Innehållsförteckning för Spring Special 2017 från Chat Specials

Spring is here at last, which means lighter nights to help you enjoy reading your favourite mag. And if you’ve piled on the pounds over the winter months, maybe take a leaf out of Heather’s book (p20). Forget deprivation diets, she overhauled her figure by thinking herself thin! At the opposite end of the scale, Sam was so determined to stay trim (p8) she even lifted weights while she was pregnant. Talking about expectant mums, Kanta (p61) will never forget her labour day. She gave birth half way up the M1! But if it’s shocking crime you’re after, read about poor Tiffany (p48), whose husband stabbed her six times, including once in the heart, after she filed for divorce. Plus there are prize puzzles, as well as great fashion, beauty…

Chicken & Sweetcorn Soup, £1.38, ASDA This tub, packed with creamy chicken, could easily stretch to two bowls’ worth, and certainly warms the tum on a crisp spring day. Cream Of Tomato Soup, 45p, Tesco You can’t beat a bowl of steaming tomato soup. This one is nicely sweet and even better with buttered white bread or a cheese scone. Pea And Ham Soup, 45p, Tesco With lots of lovely bits of ham thrown in, this soup is nice and fresh tasting, and great with a crusty cob. Tomato & Three Bean Soup, 50p, Sainsbury’s This chunky soup is a great shout if you need a filling meal pronto. The beans make it extra satisfying.…

Sure it wasn’t what we’d planned, but we couldn’t wait Clattering about the kitchen, I dished up the last plateful. ‘Come on, you lot! Your dinner’s getting cold,’ I yelled. Above me, I could hear the pitter patter of not-so-tiny feet, as my kids Lanie, 12, Kellan, 5 and P Paisley, 3, thundered downstairs. With the three of them and Noah, 8 – my hubby Colby’s son from a previous relationship – family life was hectic, to say the least. Hectic but happy. Standing back as I watched them all chattering away around the table, I couldn’t help but smile. They were such little characters. Got along famously, too. Course, they’d have their spats like any other siblings. But they loved spending time together. Colby, 29, and I were always…

CETRABEN CREAM 50ML (£4.99, pharmacies nationwide) A good cream’s a must if you’re prone to dry, cracked skin or eczema on your hands. This fragrance-free cream absorbs quickly to soften, and protect. Hit or MYTH? Cotton buds are bad for ears… It may be unsightly when old wax is visible around the edges of our ears, but experts warn that cotton buds – especially if used often or inserted deeply – can cause infections, damage, and may lead to wax being ‘impacted’, clogging up the ear. HIT MYTH WINNING WEBSITE March is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. One in eight UK men will get the disease – older men, those with family history, and black men are most at risk – so knowing the warning signs and getting checked is vital.…

Even the notion of boiling carrots made me gag! It cost £300 for one session, but it was worth every penny Pulling on my Marigolds, I tentatively reached for a tomato. E-e-e-ugh! Trembling, I plonked it onto my son Chase’s plate. Every mealtime was the same. Even with rubber gloves protecting me from the vegetables, just the thought of holding one of the slimy blighters in my hand made me shiver. Panic-stricken by peppers and breaking into a sweat over swede, for as long as I could remember I’d been terrified of vegetables. The thought of potatoes having eyes made me shudder. They had to be disguised before I’d eat them. Even the notion of boiling carrots made me gag! As a kid, my poor mum constantly tried coaxing me…

I’d never dreamt I could win that big, and now I had! Every Sunday, my sister Kelly, 37, and I would leave our hubbies looking after the kids, put our glad rags on and hit the bingo in the city. But it was a long way to travel and, over the years, we stopped. ‘I play online bingo instead now,’ Kelly told me. ‘It’s great fun,’ she grinned. ‘You should try it.’ So I did. And it was fun! The chatrooms were full of players talking about life. ‘This is really sociable, just like the bingo hall,’ I joked to Kelly. My favourite time to play was in the afternoon, after my morning shift, when my hubby Dorian, 44, was at work and our boys, 15 and 13, were at…

His marriage wasn’t legal. I’d seen the e-mail… I received a strangeFacebook message from Simon’s ex Ablaze of neon lights illuminated our path as we sauntered hand-in-hand through London’s Leicester Square. It was November 2013 and, after enjoying a Thames river cruise earlier with my boyfriend Simon Crudgington, we’d gone on the London Eye. Now, he’d brought me back to the very spot where we’d shared our first kiss six months earlier. I’d met Simon in May 2013 at London’s Genting Casino, where he’d been a manager and I’d worked as a waitress. ‘Could you work a double shift?’ he’d asked, flashing his melting blue eyes. Blushing, I’d agreed, and he’d joined me and a group of workmates afterwards for a few beers. People started going home, leaving Simon…

The lower I got, the better I felt Gripping my husband Seamus' hand, I braced myself as another jolt of agony shot through my legs. ‘Is there anything I can do?' he asked, gently. But there wasn't. For years, I'd dealt with horrendous leg pain every single day. It was the first thing I thought about when I woke up in the morning. See, I suffer from Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), a genetic condition affecting my connective tissue. In 2010, things went from bad to worse when I also developed arthritis and my knee cap began shifting to the left. I had corrective surgery, but afterwards developed a tissue infection and struggled to heal properly. By 2012, I was reliant on a wheelchair. But in May 2016, something amazing happened… Holidaying…

As a little girl, I was a ballet dancer. I loved prancing around in my leotard. But before I hit my teens, all that changed. As well as dancing, I loved my food – and it started to show. Soon, I felt too self-conscious to show my chubby bits, so I packed in my ballet lessons. But my love of food didn’t slow down. I’d feed my cravings for salty bags of crisps three times a day. With red hair, and tall for my age, you couldn’t miss me when I walked into a room. By age 16, I’d ballooned to a size 16. ‘Fatty!’ the bullies sneered. Once, some lads threw unlit fireworks at me, jeering as I fled. I felt so ashamed, I began covering my curves in…

Nothing could’ve prepared me for my reflection I’d been a social smoker for years. But I’d given up before having my two daughters Aymaris, now 2, and Ayviarna, 6 months. My ciggie cravings soon began to return, though. ‘I really fancy a fag,’ I sighed to my fiancé Adam, 27, one night. But I was desperate not to pick up my bad habit again. ‘Why don’t you try an electronic cigarette?’ Adam suggested. ‘They’re healthier than normal ciggies.’ Though the vapour contains some nicotine, e-cigarettes don’t contain the many dangerous chemicals ‘traditional’ ones do. Adam used one, too. Only, on 22 January last year, my e-cigarette suddenly stopped working. I thought it needed a new battery. Adam was out and I was home alone with the girls, so I tried…

Mostly As: Cool and collected With your unflappable approach, you’re always the first port of call for any drama – major or minor, if only to calm everyone else down. But remember it’s OK to feel upset or angry yourself. Mostly Bs: Carefully does it You like to be helpful but don’t want to be in the way. Often you take a back seat, calling on people who you think would be of more use, even though a lot of the time, that would be you! Mostly Cs: Born ready Date disaster? Burglary? Car breakdown? No need to stress! You have it all covered and are only too happy to impart your wisdom and practical knowhow. Although you’re ready for everything, sometimes it pays to sit back and listen to…

The £900-a-month I spend on clothes is worth every penny! Lights, camera, action! With flashbulbs popping all around me, I swished past the crowd of onlookers. Out and about in my home city of Stockholm in Sweden, people were reacting like I was a tourist attraction. And, not wanting to disappoint my public, I dished out business cards to groups of admirers, directing them to my social media platforms. Sometimes, I get loads of attention. But despite causing such a spectacle, I’m not a pop star, or a famous actress… I was just going about my daily business. People are curious, but these are my normal clothes. See, I look like a doll! With my fabulous costumes, theatrical make-up and kooky hairstyles, strangers often comment on my appearance. But for…

TELLY TRIBUTE Take a trip to the National Media Museum in Bradford – it has everything a film fan could wish for, with an IMAX cinema screen and a whole host of film and television memorabilia. You can see bits and bobs from the sets of Wallace and Gromit, play with mirrors in the magic factory, and play Pac-Man in the games lounge! • Free. Visit www.nationalmediamuseum.org.uk IT’S CRACKING! Ever fancied yourself as a bit of a code-cracking spy? Then get down to Bletchley Park near Milton Keynes. You might remember it from The Imitation Game, which starred Benedict Cumberbatch as Alan Turing who worked out the Enigma code during WW2. Kids can learn easy hacking and enjoy hands-on activities. • Adults, from £16; children, from £14; under-12s, free. Visit…

I’d had to get used to unkind people staring Looking through my Facebook photos, I smiled inwardly. My gallery was packed with pictures of my boyfriend, Samuel, 28, who I’d met through the social networking site. I had so much to smile about… Studying journalism, my course was going brilliantly, and Samuel, a student, and I were about to move in together. Then I glanced at my reflection. Despite feeling happy, I looked absolutely miserable! You see, I had a very rare condition called Moebius syndrome, where the facial muscles don’t work, making it impossible to smile. It meant I couldn’t move my eyes and, when I laughed, my mouth moved down. Luckily, my mum, Christina, 56, and dad Martin, 57, were very supportive. But, over the years, I’d had…

Aries 21 Mar - 20 Apr There is so much to go for this month Aries, and the key is going to be in being focused in your objectives. When you feel really enthusiastic it’s so important to stay on track. Close relationships will demand a lighter touch, and issues around the everyday budget may come up for discussion. • Call 0905 817 1760* for more. Taurus 21 Apr - 21 May The key moment this month, unquestionably, is the arrival of the potent energies of Mars in your sign on the 10th for a six-week stay. This will boost your energy tanks and, if you’ve been experiencing a little bit of uncertainty around future plans, see you punch through this and get on the front foot. • Call 0905…

I felt the baby come out into my hands. Amit and I were stunned In March 2015, my husband Amit, 39, and I found out we were expecting our second baby together. A sibling for our girl Radhika, 2, and a half-sibling for Amit’s daughter from a previous relationship. My pregnancy was going well, and we were busy getting everything ready for our littl’un’s arrival. On the evening of 12 December, Amit and I went to a family party and got home around midnight. I flopped into bed, exhausted, and fell asleep straightaway. But a couple of hours later, I woke up with stomach cramps. The week before, I’d had Braxton Hicks contractions, and these felt a bit similar. They were coming and going, so I thought I’d be fine.…

BIGGER’S BETTER  he mantra ‘big is T beautiful’ rings true at a beauty parade in Thailand, where curvy women are invited to take part in the Miss Jumbo Queen contest. The more ‘elephantlike’ a woman is, the more likely she is to be crowned the winner as it’s part of the Jumbo Banquet elephant feast. Judges look for grace, elegance and size, all the attributes associated with the big beasts, so skinnyminnies need not apply. BELLYFUL OF FUN A lot of women feel their most bloated and unattractive when heavily pregnant and hauling about a huge bump, but a beauty pageant in Russia celebrates mums-to-be as part of the New Life: Made With Love contest. And there’s not a tent-like dress or pair of dungarees in sight, with the women…

Recipe for disaster All my family were out for a big birthday lunch. When the waiter came round for our orders, my mum asked for a ‘grilled punani' when she meant a panini, causing the waiter to dissolve into giggles. Mum was completely unaware of the rude double meaning, and kept asking what it meant! Gwynn, Bangor A wee problem I’ll never forget the first time I took my fella home to meet my folks. We were both dead nervous but to be fair, my parents were doing a good job of being normal. Well, they were until my mum, who is obsessed with people needing a wee, asked me if I needed to use the loo three times before we sat down to dinner. I felt like a toddler!…

Brow furrowed in concentration, I weaved the needle and thread through the ream of silky material. ‘That’s looking good,’ my husband Michael, 27, said, glancing over my shoulder. ‘Thanks! I think it’ll be my best yet,’ I grinned back. For years, I’d been making my own clothes. But not just any clothes. I’d spend so many hours painstakingly hand-stitching dresses from the 17th, 18th and 19th century. See, I’m absolutely obsessed with all things historical. Forget living in the now – to me, it’s all about the past. In total, I reckon I’ve spent about £20,000 on my creations. I spend weeks researching, studying portraits, old photos and documents to make sure they’re all historically correct. It’s time consuming, of course, but well worth it. There’s just something about recapturing…

At four months pregnant, I was capable of lifting 10½ stone weights Heaving myself out of an armchair, I felt more like an old lady than a new mum in her twenties. At 5ft 4in, I’d weighed 12-and-a-half stone at the end of my pregnancy – almost two stone more than usual. And, while I now had a gorgeous daughter, Eloise – born in October 2014 weighing 5lb 4oz – to show for it, I was impatient for my baby weight to start shifting. I’d always looked after myself, but had been through a very difficult pregnancy. My poor husband, Michael, now 30, a technician, had been really worried as I suffered with terrible morning sickness for five whole months. ‘You poor love, can I get you anything?’ he’d fret,…

The truth was, sugar was like a drug to me Preparing to sizzle in my slinky new undies, I clipped together my bra strap. But instead of seeing a red hot beauty, my reflection showed my HH boobs bursting out of the pretty cups and my gut straining the elastic of my matching silk knickers. More sumo wrestler than sex kitten, I could no longer deny it… I was FAT ! ‘I love my curves!’ I’d always giggled to friends. A sassy blonde with a big smile, I’d never been short of boyfriends –fuelling my delusions about my size. But the truth was, sugar was like a drug to me. Chocolates, doughnuts, cakes… I chomped on them all day. And after work, I’d flop on the sofa, clutching a packet…

Chloe looked as if she was sleeping... This time, she’d never wake up Cheers erupting around us, my teenage daughter gripped my hand excitedly. As the music started up, Chloe, 16, cheered. ‘Come on, let’s dance,’ she grinned at me and my other daughter Sophie, now 18. Want you to make me feel like I'm the only girl in the world, we sang at the top of our lungs. It was summer 2016, and the three of us had got tickets to see Rihanna perform. Close as anything, the three of us were always going on little adventures. Gigs, festivals, shopping trips... As long as we were together, we were happy. My girls were my entire world. Every day, they gave me a new reason to be proud. Sophie was…

SOW SWEET! The bow has left Deirdre feeling a little dis-grunt-led. LITTLE SWINE! Tim was fed up with Dave (left). He’d squealed on him yet again. HOGGING THESHOW Derek was all dressed up to play the lead in the local production of Hamlet. SNEAKY PORKER This crafty little piglet is a real (ham)burglar. TAILOFJOY Harry was happy hanging with the lads, pigsty-le. PIGGIN’ SMART When this little piggy grows up he wants to be Ein-Swine!…

Once, I’d heard her remind Mum of her PIN number Letting myself in through my mum Jackie’s back door, I flicked on the kettle and took off my coat. ‘Only me, Mum!’ I called. ‘I’ll make you a cup of tea.’ ‘Oh, I’ve already got one,’ Mum replied from the living room. ‘Sharon’s made it.’ Just the mention of that woman’s name made me bristle. And, when I popped my head into the living room, I spotted Sharon Doherty reclining in an armchair, her mouth full of biscuits. ‘Oh, you’re here again,’ I said, forcing a smile. It wasn’t that I particularly disliked Mum’s friend – she was very friendly and bubbly. But she seemed to be taking over completely. These days, every time I called at Mum’s house, she…

Red alert Q I've noticed red marks on my 14-year-old daughter's arms. How do I ask if she's hurting herself? Tammy, 42, Luton A Say very calmly: ‘I’ve noticed the red marks and was wondering if something is stressing you that you do not know how to cope with? ‘I am here to support you and I have ideas that might help you cope. I will not get cross, but if you don’t want to talk to me, call ChildLine.’ Burn out Q For years, I've been secretly burning myself when I'm stressed out. How can I break the cycle? Bella, 29, Bristol A Try and learn how to spot the early warning signs that you’re becoming upset and do something to change your emotions. Try listening to upbeat…

One of her aims now is to shoot the bow and arrow blindfolded Bullseye! My daughter was something of a marksman with a bow and arrow. Little Bella, 10, wasn’t your average archer, though. Not only was she a mere nipper, but – forget shooting from the hip – she could deliver a direct hit holding the bow and arrow with her feet! Her nifty footwork also meant she could burst balloons, hit cups and even make holes in playing cards with her arrows. Bella’s unusual talent was discovered after she took up ballet aged 7. Noticing her remarkable flexibility, her teacher referred her on to Betsy Shuttleworth – a renowned trainer and co-director of Dance Extensions Performing Art Center, Canonsburg. Within a year, Bella started training as an acrobat…

If you’ve only got a few days to spare and are looking to go on a city break that can offer bustling bars, beautiful beaches and brilliant sights, then grab your passport and hop on the first plane to Barcelona. Located in the north-east of Spain, on the Costa Brava, this city really does offer it all. And if you pick and choose carefully, the best bit is you can do it on a budget, too. How to get there? When you’re short on time, you don’t want to spend half your break on a plane. Fortunately, Barcelona’s only about 2 hours away from London (2 hours 20 from Manchester), and there are plenty of budget airlines offering competitive prices. On arrival, the best option is the Aerobus. It takes…

To do… This Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday, visit an event with a difference. Hundreds of people take part in the Ashbourne Royal Shrovetide Football in Derbyshire, a mega-size football match played in two eight-hour slots and with the goals three miles apart. Or you could just tuck into a few pancakes from the sidelines. See www.visit  peakdistrict.com To buy… Get ahead and organise your Mother’s Day gift early by dropping this cute little photo frame into your basket when you’re next in Sainsbury’s for just £8. Or visit www.sainsburys.co.uk To watch… Don't underestimate this little pooch. He might be small but that doesn't mean he can't deliver the morning paper.... https://  www.youtube.com/ watch?v =fvs9Oh u8LfM…