Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2015 i Woman

What a tough few weeks it’s been for Mel B and it seems things could be lurching from bad to worse. According to insiders, the star is currently speaking to divorce lawyers after her husband fled to LA with her youngest daughter, Madison, aged three. Mel’s marriage to Stephen Belafonte was left in tatters following a string of furious rows. The Spice Girl was rushed to hospital with stomach pains last month, causing her to miss the first live X Factor final show, with fans speculating that she was the victim of domestic abuse. Her husband has always strongly denied the claims. A source explains, ‘Mel has never felt more vulnerable. The reason she’s clung on for so long is that she wants to protect her…

Sometimes there are people whose strength and resilience amazes you. Often they’re people you’ve read about in a newspaper or seen on TV – but for me, that person is my son, Stephen. You may remember the photo of him, thumbs up to show cancer wouldn’t stop him smiling. That picture made headlines around the world, and it did a whole lot more… I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. Even as a little boy – whether it was reaching the highest point on the climbing frame with his brother Chris, who was three years older, or riding his bike down the steepest hill – Stephen was always brave. Sometimes too much so for my liking! Back then his antics would leave me joking that I needed eyes in the back…

HOW TO WEAR WINTER PASTELS * Keep colours tonal and together. Head-to-toe pastels don’t have to be scary when you’re wearing such muted shades. * Steer clear of overly busy prints and choose clean checks or plain colours instead. * Texture is key with this trend. Look out for light knit jumpers, wool coats and fluffy cover-ups. Lift gloomy greys in a soft cloudy shade and wear prints as a matching top and skirt Mix tones and textures in flirty feminine pinks. A fluffy gilet is your new glamorous throw-on thermal!…

Walking along the street, I can feel myself about to shout out a word so obscene that people are guaranteed to stare. But no matter what I do to stop myself, it tumbles out of my mouth anyway. I was 16 when the right corner of my mouth started to drop and my eye began to involuntarily twitch. Within a month it felt as though the entire left side of my head was being pulled backwards, causing me to make odd facial movements. Worried, my mum took me to the doctor. The GP assured me it was just anxiety and exam stress, but it only got worse. Soon I was making grunting noises, flapping my arms and shouting swear words as I walked along the street. I remember being terrified.…

1 Get a piece of paper in front of you and brainstorm with the question ‘What do I want?’ Write down everything, whether it’s a microwave or a marriage. 2 Look at what you’ve written down and prioritise that list into a clear order. Once you’ve decided on the most important thing that it is you want, imagine that you’ve achieved it. Think about how it would feel and what it would be like – whether you’re imagining how it would feel to own that microwave or be somebody’s spouse. 3 Next, ask yourself, ‘How did I get there?’ Work backwards through the steps it would take you to get to that point. With each step, you’re building yourself a practical plan. Don’t focus on the negatives – the things…

Chicken tikka masala You only need a handful of ingredients to make this great-value, good-for-you curry. SERVES 4 PREP 10 MINS COOK 20 MINS 1tbsp groundnut oil 1 red onion, sliced 500g boneless, skinless chicken thighs 4-6tbsp tikka masala paste 200g can chopped tomatoes 200g French beans, trimmed and halved 1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced Small bunch coriander 2 mini naan bread, to serve 1 Heat the oil in a large wok and gently fry the onion for 5 mins to soften. Cut the chicken into chunks and cook for 10 mins, turning as needed, until browned. 2 Stir in the tikka masala paste (check jar instructions, as different brands vary in strength) and cook for a few minutes to cook off the raw spice taste. 3 Add tomatoes,…

Get it before it goes! Kick-start your mornings with barista-style coffee! Pick up the Bosch Tassimo T12 Vivy in Tesco for just £44.50, was £119! Compatible with pods from over 30 brands, including Costa. VEGGIE BALTI Fry 2 chopped onions with 1 peeled and diced butternut squash. Add a large can of tomatoes, a few spoons of balti paste, a can of chickpeas and a can of water. Simmer for 15 mins until tender. CO-OP BACON HALF PRICE! Yes, you can bring home the bacon with this great deal… At Co-op, Danepack Thick-cut Back Bacon – usually £3.59 – is now £1.79! And there’s no need to break your new-year dieting resolutions, just trim off the fat and serve with watercress and tomatoes. DRY DETOX After so much overindulgence, we’re…

…buy this COMFORT SUPPER At the end of a hard week, a hearty meal that tastes home made ticks all the boxes, so check out this selection from M&S... WARMING WINTER STEW Beef Goulash with Parsley Dumplings, £8, 800g. Tender, slow-cooked British Beef in a smoked paprika and tomato sauce served with parsley dumplings. Yummy! GET YOUR GREENS Boston Green Beans, £2, 350g. Boost your iron with these sweet and crunchy beans. Trim and microwave on high with 2tbsp water for 4 mins. BAKED TO PERFECTION Sunken Raspberry & Passion Fruit Cheesecake, £4.50, 560g. A creamy baked Madagascan Vanilla Cheesecake with a centre of raspberries and hidden pockets of passion fruit sauce on a biscuit base. …try this NEW YEAR’S DIET SOLUTION? Trying to cut down on booze? Try Nola…

‘I earned over £390 shopping with Quidco’ Fariba Mansouri-Johnson, 37, from Kent uses Quidco to shop for everything from groceries and clothes to holidays and insurance… ‘Who doesn’t love getting value for money? I know I do, so when I found out about Quidco, it was a no-brainer to sign up! Over the past three years, I’ve earned nearly £400 cashback on everything from groceries and clothes to holiday bookings and insurance. Quidco has all the brands I love, like M&S, Tesco, Amazon, Debenhams, Boots and Argos. You can even earn cashback when you’re out by using registered debit and credit cards in-store. My best deal was earning £91 for switching energy provider. And, when we go abroad, there’s always money to be made on hotel bookings and car hire.…

'98 T4 It was exciting to work on telly and be at the heart of what people my age were watching.’ ’04 ‘ The Xtra Factor I remember just walking into Simon’s dressing room. We got away with murder!’ ’06 ‘ Soapstar Superstar It was quite an experience doing a big Saturday show with Fern Britton.’ '14 Good Morning Britain ‘The backdrop is London – there are definitely worse places to work.’ Say what? ‘I’ve never had a problem with getting up at 3am – getting to bed early is the tricky bit.’…

Turning 30 * Kendra Wilkinson * Wayne Rooney Turning 40 * Jamie Oliver * Eva Longoria * Antony Cotton * Will.I.Am * Mel B * Ant & Dec * Michael Bublé * Russell Brand * Bradley Cooper * Charlize Theron Turning 50 * Craig Revel Horwood * Piers Morgan * Björk * Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall * JK Rowling * Jeremy Kyle * Charlie Sheen * Ben Stiller * Brooke Shields * Vinnie Jones * James Nesbitt * Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen * Robert Downey Jnr * Rob Brydon * Jeremy Piven Turning 60 * Bruno Tonioli * Bruce Willis * Kevin Costner * Iman * Rowan Atkinson * Whoopi Goldberg Turning 70 * Rod Stewart * Helen Mirren * Bette Midler * Frida from ABBA * Goldie Hawn * Steve Martin * Priscilla…

AMERICA 53 The number of countires that screen their own version 116 Winners of the show worldwide, to date AUSTRALIA 300 m How many viewers the show has in China IRELAND…

Standing in a field, my camera clicks as I fire off shot after shot of a horse with the sun setting behind him. I might look like a tourist trying to capture a moment, but, in fact, this is my job. It may have taken me until now, aged 41, but I’ve managed to combine my two loves – photography and horses – with a business that makes me thousands of pounds. I first fell in love with photography at 14 when I was given an old-fashioned analogue camera as a present. I started taking pictures whenever I had the opportunity. I’d often go down to my local stables to capture images of the horses. After I left school, though, I had to focus on making money, so I worked…

TRY IT HERE FIRST ABOUT THE PLAN They’ve been helping us lose weight for years, but now WeightWatchers are launching a new way to try the most popular eating trends, while still following their scientifically proven ProPoints plan. When you join, you’ll be given all the info you need to incorporate these trends into the plan. You’ll be in control of how you eat but, unlike DIY diets, you can be sure you’re eating the right way to lose weight. So you can be among the first to see how it works, we’ve teamed up with WeightWatchers to bring you a selection of meal ideas that fit various preferences. So, if you don’t do wheat, we have gluten-free ideas. And if you want lower carb, there are healthy meals that…

Maximise your vitamins! ‘Make sure you’re getting the vitamins you need and drink 100% fruit juice with your cereal in the morning,’ says nutritionist Fiona Hunter. ‘The vitamin C can boost iron absorption and help maintain healthy gums.’ Cycle as you work Sitting for long periods of time can increase your risk of stroke, heart disease and diabetes. But if you don’t feel like standing all day, try the Digital Display Pedal Exerciser (£29.99, betterlifehealthcare.com) – it fits perfectly under a desk! Wipe it clean Dishcloths in the UK have been deemed among the dirtiest in the world. Help keep your home clean with Dettol Anti-Bacterial Cleansing Surface Wipes (£2 for 36, tesco.com) – they kill 99.9% of harmful bacteria and viruses.…

My son blames me for everything I brought my two sons up alone as my husband preferred to do his own thing. We’re now divorced. For the last 10 years my youngest son has only ever been in touch with me when he wants something. My older son phones me, takes me to the cinema or comes for a meal and never forgets a card and present at Christmas, Mother’s Day and birthdays. My youngest will text, but only if his brother tells him to. He says I let him down when he needed somewhere to stay – both at times when I really couldn’t help him. I’ve given him the deposit for a flat and he said thanks, but then seemed to forget it. Should I go on chasing…

Laura Jackson read The Silversmith’s Wife , by Sophia Tobin, £7.99 paperback, £2.99 ebook (Simon & Schuster) November 1792. Pierre Renard, silversmith to London’s well-to-do, is found dead in Berkeley Square. His widow, Mary, is alone and vulnerable as it becomes clear Pierre’s clients all have something to hide. Night watchman Digby, who found the body, is left to untangle the murderer’s motives in this gripping drama. But it’s the description of the capital’s murky streets, disreputable ale houses and shady characters that really make this book worth savouring. Our verdict: IF YOU LIKED THAT, TRY THESE… Spooky murder mystery A Cruel Necessity by LC Tyler Set in the midst of the English Civil War, John Grey, a lawyer, stumbles across the body of a…

1 YOUR STRESSFUL MEETING The stress of that dreaded presentation can add years on. Telomeres, the tips of the strands of your DNA, are what keep your cells in good nick and your skin looking plump. When these start to fray due to stress, our skin sags and can look grey. Luckily, it’s reversible… BEAT IT A bit of mindfulness meditation can work wonders at soothing the mind, even if you only do a few minutes a day. Sitting up straight, breathe deeply right into the depths of your belly, focusing all your attention on your breath. If stray thoughts distract you, notice them and let them go. On your skin, look for creams that help to repair any DNA damage, such as Neova DNA Total Repair, £79, from selfridges.com…

Start the year by choosing a fab ’do from Iconic, Saks’ glamorous new collection. Celebrating the hair heroines who have captivated us through the decades, Saks’ stylists will transform your look. Or rejuvenate with Saks’ head-to-toe beauty menu, including anti-ageing facials, tanning, body contouring, hair removal, massages, brow-shaping, manis and more. HOW TO CLAIM Visit saks.co.uk to find your nearest salon, call to check they’re participating in the Woman offer and book your appointment. The promotion includes selected hair and beauty services with selected staff on selected days at participating Saks salons until 27 February 2015.…

His name is synonymous with self-help and he’s had a hand in making us happier, slimmer and wealthier. For Paul’s next trick? He wants to change your destiny. ‘My new book, The 3 Things That Will Change Your Destiny Today , is about cleaning up your past, getting yourself into a great place now and becoming the director of your future. It’s a system I’ve tested on thousands of people. They might find the courage to leave an unhappy marriage and find true love, or perhaps they’ll have a business breakthrough – it’s about claiming your life back.’ Sceptical? Read on – because if anyone knows a thing or two about changing their destiny, it’s Paul. Since his humble beginnings, growing up in north London with a…

‘My sister bullied me relentlessly’ Ursula says: When I look back over summer holidays as a child, there’s one scene that encapsulates a typical day. I’m alone, in a field in rural Essex. In the distance I can see my older sister Louisa and her friends. They’re laughing and running away. I know I can’t catch them, yet I want to be with them, because I’m not entirely confident they’ll come back and find me. I’m six years old. My sister – eight years my senior – loathed me from the moment I was born, and bullied me relentlessly throughout our childhood. It will forever impinge on my happiness. She has scars too and, like me, still struggles with depression and feelings of inadequacy caused by the chasm that opened…

Martin Lewis has been up and down the country recently with his roadshow, listening to the nation’s biggest money concerns. So with that in mind, here Woman talks to the 42-year-old about some of the financial issues – including mortgages and energy bills – that will affect you over the next 12 months and beyond. How can parents ensure their kids have a bright financial future? Aside from feeding your children and giving them a roof over their heads, the biggest thing you can do for them is teach them to have a level of independence with their own money. At one of the roadshows a woman from Manchester told me she’s been secretly saving for years for her three kids, aged nine, 16 and 19.…

These controls connect to Wi-Fi, so you can turn your heating on or off from a mobile phone. * Hive from British Gas is the best known at £199 (installation free), hivehome.com * Nest’s stylish Learning Thermostat costs £178, nest.com/uk * Worcester’s Wave Internet thermostat goes with its eco Greenstar boiler, £226, worcester-bosch.co.uk * Honeywell has a Voice Controlled thermostat, £229, getconnected. honeywell.com/en/ * The therM Stat is easy to set up yourself, £200, thermcontrols.com…

Tracy Evans, 43, from Essex says: My latest big win came last year. I was doing my hair and make-up, getting ready to go out, but still had one eye on the computer screen. Earlier that morning, I’d pre-bought tickets for a few games in the 75-ball Bingo Lounge room on Woman Bingo and I wanted to see how I was doing before heading out. I had the sound turned up on my laptop so I could hear the numbers being called, and I saw I only needed two more – 20 and 39 – to win the full house. But, better than that, there were still nine ball calls to go to scoop the Progressive Jackpot, which was almost £6,000. My heart flipped in my chest as number 20…

CAPRICORN 22 Dec – 20 Jan Monday’s Full Moon will have the effect of inflating emotions, so don’t turn a minor problem into a three-act opera. Maintain a sense of proportion. For your reading 09058 172566 AQUARIUS 21 Jan – 19 Feb Romance or rebuilding a relationship could be near the top of your list. With six weeks to go until Valentine’s Day you need to keep your eyes open for important signals from someone you love. For your reading 09058 172567 PISCES 20 Feb – 20 Mar The sooner you tackle a pressing issue the less chance it’ll morph into a serious problem. Even if you are away from the home base, an email or telephone call could make all the difference. For your reading 09058 172568 ARIES 21…

Busy-bee Ben! Having reached the age of 40 last month, you’d expect Ben Shephard to be a little weary. Not only is he up at 3am for Good Morning Britain , but he’s also been juggling Tipping Point with a hectic family life. He lives in London with his wife Annie and their sons, Jack, nine, and Sam, seven. It doesn’t bother me that I turned 40 in December. I’ve never really been that fussed about my birthday. As long as I can have a beer and my mates around. My boys are full of energy – like dogs, they just keep running. A lot! Honestly, I’ll drop anything to be able to go and kick a ball about in the park, or…