees attempts to capture the feel of Didions prose in the camera work, working with cinematographer Bobby Bukowski, often with a breathless abandon. In an early scene in the movie, as Hathaway and Perez are running to make a plane that will safely get them out of a war-torn hot spot, the camera breaks away from the two of them to hurtle through a terminal, past a luggage check-in, out a doorway and onto an expanse of tarmac only to catch back up to the pair as they scramble aboard a waiting plane. There is isolation and uncertainty in nearly every frame of the movie.

Anne Hathaway, left, and Ben Affleck in Dee Rees The Last Thing He Wanted.

(Netflix)

Among the biggest alterations by Rees and her co-writer Marco Villalobos from the novel is ramping up the character of Jones, who repeatedly shows up to save Elena even as she refuses to trust him. That Jones is black and yet Elena instinctively trusts the white U.S. official she nevertheless knows to be dubious the casting of Affleck and all the baggage he brings is particularly sharp brings an awareness of race and perspective to the story that is not present in Didions novel.

I just wanted to add that to make it more complicated and make it more interesting, said Rees. So its not just to show how internal she is. That conceptualizes her and helps you understand why this woman thinks that shes a step ahead. So all that gives us context. I needed you to question the idea of heroism, in the big scale were looking at American imperialism and then Treat in micro is kind of a personification of that idea, in that he is the system.

For Hathaway, even with all of the uncertainties and ambiguities of the story, there were a few things she was sure of.

It was the most clearly drawn character Ive ever gotten to play, said Hathaway, which is ironic because she spends the entire film in a fog.

Anne Hathaway on her character Elena McMahon in The Last Thing He Wanted

Hathaway first became acquainted with Didions writing when director David Frankel gave her some of the authors work before shooting The Devil Wears Prada. The often crisp terseness of Didions prose was something that Hathaway latched onto.

Theres something about her that she knows exactly how to describe in as few words as possible what you need to hear to take in what youre listening to. Seriously, its a gift, said Hathaway. And that was the thing for me.

As to whether Hathaways performance was intended to somehow embody Didion, famous for her low-key bicoastal glamour, rail-thin with cigarettes and sunglasses, the actress first deferred to her director.

I wanted to almost invert Anne, said Rees. So sunburn the skin and lighten the hair and she was game for that. Theres this one photo of Didion smoking a cigarette and thats one photo I wanted the costume designer to have and Anne had. Theres like a such attitude in it, but I think Anne found her own character.

As Hathaway recalled, My agent called me and said, Dee wants to talk to you about a weight transformation. In my mind Im like, Oh, its Joan Didion, she wants me to lose 20 pounds. And then Dee said, I need you to gain 20.

You didnt even look like you gained 20, you gained like 2, interjected Rees.

Weve had this discussion. I gained the weight, Hathaway coolly continued. I gained the weight because I had to lose the weight. So anyway, when Dee asked me to do that I thought, Thats so interesting, because youd think me playing Didion, youd want to go towards Didion. And then I said, Why do you want me to gain the weight? totally game, and she said, Because I want you to look like someone who can handle herself.

And then I remembered a line from the Joan Didion Netflix documentary in which Joan talks about how conflict-averse she was, Hathaway said. She doesnt think shes ever had conflict, a confrontation, in her life and she saves all of her confrontation for her novels. And I thought, Oh my gosh, what if I took Dees instinct and I was that Joan Didion who could handle herself and I ran towards conflict? And that opened the character up for me in this big way, someone who had tried to play the game and the game didnt work out and she was just so angry. She made a decision to not play that game anymore no matter what.

Rosie Perez, left, Willem Dafoe, director Dee Rees, Anne Hathaway and Edi Gathegi of The Last Thing He Wanted, photographed in the L.A. Times Studio at the Sundance Film Festival.

(Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

Even speaking before the films premiere, Hathaway was well aware that there would be some people who would see her as wrong for the role, that the sweetness that is so often part of her persona both on screen and off can be an impediment to what people think she is capable of.

I knew I had this character inside of me and, opening up a little bit, the sweetness thing is something that stood between me and getting parts in the past, Hathaway said, where directors meet me and they dont see the part, they just see this Labrador puppy coming at them. And I just had this moment where I was just like: If not now, when? I need to show who this person is, I need to show what I have.

Heres the thing, Im dealing with this thing where I want to tell stories like this and people dont always see me in this way, Hathaway said, but Im a 37-year-old woman. Ive lived a life. Of course I have desperation to me. Of course I have anger to me. Of course I have frustration and of course Ive made mistakes. I was just really grateful that I was working with an artist who understood that the person you are doesnt necessarily always reflect entirely what you can do. I really appreciated that.

Rees noted that appreciation went both ways right from their first meeting at L.A.s Chateau Marmont, adding that she too can still feel as if people do not take her seriously enough even after making three films and earning an Oscar nomination.

The fact that you, Oscar-winning, talented actress were taking me seriously, saying lets sit down at the Chateau and talk about this and heres how I know this character, I was impressed, said Rees. You wanted the character and you believed in me. You saw it in me like I trust you to do this.

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Why Anne Hathaway made Netflix drama 'Last Thing He Wanted' - Los Angeles Times

How much stock should one put in the preseason?

It didnt go exactly the way Real Salt Lake wanted after recoding two losses and a draw. Add to that the fact that RSL doesnt seem to be operating at full tilt or even medium tilt. It gave up seven goals and scored only two against its three preseason opponents, one of which plays in the lower-rung United Soccer League. Coach Freddy Juarez acknowledged after the loss to the Phoenix Rising that several of his players namely newcomer Justin Meram and midfielder Damir Kreilach arent yet at full fitness. And there has been smorgasbord of preseason injuries among the clubs attacking players.

Juarez also said he hasnt put his strongest group together yet and that he is still expecting a couple of pieces.

Add it all up, and things remain a tad unsettled as RSL prepares for Saturdays MLS season opener at Orlando City. That doesnt seem ideal for a team that expects to finish in the top four of the Western Conference, but well know a lot more after the ball goes up at 4 p.m. MST at Exploria Stadium.

Once the team is fully healthy and fit, thats when the pressure will start to mount in terms of what the 2020 version of RSL can actually become. So before the 34-game grind of the MLS regular season starts, its time to answer some burning questions and make some predictions.

This might be the biggest question of the season for RSL. In his time as either Mike Petkes quick replacement or interim head coach, he proved that he can fill in on a short-term basis and get results.

The teams impressive postseason run last year was probably a big reason Juarez landed the permanent job. But filling in is much different than a job where all the blame falls on the main guy if the team loses.

The good news is Juarez is admired up and down the roster. Hes worked with many of the younger players through his time with the RSL Academy, and even newer players are in awe about his soccer knowledge.

When Saturday, 4 p.m. MSTTV KMYU

But how will Juarez react if the team is struggling and disgruntled fans are calling for his job? How will he handle a player who gripes about playing time and becomes an issue in the locker room?

Theres no doubt about how much Juarez knows and continues to learn about soccer. But this 2020 season will be a different kind of test, and everyone will be watching and evaluating his performance.

Albert Rusnk. Hes a designated player who by far is the highest paid player on the team, and he is entering Year 4 with RSL. Although he scored 10 goals (five penalties) and added five assists in 2019, he at times felt underutilized in the offense.

Rusnk making more of an impact is partly on him and partly on the coaching staff. He needs to be put in positions where he can be most effective. Playing as an attacking midfielder theoretically should already do that, but there were several times last season where passes would either go over or around him in the attack.

Juarez wants to utilize more off-ball movement, more patterns of play in the attack and more playing out of the back this season. Those tactics will likely involve Rusnk, who is arguably the most talented player on RSLs roster.

He doesnt have to score 20 goals or create every chance, but it should feel like hes involved in the most dangerous goal-scoring opportunities.

RSL lost a potent chunk of its attack when Jefferson Savarino and Sebastian Saucedo moved on during the offseason. Those two, in particular, had the ability to create chances out of nothing. If what Meram and Giuseppe Rossi showed in their brief stints playing together is any indication of whats to come, perhaps that issue is at least partly solved. But it remains to be proven in games that matter.

Sam Johnson is rehabbing from offseason knee surgery, Corey Baird didnt play a single minute during the preseason due to injury, and Kreilach, as mentioned, isnt fit yet. Those are three players who are generally relied upon to put the ball in the back of the net. For now, at least to start the season, theyre question marks.

Juarez has put an emphasis on scoring more goals in 2020. He started preseason with attacking principles and brought in Matt Glaeser to focus on set pieces. Those changes make sense after RSL scored the second-least amount of goals in the West last year.

Will Rossi or Meram be the de facto scorers? Will RSL do it by committee like recent years? However it happens, the team simply has to score more. What that looks like will be a running theme this season.

Nick Rimandos retirement left a gaping hole at a position that hasnt been vacant in more than a decade. But the players in front of him his protectors, so to speak arent changing. And thats good.

Aaron Herrera, Justin Glad, Donny Toia, Nedum Onuoha and Marcelo Silva have a good amount of experience playing together in different combinations. Silva and Onuoha were the center back pairing Juarez chose during the preseason, but most likely because Herrera had to fill in for injured attackers, which moved Glad into his position.

But the core is intact, and the relationship and continuity among those players should only get stronger and more natural with another season together. And if Juarez decides to play five in the back at times, or three, or four, his choices will be the same those five guys.

Additionally, the organization brought in a pair of veterans in Ashtone Morgan and Alvin Jones to add depth to the back line. So if injuries happen, RSL is covered in a way it wasnt last season.

This might already be wrapped up. Zac MacMath started every preseason game, and went the full 90 minutes in two of the three. It looks like the job is his.

Yet, he did give up seven goals in two games. So maybe RSLs coaching staff will take that into account heading into the game against Orlando. Juarez was noncommittal Wednesday about whether MacMath would start against Orlando. But even so, it feels like he will be the main one in goal.

Theoretically, however, there are three players who could earn that starting job. Juarez has been adamant that its a three-keeper race that includes USL champion David Ochoa and veteran Andrew Putna, who started a few games in place of Rimando last year.

Juarez said all three players had good preseasons. But it seems overall experience has won out.

There might be too much newness and not enough scoring for RSL to safely get back to where it was last season, when it finished third in the West. Juarez is in his first MLS job as head coach. Meram and Rossi are not only new, but in their 30s. There will likely be an adjustment period with whomever wins the starting spot at goalkeeper. And it remains to be seen how formidable this team will be in the attack after not showing much in preseason.Add it all together and it looks like RSL will have to fight for a playoff spot, much like 2017 and 2018. Salt Lake should ultimately make the playoffs, but barely. That would likely mean opening the postseason on the road, and that will make getting out of the first round more difficult.

Best case scenario: Top three in the West. RSL will need everything to break right for that to happen, but its not crazy. If the injuries to their attacking players are minor, and their new players integrate seamlessly, this is still a talented team with one of the best home-field advantages in MLS.

Worst case scenario: Missing the playoffs. What if Justin Meram, Zac MacMath and other newcomers dont make the impact theyre expected to? What if key injuries at the wrong time rear their ugly head? And what if the goal-scoring struggles continue? None of this is out of the realm of possibility.

Bottom line: RSL needs to make the playoffs. Anything else will be a disappoint for a club that prides itself on development and punching above its weight. With so many changes up and down the organization, this is the season to prove that. It will also be a challenge.

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Five key questions as RSL opens the season Saturday at Orlando City - Salt Lake Tribune