Innehållsförteckning för Summer 2017 från Chat Specials

Taking a leap of faith is a lesson we could all learn from a few of our fantastic stories this month. If Jen (pg40) hadn’t gone against her character and messaged the man she fancied on the TV, then they wouldn’t have been married. While Mansi (pg24) entrusting her sister-in-law with the most precious job in the world, finally gave her to the chance to be a mum. We could all do with a wake-up call every now and then. Kim, (pg32) got hers when someone asked her to say cheese at a baby show and it took an innocent comment from Agnieszka’s son to change the path of her life completely (pg34). Read about Sue who’s car crash revealed a terrifying secret in her head (pg49) . Our other…

I knew then it was serious The news was hard to believe Glancing around the room, I couldn’t have been more dazed and confused. ‘You’re pregnant,’ my mum, Julie, 52, announced, as she perched on the edge of the bed. ‘You know that don’t you, Gemma?’ What on earth was she talking about? I panicked, clocking all the machines around me. ‘It’s ok, don’t worry,’ Mum said, clutching my hand reassuringly, sensing my fear. ‘You’ve been in an accident, and you’ve just woken up after almost three months in a coma.’ I had no idea how I had ended up where I was and not the faintest clue as to how I had fallen pregnant. But I knew it must have been serious when I caught sight of my dad,…

Losing a baby totally broke our hearts It was the miracle we’d longed for When my husband Pritesh and I first married, starting a family was the last thing on our minds while we enjoyed life as a couple. Having babies was definitely in our future, but it felt like we had all the time in the world. After five years together, we decided to start trying and were thrilled when I fell pregnant. From that moment, our ideas changed, and being parents and growing our family was all we wanted. It was our first pregnancy, so we were both on tenterhooks until our 12-week scan. ‘There’s the heartbeat, right there,’ the sonographer said, pointing to a little fluttering dot on the screen. Pritesh gripped my hand and kissed my…

Mostly A: The LOYAL friend You’re always there for your friends. You can be trusted with all their secrets and you’re the first they come running to when there’s a crisis. You’re reliable and a friend for life, but don’t be afraid to share your opinions! A little white lie occasionally to boost a mate’s confidence is fine – but they also need the truth when it matters. Mostly B: The FUN friend Friends count on you to organise all your nights out and you’re legendary in your social circle for being the life and soul. You can make your mates laugh until their faces ache. Just make sure you don’t brush off the bad times. Life can’t always be one long party and sometimes you need to be there…

We scoffed to our hearts’ content Stepping nervously on to the bathroom scales, I almost burst into tears when I saw the reading. There it was in black and white. I was a whopping 21 stone. And I certainly felt it. My husband Brian, 36, was no better, weighing in at 19 stone. We were shocked when we realised we had the combined weight of Britain’s fattest teenager, Georgia Davis. Brian and I would think nothing of blowing a whopping £100 a week on Domino’s pizza, and we would eat junk food uncontrollably. We estimated that we’d spent £30k on pizza over the years. But when Brian asked me to marry him in August 2014, we knew we’d have to put a stop to our junk food addiction and we…

I knew what he was going through Craving a bit of UK TV, I downloaded one of my favourite reality programs: Supersize vs. Superskinny, and with a large glass of wine in hand, I sat back with my friend, Stacey, 34. I was living in Barbados, where I was working as a science teacher. Athough I loved the laid-back Caribbean lifestyle, I had to admit I missed home a lot. ‘You just need to watch a bit of good old British telly,’ Stacey said after work one night. ‘Why don’t I come round later with some wine and chocolate and we can watch some trash TV?’ It was a great idea; everything except the chocolate of course. I really used to struggle with my weight and I was in real…

Mole Misfortune QI’ve had a mole on my face since I was born which I hate. Is there any way I can have it removed? Emily, Norfolk A I would recommend having the mole examined by a dermatologist and then, depending on the type of mole diagnosed, it can be removed by various means. The procedure can be discussed at the time of consultation with the dermatologist, but by in large, moles can be removed by scraping, shaving or excision. The mole should be sent for tissue analysis. Scars from the past Q There is a scar on my arm from a childhood accident. Is there anything I can do to lessen the appearance? Rosie, Newquay A scars, especially old scars, can be difficult to treat and therefore it is…

Dr Sarah Schenker, a dietician and Public Health nutritionist from the British Dietetic Association, explains why it’s as easy as ABC. AN EASY A Vitamin A helps your body’s natural defense against illness and infection, improves your vision, and keeps your skin healthy. ‘One form of Vitamin A is beta carotene, which acts as an antioxidant working against ‘free radicals’ such as cigarette smoke, air pollution and ultraviolet light,’ says Sarah. You should get all the Vitamin A you need from your diet – your body stores any extra for future use, so you don’t need to have it every day. ‘Vitamin A has an essential role in the immune system and is needed for the healthy growth of the body’s cells.’ WHAT TO EAT: cheese, eggs, oily fish, milk,…

Logging on to Chat Mag Bingo, I bought some tickets for a 90-ball game. Then, I popped into the chatroom. That was one of the best things I discovered about Chat Mag Bingo when I signed up several years ago. Everyone was so friendly! Plus I could play from the comfort of my own living room. After a busy day babysitting my many grandkids, visiting my mum or doing housework, I’d relax and enjoy a few games of bingo. I liked playing on the slots, too – especially Double Bubble. So I’d settle in, buy a few bingo tickets or play a few spins. That day, after buying 2p bingo tickets in Emerald, I made myself a brew. But, as I put down my cuppa, I had to do a…

His reputation didn’t worry me My whole face exploded The room at the house party was buzzing with friends chatting, laughing and knocking back drinks as the music blared loudly. Taking a gulp of wine, I sat on the sofa and started to unwind a bit. ‘I like your swallows,’ a handsome stranger said, walking over and pointing at the tattoo of the two birds on my chest. ‘How many have you got?’ he asked, perching beside me. ‘Seven,’ I chirped, proudly showing off the inkings on my arms. ‘I’m Toby,’ he said, reaching out his hand towards mine. ‘Loretta, nice to meet you,’ I replied, grabbing hold while trying not to grin from ear to ear. Tall, with light brown hair and blue eyes, Toby was gorgeous and I…

What had we done wrong? Mrs Neal was caught at last As we pulled out of my mum’s drive, I saw the sign in the garden of the house next door. ‘The Boathouse is for sale!’ I said to my husband, Keith. Mum had lived in the council house next door all her life, and I’d grown up adoring the beautiful Art Deco home. ‘I bet we can’t afford it,’ I sighed. But it turned out because it needed so much work, we could. I was running my own care company at the time and Keith had just retired, so we were looking for a project to keep busy. It was the perfect opportunity for us in a house we loved. It was a dream come true when we moved…

Vita Coco Coconut Oil, £2.29, Holland & Barrett This little beauty secret does everything from soothe chapped lips, moisturise dry skin, and remove makeup. Now available in a 50ml tub, it’s the perfect essential to add to your handbag! Coconut and Almond Lypsyl SPF lip balm, £1.89, Tesco This new sensual lip balm contains a rich blend of natural shea and cocoa butters, avocado oil, beeswax, aloe vera, and Vitamin E. With an SPF 15 rating, it also offers sun protection – perfect for today’s beauty-conscious consumer! 7th Heaven Coconut Hair Mask, £1, Boots Creamy coconut dew and protein-rich quinoa grains blend together to make this tropical mask. Quenching coconut oils feed thirsty hair, strengthening from the roots for hair happiness. Yes to Coconut Cleansing Wipes, £3.99, Superdrug If you’re…

Sizzling sensation GINGER BEEF STIR-FRY SERVES: 4 YOU’LL NEED… 2-3 tbsp Very Lazy Chopped Ginger 1 tsp Very Lazy Chopped Garlic 1 tsp cornflour 2 tbsp dark soy sauce 2 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine or sherry 450g beef rump steak, trimmed and cut into thin strips 1 tbsp sunflower oil 400g ready prepared stir- fry vegetables 75g cashew nuts, toasted Egg noodles or rice HOW TO DO IT… 1. In a bowl, mix together the ginger, garlic, cornflour, 1 tbsp of the soy sauce and wine or sherry. Stir in the beef and leave to marinate for 15 mins. 2. Heat 2 tsp of oil in a wok or large frying pan until really hot, add the beef strips and marinade and stir-fry over a high heat for 2-3 mins…

All I saw were my flabby arms I really didn’t want to be a fat bride As I pushed the pram around the crowded hall, so many admirers stopped me to coo over my new born. ‘Isn’t she cute?’ they gushed, as my three-day-old daughter, Gracie, slept peacefully. We had barely settled in at home when my partner, Lee, 40, managed to drag me to a baby and toddler fair with our other daughter, Georgina, now 10. Strolling around the stalls, we stopped to hear about baby groups and buy goodies for our two girls. As we made our way around the stands, we caught the attention of a family photographer. ‘Let’s take a family portrait of you all,’ he called, waving us across. Camera-shy Lee and I quickly shook…

Drum Fit Join a POUND class for a full cardio jam session, combining light resistance with constant simulated drumming – all to an awesome soundtrack. Learn a combination of pilates and plyometrics to sculpt (and drum) your way to a leaner body. It’s the perfect class to let loose, tone up, and rock out! www.poundfit.com Do the Hula! Get in touch with your inner child and embrace the hula hoop at this hardcore fitness class. HulaFit combines tried and tested fitness techniques with the fun of hula hoops to burn those calories, tone those abs, and leave you wanting more. www.hulafit.com From Yoga to Doga Master the downward dog – literally – at these Doga sessions, where you and your dog can practice yoga together . Featured on this year’s…

Protect your peepers Wearing designer sunglasses is always a fashion-must in the summer, but if they don’t offer any UV protection, it’s best to ditch them for something more practical. Dr Sabrina Shah-Desai, a consultant ophthalmologist and oculoplastic surgeon at Perfect Eyes Ltd (www.perfecteyesltd.com), explains that sunglasses make your eyes think it’s dark, causing them to dilate, meaning more harmful rays are let in. Your eyes need to be protected, as damage from UV rays includes sunburn on the eye’s surface, cataracts and even cancer of the eye. Getting fruity Nearly half of Brits don’t eat fruit on a daily basis. Fruit is an excellent source of vitamins, so it’s important that we get our five a day. Nutritionist Fiona Hunter gives us some clever ways to get more fruit…

Aries 21 Mar - 20 April This will be a great month for creative pursuits and pleasure seeking, which will reinvigorate how you have fun with new hobbies or passion projects, especially around the 21st. Home is set to be a hub of activity in July and you might be feeling particularly sociable, so it might be a good idea to invite friends into your space. Towards the 8th you could gain public recognition. Taurus 21 April - 21 May Socialising with friends and family is high on your agenda until the 23rd, when the focus is set to shift to home; you can embrace a refreshing emotional re-set with fresh starts in your domestic spaces. There is more lightness and confidence, which can lend itself wonderfully to increasing your…

Now he’s all over my body Switching on the TV, I settled down on the sofa, ready to watch Manchester United’s first match of the Premier League season. ‘Look, there’s nanny’s boyfriend!’ my grandson, Theo, 11, shouted when the team manager, Jose Mourinho, appeared on screen. His brother Aston, nine, giggled. ‘Oh shhh,’ I said, blushing. They knew about my obsession with Jose. I wasn’t always a Manchester United fan. In fact, from the age of 17 I was a die-hard Chelsea supporter. But that all changed when my beloved team decided to sack my all-time favourite football manager. In my eyes, Jose Mourinho was one of the most gifted managers out there. ‘We are cancelling Christmas!’ I told my husband, Tony, when I heard the news. How could I…

Through the roof I’d been nagging my husband for so long about putting some boards down in our loft. I’d offered to get a handyman in but he refused to spend the money, so one weekend he finally headed up. Within minutes there was the most awful crash. My husband had caugh this head on a beam and had fallen forward with such force that he put his foot through our bedroom ceiling! His money saving really cost him. Bev, London Thanks Dad! My dad offered to come round and help me redecorate my new flat. I was worried as he wasn’t the best at home, but he was keen to help , so I agreed. Now I have wallpaper in my bedroom that’s upside down, a sink in the…

I trusted Matthew to take care of us The truth was so much worse When I first met Matthew Samuels at a motoring show in Earls Court in 1989, I didn’t like him very much at all really. He was flashy and arrogant, but he could also be charming. We eventually got together, and Matthew would take me out to fancy restaurants and spoilt me and my young son, Alex. After his business in London failed, he moved in with us and got a successful job at a nearby car dealership. I worked as a model, but his confidence with money always made me feel secure. ‘You need to have a good credit rating. Let me help you,’ he would tell me. I had no idea about money so I…

We couldn’t wait to be parents Finally she revealed the truth From the second Lesley scurried in late to my evening computer course, I was smitten. She was blonde and a real head turner. When she told me she’d just moved to the area and didn’t know many people, I saw my chance to see her again. ‘If you’re passing by and fancy a cup of coffee, feel free to pop in,’ I told her. A few days later, Lesley turned up on my doorstep. We bonded over a brew and despite Lesley being 20, when I was 41 – romance blossomed. Within a month Lesley had moved into my studio flat and after a year, she fell pregnant. At the 12-week scan, hearing our little one’s heart beat was…

I soon tempted John to strip off Some guests got naked too Venue, guest list, invites. I ticked off the to-do list for my wedding with a flourish. ‘How’s it going?’ my fiancé, John Donson, 61, asked. ‘There’s only one last detail to sort,’ I chirped. ‘A priest to do the ceremony.’ ‘Oh,’ John sighed. ‘That might be a bit tricky.’ After all, we decided to get married in the nude! John and I had opted for a Pagan hand-fasting ceremony and we couldn’t think of a more peaceful and private setting than our naturist club - The Pines, in the Forest of Dean. After searching through social media, we tracked down priest David Abel. He met us for a coffee and although he was a bit reluctant at first,…

The truth was hard to hear Tragedy turned me to food As I tucked my little boy, Oliver, into bed and switched off the bedroom light, his words were still ringing in my ears. While walking home from the park earlier, Oliver, eight, had turned and pointed to my sizeable stomach, before innocently saying: ‘Mummy, are you pregnant?’ Taken aback, I frowned as he excitedly asked: ‘Am I going to have a baby brother or sister soon?’ ‘No darling, why do you say that?’ I replied, dreading his answer. ‘Because you have a big tummy and the other mums don’t,’ he said. Mortified, I wanted the ground to swallow me up. Children tend to say what they see, and tipping the scales at 22st 4lbs and struggling to squeeze into…

We were both so shocked I kept it a complete secret As I logged onto my dating profile, a message popped up. ‘I think I know you!’ it read. Catching sight of the handsome man in the picture, I instantly smiled. I’d first met Arron Selter at a party when we were 21. We’d dated before I’d moved away and we’d eventually lost touch. Now, eight years on, I was back in the area. ‘Yes, you do,’ I replied to Arron’s message excitedly. I’m surprised he recognised me. Back then, I tipped the scales at 16st 7lbs and struggled to squeeze into a size 26. I’d piled on more weight while carrying my son, Lenny, now eight. But when my dad, Lee, 55, suffered a heart attack, it motivated me…

I heard a loud thud above us It was getting close to bed time when my litte boy, Rhys, seven, begged to watch his Captain America DVD. ‘Oh, go on then,’ I sighed, putting the disk in the DVD player in his room and tucking him in. ‘But Mum, I want to watch Tangled,’ my daughter, Megan, six, moaned, kicking up a fuss. Having a boy and a girl was difficult - there was no pleasing them both. As they shared a bedroom, I told Megan she could watch her film next door in our bedroom. It was Saturday night and with no school the next day, I thought I would let them stay up a bit later as a bit of a treat. Both content, I headed downstairs and…

I smelt burning rubber The traffic was terrible as I pulled onto the M25. I was driving home to Somerset in my Range Rover after a successful business trip to London, with my PA, Kayleigh, in the passenger seat. It was 4:30pm and rush hour was in full swing. Eager to get back, I was doing 70mph in the outside lane, but then suddenly I started to smell burning rubber. ‘I think there must be something wrong with the car,’ I said. But that’s the last thing I remember… I later found out that I had started having a fit at the wheel, and eventually lost consciousness. The car veered into the left lane and crashed into two Audis before hurtling into the hard shoulder. One of the Audis ended…

She’s blue-tiful! Our Labrador, Maizy, loves walking among the bluebells near our home in Roadwater. She also loves to be the centre of attention! Debbie, Somerset Cat nap Our cat Max loves nothing better than a good lie-in on a warm sunny morning. Trouble is, he takes up most the bed! Stacey, Newport Persil purrfect My cat’s favourite spot to nap is in our washing machine. She can sleep in there for hours. I just need to make sure she’s not in there when I do the laundry! Grace, Somerset As clear as mud Millie was almost unrecognisable after she came in from her walk. She’s usually black, but she seemed to have grown a lot of brown hair… either that, or she had just been for a good roll…