'I'm going to go ahead with a double mastectomy:' Brave Giuliana Rancic to have surgery after breast cancer diagnosis

By Nadia Mendoza


Brave: Giuliana Rancic and husband Bill appear on The Today Show to say she will have a double mastectomy


Giuliana Rancic has revealed she will undergo a double mastectomy, after being diagnosed with breast cancer in October.

The E! News presenter spoke openly about her decision during an interview on The Today Show.

America's popular morning show updated its Twitter feed today, saying: '"I'm going to go ahead and move forward with a double mastectomy." -@GiulianaRancic'.


In October, the 36-year-old initially underwent a double lumpectomy to removed cancerous growths in both breasts as well as her lymph nodes - but now she is taking extra measures after doctors failed to 'get all the cancer out'.

Husband Bill, who sat by his wife's side throughout the interview, explained that medics were unable to 'clear all the margins' and get all the cancer out, hence the final decision of double mastectomy.

He said: 'We were left with the decision, do you go back and do another lumpectomy and try to clean it out or go forward with a more radical procedure?'

Honest: Giuliana said she came forward about the illness to encourage other women to check themselves


Giuliana even joked that the pair made a 'pros and cons list' to help them cement their decision.

She said her decision to have children played a part in making the decision, as otherwise she would have had to undergo another lumpectomy, radiation and two to five years of anti-oestrogen therapy, which would have put her into early menopause.

She said: 'To be honest, all it came down to was choosing to live and not looking over my shoulder for the rest of my life. It could have come back more aggressively next time, so for me it was just more important to get the cancer out.

'With the double mastectomy I now have less than one per cent chance of getting it back, otherwise it was 20, 30 or 40 per cent chance and for me it wasn't worth it.

Optimistic: E! News presenter said the love from her fans has kept her strong


'Bill said to me, "I just need you around for the next 50 years, kid. I don't care about the physical portion of this, so let's just get you healthy."'

Giuliana, speaking very calmly on the show, added: 'Bill's been the world to me through this, he brought some laughter to the process and reminded me who we are as a couple.

'It's made us stronger. I couldn't be more at peace with the decision. I still break down some nights when it's quiet in bed, it's easy to just start crying and be very sad, but I'm okay.'

Bill had a positive outlook, saying: 'I'm focused on the finished line, we'll be done with this by Christmas time and then we don't look back..'

During her return to work last month, Rancic said she owed her inner strength to the influx of support from her fans.

Family on hold: The couple will wait until Giuliana has recovered before embarking on IVF again


She told Parade magazine: 'I'm good. I'm hanging in there. I have good days and bad days, but so far good.

'I'm very optimistic and I'm just happy to have caught it early. I think that's really the most important thing. Early detection means so much.'

Rancic discovered her tumour in its early stages during a doctor-recommended mammogram while undergoing in vitro fertilisation.

Having married entrepreneur Bill, who shot to fame on The Apprentice USA, in September 2007, the pair have made several attempts to have a child.


Conquering the disease: The Today show featured snapshots of Giuliana's stay in hospital

Loving couple: After appearing on The Today Show Giuliana and Bill Rancic were seen returning to their Manhattan hotel


However, they experienced problems with conceiving and doctors recommended that Giuliana gain weight to increase their chances.

By 2010 she had put on five pounds, before embarking on IVF that March.

Sadly, despite falling pregnant in the spring, Giuliana suffered a miscarriage at eight weeks.

The couple have now decided to put a family on hold until Giuliana has made a full recovery.


Road to recovery: Giuliana will undergo a double mastectomy in a bid to ensure cancer won't return




source:dailymail

How will plastic surgeons solve Madonna's 'pillow face'? Cosmetic experts discuss techniques to avoid her look

By Alice Smellie


Poor Madonna. The 53-year-old star once made headlines for her raunchy dance routines and high-fashion outfits.

But she – and a growing number of women like her – was at the centre of a rather different and more serious debate last week. Or rather, her face was.

At this year’s British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) Annual Scientific Meeting, medics from all over the world met to discuss the problem she appears to have in common with other celebrities, from Kylie to Lulu – ‘pillow face’.

Overuse of cosmetic fillers has been blamed for distorting women's features - Madonna has been the subject of discussion on the 'pillow face'


And top of the agenda were the latest cosmetic surgery techniques being used to avoid it.

‘This look is usually the result of too many injectable fillers,’ says BAAPS president and consultant plastic surgeon Fazel Fatah.

Fillers are injections – usually of chemicals that occur naturally in the body, such as hyaluronic acid or collagen.

Madonna has neither confirmed or denied having had cosmetic work, but recent pictures show her to have suspiciously full cheeks for a woman of her age and build.

‘As we age, our skin becomes depleted in the substances that give it elasticity and volume.

Older women, especially if they are slim, will notice a hollowing of the cheeks and around the eyes. These things visibly age the face,’ explains Mr Fatah.

‘Fillers are chemicals that are injected into areas in the face to plump out the skin, restoring a youthful look.

The problem is that patients may be so thrilled with the results they want more and more injections.

At a certain point, the face and lips look puffy and over-stuffed, hence the term pillow face.’

'This look is usually the result of too many injectable fillers,' says
plastic surgeon Fazel Fatah (Kylie Minogue has been rumoured to have used fillers)


But there is a new approach – a technique called lipomodelling, which restructures the face from within, tackling deeper tissues.

Lipomodelling involves the removal of fat from another part of the body, such as around the hips.

The fat is refined – separating it from liquid or oil from ruptured fat cells.

A cannula about 1mm in diameter then deposits tiny particles in tunnels within the tissue, creating layers of new tissue.

These have to take as a graft within the face – establishing circulation from around the tissue to become a viable part of the structure of the face.

They don’t dissipate or move so there is less need for repeat procedures. It looks and feels totally natural.

‘The pillow-face look is all about over-injecting filler material,’ says Mr Fatah.

‘Doctors should take responsibility, and explain to patients that they may look ridiculous if they ask for more and more.’

Lipomodelling is more mobile than traditional fillers because it moves like natural tissue.

It is also more easily reversible. Because it becomes part of your soft and fatty tissue, it can be suctioned out later.

The surgeons said Botox can be linked to over-raised eyebrows - seen in celebrities such as Nicole Kidman (left) and Janice Dickinson (right)

Among other trends that are firmly out of fashion and were discussed at the conference was the so-called ‘surprised look’, which can be a product of brow-lifts.

‘This is a lot to do with training and expertise. There are 17 muscles on each side of the face, which need targeting to achieve discreet results,’ says Mr Fatah.

‘You can always tell if someone has had Botox when you see those over-raised eyebrows.’

It may explain why celebrities including actress Nicole Kidman and supermodel Janice Dickinson look permanently astonished by life.

A new technique reshapes the eyebrows using surgery – and sometimes Botox as well – so that the eyebrow shape starts in the inner corner of the eye, rises over the pupil and then shapes back down to create a natural and feminine look.

Noses were also a hot topic of discussion. Now that all ethnic groups are requesting corrective procedures, surgeons are looking closely at ethnic rhinoplasty.

‘The structure of the nose varies between different ethnic groups,’ says Mr Fatah.

‘Surgery needs to maintain ethnicity. Choosing a nose from a different ethnic group is probably not a good idea.’ Michael Jackson was a prime example.

The conference dedicated half a day to a workshop on the psychological assessment of cosmetic- surgery patients.

‘This is vital in anyone considering surgery,’ says Mr Fatah. ‘It is disastrous to operate on anyone with an underlying psychological condition that changes their perception of reality.’

The notion of subtle grafting, filling and tweaking applies even to such niche techniques as earlobe reshaping and eyebrow transplants for those who have over-plucked or have skin conditions such as alopecia, which cause them to fall out.

And if you thought the recession had hit us all hard, think again.

‘Times may be tough, but demand for cosmetic procedures is still high,’ says a former president of BAAPS, plastic surgeon Nigel Mercer.

On a serious note at the meeting, shocking new statistics were revealed about the trivialisation of cosmetic surgery, particularly relating to the irresponsible ways in which some clinics are marketing their services – using voucher sites and even raffles.

‘The whole point about this meeting was to present new procedures and ideas for peer scrutiny,’ says Mr Mercer.

‘No one was selling any new procedures – we were discussing the future of surgery.’

Which is great news for the thousands of Britons who will be going under the knife or needle in the next 12 months.



source:dailymail

'I blame it on my genes': 700lb Californian woman enters the record books as the world's heaviest woman

By John Stevens


After reaching 700 pounds, Pauline Potter has officially entered the record books as the world's heaviest woman.

But the 47-year-old from Sacramento, California, now says she wants to lose weight so she can enjoy every day life again.

Mrs Potter had boasted that men think she is a 'sex goddess' and she has 'fantastic sex every day', but she now struggles with daily life and cannot turn over in bed and or fit in her car.

Record breaker: Pauline Potter has entered the Guinness Book of Records as the world's heaviest living woman

This big: Mrs Potter weighed 700 pounds at her peak and hopes to lose up to 500 pounds


She wants to lose as much as 500 pounds in order to be able to go dancing, go on road trips and fit in seats at the theatre.

The world record holder, who currently weighs 643 pounds, blames her upbringing as the main reason for her size.

She said that being overweight is in her genes and that as a child there was an 'overabundance' of food.

'My mom was over 400 pounds and my dad over 600,' she said. 'I have eight siblings all which are over 300, except one.

Appetite: Lunch with son Dillon involves crisps, chocolate eclairs, supersize soft drinks and KFC

In the pool: Mrs Potter goes swimming between three and five times a week at a warm water therapy pool where she does lengths to keep mobile

Fuel: Dillon takes his mother to the supermarket in a wheelchair where they buy doughnuts


'We were just raised, that if it was happy we'd celebrate with food, if it was sad, oh you fell down and skinned your knee, here's ice-cream.'

Mrs Potter said that she has repeatedly postponed losing weight, but has decided it is now time to do something about her size as daily life is becoming very difficult and she has to rely on her son for help.

'Everything is difficult from getting dressed to taking a bath,' she said. 'To reaching, you know, I can't put my own socks on.

'As far as my daily activity I do, everything is very difficult and thank goodness I have a very good relationship with my son and he is very helpful. He helps me do anything that's difficult.'

Before she was fat: Mrs Potter thinks the roots of her obesity lie in her childhood and her genes

Growing up: Mrs Potter said that her family used to turn to food for both celebrations and commiserations


The Californian mother tries to keep mobile by going to a warm water rehabilitation pool three to five times a week where she does laps.

But she has to use a mobility scooter to get around and can no longer get into her car.

Mrs Potter said that one of her problems is that she likes all foods, except sauerkraut and Brussels sprouts, and said she has food every one or two hours.

'I'd be happy at 200 [pounds] maybe 300 but probably more 200 would be my ideal weight,' she said.

Support: Mrs Potter said that she relies on her son for help doing everyday things that she cannot do along with her sisters

Too big: Mrs Potter cannot get in her car any more so has to use a mobility scooter to get around

'I would be in seventh heaven. I could dance, I could go watch Baseball games, I could walk into a Theatre and sit in the seats, I could go on road trips again with my son, we could go to Reno and gamble.'

Mrs Potter is looking for a nutritionist and doctor to help her, but said she also has the support of her network of friends online.

'I have a lot of friends online,' she said. 'I go online there's a support group on there with other heavy friends, so we talk quite a bit online, we exchange phone numbers, we talk on the phone or we email.'

Mrs Potter said she regrets getting as big as she has and would not recommend her lifestyle to anyone.

'I don't even know how to say, it's not fun, it's not fun at all,' she said. 'There is no physical freedom.'

'As far as even rolling over in the bed. Thank goodness I have an electric hospital bed, and I can grab on to the bars to roll over.

'I am mobile to a certain extent but it's difficult. I just struggle every day to hang on to what little bit of mobility I have. It's very hard.'

For more amazing records check out the new Guinness World Records 2012 out on September 15th. Visit www.guinnessworldrecords.com for more information



source:dailymail

The holiday snaps that changed our lives! Dreading those summer bikini shots? Then these women will inspire you...

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Never going back: Anna has worked hard to drop from 17 to 10st, left, and doesn't want to be overweight again

There's nothing more depressing than flicking through your holiday photos, only to find your happy memories marred by how overweight you look in them. Here, three women inspired to shape up after seeing themselves in their holiday snaps share their stories...

Anna Shephard, 29, is a primary school teacher from Dulwich, South London. She is married to Junior, 28, a mature student. Previously a size 22, now a size 8-10, she says:

As a child, I was big. I ate a lot, and my bad eating habits continued into adulthood. Typically, I’d have two burger and fries meals from Burger King for lunch — and maybe a family-sized bag of Maltesers after dinner.


Ashamed of her size: Sonia was 15st, right, but is much happier now she's 11st and can fit into dress size 12


Sonia Coles, 41, is a teaching assistant from Banbury, Oxfordshire. She is married to Stephen, 50, a caretaker, with two children, Louis, 16, and Samuel, 12. Previously a size 20, now a size 12, she says:

Before I went on holiday to Spain in 2008, I was so ashamed of my size that I didn’t even try on my new one-piece swimsuit. I was a size 18 and couldn’t bear to look in the mirror; I didn’t want to confront the reality of how I looked. We had booked into a lovely apartment complex in Salou, which was full of lots of other British families. By the pool, I was so conscious of my wobbly flesh that I hid inside a towel. Most of the women were slim — and their gorgeous figures were a painful symbol of what I could never be.


Wake-up call: Angela, now 9st, left, knew she had to rid herself of the belly she had had since her youth, when she was 12st


Angela Sweeter, 60, is a hairdresser from Bracknell, Berkshire. She is separated and has two grown-up sons, aged 23 and 21. Previously a size 14-16, now a size 10, she says:

Last year I was going through some old photos when I found one of myself taken in Monte Carlo in 2003. The photo shows me standing on the balcony of my hotel, with my tummy so swollen, I looked pregnant. There’s no smile on my face, no sense I was enjoying myself. What struck me was that nothing about my appearance had changed in the seven years since that photo had been taken. I was still the same size — 12st and a size 14-16.


source: dailymail

'When you're bigger than the biggest person on The Biggest Loser, it's horrible': How mother-of-two lost 200lb in a year

By Tamara Abraham


Tipping the scales at 456lb Staci Bridwell was ashamed to acknowledge that she weighed more than the largest contestant on the Biggest Loser.

But thanks to the help of celebrity coach Chris Powell, the 30-year-old, from Haslet, Texas, has lost over 200lb in the space of a single year.

The mother-of-two, who appeared on the latest episode of Extreme Makeover, told how she gained weight in her early teens, and has not been able to shift it since.


Transformation: Staci Bridwell, 30, from Haslet, Texas, once weighed 456lb (left), but lost 201lb in a year after appearing on Extreme Makeover (right)


She said: 'As a teenager I gained probably 200 pounds between the time I was 13 to 15. I was shopping at Lane Bryant by the time I was 13 years old.'

She revealed that she had tried every diet imaginable, but her job as a mobile radiology technologist meant that she spent up to ten hours a day in the car, and fast food had become a part of her lifestyle.

'Weight Watchers, Jennie Craig, The Soup Diet … anything,' she said. 'I’ve done them all, and nothing ever worked.'

In addition to a demanding job, Mrs Bridwell was required to care for her two young daughters, as well as support her husband, Rodney, who suffered a stroke three weeks after they met.

Out of control: The mother-of-two's weight soared in her teens, and by 13 she was shopping at Lane Bryant

Pressure: Mrs Bridwell experienced added stress after her husband suffered a stroke, numbing the left side of his body. As a consequence, she became the family's sole breadwinner


But, as the show reveals, she found the impetus to transform her diet and lifestyle, exercising for up to four hours a day, despite her demanding work and home life.

'I didn’t know what to cook. I didn’t know what to buy at the store. I had to change all of that,' she explained.

'I lost the weight over a year, and now it’s just the way I live. I don’t even have to think about it anymore. It’s already second nature. It’s a new lifestyle.

'The hardest part is getting started and making sure you stay with it.'

Success: Mrs Bridwell could fit both herself and her daughter into the legs of her old jeans after six months


Mrs Bridwell enjoyed a successful first six months, dropping to 290lb at the mid-way weigh-in, but her weight reached a plateau during the latter half of Powell's plan.

She told how she had lost her focus while juggling her hectic schedule, and had slipped back into bad habits, eating fast food and not making time to exercise.

But after a disappointing nine-month weigh-in, Mrs Bridwell's motivation was revived, and a session with Mr Powell helped push her to her goal weight of 255lb.

She said of the trainer: 'He’s a very special guy. He is super-inspiring, and
there’s just something about him being around that makes you feel like you can [lose the weight]. I said I’d give it my best shot - and I did - and it worked.'


Helping hand: With the support of celebrity coach Chris Powell, the 30-year-old reached her goal weight


Mr Powell was equally full of praise, crediting her dedication and motivation to her weight-loss goal.

He said: 'She was the largest woman I'd ever worked with and the transformation is incredible.'

As another positive consequence of her new healthy lifestyle, the whole Bridwell family has lost weight - particularly Mr Bridwell, who has lost 100lb since his wife changed their diet.

'My husband lost 100 pounds!' she said. 'It’s so aggravating, he never even works out. All he did was eat the [healthier] food. I work out for hours!'



source:dailymail

Where have all the telly tubbies gone?: TV stars and their dramatic weight loss

By Daily Mail Reporter


As Pauline Quirke becomes the latest TV star to show off her dramatic weight loss, we look at other famous television faces who have slimmed right down...

Nadia Sawalha, 47, lost 3½ stone, going from a size 18 to a size 10, by working out with a personal trainer three times a week and eating healthier meals

Pauline Quirke, 51, went from 19½ stone to 13 stone on the 500-calories-a-day Lighter Life diet after doctors told her she was in danger of needing a hip replacement

Dawn French, 53, has shed three stone, dropping from a size 20 to a size 16. Denies rumours of gastric band and says it's down to walking plus no chocolate or chips

Fern Britton, 53, lost five stone and dropped from a size 22 to a size 12. Claimed it was down to diet and exercise before admitting to having a gastric band

Claire Nasir, 41, went from 10st 4lb last year to eight stone and a size 6, thanks to a five-meals-a-day diet and exercise sessions that burn up to 1,000 calories

Anne Diamond, 56, ballooned to 15st 10lb after having five sons. Tried diet and exercise, but lost four stone only after having a gastric band fitted five years ago

Lorraine Kelly, 51, slimmed from a curvy 14 to a slim 12 after running the London Marathon last year. Keeps the weight off by eating bananas instead of sweets

Vanessa Feltz, 49, lost weight after her marriage break-up in 1999, but regained it all. A size 24 before gastric band surgery last year, she's now a size 16


source:dailymail

How to tame your tum: Is yours a spare tyre or a stress bulge? Finding out your tummy type is the key to getting a perfect midriff

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER


Get a flat stomach: First you need to identify your tunny type


For many women, getting bikini ready means tackling one dreaded area in particular — our tummies.

Most of us still think the best way to achieve a washboard stomach is by doing hundreds of sit-ups. Not so, says A-list trainer and body guru James Duigan.

James, who sculpts supermodels Elle Macpherson and Rosie Huntingdon-Whiteley among others, insists there is no ‘one size fits all’ method for getting a flat belly.

Instead, he’s identified five key ‘tummy types’, all of which require a different approach to achieve successful toning.

Once you’ve identified your type, you can transform it following James’ tailor-made plan and get that flat tummy fast.



THE SPARE TYRE TUMMY
The spare tyre: This is one of the easiest tummy troubles to eliminate because it's caused by eating the wrong foods and not exercising enough


HOW TO IDENTIFY THIS TYPE
These people are likely to lead sedentary lives, perhaps with jobs that keep them desk-bound. They may also have an emotional attachment to sugary foods.
Luckily, this ‘spare tyre’ is one of the easiest tummy troubles to eliminate as, according to James, it’s caused by eating the wrong foods and not exercising enough.

TYPICAL BAD HABITS
‘If you exercise very little, eat lots of sugar and refined carbohydrates in products like biscuits, cakes and white bread, or rely on starchy carbs like pasta and rice, you probably have an overweight tummy with accompanying fat on your legs and hips,’ says James.



THE STRESS TUMMY
Stress tummy: These types are typically over-achievers with perfectionist personalities


HOW TO IDENTIFY THIS TYPE
Stressed-tummy types are typically over-achievers with perfectionist personalities. They are usually also susceptible to digestive conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which can cause bloating and make their tummies look far worse.
‘Stress tummies are easy to spot, as the weight is specific to the front of the midriff and the umbilical area,’ explains James. ‘When stressed, we produce cortisol, a hormone which encourages the body to cling on to fat around the stomach.’
Stressed tummies will also be fairly hard to the touch, rather than wobbly.

TYPICAL BAD HABITS
It’s likely you skip meals, abuse your adrenal system with too much caffeine and grab junk food for convenience.



THE LITTLE POOCH
The little pooch: These women are likely to be busy mums or have demanding careers - hey may even be a gym junkie


HOW TO IDENTIFY THIS TYPE
These women are likely to be busy mums or have demanding careers. ‘They may even be a gym junkie, but stuck in a workout-and-diet rut, perhaps always eating the same foods and doing the same routine at the gym, which keeps you slim but leaves you with a lower belly that spoils your silhouette,’ says James.

TYPICAL BAD HABITS
‘Doing excessive crunches and using gimmicky gym items such as ab-rollers can place a strain on the hip flexors and the lower back, causing the tummy muscles to protrude so your belly sticks out,’ says James.



THE MUMMY TUMMY
The Mummy tummy: Women with these bellies have usually given birth in the past few years, and, being a typical mum, have little time for themselves


HOW TO IDENTIFY THIS TYPE
Women with these tummies have usually given birth in the past few years, and, being a typical mum, have little time for themselves. ‘After giving birth, the uterus drops and is much heavier than it was pre-pregnancy,’ says James. ‘It takes at least six weeks to return to its usual size, so don’t even think about trying to get a flat stomach until after then.

‘You need to re-train your pelvic floor and lower abs to increase blood flow and strengthen loose muscles.’

TYPICAL BAD HABITS
Rushing back to exercise too quickly. ‘I would suggest waiting around two to three months,’ says James. ‘Being stressed about getting rid of your baby weight will only make you cling onto it more. Give yourself a break!’



THE BLOATED TUMMY
Bloated tummies: These are often flat in the morning, but swell throughout the day with gas or indigestion


HOW TO IDENTIFY THIS TYPE
Bloated tummies are often flat in the morning, but swell throughout the day with gas or indigestion. Bloating affects both slim and overweight women. It is almost always caused by food intolerances and allergies, or sluggish bowels as a result of a poor diet.

TYPICAL BAD HABITS
You eat the same foods and may have done so for a lifetime without realising you’re intolerant to them.


source : dailymail

Why 45 is start of a golden age of health: Confronted with their own mortality many kick drinking and improve diet

By Andrew Levy



Health kick: Many opt for a healthier lifestyle as they get older


It is an age when our plans to exercise regularly have usually petered out and our waistlines are expanding.

But this doesn’t mean people have given up wanting to be in good shape when they reach 45.

For many, halfway through their fifth decade is a ‘golden age’ when they try to slow the march of time by cutting out as many health risks as possible.


Confronted with their own mortality as they, or family and friends, have health scares, more than a third opt to limit drinking to three or fewer units a week, according to a study.

A similar proportion avoid processed food, while more than eight in ten eat the recommended five pieces of fruit or veg every day.

Nine in ten are also non-smokers, compared to three-quarters of people under 45, and nearly 40 per cent say they ‘never over-indulge in food or drink at the weekends’, a rule just one in six younger people stick to.

The snapshot of middle-age resolve was gathered in a Health of the Nation study commissioned by new supplements company Bioglan, which questioned 5,000 people aged 16 and over.

It found the age of 45 was linked to a decline in health, with a third of people at that age reporting they suffer joint pain, one in five having high blood pressure, and one in ten experiencing shortness of breath.


At the same time, there was a marked increase in concerns about ailments including heart disease, dementia and stroke, with around half of those midway through their fifth decade fearing for their health.


Almost six in ten of this age group re-evaluated their prospects after suffering a health scare, while four in ten took stock after a family member was taken ill.

Other triggers included performing badly on a medical assessment, or an unflattering comment about their appearance.

The level of concern was higher in over-45s than in over-55s, suggesting a laissez-faire attitude in those approaching retirement – perhaps because they were more set in their ways or they felt they had escaped the health problems that often emerge when middle-age begins.

One 45-year-old who has worked hard at maintaining her fitness is former model Cindy Crawford, combining a high-protein diet with a rigorous exercise regime of pilates, cardio work and yoga.

Young people aged 16-17 recorded the greatest reaction to a celebrity health scare, with one in 11 saying they had been affected by one. This compared to one in 30 over-45s and just one in 83 over-55s.

GP Mary Shelby, who helped analyse the survey, said: ‘In the same way that people in their 20s and 30s don’t worry about a pension plan, similarly they are lax about their health choices.

‘Long-term diseases such as stroke and heart disease seem a long way off but once we hit our 40s these health issues become much more real.’



source:dailymail

Bye-bye back fat! Huge rise in liposuction as women crave hourglass glamour of TV's Mad Men

By Sadie Nicholas


Hourglass figure: Jennifer Finemore is delighted with her new shape

Young mum Jennifer Finemore takes pride in her healthy lifestyle, and the lean, athletic body it has helped her achieve. So it is understandable that she grew frustrated with stubborn areas of fat on her flanks - the lower half of her back - that refused to budge.

'I've always been body-conscious and active and a consistent size 12, slim for my 5ft 10in frame,' says Jennifer, 29, who is divorced and lives in Leicestershire with her children Bradley, six, and Trinity, four.

'I began to obsess about my muffin top and tried crash diets, but while I got skinnier everywhere else, my back fat remained. It was the only thing I saw when I looked in the mirror.'

Exasperated, a year ago Jennifer had liposuction to extract more than three-and-a-half pints of fat from her back and thighs.

It may sound like drastic action, but The Harley Medical Group, the UK's largest cosmetic surgery provider, has reported an astonishing 54 per cent increase in women having liposuction to remove deposits of fat from their backs last year.

They call it 'the Mad Men effect', with scores of British women trying to mimic the hourglass silhouettes of the stars of the US show, set in the Sixties.

Surgeon Marco Moraci says: 'Waists were smaller 50 years ago, as most thirty-something women who have tried to fit into their mothers' old dresses will know.

'Women of the Sixties wore corsetry but research shows people today are thicker
round the middle. A combination of diet and an inactive lifestyle is usually to blame.

Infra-scapular fat - the female flanks - can be found on women who are otherwise slim. This is usually down to genetics.

'We're born with a number of fat cells but they're distributed differently, hence one person may gain weight around their middle and another on their thighs. Most patients wanting to reduce their back fat are in good shape otherwise.

'We don't know why, but the body holds on to these fat deposits as an emergency reserve. Only by becoming severely underweight can you naturally get rid of it,' he says.

Liposuction involves making an incision to the fatty area into which a tube about 3mm in diameter is inserted. A solution of 95 per cent water and the rest anaesthetic is released into the area to liquefy the fat so it can be drawn out.

'Once fat cells are removed, fat won't deposit in that area again, or not to the same extent. But this treatment is suitable only for people who are slim, healthy and have good skin, not those who have lost a lot of weight and whose skin has lost elasticity.

Thrilled with the results: Jennifer's waist before and after the procedure


'For liposuction to be effective there needs to be skin retraction - where it shrinks back into place once the fat has been removed. Otherwise a patient will be left with loose skin like an empty bag,' says Moraci.

'It is the ideal procedure for getting rid of stubborn pockets of fat, which is exactly what back fat is,' he says.

It was when Jennifer got divorced 18 months ago that she first considered the surgery, which cost £4,500.

'I was desperate to feel better about myself,' she says. 'Then a friend had liposuction on her thighs and said it was the best thing that had ever happened to her self-confidence, so I decided to take the plunge.'

Four weeks after a consultation at The Harley Medical Group in Nottingham in April 2010, Jennifer went to its London clinic for the hour-long surgical procedure.


The Joan Harris effect: Mad Men siren Christina Hendricks has become the poster girl for the hourglass figure


'Although I was impressed with the surgeon's CV, and was certain I wanted the procedure, I was a little nervous too,' says Jennifer.

'Any surgery carries risks and as a mother that was something I had to contemplate, particularly as I was having a general anaesthetic,' she says.

'The surgeon reassured me that because I'm fit and healthy, don't smoke and rarely drink, any risk was very low.

'The bruising and pain weren't as bad as I'd expected and my back felt much smoother and leaner when I ran my hands over the compression garment I had to wear for six weeks to aid the process.

'Once the swelling had subsided I was thrilled with the results, more so because I'd dropped a dress size to a ten.'


source:dailymail

Seventy-four with a six-pack: Meet the grandmother who is the world's oldest female bodybuilder

By Daily Mail Reporter


She may be a grandmother, but don't call her old.

Ernestine Shepherd, 74, of Baltimore has been crowned by the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest competitive female bodybuilder ever.

She told the Washington Post: 'Age is nothing but a number'.

Ms Shepherd has impeccably toned 'six-pack' abs that are the marvel of her Baltimore fitness centre.

Her husband of 54 years, Collin Shepherd, says he 'has trouble keeping guys away from her'.

The Shepherds live in Baltimore with their son, 53, and grandson, 14.

Ms Shepherd does some modelling and teaches fitness classes, and told the Washington Post, 'If you are going to try to motivate people, you have to live that part'.

She also trains rigorously with Yohnnie Shambourger, 57,a former Mr Universe who won the gold medal in bodybuilding at the Pan American Games in 1995.

Mr Shambourger told the Post: 'The six-pack is her signature. When she walks in a room and you see her six-pack, you say, "Ohh! Okay!"

'You are a champion', he told Ms Shepherd during a gruelling session. 'I will train you like what you are'.

Ms Shepherd wakes up at 3 a.m. every day to meditate, then hits the trails in a local park to run 10 miles before lunch.

She eats only plain brown rice, bland chicken breast and vegetables, washed down with a glass of raw egg whites, three times a day.

She told the Post she has no 'desire' for sweets.

Ms Shepherd has appeared on 'Today' and 'The Mo’Nique Show' and has been featured in 'Essence' magazine.

Toned at 74: Ms Shepherd runs 10 miles a day, works out religiously and eats a restricted diet. She also teaches fitness and competes as a bodybuilder. She has won two titles and run nine marathons

Happy: Ernestine Shepherd has been married to Collin Shepherd for 54 years. The Baltimore man cooks all her meals and runs errands so she can have more time to train

First prize: Ms Shepherd shows off a trophy she won in a bodybuilding competition

Coach: Ms Shepherd trains with Yohnnie Shambourger, 57, a former Mr Universe and gold medallist in the Pan American Games. He says of his client: 'The six-pack is her signature'

Raw egg whites: Ms Shepherd drinks a glass of raw egg whites three times a day. She rejects steroids and supplements in favour of a 'natural' plan


On 'The Mo’Nique Show' she told the audience they can get fit, too: 'Because we are determined, dedicated and disciplined to be fit. You can. You can do it'.

Over the past 18 years, Ms Shepherd has run nine marathons and won two bodybuilding contests.

But she wasn't always so fit. Ms Shepherd told the Washington Post she was a 'couh potato' until she was 56 years old, when she and her older sister, Mildred, discovered their bodies had started going soft.

The sisters, who grew up very close in Baltimore as the children of a carpenter and schoolteacher, started working out together at a local centre.

They liked the results, and started pushing themselves, eventually entering some bodybuilding contests.

After Mildred died suddenly of an aneurysm, Ms Shepherd was devastated. Her grief started spiralling out of control, until she remembered a promise and a 'pinkie swear' she had made her older sister.

Champion: Over the past 18 years, Ms Shepherd has run nine marathons and won two bodybuilding contests. She does it in part to remember her late sister, Mildred, who died suddenly of an aneurysm

Teacher: Ms Shepherd leads fitness classes at her church and community centres

Inspiration: Ms Shepherd runs 10 miles a day, and inspires many people in her community and beyond

Pumping iron: Ms Shepherd tells seniors not to be afraid of weight training


The sisters had promised to push themselves to be competitive bodybuilders, and Ms Shepherd decided to keep up that legacy.

So she trains, and eats a restrictive diet, and it helps her remember Mildred.

Their younger sister Bernice, a school principal, told her: 'Every time you feel like you can’t make it, lace up your tennis shoes and get out and go walking'.

According to the Washington Post, when people tell Ms Shepherd she is destined to die soon herself, she says 'We are all going to die.

'But it’s the quality of life while I’m living'.

And when Ms Shepherd's cell phone rings, its the theme from the movie 'Rocky'.

She says Sylvester Stallone is her idol.

Not exactly your typical grandmother.


source:dailymail