Home Page 4973

Olivia Wilde has divorced her Italian prince

Olivia Wilde's has divorced her Italian prince

It’s official, US actress Olivia Wilde is back on the market.

The brown-haired beauty has ended her eight-year marriage with Italian prince Tao Ruspoli after a judge signed divorce papers which she filed for back in March 2011.

The 27-year-old actress told Marie Claire the experience has changed her.

“The trauma of the whole thing has been humbling and for the first time, I’m a little bit wobbly,” she said.

“It makes you a more empathetic person, and I think it’s made me a better actress.

“Weakness is something we don’t like to admit we have. We hold it against people, until we experience it, and then we feel more compassion for it.”

The pair had been married eloped in 2003 when Wilde was a teenager.

“I’m a case of arrested development, in a way — from spending your twenties with someone who really loves to take care of you, as my husband did,” she said.

“But I think it’s very healthy to spend time alone. You need to know how to be alone and not be defined by another person.”

The Cowboys and Aliens star did not seek spousal support and pair have reached a private agreement on dividing property.

“We’re friends. His family is my family. You always have a choice to feel angry and not be friends. But I can’t handle the idea of walking into a room and seeing someone I have bad blood with. I can’t keep any negative relationship with anyone,” she said.

Wilde has already been romantically linked to a number of Hollywood hunks including Bradley Cooper, Justin Timberlake and Ryan Gosling. But she says dating is very foreign to her.

“I’m trying to be adult, entering the shark pool of dating, but I’m hopeless at it!”

Related stories


Home Page 4973

Did Liz say yes too quickly?

According to their Twitter accounts Shane Warne and Elizabeth Hurley are “very happy” following their engagement. But some of Liz’s friends think she said yes a little too quickly.

“A lot of us are very surprised — and a bit concerned for Liz. What started out as a fling has become something far more. They seem to have got caught up in the moment,” one unnamed friend told the UK’s Daily Mail.

“However much chemistry there is between Shane and Liz, they are from very different worlds. She is very much part of upper-crust society, and he is a Jack-the-lad Aussie.”

Even the bookies don’t think it will last with UK bookmaker William Hill giving odds of 3-1 that he and Miss Hurley never makes it up the aisle.

Do you like Liz’s engagement ring? Vote here!

All loved up: Shane and Liz, who have been together for 10 months, share a kiss.

Shane popped the question with a £50,000 sapphire and diamond engagement ring.

Despite what Liz’s firends are saying the pair can’t keep their hands off each other.

Related stories


Home Page 4973

How to tell good fats from bad

Avocado on toast

Fats, we love to hate them. Accredited nutritionist Caitlin Reid tells you how to separate the fat from the fiction.

Cut out bad fats, eat more good fats and think twice about the low-fat foods are just some of popular recommendations around eating foods-containing fat. In reality though, we simply can’t cut out all of the bad fats from our diet as food contains both good and bad fats. Read on to learn the truth about fats, as well as which foods you should eat more of and which ones you should limit.

Fats play an important role in the body

Fats are essential for a healthy body, as they provide insulation and protect organs. They are also an energy source and carrying vital nutrients including fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) around the body. Fats play an important role in food manufacturing and cooking, providing mouth feel and improving taste.

For good health, it’s important to make sure you are eating the right types of fat — limiting the bad fats and increasing the good fats.

But remember, irrespectively of whether they are good or bad fats, they both contain the same amount of kilojoules (37kJ/g), so don’t overeat them.

Good fat v bad fat

Not all fats are created equal. Saturated and trans fats are considered bad fats as they increase the amount of “bad” LDL cholesterol in the body, increasing the risk of heart disease. Trans fats also lower the amount of “good” HDL cholesterol in the body. Monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats are both good fats, because they reduce both total and LDL cholesterol levels. Monounsaturated fats also increase HDL cholesterol levels. You should include more unsaturated fats in your diet and less saturated and trans fats.

How much fat is too much?

You need some fat in the diet, however it’s important to include more monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and reduce the amount of saturated and trans fats consumed.

Here are some simple choices you can make to eat the right type of fats:

  • Switch from butter to table spread or avocado

  • Choose lean meats, skinless chicken and low-fat dairy products

  • Limit the amount of biscuits, cakes, chocolate and fast food consumed, as these are often high in saturated fats.

  • Include oily fish a couple of times per week

  • Snack on nuts and seeds.

Check the food labels and limit saturated fat intake to no more than 24g per day. If you need to lose weight, cut back on the total amount of kilojoules you eat rather than focusing solely on the amount of fat you eat.

Low-fat foods aren’t always the answer

While some low-fat foods such as skim milk and low-fat yoghurt have an important role in our diet, others like lollies and biscuits we could do without. When the fat is taken out of a product, taste is still important and as a result manufacturers add sugar and/or salt to ensure it tantalises our taste buds. This means you aren’t saving any kilojoules.

Remember, just because a product is low fat doesn’t mean they’re kilojoule free. Always read the food labels to see whether the product is a good choice.

Related stories


Home Page 4973

24 sneaky diet tips

Little things can make a big difference to our weight. Try these top tricks to shift those extra kilos!

Clean your teeth immediately after dinner. This should stop you from reaching for sugary snacks. Bonus move: Get more kilojoule burn by doing squats while you brush.

Watching TV can be a dangerous de-stresser. For every two hours you watch daily, the risk of obesity rises 23 per cent, says a study from Boston’s Harvard School of Public Health.

Use your mobile to photograph everything you eat for a day, then review the pictures. What could you have dropped? “Keeping a diary is often touted as the best way to lose weight. A visual diary is even more impactive,” says dietitian Susie Burrell.

“In restaurants, ask for a ‘to-go’ box with your meal,” says Susie. “Dole some into the box first and have it put in the fridge until you leave.”

“Savour the food you eat,” says dietition Susie Burrell. “Feel it pass your lips, explode on your tongue. How does it feel? Is it sharp tasting or velvety? This will slow down your eating.”

Remember, it takes 20 minutes for your brain to register that your tummy is full, so savouring each bite will help you avoid overeating.

Go for mustard, thinly spread avocado, hummus or cranberry sauce instead.

One coffee chain’s Grande Caramel Macchiato has 1100kJ and 11g of fat, which equals four 250ml skinny cappuccinos (275kJ and 0.5g of fat each).

Write down three small changes you can make over the next 24 hours, from drinking more water and walking up at least four flights of stairs, to not eating anything after 8pm.

Avoid carbs (think bread, potatoes and pasta) after 5pm. Instead, think protein and pile your plate high with vegies.

Instead of trying to go cold turkey on all your favourite foods, banish just one naughty treat a week. Cutting out one Tim Tam each day is a saving of around 2800kJ a week.

One study, published in the journal Pediatric Research, showed that when

boys ate lunch in front of the TV, their consumption increased by 1083kJ.

Always be the last to finish at the table. “Finishing first means you’ll eat more while the others catch up. Watch and pace,” says Susie.

Think bread, rice or pasta – not bread, rice AND pasta.

Blotting each slice with a paper towel can eliminate huge amounts of saturated fat.

Think a fist for a serve of rice of pasta, a thumb tip for oils or butter, a matchbox for a chunk of cheese (or else one slice).

Sleep more than six hours a night and definitely more than four a night. Those who slept four hours or less were 73 per cent more likely to be obese, found a Columbia University study.

Think nuts in their shell, prawns with tails on, drumsticks instead of breast. Use chopsticks and your left hand to slow you down.

Keep walking shoes in your bag at all times. Walk part way to work, to the shops, to events, to openings, to school

Join the Heart Foundations’ Walking group. Visit www.heartfoundation.org.au or call 1300 362 787. It’s free.

It’s better to eat snacks of 400-600kJ that are healthy and filling, but if you’re desperate for a sweet treat, try two Maltesers, eight grapes, two Redskins or a square of chocolate – each snack is around 100kJ.

If you can’t do it for real, fake fat-loss in photos. “Stand with one foot side-on and one facing the camera, with your body and face turned three-quarters to the camera,” says Woman’s Day photographer

George Fetting.

“To reduce flabby arms, hold them away from you body or put your hands on your hips.”

Are you truly hungry or just bored? Is it at least three hours since you last ate? If not, distract yourself by taking a walk, ringing a friend or having a long bath.

Steam foods wherever possible – but if you do roast or fry, drain on a paper towel before serving. Make stews and casseroles ahead and allow to cool, so fat can be scooped off before reheating.

We’ve done it for 50,000 readers this year – for free. Simply upload your photo and see your body shrink. Use the Woman’s Day Virtual weight loss tool to motivate yourself to lose weight for real using the Woman’s Day Diet plans.

Related stories


Home Page 4973

Latoya Jackson: It was murder!

Latoya Jackson: It was murder!

As the trial of Michael’s doctor Conrad Murray commences, his sister La Toya vents her fury.

Unable to save Michael Jackson from a tragic and ignominous death, his family is determined to save what is left of his tattered reputation by going on the attack at the trial of his doctor Conrad Murray in Los Angeles. Dr Murray, 58, is accused of involuntary manslaughter, with the prosecution claiming he fed the superstar a lethal cocktail of drugs.

The singer’s big sister La Toya is acting as Michael’s chief witness, leading the family’s increasingly bitter and heartfelt displays as they demand justice for Michael – who died on June 25, 2009, of an overdose of the powerful anaesthetic, propofol. As the month-long trial got underway last week, La Toya, 55, took to Twitter to make a series of claims about her brother’s death at his rented Los Angeles mansion, branding it a “cover-up’’ and “murder’’. “I feel like screaming. I feel appalled at the lies I’ve heard so far,’’ she tweeted after the case against the doctor was outlined. “Wish all parties involved were on trial, not just Murray.

“This is DEFINITELY A STRAIGHT MURDER TRIAL!!!! There are wives, girlfriends and employees who know exactly what happened to Michael. Please come forward and tell what really happened. Justice! Justice! Justice!” The evidence so far has been distressing for the Jackson family. It culminated in the jury being shown a picture of Michael’s corpse stretched out on a hospital trolley.

“Seeing his lifeless body laying there on the gurney is heart-wrenching,’’ La Toya tweeted. His family is also desperate to protect his children – Prince Michael, 14, Paris, 13, and Blanket, 9. They have been listed as potential witnesses and could be asked to testify about their dad’s state of mind leading to his death. Dr Murray, who denies the charges, faces up to four years in jail if convicted. He is expected to give evidence that Michael gave himself the massive dose of propofol which, mixed with a cocktail of drugs in his body, killed him.

Read more on ther Michael Jackson trial in this week’s Woman’s Day on sale October 3, 2011.

Related stories


Home Page 4973

Prince William reveals: How granny saved my wedding

Prince William reveals: How granny saved my wedding

On the eve of The Queen’s visit to Australia, the Duke of Cambridge tells biographer Robert Hardman how she played a vital part in his big day.

The engagement had just been announced, and Prince William and Catherine Middleton had finished posing for the media, that famous sapphire ring sparkling in the camera flashes. Now it was time to plan the royal wedding of the century. Eager to include all their close friends in the big day, the young couple began to draw up the guest list. But they found they had been pipped at the post by Buckingham Palace.

“I came into the first meeting for the wedding, post-engagement,” William, 29, reveals, “and I was given this official list of 777 names – dignitaries, governors, all sorts of people – and not one person I knew. “They said, ‘These are the people we should invite.’ I looked at it in absolute horror and said, ‘I think we should start again.’” It was the Queen who came to his rescue. “I rang her up the next day and said, ‘Do we need to be doing this?’” he says. “And she said, ‘No. Start with your friends first and then go from there.’ And she told me to bin the list.”

The list was duly “binned”. On other wedding matters, however, William rapidly learned there was absolutely no room for manoeuvre. For instance, he says, “I wanted to decide what to wear for the wedding.” As a commissioned officer in the army and the navy, and a serving member of the Royal Air Force, the prince certainly had a few choices. Except that he did not. “I was given a ategorical, ‘No, you’ll wear this!’” he says. This time, it was his grandmother who was laying down the law. Having just appointed William to the position of Colonel of the Irish Guards, the Queen, 85, was quite clear that her grandson should be getting married in that uniform. “So you don’t always get what you want, put it that way,” the prince laughs. “But I knew perfectly well that it was for the best.”

In any case, as a serving officer in Her Majesty’s Armed Forces, he couldn’t disobey an order from the Commander-in-Chief, the monarch herself. “She is incredible,” says William, during a poignant and thoughtful first interview on someone he describes as “my grandmother first – and then she’s the Queen”. No-one is better placed to imagine what it must have been like to succeed to the throne as the Queen did 60 years ago, aged 25. Sitting in his office in St James’s Palace in London, William ponders the enormity of her task. “Back then, there was a very different attitude to women,” he says. “Being a young lady at 25 and stepping into a job which many men thought they could probably do better, it must have been very daunting.”

Read more about Prince William’s relationship with his grandmother in this week’s Woman’s Day on sale October 3, 2011.

Related stories


Home Page 4973

My daughter is always in my heart…literally

My daughter is always in my heart...literally

Jeanne and Chester Szuber’s daughter Patti died tragically and ended up saving her father’s life.

As Chester Szuber’s heart beats, he knows how lucky he is. The heart that pulses inside his chest is like no other in the entire human race – it once belonged to his daughter Patti. Seventeen years ago, Chester, known as Chet, was close to death. After three major heart operations, even bending over to wash his face left him exhausted. He and his six children started to come to terms with the fact he might not have long to live.

But it took great tragedy – the loss of his beloved youngest daughter – to save his life. “My daughter died so that I could live, and I can never forget that,” says Chet, tearfully. “She’s in my thoughts and in my heart every single day of my life. It doesn’t matter if it is 17 days, 17 months, or 17 years since she’s gone. Every heartbeat reminds me she gave me the gift of life.” When nursing student Patti was just 22, in August 1994, she went on a camping holiday with a friend. As they were driving home, their car swerved off the road. Patti was flung from the car and suffered massive head injuries.

Chet and his wife Jeanne flew to her hospital bedside and, with their five other children, waited as Patti fought for her life. But she lost her battle, and doctors declared her clinically brain-dead. “It was the most heartbreaking moment of my life,” says Chet. Then something extraordinary happened. While Chet was sitting grief-stricken in the hospital, a doctor informed him that Patti had opted to donate all her organs and, he added, “You have first pick of her heart.”

At first Chet refused. “Parents aren’t supposed to bury their kids, let alone take their damned organs,” he says. But then he started to think about what his beloved Patti would have wanted. “I could hear Patti’s voice in my mind. She was saying, ‘Go on, Dad. Take it. Take the chance to live again.’” Along with Jeanne and his surviving children, he made the decision to take Patti’s heart. Just five hours after it was removed from Patti, it was put into her dad’s chest and used to save his life.

Read more about Jeanne and Chester Szuber’s story in this week’s Woman’s Day, on sale October 3, 2011.

Related stories


Home Page 4973

Do-it-yourself: Toy chest

Do-it-yourself: Toy chest

A must-have item in every child’s room. The different-coloured drawers make it easier to sort and store the various types of toys.

For the chest

16mm Supawood

One 1 412 x 450mm piece (bottom)

One 1 444x450mm piece (top)

Two 471 x 450mm pieces (sides)

Two 455 x 441mm pieces (partitions)

9mm Supawood

One 1 412 x 455mm piece (back)

For each drawer:

16mm Supawood

Two 432 pieces (front and back, each with a handle cutout)

One 409 x 432 mm piece (base)

9mm Supawood

Two 450 x 441 mm pieces (sides)

For the paint:

Universal undercoat

Paint in the colours of your choice

Paintbrushes and sponge rollers

Paint trays

Drop sheets

Extra materials:

6 x 40mm chipboard screws (about 102)

Drill and drill bits

Wood glue

Wood filler

80-grit sandpaper

NOTE: Drill a 3mm pilot hole every time before inserting a screw, to prevent the wood from cracking when you turn the screw to secure.

How to make the chest:

  1. Get someone to help you glue and screw the two side panels on either side of the bottom panel.

  2. Glue and screw the top panel onto the side panels.

  3. Slide the back panel into place. Secure with screws right round.

  4. Side the two partitions into place, 460mm from either side, and insert screws from the top and bottom to secure.

  5. Drill two 25mm holes in the top two corners on the back panel, 20mm from the top edge and 50mm from each side, to fit the loops of the cushion through.

  6. Fill each screw hole with wood filler and leave to dry.

How to make the drawers:

  1. Position the 9mm side panels against the 16mm panels for the front and back, then glue and screw into place.

  2. Insert the base panel and secure with screws right around.

  3. Fill each screw hole with wood filler and leave to dry.

How to paint the chest:

  1. Sand the places where you used wood filler to a smooth finish.

  2. Sand the chest and drawers to get rid of sharp edges.

  3. Paint the chest and drawers with a universal undercoat and leave to dry overnight.

  4. Paint the chest and drawers in colours of your choice. We used Dulux Wash and Wear 101 in semi-gloss. China White for the chest, Pink Rose (pink), Pastel Pea (green) and Whimsy quarter strength (blue) for the drawers. Apply two to three coats of paint and leave teach to dry before painting the next, then leave to stand for at least 24 hours to dry completely before sliding in place.

Related stories


Home Page 4973

Do-it-yourself: Toy chest cushion

Do-it-yourself: Toy chest cushion

This cushion is both a finishing touch and a seat. It is tied in place at the back, so the cushion stays in place and doesn’t move around – the front ties are longer than the back ones.

200 x 150cm cotton floral print

145 x 45cm high density foam 5 cm wide

800cm piping cord

140cm zip fastener

Matching coloured thread

Dressmaker’s pencil

Ruler

Dressmaking pins

Note: a 1.5cm seam allowance has been included in the measurements. Use the selvages when cutting out if your fabric is not wide enough to cut out each panel from the main fabric. Use a ruler and dressmaker’s pencil at all times to ensure the edges of the pattern are straight.

How to cut material:

  1. Cut two rectangles each 148 x 48cm for the top and bottom panels, cut one strip 151 x 8cm for the front gusset, two strips each 51 x 8cm for the side gussets and two strips each 151 x 5.5cm for the back gusset. This section of the gusset is made in two strips for the zip insertion.

  2. Cut two strips each 71 x 7cm for the front ties and two strips each 23 x 7cm for the back ties. From the leftover fabric cut bias strips 4cm wide for the piping.

How to make cushion:

  1. Join bias strips together, sewing each strip on the bias until you have a continuous length of fabric sufficient to pipe the edges of both the top and bottom panels. Press seams flat. Fold strip in half lengthways with wrong sides together. Place piping cord into the fold and, using a zipper foot, cover the cord. Stitch as close to the cord as possible.

  2. Take the two back gusset strips and close the seam at bottom of zip opening. Insert zip using the concealed method into centre seam. Make sure zip is centred and equal amounts of the seam protrude at each end of zip. Use a zipper foot and take care not to sew the seam into the zip teeth as you fold in the seam allowances. Close remaining seam at top end of zip.

  3. Fold front ties in half with right sides facing. Machine stitch both short ends closed and down the length, leaving an opening in the seam of approximately 7cm for turning. Turn tie through to the right side, fold in seam allowances and press tie-flat. Top-stitch around edges of tie, working the stitching as close to the edge as possible, closing the opening in this process.

  4. Repeat this step for back ties. Place back panel right side uppermost on a flat surface and pin back ties to the panel 5cm from side edge. In the same way, pin front ties to the other side of back panel 5cm from side edge. Top stitch ties in place, following original stitching line. Work another row of stitching for reinforcement.

  5. Sew the four gusset pieces together in the correct order to form an open rectangle. Press seams flat as you work. Open zip. Each side of the finished gusset should now measure the same as a raw edge of the main panels.

  6. With right side of top panel facing, pin and tack piping in place around outer edge. The raw edge of the piping must align with the raw edge of the panel. Overlap ends of piping before cutting. Place right side of open gusset on top of the piping and machine stitch, sandwiching the piping in between two layers of fabric. Snip into seam around the curved edges of all layers of fabric so corner edges will lie flat.

  7. Repeat this step for the bottom panel. Remove all tacking stitches. Insert foam into zip opening and close zip fastener.

Related stories


Home Page 4973

Demi and Ashton: Inside their split

Demi and Ashton: Inside their split

As Ashton Kutcher is hit with cheating claims and Demi Moore wastes away, the superstar couple are reported to be calling it quits.

On the eve of their six-year wedding anniversary, Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher hardly looked like a happily married couple. While the increasingly frail-looking actress attended a Beverly Hills event alone, her young husband partied up a storm in San Diego on September 23, flirting with several scantily clad women at Fluxx nightclub. According to US magazine Star, Ashton later enjoyed a liaison with blonde student Sara Leal, who is thought to have DNA evidence of their affair.

It’s this alleged infidelity that has reportedly caused Demi to call an end to their marriage – previously thought to be one of Hollywood’s strongest, despite their 15-year age gap – after months of leading separate lives. “It was definitely a long time coming, but they’re finally done for good,” claims a family insider in Star. “Ashton was a serial cheater, and she just couldn’t take it any more. It’s a painful time for Demi.” And it shows. The 48-year-old actress – who has previously admitted to an “extreme obsession” with her body – has shocked friends and fans with a string of scarily skinny appearances at recent red carpet events. Woman’s Day can reveal Demi’s weight has plummeted to just 45kgs after two weeks on a brutal detox, during which she consumed little more than lemon juice and maple syrup.

The dramatic body overhaul is seen as a desperate attempt to win back the affections of her much-younger husband, as his star rises with a highly paid role on the revamped ratings-winner Two And A Half Men. However, Demi’s drastic diet has clearly not paid off. She appears to have aged overnight and lost Ashton. Star magazine reports that 33-year-old Ashton brought blonde student Sara back to his room at the Hard Rock Hotel, telling the beautiful 20-something that he and his wife were “separated, but the public just doesn’t know yet”. This comes almost exactly a year after 22-year-old Brittney Jones claimed she had slept with Ashton on his and Demi’s couch while Demi was out of town.

She told the press she believed the stars had an open marriage and confessed to swapping a string of steamy texts with Ashton until he told her, “For now, I don’t think I should be talking to any girl that’s not my wife.” The couple denied the story at the time. There have been rumours of Ashton’s wandering eye ever since he and Demi tied the knot in a traditional Kabbalah ceremony in 2005 and, according to Star magazine, the couple gradually gave up hope on saving their love.

Read more about the couple’s unstable relationship and see Demi and Ashton’s life together in this week’s Woman’s Day on sale October 3, 2011.

Related stories