Innehållsförteckning för Holiday Special 2016 från Chat Specials

It’s holiday time, and every year I swear I’ll be bikini ready for the beach. Instead, I end up squeezing into every Ômiracle’ cossie I can find, in a desperate attempt to flatten my flabby tum. If only I had an ounce of Gayla’s ample sassiness (p18). Far from hiding her 8ft belly, she makes money by showing it off in saucy webcams! Another sassy gal is octogenarian Olive (p25). Aged 85, she conquered her fear and flew for the first time… to glorious Venice. Equally inspiring are Roxy and Jo (p28). Together since 1989, Jo accepted hubby Bob’s decision to become a second mum to their son, William. And Natasha’s courage moved me to tears (p4). After her boyfriend murdered their baby, she started a foundation in her little…

Atypical teen, I didn’t think much about what I ate. I’d munch four slices of toast and peanut butter for brekkie, have a sugary cuppa. Later, I’d eat a big bag of crisps and chocolate. Lunch was a shop-bought cheese and bacon sarnie. Then, more fattening snacks and a fizzy drink. And, three nights a week, I’d order Chinese takeaways. I lived at home and, by 18, I was 6ft tall and weighed 20st 4lb. ‘You’ve just got a big frame,’ friends told me. But in August 2014, on a holiday in Malia, I felt huge in my size-22 bikini. So I hid inside the hotel. But, at night, there was no escape. And one night, at the bar, ordering cocktails… ‘The beach is that way, you whale!’ a bloke…

Licence to grill! BBQ tongs, £3, Tiger stores You'll look like a proper professional with these tongs, perfect for flipping corn on the cobs and shuffling sausages around. Yum! Portable bucket charcoal BBQ, £9.99, Homebase If your gas BBQ is too hefty, or you want to get out of the sun, this little portable one will do the trick. Set up where you like and get cooking on coal. BBQ apron guide, £14.99, www. www.totally-funky.co.uk totally-funky. co.uk If you never feel massively confident when it comes to cooking up chicken and steak on the barbie, this nifty apron comes with instructions - just look down for tips! BBQ lighter, £1, Poundland Don’t faff around with matches and cigarette lighters, burning your fingers while everyone…

EXPENSIVE TASTES What better excuse to celebrate the meaty must-have than British Sausage Week? Last year, the annual November celebration saw a butchers in Aldershot make what they claim to be the world’s most expensive sausage. One hundred times more pricey than the average, a solitary sausage – containing Mangalitsa pork (from a special-breed pig), Stilton cheese, vintage 1947 port, truffles and fancy cep mushrooms – would set you back £37. That’s £700 per kilo! Best get your thinking cap on for this year’s event… SO PORKY Advice is plentiful on getting trim for summer – but it’s usually aimed at those extra pounds you gained in winter, not an obese sausage dog! Tipping the scales at 2st 7lb (the same as a 4-year-old girl), Dachshund ‘Fat Vincent’ struggled to…

He’d suffered a fractured skull and a serious brain injury Scrolling through the travel website, I spotted a little holiday cottage in Cornwall. It had a big garden, was a stone’s throw from the beach. Perfect. I pictured my kids Charlotte, 14, Felix, 11 and Amelia, 9, throwing a ball around and welled up with tears. After the nightmare year we’d had, it was a moment I thought I’d never see. Last October, I’d been tapping away at my computer again – this time for work. I heard my son Felix run in and out for a few minutes after leaving for school at 8am. He must have forgotten something. Getting back to work, I heard a gentle ‘thud’. What was that? No tyres screeching, or sudden screams – so…

Hot footed Q I forgot to apply sunscreen to my feet and now they're scorched. How can I ease the pain? Karen, 36 A Immediately move into the shade. Stay cool by having a cold shower or using a cold compress and use aftersun or a petroleum jelly on the burnt area. Signs of severe sunburn need medical attention. Bee bother Q I was stung by a bee once and it was really painful. What do I do if it happens again? Donna, 34 A More often than not, bites are simple and need only light attention. Wash the site with soap and water, use a cold compress and take paracetamol to ease the pain. And try not to scratch! Drink up Q It's been so hot I think I…

Aries 21 Mar - 20 April There is much potential in August for reigniting expansion plans you instigated at the start of the year. Your ruler Mars is going to be driving this on for you, but the second half of the month suggests you must be very precise and focused. A mixture of attention to detail and optimism is the way to go. • Call 0905 817 1760* for more. Taurus 22 Dec - 20 Jan On the 6th your ruler Venus moves into the most gorgeous part of your solar horoscope. This, along with the arrival of the Sun from the 23rd, can give you an appreciation of your own special gifts and the people that you interact with most. If you require funding, it’s important to be…

Earn your stripes I'm really pale and always take care to apply loads of lotion, but the first time I went away I didn't quite get it right. I put it on my fingers and then applied that to my body. I then had loads of white lines all over me where I had missed bits! The lesson to take from that - always apply using the palm of your hand! Nicki, Ayr Foot in mouth My dad completely ruined a holiday a few years ago. He told my mum to ‘stop nagging him’ about putting on lotion and that he was ‘perfectly capable of doing it without instruction’. Only problem was, he forgot to put any on his feet. They got so burnt that his feet and legs swelled…

He’d slap me in the face, before begging for forgiveness With her cute little smile and chubby cheeks, my baby girl looked good enough to eat. Just 15 weeks old, Evelynne was a real looker – like her big brother Stevie. Hardly surprising. Their dad, Steven Deuman, had always been a handsome rogue. All dark curls and tanned features, no wonder I’d fallen for him so hard. So cool, in his leather jackets, he was the stuff that schoolgirl crushes were made of! I’d been sweet 16, to his 20, when we’d met, working at a Taco Bell fast food joint in Flint, Michigan. And what started as friendship soon became serious, despite our age gap. My mum Cindy, a divorcee, wasn’t happy. ‘I don’t like Steven,’ she kept saying.…

I heard a sickening crunch as my nose broke Blow-drying my long, brown locks, I couldn’t stop grinning. It was May 2014, and I had a date! I felt giddy with excitement. Single for more than a year, I hadn’t thought about men, except my son Ryan, 19, and my dad Jimmy, 61. That is, until a handsome stranger, Paul Watson, then 43, had asked me out. We’d met briefly a week earlier, when a mutual friend introduced us. At first, chatting easily, I’d hoped we’d be mates. Then, a week on, I’d had a text from an unknown number. Fancy a drink, just us? Paul had messaged. I tried to play it cool, but as we met up in a local pub, my heart was definitely fluttering. I hadn’t…

Diets left me hungry, so I’d gorge on cake and biscuits As a child I’d always been chunky. By 8 years old, I weighed a monster 13st. ‘Fatty!’ cruel kids would tease at school. ‘I hate myself,’ I sobbed to my mum Mary, now 83. ‘It’s a family trait,’ she said. But it was little consolation. I wished I could shrink away from the disgusted stares. I tried dieting, but my big belly was hard to shift. And diets left me hungry, so I’d gorge on cake and biscuits. I just got bigger… In time, I met a man and, when we married at 19, I’d lost weight and wasn’t that big. But in the years that followed, I ballooned again. As I got bigger, my husband didn’t like to…

Mostly A European city break You can sit on your sofa and watch TV any time, what you want is to get out there and explore. A European city break offers the perfect mix for you – a bit of hustle and bustle with a few cultural activities thrown into the mix for your enjoyment. Mostly B UK camping trip Who needs a tropical escape which costs thousands when the UK has loads to offer?! Grab some marshmallows for the campfire and get back to nature with a camping or caravan holiday. Make sure you take that blow-up mattress so you’ve got a touch of comfort though – it is a holiday after all! Mostly C Orlando, Florida You’re still a kid at heart and if you’re going to go…

Seeing the relief on his face, I felt happy for him I’ll never forget the first time I saw Bob across a crowded nightclub in November 1989. He's fit! I thought, admiring his tall, toned bod. We spent the evening chatting. Bob, then 34, worked at a builders’ merchants, was a typical blokey bloke. On our first date, five days later, I discovered he was a true gentleman, too. Soon, we’d become an item and I couldn’t have been happier. But, about four years into our relationship… ‘I like to dress up in women’s clothes,’ Bob told me. ‘I’m not really into that,’ I said, assuming it was a sexual thing. As our sex life was normal, I dismissed it. And when we got married in July 1994, I was…

• It hits you that you can no longer watch EastEnders and there's no-one around to update you • Your annoying mother-in-law at least looked after the kids every now and then – now there’s no escape! • Barbecued fish and coconut water is becoming a bit boring • There’s really bad phone signal – and what’s the code for the WiFi? • You forgot your factor 50 and now have more peel than a crate of oranges • The sand’s too soft to make a decent castle • You've got an annoying song stuck in your head and you can't listen to anything else to get rid of it • There’s no chocolate left. Right, that’s it, you’re prepared to swim across the Atlantic now • You're craving your…

Beauty Formulas Cooling Mist, £1, Poundland Glycerin and Rosewater, £2.39, Boots Accessorize Lychee Lip Balm, £3.50 Evian Facial Spray, £3.50, Escentual.com Superdrug Handy Wipes with Cooling Aloe Vera £1.05 Simple Kind to Skin Refreshing Facial Wash Gel, £1.29, Boots The Body Shop Aloe Calming Toner, £3.50 Ragdale Hall Active Spa Instant Cooling Gel, £6, M&S Superdrug Cucumber Cooling Mask, 99p Aveeno Skin Relief Moisturising Lotion, £4.99, Weldricks The Body Shop Peppermint Foot Lotion, £3 Nivea Refreshing Cleansing Wipes, £1.50 Bare Feet Refreshing Foot Powder Spray for Happy Feet, £6.50, M&S Tesco Aloe Vera Body Lotion, £1 Superdrug Cooling Spray, £3.99…

TIMELY CHECK-IN Rule number one when flying (after ensuring you've packed your passport, of course): Don't be late for check-in. Time is of the essence for checking in with the GP too. 'If you have any recurrent symptoms or worries, don't put off seeing your GP - no matter how embarrassing the problem,' says Dr Brewer. 'It's always better to address things and have any necessary tests, or simply put your mind at rest.' If something is wrong, it's far better to get it diagnosed properly, so you can start treatment or get advice about managing the problem. BEWARE EXCESS BAGGAGE! Nobody wants to be landed with a big excess baggage bill at the airport. Carrying excess weight on our bodies can be a big concern too - obesity is…

I can’t believe I managed to get to 35 without ever visiting Brighton! It’s only now I’m a mum I’ve learnt what a brilliant destination it is for the whole family. We didn’t want the hassle of hopping on a plane to get our seaside fix this year – and when the coast’s as pretty as Brighton’s, you don’t need to. With shopping, beaches, the aquarium and pier, as well as some great restaurants, it’s easy to ‘Brighton up’ your summer at this city by the sea. How to get there? Some would say ‘let the train take the strain’, but toddlers come with a lot of stuff, so me and my hubby loaded up the car after work on a Friday, popped our son Ollie, 2, in his pyjamas…

Alan began making this weird, grunting sound My heart was racing. And it wasn’t even our Big Day – it was our second! A party for everyone who couldn’t be with us when Alan and I had tied the knot weeks earlier in Cyprus. ‘You look beautiful,’ Alan, 61, smiled, kissing me. ‘Thanks, I just hope I remember all the moves,’ I said, hugging him tight. Alan grinned. ‘When you’re dancing with me,’ he winked, ‘you don’t need to remember anything at all…’ It was May 2014. Three years before, while we were in Greece for a friend’s wedding, Alan had proposed. ‘This is the happiest moment of my life!’ I’d cried, as he’d slipped the solitaire diamond engagement ring on my finger. ‘You’re telling me!’ he’d laughed. Now, after…

Standing in the garden, pegging the clothes on the line, I heard a plane soar up ahead. Whooooosh! ‘Oooh, Where’s it going?’ I wondered. Can you believe I’d got to the grand old age of 85 and never been on a flight? Not one! You see, my dear late hubby, Ron, was scared of flying. And over the years, I’d become scared too. The thought of being so high in the sky, something going wrong mid-flight... Brrrrr… It filled me with shivers. So, off we’d go on coach trips to Spain or Belgium on holiday. We’d have a giggle, but the journeys weren’t half long – and not so kind on the knees! Then, seven years ago, when Ron passed away aged 78, it made me reflect on life. My…

SPLASHDOWN! A jellyfish sting has nothing on the pain of a belly flop… BEACHBASHING All you wanted was a nice quiet day at the coast, listening to the soothing sound of the waves… THERE’SNO ARMINIT... Well, you know what they say... Sun’s out, guns out! HULA GOOD FUN... The sun’s disappeared and you’re forced to keep yourself warm with exercise EYESEA... We all know how important it is to protect our eyes – these super-sized sunnies will do it! REALLY ROCKIN’ It’s one thing being buried in the sand, but when it’s pebbles it’s that little bit less comfortable SUITSYOU You didn’t get round to buying that new bikini and had to come straight from the office…

What started as a tiny bump was the size of a bowling ball! The sky was blue, the sun twinkled on the water. Perfect day for a cruise. But walking on board the ship, lugging my suitcase, I was a bundle of nerves. Not because I suffered from sea sickness. I wish it were that simple. You see, this wasn’t a fun holiday with all-you-can-eat buffets and theatre cabaret shows. This boat trip could save my life. I cast my mind back to when it all began, 14 years earlier. I had a good job as a teacher and lovely hubby Albert. I couldn’t have been happier. Until, one day, a tiny bump sprung up on my face. I didn’t take much notice at first. It didn’t hurt and no…

Everything in my brain seemed chaotic – it was scary Getting ready for bed, I slipped off my sunglasses and headphones and popped them on the side ready for the morning. I pulled my hat over my head to cover my ears as I snuggled under the duvet. My hubby, David, 43, took one look and laughed. For some people, sunglasses and a hat are a sign of the holiday season being in full flow. Yet for me, these summer essentials are part of my ‘Serena survival kit’. When David and I met 17 years ago and wed in 2006, we promised to love each other in sickness and in health. We sure meant it. Every family has its challenges, but we have our fair share. I suffer from autism,…

Within 18 months I’d shifted a whopping 5st It’s that time of year again. Everyone’s lazing on the beach or down the park getting a tan. Donning their swimsuits and flaunting their abs… I could be one of them! Well why not? I may be 66, but that doesn’t stop me pumping iron and looking my best. I’m in my prime, the best shape of my life! But my body hasn’t always been this good. A decade ago I weighed a flabby 16 stone. I wasn’t able to exercise after falling and hurting my ankle – and the weight crept on. Hobbling around with a walking stick, the most exercise I got was lifting the TV remote. Then in my late 50s, I had a terrifying thought. My five kids…

When I first laid eyes on Bobby, it was love at first sight. He was a beautiful cat with hair as white as snow. But Bobby had already used up one of his nine lives. He’d been in a road accident at his previous home and only had three legs. You wouldn’t know it, though. An affectionate creature, he had enough energy for a cat with 10 limbs! Little Bobby was my saviour when my husband Keith, 73, passed away from lung cancer six years ago. The house seemed so lonely without Keith, and I hankered for something else to look after. So when a friend told me she was looking for a new home for Bobby, I jumped at the chance. I already had two feline friends at home…

To do… You don't need to be a tiny tot to enjoy sandcastles. Visit Weston-Super-Mare this summer and witness some of the best sand sculptors in the world at the Sand Sculpture Festival. Visit www.westonsand  sculpture.co.uk To buy… Add a touch of magic to your garden with this unusual squirrel feeder. Just add rainbows and pixies and you’ve got yourself a wonderland! Unicorn Squirrel Feeder, £14.99. Visit www.firebox.com for more information. To watch… Huskies might be associated with the cold and snow, but that didn't stop these six puppies soaking up some rays on the beach: www.youtube. com/watch?  v=OGL pj1eq4bU…