Superslim Princess Beatrice keeps shedding pounds thanks to 'water and fruit diet'

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Slim Bea: Princess Beatrice cuts a svelte figure compared with pictures of her in a larger frock of similar hue she wore two years ago, right


Does Princess Beatrice's yo-yo figure know no bounds?

The 22-year-old, who has struggled with her weight in the past, turned more than a few heads this weekend with her incredibly svelte figure, which appears to have shrunk further than ever.

Beatrice, who shed 2st before last year’s London Marathon, showed off her even slimmer frame as she attended a polo event at Cowdray Park in West Sussex wearing a short blue belted cocktail dress.

It was a dramatic contrast with a larger frock of similar hue she wore two years ago.


Young love: Beatrice was at the event with boyfriend Dave Clark

She now looks at least two sizes smaller, and credits a fitness regime based on exercise, lots of water and plenty of fruit and vegetables, with keeping the weight off.

Speaking about the pictures, she said at the time: 'I could probably do with losing the odd pound though, so perhaps it's the kick I need.

'It was such an unflattering bikini and I've got one that's so much nicer, so I could have kicked myself for wearing it.

'I thought people were a bit mean, although I know it comes with the territory.
'The trouble is, I don't have much confidence so it can be quite upsetting.'


Inspired: It was the unflattering pictures of the princess on a beach in St Barts that spurred her on to lose two stone and run the London Marathon as part of a charity team tied together


There has been no let up this year for the princess, who took part in the Windsor half marathon in September.

She managed to complete the run in a very respectable two hours and 16 minutes.

Then, in April she completed the London Marathon with her American boyfriend David Clark as part of a charity team tied together.

They formed a human caterpillar of 34 people who ran the 26.2mile course together along with Sir Richard Branson's two children Sam and Holly.


source: dailymail

22-stone bride-to-be orders size 12 wedding dress... and then SLIMS to squeeze into it

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Beautiful bride: Beth Wheeler lost 10 stone ahead of her wedding so that she could fit into her dream dress


Almost all brides try to slim down a little ahead of their big day. However Beth Wheeler was more dedicated to her diet plan than most.

The 36-year-old weighed 22 stone when she got engaged.

But she ordered a size 12 wedding dress and put herself on a strict diet so she could shed 10 stone and fit into her dream gown a little more than a year later.

She embarked on a healthy eating and living campaign and shed more than half her body weight to reach her target of 12 stone just four days before her wedding at Halswell House near Bridgwater, Somerset.


In his wedding speech, James joked: 'When you get married you often get more than you expected, well I'm getting less'


'Anyone who has ever tried to lose weight will know that you can do it on your own for a few weeks but then easily become fed up so having something to aim for kept me focused.'

Beth weighed 22st 1lb when she joined her Weight Watchers group in April 2009.

The weight began to fall off steadily and she ordered her stunning wedding gown in October 2010, telling the seamstress that she aimed to be a size 12 on her wedding day.

Beth even managed to resist the temptations of festive food over the Christmas period and went on to shed the pounds through to her wedding day.

She was delighted when she stepped on the scales on February 20 this year - and found she had finally reached her goal of 12st.


source: dailymail

Catherine Zeta-Jones checks into treatment facility for bipolar disorder

By TOM LEONARD

Treatment: Catherine Zeta-Jones, pictured here with her husband Michael Douglas in New York on March 14, was this month treated for bipolar II disorder in a mental health facility


Catherine Zeta-Jones has been treated for manic depression over the stress of her husband Michael Douglas’s battle against cancer.

The 41-year-old actress was admitted last Wednesday to the Silver Hill psychiatric hospital, where she reportedly shared a ward with alcoholics and drug addicts.

She stayed for five days, joining ten to 15 others in the £770-a-day detox centre at the hospital in New Canaan, Connecticut.


Facility: The actress spent five days at the Silver Hill Hospital near New Canaan, Connecticut


Her publicist confirmed that she had received mental health treatment to help her cope with her traumatic personal life.

‘After dealing with the stress of the past year, Catherine made the decision to check into a mental health facility for a brief stay to treat her bipolar II disorder,’ she said.

‘She’s feeling great and looking forward to starting work this week on two upcoming films.’


Difficult time: Douglas picked up supplies in New York City today



Family time: Catherine and Michael with their children Dylan and Carys at Disneyland in November


Douglas' adult son Cameron, from his marriage to Diandra, was sentenced to prison last year on drug charges.

Zeta-Jones and Douglas are parents to son Dylan, 10, and daughter Carys, who turns eight on April 20.

The actress' upcoming film projects include Playing the Field, a comedy starring Gerard Butler, Dennis Quaid Jessica Biel, and Dali, a biopic with Antonio Banderas.


source: dailymail

X Factor judge's birth agony: After 20 hours of labour, Dannii Minogue realised her dream of a home birth was over

By Dannii Minogue


No place like home: But Dannii Minogue's plans to give birth at home were dashed after discovering baby Ethan was in the back-to-back position


At 6.39pm on July 5 last year, our little boy, Ethan Edward Minogue Smith, came into the world weighing 8lb 3oz.

My partner Kris and I were now, officially, Mummy and Daddy, and we were overjoyed.

But typically for me, nothing about the birth went according to plan.


For a start, Ethan arrived ten days early, and then we discovered he wasn't in the correct position for a smooth delivery.

So, after 20 hours of excruciating labour, my plans for a home birth went out of the window and I ended up having Ethan in hospital.

Contrary to reports of me being rushed to hospital in an emergency, my amazing home-birth midwives, Nicola and Helen, helped us carry out a smooth transfer to the Royal Women's Hospital in Melbourne.

The staff at the hospital were great, and worked with our midwives to make my little boy's birth the wonderful and happy experience I'd hoped it would be, even though I wasn't at home.

I'd had my heart set on having Ethan at home after talking to my friends Jasper and Lynne, from the UK, who were really positive about the idea and had done lots of research.

Lynne had given birth to my goddaughter, Amelie, at home, and her second baby, Theo, and she had loved the experience.

I really believe that a woman should have the right to have her baby at home if that's what she decides and medically it's safe for her to do so.

There's no right or wrong, for me it's about choice. But it's a constant battle for mothers and professional midwives alike to get that point across.

Another major factor in choosing a home birth was my residual anxiety about hospitals, as my recent memories of them had not been particularly pleasant.
There had been my sister Kylie's cancer treatment, and then I'd watched my best friend Laura go into hospital, again with cancer, and never come out.

I just wanted some comfort and privacy and, for me, that meant giving birth in my own home.

When my contractions started I was fairly serene - it was everyone else who seemed to get into a flap.

As I said, Ethan decided to join us early, so when my waters broke after I'd ambitiously tried to cram myself into a pair of jeans, I called Kris, who was playing golf.

He, in turn, called my mum, Carol, who happened to be on her way over anyway. I was quite calm, but I worried that Kris might drive too fast or miss a red light in all the excitement while dashing back to the house.


Centre of Attention: Dannii with partner Kris and baby Ethan (left) and Auntie Kylie gets to grips with the new arrival


My friend Ben Pauley, who was visiting from Los Angeles, was also at the house, and he and Mum made a hysterical double act during my labour, running around my kitchen, bumping into one another, repeating: 'Right, what do we do? What do we need?'

But several hours into my labour my initial serenity had evaporated. Because Ethan was in a posterior position, meaning his back was in line with my back and his arms and legs were moving freely across my tummy, I was in absolute agony.

Nicola and Helen have since told me how brave I was during those long hours of labour, but not having had a baby before I had no idea at the time whether it was bravery or delirium that saw me through.

I do remember walking up and down the stairs, holding on to Kris, and being told to lift my legs as high as I could. This was not something I was especially in the mood for at that stage, but as it can help to turn the baby to the correct position I wanted to give it a go.

Then the midwives showed Kris some acupressure points in my back he could press on to alleviate some of the pain and told him not to be afraid to press as hard as he could.

After several hours of this, at every contraction Kris asked Nicola if he should stop. 'Only if she's got quite a deep dent in her back,' came the reply. 'Keep going, you can't press too hard.'

Following in mum's footsteps: By the time he was born, Ethan had swum with a dolphin, walked the red carpet, been photographed for magazines, sat on the judging panel of TV talent shows, flown in a private jet and launched a clothing range


I didn't feel a thing at the time, as there was too much happening on the inside of my back, but I had bruises afterwards.

By the time I was transferred to hospital the following morning I'd been in pain, without any numbing medication, for a long time, so an epidural was very welcome.

When Laura was dying in hospital, I would rub her feet and when I was in hospital having Ethan, one of the nurses came to the end of my bed and did the same to me. I burst out crying. I felt Laura was there. I wanted her so much to be there with me and meet my little baby.

But when I held Ethan for the first time, the pain and worry melted away. Kris and I couldn't believe that we'd made another person together.

When you are first handed your baby, you try to take in every feature, every finger, toe and eyelash. I remember thinking: 'Who are you? How did you get here? I can't believe you've been in my tummy all this time and I'm finally meeting you.' It was wonderful.

By the time he was born, Ethan had swum with a dolphin, walked the red carpet, been photographed for magazine covers, sat on the judging panel of two TV talent shows, flown in a private jet and launched a clothing range. I guess pre-school will have a lot to live up to.


Mothers have the right to choose, but those at risk need to be in a hospital
By Clive Spence-Jones, Obstertricdian and gynaecologist

Dannii is not the first celebrity mum to opt for a home birth. Demi Moore had her three children at home, and model Gisele Bundchen, Davina McCall, and Charlotte Church chose to do the same.

None of these successful women were shy to advocate the benefits of delivering at home.

But Dannii's honesty is to be admired, admitting that her dreams were shattered by the unpredictable nature of birth.

Are there lessons to be learned from her story?

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence recommends that all women should be offered options about where to give birth.

But home is still an unusual choice. Last year, 18,000 women in the UK gave birth at home (2.7 per cent of the total) without medical intervention.

Numbers have declined dramatically in the past 50 years. In 1960, one in three births in England and Wales was at home, but the figure has hovered around three per cent for the past 15 years.

Yet in the Netherlands a third of women have home births. Campaigners say this is the model we should aspire to. And it is not hard to see why. At home the mother is surrounded by familiarity, and there is no risk of a hospital-acquired infection.

Working together, midwives and obstetricians have developed guidelines to identify mothers we would not advise to choose home birth. It is not safe, for example, for mothers with high blood pressure (pre-eclampsia), a history of heavy bleeding after previous birth, and women whose babies are in the wrong position in the womb, to deliver at home.

But, even for women who should be eligible, the reality for those reliant on the NHS is different. Two midwives are needed to supervise a home birth, one for the mother and one for the baby.

Dire staff shortages in some areas mean this is not possible. Indeed, some Primary Care Trusts ask women to visit their hospital to see a midwife.

Unfortunately, it's not just staffing levels that make home delivery potentially unsafe.

Research in the U.S. has shown that the average mortality rate of babies born in hospital was 0.3 per 1,000 births, but one in 1,000 births for those born at home.

In the UK, even with careful selection of low-risk mothers for home delivery, a third of women who plan a home birth end up being transferred to hospital due to complications.

Dannii's labour failed to progress because the baby was in the occipito-posterior position (back-to-back) - the most common cause of delay in first labours.

Do try this at home: Demi Moore (left) gave birth to her children at home, as did Davina McCall. But while every woman should have the right to choose how she gives birth, it's important to consider the health risks


It is very difficult for the baby to move through the birth canal in this position, which can be excruciatingly painful for the mother.

Birth is a dynamic process, and how it progresses depends on the baby ' s size, the strength of the muscular contractions of the womb and the mother's weight.

Ten per cent of babies turn back round by themselves, but in the other cases we have to intervene or the baby will not come out.

Sometimes we give drugs that make the contractions strong, and this is enough. In other cases an epidural - an anaesthetic injection into the spine that numbs the lower half of the body - helps the mother's pelvic floor muscles relax so that the baby rotates naturally.

If labour has progressed to the stage where the cervix is fully open, and the mother is pushing but the baby won't deliver, options include manual rotation of the head or help with a ventouse suction device or forceps. In some cases, none of these approaches work so we have to deliver the baby by caesarean section.

The biggest problem, even with the most carefully planned home birth, are the complications which need medical interventions within minutes but can not be predicted.

Shoulder dystocia (when the baby's head has delivered but the shoulders are stuck in the birth canal) and babies who fail to breathe because of the cord round the neck which tightens just before birth, are examples.

It is mandatory that all health professionals involved in maternity care work together to provide for a happy and saf e birth.

And all mothers should be aware of the potential risks and benefits of the choices they make.



source:dailymail

So that's why Cher Lloyd looks the picture of health - she lives on greasy portions of chips

By Daily Mail Reporter


'Look, I do eat, honest!' Cher Lloyd points at the large portion of chips she was seen scoffing in Brighton today


She's endured months of speculation about her thin frame - but Cher Lloyd seemed determined to prove the doubters wrong by getting stuck into some chips as she walked along Brighton seafront earlier today.

The 17-year-old flame-haired star was tucking into a large portion of the traditional seaside snack ahead of the X Factor Live date at the Brighton Centre tonight, where she'll be joined by other finalists from last year's show.

However, the greasy fare could certainly explain why the star has been sporting such a spotty complexion of late, if not her underweight body.

Beside the seaside: The X Factor star was tucking into her greasy treat ahead of her appearance of the X Factor Live tour in the city tonight


Ever since the wannabe superstar auditioned on The X Factor, there have been worries about her slender figure with fears that she could be suffering from an eating disorder.

The fears weren't exactly eased when Cher pulled out of the tour's date in Manchester on Tuesday after falling ill.

Officially, a throat infection was blamed. But many people - including fellow contestants - have been worried that the frail teen simply isn't eating enough.

Spot the problem: The popstrel's diet of chips could be to blame for last week's pimple outbreak, right, which is only just beginning to clear up today, left


Nevertheless, the former student from Malvern, Worcesteshire, insisted last year: 'I am eating. There is no problem. Of course I am eating I wouldn’t be able to perform if I wasn’t.'

And the pint-sized popstrel seemed determined to allay rumours that her no-show was nothing to do with a lack of food by shoving down the deep fried al fresco snack today.

However, Cher was covering up her lack of curves with baggy casual wear - and and her rather spotty complexion with her usual heavy foundation.

The star was wearing a grey marl padded bodywarmer, grey marl sweatpants, a lemon yellow and grey marl striped top and tan coloured Adidas trainers to go with her over-sized designer handbag.

Crest of a wave: Cher appeared to be enjoying her day at the seaside in the sun today


Her hair was scraped back into a rather harsh high pony tail, much like the 1990s fabled 'Croydon facelift' hair style.

Cher was also wearing clashing bright pink lipstick with clashed somewhat with her magenta dyed hair.

She's on the road on the X Factor Live tour with Katie Waissel, Aiden Grimshaw, Rebecca Ferguson, Matt Cardle, Paige Richardson, Mary Byrne, Wagner and One Direction.

Thin pins: Cher on stage at the X Factor Live Tour at London's Wembley Arena earlier this month


They play a second date at the Brighton Centre tomorrow before moving onto London's O2 for three shows, including a matinee and evening shows on Saturday March 19 and another date on Sunday March 20.

It then heads to Nottingham, Newcastle, Aberdeen and Glasgow before wrapping up at Cardiff Arena on April 5 and 6.



Source:dailymail

The moment Kylie Minogue breaks down while talking about her traumatic cancer battle in an extraordinarily raw interview

By Andrea Magrath


Emotional: Kylie Minogue broke down while discussing her battle with breast cancer during an interview with Australian television


Just last week she celebrated the monumental five year, all clear mark.

And despite being at the top of her game, in the midst of a spectacular world tour, Kylie Minogue has revealed how her harrowing battle with breast cancer still haunts her.

The 42-year-old singer broke down in tears and had to leave the room during an emotional interview with Australian television program Sunday Night.

Overcome: Kylie had to turn her face away from the camera during the interview with Australian music personality Molly Meldrum to attempt to recover


In what is undoubtedly her most raw and candid interview to date, Kylie opened up about the dark period to her close friend, Molly Meldrum, before the opening night of her Aphrodite tour in Denmark.

Meldrum complimented her on her 'brave' battle with the disease, but Kylie corrected him: 'You might have seen the bravery. I don't think the public saw... well, I stayed indoors.

'My family got me through really rotten, dark moments.'

Distraught: The singer had been discussing an encounter with a sick child's parents when the memory became too much for her

Time out: The 42-year-old apologised to Meldrum, a good friend, and halted the interview


Tears welled in hear eyes and she struggled to speak after discussing an encounter with a sick child and their parents in a children's hospital.

Kylie said: 'I was talking to some parents across the other side of a bed and their child was there.

'I was saying the things that I would normally say in that situation, just making conversation with the child, with the parents, giving them some support as well.

'And then, they really caught me off guard, they just eyeballed me and said, "How are you, and we hope you get through it" and it’s like...'

Memories: Kylie explained that she had not thought about the encounter for some time and she was 'caught off guard'


The singer struggled to find her words and became overcome with emotion.

As Meldrum, a legendary music personality in Australia, started to move onto another question, the emotion became too much for Kylie and after hiding her face to attempt to recover, she apologised and dashed out of the room.

But Minogue quickly returned to the room, eager to explain why the topic had upset her so much.

Still clearly emotional and fighting tears, she told the crew, 'It's OK, keep rolling.

Traumatic: Kylie was diagnosed with cancer in May 2005, and says that her family got her through 'the really rotten, dark moments'


'The reason that that gets me is, and the greatest part of my job and what I do is the humanity of it, and there’s certain moments where that really cuts through.'

She said that she hadn't thought about that encounter for some time, and that: 'It stopped me in my tracks.'

Kylie was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2005 but at the end of February, she celebrated five years of being given the all clear.

'The five-year mark is the end of this month and I feel like I’m back with all guns blazing,' Kylie told Australian newspaper the Herald Sun in February.

Family: Kylie also said that she 'might' marry boyfriend Andres Velencoso and that he is 'a natural' with children


'I’ll have a few mixed emotions on the day. I wanted to do a concert but now I’m on tour myself. I don’t know what to do. Obviously, it’s going to be exciting but it’s also going to be surreal and momentous and a bit scary.

'Anyone who’s been through cancer or any other disease with surgeries and treatments knows you have constant reminders that this is not how it used to be. I think my path is written,' she added.

'Even if part of you wants to say "OK I get it, I’m used to this", another part of you takes a lot longer to catch up with it and get with the program.'

After their raw discussion, Kylie and Meldrum moved on to cheerier topics, including the prospect of marriage and babies with her boyfriend, Andre Velencoso, 32.

Fighting fit: Minogue just celebrated the five year, all clear mark at the end of February


Quizzed by Meldrum on the subject of marriage, she said: “It might happen, who knows!

And she even beat her old friend to the chase on the inevitable follow-up question, saying: 'Andres is a natural with children. We will just have to see but I’m not sure if that will be part of my future.

'There’s more than one way to skin a cat. It’s important for women to know there are other options available, whatever means you have to use to have a family, if that’s your desire go for it.'




Source:dailymail.co.uk

The cat that got the dream: Nicole Scherzinger says goodbye to the Dolls

By LIZ JONES

'I don't really like the Wag tag because I think it's demeaning. I mean, I'm an independent woman, says Nicole


Having slogged hard to get to the top, former Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger is a lot more relaxed on the diet and fitness front these days. But that certainly doesn’t mean her solo ambitions are taking a back seat to F1 beau Lewis Hamilton’s career, as Liz Jones discovers

I have a Pussycat Doll (well, a former Pussycat Doll) in my hotel room. She keeps ordering food, and glasses of white wine, which is something celebrities, especially female celebrities, rarely do. I keep thinking of all the men I could send a text message to who would be driven insane with jealousy that Nicole Scherzinger is perched on the end of my bed.

She is all in black – skin-tight jeans, curvy jacket – and she’s complaining about the cold: London is in the grip of a deep freeze. ‘I live in California!’ she cries. ‘Please can I shut the window?’


Nicole with F1 boyfriend Lewis Hamilton, left, and performing on The X Factor


If there is one woman in the world who can outdo Cheryl Cole in the incredibly, outrageously groomed glamour-puss stakes, it’s 32-year-old Nicole.

When she stood in for Cheryl as a judge on The X Factor, her lashes were longer, her black hair reached that impossibly round posterior, the clothes seemed airbrushed on to her naturally honeyed skin, and her affinity with the contestants bordered on the motherly. She was hilarious, rather than always being on the verge of crocodile tears.

To one clearly hopeless hopeful she said, deadpan, ‘You need to work on your vocals.’ She spotted the potential of eventual runner-up Rebecca Ferguson after about one perfect note. ‘She reminds me a little bit of Billie Holiday, maybe Aretha Franklin meets Etta James,’ she says today. ‘It’s just that really, really, you know, dirty-sounding voice.’


Nicole speaks in that slightly hushed, soft whisper beloved of so many American stars, but the gentle tones belie the fact that she possesses what is clearly an inner core of titanium. I’ve been reading her Tweets, and it seems 17-hour days are routine.

The morning after we meet she says she has to be up at five. When I ask what she is going to do with the one evening she has free in London, she replies, ‘I am going to watch a film in my room and order room service!’

But when I ask how on earth she finds the time to maintain a body like hers – she’s a UK size 8 – she says she has in fact become more relaxed about her body, and is 11lb heavier than in her Pussycat heyday. She used to do that Los Angeles thing of never eating after 7pm, but with me she is tucking into the olives as if there’s no tomorrow, and it’s almost 7.30! ‘I’m a perfectionist, but I have been trying to be a little easier on myself,’ she says.


‘I love my pasta, my chocolate; I cook when I can. I love making down-home Southern cooking, and just chilling and having cakes and pies and baking stuff, you know. I’m a pretty simple girl. I’m eating now with you because I haven’t had time all day. Not a second.’

Cakes? Pies? So does she work out all the time? I read that instead of feeling like a singer, she feels like an Olympic athlete. She shakes her head. ‘I’m taking a break now. For a couple of years, at the end of the Dolls, fitness was my life. I’m a lot more relaxed now. The choreography from the dancing keeps me in shape.

If I ever feel like I need to be stronger in my mind and body then I jog. I’m a runner, I like that. But I love to sleep. I used to not like to sleep but now I love it.’

On the day we meet, she gets the news that her single ‘Poison’ is number one on the UK iTunes chart. Sales were boosted by her live performance on The X Factor. Although she had huge success with the Dolls, you feel Nicole has still to prove herself as a solo artist.

Nicole’s new single ‘Don’t Hold Your Breath’ will be released on 13 March


Nicole Scherzinger ,HD 1080p , Poison ,live Daybreak



source: dailymail

Did you catch the red-eye, Michael? Mr Douglas has sore peeper as he and wife Catherine have CBE celebration meal

By JODY THOMPSON


Sore spot: Michael Douglas was sporting a bloodshot eye as he took Catherin Zeta Jones to dinner at Gordon Ramsay At Claridges last night


He recently fought and won a cancer battle so it was a mere trifle - but Michael Douglas appeared to have a bit of a sore eye in London last night as he and wife Catherine Zeta Jones celebrated their earlier trip to Buckingham Palace.

The 66-year-old star was spotted sporting the bloodshot retina as he squired his stunning 41-year-old wife to dinner at Gordon Ramsay's eponymous restaurant at Claridges Hotel in London.

Perhaps he had shed a few too many tears of pride earlier in the day when his wife was awarded the CBE by Prince Charles for services to charity and the film industry.


Dinner time: The couple were both beaming after Catherine was earlier awarded a CBE at Buckingham Palace by Prince Charles


Then, the former Darling Buds Of May star had sported a beautifully elegant taupe suit with matching hat and gold Louboutins as she was joined by her Hollywood legend husband and their children Dylan and Carys for the ceremony.

Later that afternoon when they arrived back at the exclusive Duke's Hotel where they are staying in St James, Swansea-born Catherine took delivery of a huge bouquet of flowers, thought to be from Michael.


She's a lady: The honourable Welsh beauty looked stunning in a black bodycon bandage dress and black longline beaded jacket


Then last night, he treated her to dinner at Gordon Ramsay At Claridges, for which she wore a sexy black bodycon bandage dress and tailored black jacket with beaded trim and black peep toes.

The pair, who live in New York, were still beaming as they entered the restaurant, one of Ramsay's flagship establishments.

Perhaps Catherine chose the steamed Anglesey bass with langoustine, cucumber, apple and Oscietra caviar sauce for her taste of her homeland.


Bunch of flowers: A huge congratulatory bouquet was delivered to Catherine at the hotel she and Michael are staying in


Earlier in the day after receiving her award, she said: 'It means a lot to come home with my family and to be honoured in this way - very emotional, rather nervous I must say, and it was worth (it) to have Michael in good health to be able to enjoy it (with me).'

The actress also revealed that she had chatted to the Prince about her husband's health and recent battle with throat cancer and said Charles had expressed his sympathy.

She added: 'Obviously we talked about Michael. The last time I saw His Royal Highness, Michael had just got his treatment so he was concerned, but he was very happy to hear... he's well on the road to recovery.'

By comparison, a bloodshot eye is just a blinking nuisance...


Honoured: Prince Charles congratulating Catherine during her investiture at Buckingham Palace earlier in the day


Happy families: The Douglas-Zeta Joneses - including daughter Carys and son Dylan - have a lot to celebrate right now


Zeta Jones Celebrates CBE Honor With Douglas



source: dailymail

Skeletal models and super-sized hypocrisy: As fashion designers insist they've turned their backs on anorexic chic, do they think we're blind?

By LIZ JONES

Matchstick: Model Martyna Budna for Mark Fast shows off her worryingly thin frame, with jaunty shoulder bones and her ribs clearly visible


At a London Fashion Week where one designer, Maria Grachvogel, was forced to take in the seams on her samples because she couldn’t find any models who were a size ten, a ghost appeared on the catwalk.

It was as though I were looking in a mirror, at me aged 18, weighing 5st, about to be drip-fed on a ward in St Barts hospital.

I sat up straight on my narrow gilt chair. I looked around me to see if anyone else had seen what I had seen. But no, it was all sycophantic smiles, or that other thing fashion folk do, just the tops of expensively highlighted heads, tap, tapping away on their iPads.

I looked over at front row guest Samantha Cameron, but even she had failed to go pale. It is the drip, drip, drip effect, you see, when so many girls swim like matchsticks before your eyes, a death mask on the face of a teen becomes unremarkable.


Skin and bones: A model for Antonio Berardi's Autumn 2011 collection shows off her shockingly thin legs (left), while model Hannah Hardy's hip bones could grate parmesan', according to Liz Jones


I was at the collection for the autumn/winter shown by Erdem, the hot Brit designer of the moment. And this was the hottest model of the season: Chloe Memisevic, who was born in Sweden in 1993, and is represented by Wilhelmina Models in New York.

This is the very agency whose managing director had come along to a debate in New York a few seasons ago about the need for more realistic models, an event where Natalia Vodianova, the face of Calvin Klein, had broken down in tears when recounting how she had been told off for not losing her baby weight fast enough, and rejected by designers for being too fat.


Worrying signs: Chloe Memisevic is this season's hottest model, but she is doing her body huge damage by being so thin - including symptoms which could lead to an early death


The fashion world is going crazy for Chloe Memisevic — she was back on the catwalk yesterday for Mary Katrantzou looking horribly emaciated. As well as Erdem, she has walked the runway for Proenza Schouler and Marc Jacobs in New York, and Roksanda Ilincic and Twenty8Twelve here in London.

She is the face of Marc Jacobs. She is 5ft 11in and measures 32, 22, 34. On a Body Mass Index scale (a way of measuring body fat that proved too problematic to introduce at fashion shows, though it was mooted by Labour’s Model Health Inquiry back in 2008), she would hover somewhere below number 15.


Unimpressed: Samantha Cameron grimaces as the stick thin Swedish model Chloe Memisevic shows off a new design during the Erdem show


A healthy BMI falls somewhere between 18.5 and 24.9. This means she is at risk of brittle bone disease later in life. And heart failure. And pneumonia. And an early, horrible death.

Just to give you an idea of how far fashion has stretched its new ideal of beauty, let me tell you about the Issa show on Saturday. Yasmin Le Bon walked the runway, and while in the Eighties she was seen as very skinny and flat-chested (her photo on the cover of the first issue of Elle prompted me to have a breast reduction), on the runway in among all these emaciated 16-year-olds she looked positively elephantine.


Weighty issue: Chloe Memisevic barely filled out the floor-length gown as she walked the runway


‘Oh God, that a***!’ said the male fashion director of a glossy weekly, sat right in front of me, clutching his man bag. This sums up our second biggest industry right now, the one that makes £20 billion a year for this country, the very one Samantha Cameron was so keen to big up (my God, if only she could!) in her heartfelt speech to launch the proceedings.

Disenchanted by what I had seen at Erdem, I turned up at the Mark Fast show on Monday night, in the hope of a breath of normality.


source: dailymail

Secret to being a model? It's hard work! Alessandra Ambrosio gets put through her paces in Pilates class

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Working up a sweat: Victoria's Secret supermodel Alessandra Ambrosio attended a Pilates class in Venice, California, yesterday


Alessandra Ambrosio proved yesterday that a body worthy of a Victoria's Secret catwalk show doesn't come easily.

The Brazilian supermodel was spotted working up a sweat on a specialised 'reformer' machine during a Pilates session in Venice, California, yesterday.

Dressed in a green vest, leggings and leg warms, the 29-year-old brunette was put through her paces in a group session.

The 5ft 10in mother of one says she approaches her catwalk career very seriously.
'I guess it's like a real job,' she recently told W magazine. 'When I started, it was a hobby, something fun to do.

'Before, models had that rock star life and it was all about going to the parties and having that glamorous life, and I think these days, models are more like businesswomen and the whole industry takes it really serious.'

As well as Pilates, Alessandra uses a combination of workout techniques to keep in shape for her frequent lingerie and swimwear shoots.


Bend and stretch: The Brazilian model showed just how she keeps her lean body in shape


She said: 'I have a personal trainer who created the Brazilian Butt Lift class that mixes capoeira and samba. It's fun but you're still doing squats and getting exercise.

'I did cardio after I had my daughter to get in shape again, but I usually don't do cardio other than walking on the beach. I'm not a fan of going into the gym and running on a treadmill. I would rather go for a hike.'

'In the beginning of my career I really felt the pressure to be thin - but one thing I always said was that if I had to stop eating to work then I would have to switch careers. Compromising my health to be a model was never an option for me.'

Now Alessandra, who is said to have a 34-25-34 figure, does allow herself to indulge in the occasional treat.

'I love Cheetos, those hot, spicy kind,' she says. 'And chocolate. Every time I'm in the airport I'm buying Cheetos and eating them on the airplane.'

Alessandra, who is engaged to California businessman Jamie Mazur, gave birth to daughter Anja in August 2008.

When asked if she plans to have more children, she replied: 'I don’t know. I don’t really plan that. [Anja] came unplanned, and I think that’s the way it is with me.
'I like it as a surprise.'


Catwalk queen: The mother-of-one is among Victoria's Secret's leading lingerie models


Alessandra Ambrosio @SPFW - backstage



source: dailymail