Would you really be happier if you dropped a few dress sizes? The answer might surprise you.
Taryn Brumfitt spent most of her adult life convinced that if she just lost that extra weight, she would finally be happy – so one day, she decided do it.
After weeks of 5am gym sessions, not seeing her children and eating little more than lettuce, Taryn was finally in possession of the holy grail – a “perfect” bikini body. So perfect, in fact, that she decided to enter a swimsuit competition.
But standing up there on stage, Taryn had an unexpected epiphany.
“It just wasn’t what it was cracked up to be,” she tells aww.com.au. “I finally had the perfect body but I was no happier than I was when I was overweight.
“It just wasn’t worth it – being a slave to the gym, 5am starts, calorie counting, getting no joy out of food, never seeing your children. Life just wasn’t any fun and despite all that effort, I still hated my body and all the other ‘perfect’ women up there on stage felt the same way. They looked incredible but they weren’t happy.”
That revelation led Taryn to post the viral “before and after” image that made her famous. The “before” image showed her onstage in a bikini while the “after” showed off her “imperfect” post-baby body in all its glory.
Taryn’s famous “before and after” image.
“The idea that women are unhappy until they lose weight and then all of a sudden life is fantastic – it’s just not true,” she says. “It suits a lot of people and a lot of companies for that message to be true because it sells their pills and diets and lotions, but it’s just not.”
Instead, Taryn says the secret to being happy is something both simpler, and more difficult to achieve.
“How you feel about yourself all in your mind,” she says. “And that’s actually the most exciting thing. No matter what shape or size you are, you can flick that switch and make the choice today to end the battle and move forward.
“Sometimes you have to fake it until you make it. Our bodies evolve and change and that’s the beauty of life. Ageing is a privilege that is denied to many. Why should we be battling the natural evolution of a human being?”
Taryn Brumfitt’s documentary film Embrace will be in cinemas nationally from August 4. Watch the trailer below.
Sent from the heavens to strut amongst us mere mortals, there is a reason why Victoria’s Secret angels are envied all over the world.
And while we might never grow to be 6ft tall or have an in-house hair and makeup artist to make us catwalk ready at the drop of the hat, what we can do is treat our bodies in the best, most angelic way possible.
While there’s no magic potion to make you grow that extra foot (sorry) – long, lean and toned muscles are all achievable aspects of your dream body, and a few simple diet tips and exercises can help you get on track – just in time for summer!
So without further ado, check out the below guide to building the toned body you want.
Where there’s a will, there’s a way!
DIET
Let’s start with the basics. In order to gain the body you want, you need to fuel up the right way.
1. Eat enough
One the most common mistakes people make when trying to slim down is not giving your body an adequate amount of fuel.
A balanced meal should include protein, complex carbohydrates, plenty of nutrients from fruit and veggies and last but not least, good fats.
Feeling hungry when working out will only slow your metabolism, and will ultimately turn your body to your muscles as a fuel source.
Meaning that if you choose to work out on an empty stomach, you will likely lose the abs you worked so hard to gain in the first place.
2. Hydrate
Drinking enough water helps prevent bloating and fluid retention, as adequate amounts of H20 will prevent your dehydrated body from clinging on if it knows there’s plenty more where that came from.
While simultaneously helping to flush toxins from your system, water aids in lean growth as it carries oxygen to your muscles, helping both their power and endurance.
3. Make a healthy switch
There are plenty of foods out there that help the body to build lean muscle such as spinach, eggs and beef, but brown rice in particular will help you on your merry way to the VS runway.
As a low GI alternative, brown rice provides the body with a long-lasting energy source throughout the day and your workouts to aid in lean muscle growth, endurance and weight loss.
“I was 19 when I discovered Pilates, and I’m still doing it,” says Kate Hudson “It’s the workout my body really responds to. It’s all about alignment, elongating your spine and strengthening your core. It makes me feel my strongest.”
EXERCISE
Now that we’re fuelling up the right way, we can get up in gym and start working on our fitness!
1. Stretch and strengthen
If lean muscle is what you want, then the two really do go hand-in-hand.
Working your muscles at their full extension is a super effective way to build slim tone and prevent bulkiness.
Disciplines like Pilates and Yoga work with this stretch and strengthen techniques, and when performed in conjunction with the above diet tips, can help you to slim down and tone up.
Check out these arm workout tips from VS angel Adriana Lima!
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2. Hit the barre
By now you’ve probably/most definitely heard of Barre Body.
It’s a glorious fusion of Pilates, yoga and ballet that can give anyone the body of a prima ballerina – with no dance experience necessary!
Classes begin with a yoga-inspired warm up before moving onto interval training which focus on strengthening, cardio and toning, and it’s got the angel seal of approval.
“I’m obsessed with the Barre Method, which I do three times a week and reminds me of the ballet classes I did for eight years as a kid,” VS angel Alessandra Ambrosio says.
Watch angel Candice channel her inner ballerina in the video player below! Post continues…
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3. Stand up straight
It’s time to listen to your mum when she tells you to stop slouching.
Practicing good posture not only helps you to appear taller, longer and leaner but can also improve back pain and headaches.
A strong core is key when it comes to maintaining good posture, and exercises like yoga, Pilates and you guessed it, Barre, will help you to get there faster.
“Pilates forces you to be aligned and pull up [to] re-create a ‘perfect-posture’ look,” says Pilates instructor to the stars, Nicole Stuart.
Learn how to build a strong core with Doutzen in the video player below!
When 50 per cent of five-year-olds want to lose weight, how can we raise kids with good body image?
By the time the average Aussie child starts kindergarten, many are convinced they’re fat and need to lose weight.
So how can we raise children who don’t hate themselves? It’s a question that has plagued body image campaigner Taryn Brumfitt for years.
“I’ve felt the pain of body shame for most of my life and I don’t want that for my daughter,” she tells aww.com.au. “It’s not easy to raise a child without body issues but the good news is, it’s up to us. It starts at home and it’s as easy as getting off the scales.
“Ban diet talk. Move your body because you want to and not as a punishment – not because ‘mummy is on a diet’ or ‘mummy needs to lose weight’. Those comments can be very damaging.”
Instead of focussing on how people look or whether they have a thigh gap, Taryn advises switching the focus to who people are and what they are doing.
“There should be no commentary on how people look,” she says. “Praise your girls for who they are and what they do, not what they look like.
“Teach your children that beauty is something you can’t actually see. It’s charisma, humour, humility, kindness and compassion.
“If my daughter comes to me and asks ‘Do I look pretty in this dress?’ I tell her ‘I don’t care about that, I want to know what you’re going to DO in this dress’. It’s a subtle difference but it makes a huge difference.”
Taryn shot to fame in 2013 when she posted a “before and after” picture that quickly went viral. In the “before” image, Taryn was showing off her “perfect” bikini body in a fitness model competition, while in the “after” she was proudly displaying her post-baby body, lumps, bumps and all.
Taryn’s viral “before and after” image.
She posted it to mark her decision to stop subscribing to society’s ideas about how women should look and just be happy with body it was.
It struck a nerve and kicked off an international body image revolution documented in Taryn’s new film Embrace but more importantly, it has changed the way her daughter views her body.
“Since I’ve changed the way I feel about my body, it’s changed how my daughter feels about hers,” Taryn says. “She has such a fabulous body image because of how I’ve changed.
“There’s no body talk in our house and body image is not even on her radar. She’s just happy her body lets her run and play which is exactly how it should be.
“Your body is not an ornament. It’s a vehicle for life and it we can all learn to embrace it, this body love will flow down to our daughters and our sons and free them from a life lived hating themselves, which is surely the greatest gift we can give.”
Taryn Brumfitt’s documentary film Embrace will be in cinemas nationally from August 4. Watch the trailer below.
Jerika Bolen is a 14-year-old Wisconsin teen with an incurable genetic disease. She suffers from spinal muscular atrophy, a condition that has essentially left her immobile after damaging her muscles.
Left bound in her wheelchair, the incredibly brave teen has decided to put a stop to her suffering by ending her life.
And she wants go out dancing.
To celebrate her life, Jerika’s final wish was to have a prom, and her local community obliged, giving her a dream send off.
Watch “J’s Last Dance” in the video below. Post continues…
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Of course Jerika was the evening’s brightest star, dressed in a turquoise mermaid gown with her hair dyed a similar shade. With her personality shining through, the teen “punked” up her look with jewellery and metallic green lipstick.
Held at Appleton’s Grand Meridian, the hall was decorated in her favourite colours lime and black along with fully stocked candy buffet.
Police and fire-fighters escorted the young lady to her big night, with Appleton Police Chief Todd Thomas revealing it was a huge honour.
“We’re just blessed to be able to help out,” he said.
“It’s an honour for us, and what an amazing young lady. She makes you appreciate what you have. She makes you think about using your time wisely. She’s making an impact.”
Hundreds turned up to the event, but it was Jerika’s first dance that was the most special. It belonged to her mother.
The pair twirled to Martina McBride’s “In My Daughter’s Eyes” with the proud mum whispering to her little girl, “I hope this is the best night of your life.”
Watch Jerika’s final dance with her mum. Her story continues below…
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Speaking to The Post Crescent the teen recalled how she explained to her mum, Jen Bolen, that she is at peace with her decision.
“When I decided, I felt extremely happy and sad at the same time,” she explained to the local newspaper.
“There were a lot of tears, but then I realized I’m going to be in a better place, and I’m not going to be in this terrible pain. I’ve been working on it and thinking about it for way longer than anyone else has.”
In her 14 years, Jerika has endured over 38 surgeries. Yet she still has remained brave, with her grandma Sue saying, “She’s a very unselfish little girl and she’s tougher than anyone I’ve ever known.”
The young teen, who currently relies on a ventilator to help her breathe for 12 hours a day, has already made her final hospice arrangements.
Jerika, with her mother’s support has decided that she’ll stop using the life-supporting machine and will be put on morphine instead. She’ll spend her final days with her mum and their two dogs.
“I try to be as happy as possible,” the teenager told local American media outlets.
“I know I can’t always be happy every day. I still wonder why God picked me to have this disease and I know I can never know the reason. Maybe because I’m strong, I guess.”
Despite her incredible chronic pain, she got the chance to focus on something happier – her prom.
Jerika was ecstatic that she got to experience what is a rite of passage for so many.
“I’m super happy and I don’t have to think about anything bad at the moment,” she told The Post-Crescent.
To cap what already was a perfect evening, Jerika was crowned prom queen.
Head to The Post Crescent for all the stunning snaps from Jerika’s big night.
Readers who are seeking assistance can call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or beyondblue on 1300 224 636.
The Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William turned out to support British sailing hero Sir Ben Ainslie as he led the English team to a strong start of the America’s Cup World Series in Portsmouth on Sunday.
Thousands of spectators cheered on Sir Ben’s Land Rover BAR team during the Portsmouth leg of the America’s Cup but sports-mad Kate and William weren’t relegated to the sidelines.
The royal duo – who were both decked out in the British team’s merchandise – trailed behind four-time Olympic gold medallist Sir Ben and his Range Rover team in a twin-engine boat as it chased after the racing catamarans.
Since June 2014 34-year-old Kate has been the royal patron of sailing charity, 1851 Trust. The sailing enthusiast seems to have struck up a friendly rapport with Sir Ben, the pair having met each other at several engagements over the years.
Portsmouth is the seventh stage of a lengthy qualification process that will count towards the 2017 America’s Cup Challenger Series and the British team won two out of three of the day’s races to finish top of the leaderboard with 26 points.
During the day’s celebrations Prince William was asked by a 10-year-old about what kind of presents his son, Prince George received from his third birthday on July 22.
William told the curious child: “He got too many things, he’s far too spoilt, [and] he’s not into boats yet.”
The America’s Cup is the oldest international sporting trophy. The winning team in the qualifiers will earn a spot to challenge Team USA’s Oracle in the America’s Cup in Bermuda next June.
The Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William turned out to support British sailing hero Sir Ben Ainslie as he led the English team to a strong start of the America’s Cup World Series in Portsmouth on Sunday.
Kate has been the royal patron of sailing charity, 1851 Trust. The sailing enthusiast seems to have struck up a friendly rapport with Sir Ben, the pair having met each other at several engagements over the years.
Kate’s normally picture perfect locks were no match for wind – not that she minded – she was too busy congratulating the British team and meeting royal fans.
The royal duo were both decked out in the British team’s official team shirts.
Missing 5-year-old girl Jocelyn has been found in a “completely safe situation,” reports Sky News.
Queensland Police issued an amber alert for the girl on Sunday night after she ran off from family members near Nielsens Road, Nerang around 4.30pm.
Acting Inspector Laurie Shevlin told reporters on Monday morning that the overnight search did not uncover any sign of her and the family were “very distressed.”
“Our main priority is to locate the girl,” he said, reminding the public of a medical condition that may make her less inclined to respond to an approaching stranger.
Real estate agent Nikki is over the moon to have made it onto the bachelor. After splitting from her fiancé Tim, with whom she shared a 12 year relationship, she spent a year soul searching and now the WA country racing ambassador is ready to find love once again. Could our new bachelor Ritchie Strahan, 31, be the one? She seems to think so!
‘Last year, I didn’t watch The Bachelorette, only the finale, which Richie wasn’t on , but I do know of him and yes, he is my type of guy,’ she tells OK!. Hailing from the same state as Richie could definitely work in Nikki’s favour (they live an hour apart!). However, with the show being filmed in Sydney, dating TV’s most eligible man could be tricky for the 28 year old, who admits to struggling when she’s away from her family, particularly her younger sister Danni, 27.
Nikki and her loved ones have been through a lot over the years, including the tragic passing away of her sister’s boyfriend. ‘My little sister’s boyfriend was tragically killed in a mining accident,’ Nikki explains. ‘She was 19 at the time and he’d been in our lives for nearly five years and was very much part of the family. It was heartbreaking for me as I watched my sister’s life fall apart before my eyes.’
Megan: Why my marriage didn’t work
‘There are no regrets,’ health promotions officer Megan tells OK! of marrying her first love at the tender age of 18.
‘It was a good relationship, we were very young and lost in love, but I’ve come out knowing more of what I want,’ shares the 27 year old.
As for popping another sparkler on her wedding finger one day, the WA adventure lover says bring it on. ‘I’d love to be married again!’ And if the bachelor is ‘fun, attractive and a little bit weird,’ then he ticks all the boxes.
Kiki: I’ve been on 100 dates
Kiki’s quest to find Mr Right has been a roller coaster ride, but the 28 year old hopes her luck is about to change – and that her TV crush will prove to be her perfect match.
‘I’ve probably been on 100 dates and have gone through bad relationships and bad breakups,’ tells the personal assistant, adding ‘I watched The Bachelorette religiously and Richie was my favourite, so it’ll be great if there is something there between us.’
Moving to WA from Sydney wouldn’t be a problem for Kiki – she’s relocated to the other side of Australia for love in the past!
‘I moved to Perth to live with a partner before, and I plan to move there again – I think it is a great place to settle down and have children,’ she tells.
The model who’s posed for men’s magazines and worked as a TV host, is ready to put her rocky relationship past – including a ‘Band-Aid’ engagement- behind her.
‘This is the first time I have been myself,’ she explains. ‘I’m a very conservative person in my personal life. In my modelling shoots it may not appear to be the case, but I am when it comes to my feelings.’
Faith: I was forced onto the show
After being single for 18 months, 26 year old Faith, who is one of 10 children, was convinced by her sister to try out for the show.
‘My sister basically forced me to apply! I was at her house and she’s obsessed with the series,’ explains Brisbane based beauty. The hairdresser is extremely tight with her siblings-her father’s death three years ago has brought the family even closer together- and her nearest and dearest are determined to see Faith find love.
Sophie: The reason I adopted
There’s already a special man in Sophie’s life- her 19-month old son Jackson. The single mum tells OK! he’s the reason behind her applying for The Bachelor, revealing ‘I did this with him in mind. I want him to grow up with a strong male influence.’
The 28 year old adopted Jackson when he was four months old after her younger sister was no longer able to care for him. ‘She has Asperger’s Syndrome, so she doesn’t always make the best decisions, and I guess she doesn’t really understand the commitments of a child,’ shares Sophie, a customer support manager.
While her 22-year old sister is still part of Jackson’s life, seeing him twice a week, Sophie has custody of Jackson until he’s 18, and she’s loving life as a mum. ‘He’s my world,’ she says. ‘It was harder than I thought it would be, but I wouldn’t change a thing.’
Alex: My son is everything
Saying goodbye to her five year old son Elijah was a difficult decision for venue manager Alex.
The 24 year old tells, ‘It’s my sons first year at school and he’s a mummy’s boy. He’s my everything but I had to remind myself that I might only be away for a few months at most.’
Keira: I’m no cheat
While Sydneysider Keira, 30, has been accused of having an ‘advantage’ because she’s friends with Richie’s cousin, former Big Brother contender Lisa Clark, the account manager say’s they’ve only been pals for a short time and she’s never met Richie before – although not from lack of trying.
‘Shortly before I went on the show, I saw something Lisa put up of her and Richie on her Facebook feed, and I said to her, “Oh my god, are you Richie’s cousin?” When she said she was, I was like, “Can you introduce me to him? I think he is so hot!”’
Maybe it’s fate that’s led Keira to be on the show!
Eliza: I’m the entertainer
Sydneysider Eliza is sure to make a lasting impression. The love seeking lady has helmed a one-woman comedy show (about a kooky single girl who owns 10 cats) that’s traveled internationally, and say’s her family has high hopes for her on The Bachelor.
‘They want me to find love and know how entertaining I would be to watch,’ she shares. While she’s a pro on the stage, don’t think it is all about the fame for the 31 year old. ‘I’m on the show for the adventure and to find love in the most random way possible,’ she shares.
DATING DISASTERS:
Olena
The 23 year old make-up artist’s hair once caught on fire during a date!
‘I leaned in for a kiss not realising there was a candle on the table and my hair went up!’
Georgia
‘In Year 12 I’d [take] Friday afternoon off and I’d go home, shave my legs and fake tan and have a date at my door… obviously that didn’t work out for me,’ laughs artist Georgia, 24.
Marja
‘My first relationship didn’t work out, although he did give me my first flower,’ recalls 34-year-old yoga instructor Marja. ‘I was three; I started young!’
Aimee
‘The last person I was dating was stubborn and controlling. He’d argue with me about our future anniversary date!’ tells the 31-year old-business development manager from Victoria.
LUXE LOVE SECRETS
Bring on the helicopter; it’s going to take a lot for Richie to sweep these ladies off their feet, judging by past experiences.
Tolyna
‘I had a guy fly me to Iceland for my birthday to be under the Northern lights,’ shares the 31-year-old personal trainer from Victoria of her most memorable date. She’s been engaged before but ‘fell out of love’.
Janey
‘I once woke up to find 50 Facebook messages from a guy’s friends, writing him references as to why I should go on a date with him- I thought that was really romantic,’ explains the Queensland children’s entertainer, 27.
Noni
Queensland swimwear designer Noni, 25, has been treated to a very special valentine’s day before. ‘My ex took me zip lining in Canada through the Snowy Mountains, which was thoughtful,’ she shares.
Mia
‘My ex-boyfriend surprised me with roses all over the bedroom and “I love you” spelt out in candles, just because. It was really cute,’ says the 24 year old student and former high jump athlete from New South Wales.
Laura
‘The best date I’ve been on was when I was whisked away on a speedboat around Melbourne,’ shares the 24 year old project manager from Victoria. ‘There was champagne and cheese…. It was really special!’
BABY TALK
Vintaea
‘I go for guys six foot plus. If your children inherit his genes, it opens up the doors.’
Sasha
‘I’ve had a zillion opportunities to have babies, but I want to wait for the right man first.’
This series of pictures from The Australian Women's Weekly's September 18, 1937 issue shows the top seven feminine habits men hate - and boy do they make for hilarious reading!
This series of pictures from The Australian Women’s Weekly’s September 18, 1937 issue shows the top seven feminine habits men hate – and boy do they make for hilarious reading!
We unearthed this incredible feature while researching our debut Treasures From the Archives magazine, which dives back into our long and entertaining past as the voice of Australian women.
Don’t miss this special issue, on sale now, which shows the magazine’s history and evolution over the years while also giving readers something practical and current to cook, sew or create today.
We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed putting it together!
“You indulge in affectionate hair-ruffling. This is an offence at most times, but most exasperating when it interrupts concentration.”
“You lightly announce that you are almost ready, when you know very well that it will seem an age to a waiting husband. Better say you’ll be an hour longer and not keep him hanging about, getting edgy.”
“You engage in long drawn-out conversation with your girlfriend about trivialities of dress and hearsay when your husband is waiting to make an important business call.”
“You ask for money when your husband is busy. Only tact can teach you the appropriate moment for this extremely ticklish operation.”
“You exhibit such affectations as this. He calls it ‘making a fool of yourself,’ and feels undignified.”
“You adopt this ‘Oh yeah?’ attitude. If you don’t believe him, say so calmly and frankly.”
“You ask for money when your husband is busy. Only tact can teach you the appropriate moment for this extremely ticklish operation.”
Read more stories like this in Treasure From The Archives, on sale now.
Like so many other mums I know, I have been on the receiving end of judgmental looks and comments from strangers. My children are lively, and although they’re not deliberately naughty, their lust for fun has got them (and me) into trouble more times than I’d care to admit.
So it doesn’t surprise me that new research from Bellamy’s Organic found 83 per cent of mothers feel judged by strangers when their children misbehave in public. It doesn’t surprise me, but it does make me sad.
There were times, when my children were younger that I avoided going out all together. On low days, I couldn’t face the judgmental comments that would inevitably come my way the moment we stepped outside.
I was already very isolated, we’d moved to a new suburb and despite my best efforts, I had failed to make any local friends.
Walking to the park and then popping in to the shopping center to pick up groceries was my chance for adult interaction. And when that adult interaction resulted in judgmental comments about my lively children my self-esteem plummeted.
It’s so easy to judge a mother. You see a kid misbehaving and you react. You disapprove, and somehow that disapproval comes out of your mouth in a ‘tut-tut’ or worse, a comment.
But for the mother, who is already trying her best, the ‘tuts’ and comments could be the metaphorical straw that breaks her. They often broke me.
I asked family therapist Dr Karen Philip what mums can do to shrug off negativity from strangers. She tells me that the first thing is to try and re-frame the ‘judgmental looks.’
“Many times people will look strangely at the mother with a child behaving badly and feel sorry for her or have dreadful memories of their own struggles.
“So sometimes these ‘looks’ may be something else other that negative towards the mother,” she explains.
Keeping this in mind during those low parenting moments can help parents to keep their cool.
But while we might miss-read a judgmental look, a negative comment is likely to be real.
In these cases Dr Philip recommends the ‘turn the other cheek’ approach.
“If someone says anything critical, simply smile, thank them and walk away,” she says.
So next time you see little kids misbehaving, try to look the other way. More often than not, you’re not witnessing a bad mum, you’re witnessing a good mum having a bad moment. And there is a huge difference.
“They do not know you, your child, what may have happened in the day or in your life. It is simply a remark voiced by a sad, unknowledgeable individual who is out of line,” says Dr Philip.
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