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Celebrity diet special

Megan Gale

Made a new year resolution about losing weight? Here, four well-known Australians — Libbi Gorr, Hugh Jackman, Ajay Rochester and Megan Gale — share their diet and fitness secrets, with meal plans to help you achieve your goals.

To prove there is some justice in the world, Megan Gale, like most women, has to work hard to maintain the body that has helped her become a hugely successful international model.

“I’m not one of those girls who can eat what they want and not exercise and still keep myself in shape. I completely have to work at it,” says Megan.

For Megan, working at it involves daily exercise, which includes at least 40 minutes of cardiovascular activity, such as running, swimming or cycling, and 20 minutes of floor exercises, mainly abdominal work and stretches. Her latest passion, surfing, combines her love of the ocean and exercise.

Read the whole story and the celebrities’ weekly diet charts, only in the January 2007 issue of The Australian Women’s Weekly.

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Hiphuggers be gone!

Image: Getty

Question

Not every woman wants to flaunt their midline. I’d love to find a pair of long pants that are not hipsters but go to the waist without cutting into the “in-between”. Where should I be looking?

Answer

You’re in luck this season as the pant waistline is finally getting a rise! Some great brands to try that cut their pants higher and more comfortably include Carla Zampatti, Simona, Lisa Ho, Cue and Veronica Maine. On the designer jeans front, try See by Chloe, Tsubi and Sass & Bide — they’re all doing high waisted styles this year.

Happy Shopping!

The AWW fashion team

Jeans are a fashion staple in everyone’s closet, but why would anyone spend $60,000 on one pair? Take a peek at the world’s most expensive jeans.

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Summer party dresses

Image: Getty

Question

With all the lovely summer dresses out there, why can’t I find one with sleeves to cover the top of my arms? People with flabby upper arms find this so frustrating.

Answer

With the Christmas party season in full swing, there is nothing more appropriate to wear than a summer dress.

However, many of the styles on the racks in the shops this season do not cover our arms. Do not be put off wearing dresses because of this.

The perfect solution to your dilemma is to wear a cropped cardigan over your dress. We suggest choosing a cardigan in a similar tone or colour as your dress. For example, if your dress is a pink floral print, opt for a pink cardigan.

Our picks of the season’s best cardigans are available at Country Road (ph: 1800 801 911), Sussan (ph: 1300 363 351) and Witchery (ph: 1800 640 249).

Happy Shopping!

The AWW fashion team

Jeans are a fashion staple in everyone’s closet, but why would anyone spend $60,000 on one pair? Take a peek at the world’s most expensive jeans.

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What are lychees and rambutans?

Lychees

Question

I’ve got a recipe here for an Asian-style fruit salad and it calls for rambutans and lychees — I don’t know what they are or where I can buy them! Please can you help me.

Answer

Rambutans and lychees, native to south east Asia, are close relations in the wonderful world of tropical fruit.

Rambutans are oval-shaped with a red-coloured skin and are covered in bristle-like hairs. They have a sweet-sour, pale-pink flesh.

Lychees, also known as litchi, look similar to rambutans but are not covered in hair. They have a firm, rough skin which must be removed prior to eating.

Lychees are similar in taste to rambutans, but are usually a little bit sweeter. You can buy these two fruits canned, but like most fruits, they are far better consumed fresh. They’re readily available in Australian fruit and vegie shops and some supermarkets — particularly in warmer parts of the country — from November to March.

If you enjoy your Asian-style fruit salad, you can also try adding the fruits to stir-fries, cocktails, fresh juices and salads — they will add a delicious taste and texture.

Pics: bauersyndication.com.au

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Festive frocks

BeBe dress

BeBe dress, $169.95; Equip studs, $12.99 for pack of two; Jam Jam heels, $139.

Barometer camisole

Barometer camisole, $179.95; Morgan & Taylor from Touché 2000 stole, $139; Vallen skirt, $159; Diva earrings, $8.95; and ring, $12.95.

La Voca cami

La Voca cami, $59.95; Maiocchi bolero, $173.80; Diana Ferrari skirt, $119.95; Touché 2000 tiara, $229; Wittner bag, $99.95; Midas heels, $198.

George ‘Tasha’ dress

George ‘Tasha’ dress, $393; and ‘Metro’ cape, $185; Equip earrings, $7.99; and ring, $12.95; Gregory Ladner bag, $69.95; Wittner heels, $99.95.

Charlie Brown dress

Charlie Brown dress with diamanté detail, $159; Equip earrings, $12.99; Michel Rene ring, $20; Zu clutch, $70; Scooter heels, $109.95.

Country Road woven lined dress

Country Road woven lined dress, $199; Bespoke by Renée earrings, $89; Wittner heels, $139.95.

Events dress

Events dress, $269; Touché 2000 earrings, $119; Mezi ring, $79; Strandbags clutch, $19.99; ShooBiz heels, $99.95.

For more New Year’s fashion ideas, see this week’s issue of Woman’s Day.

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Oprah’s secret wedding

Oprah and Stedman

Oprah Winfrey has agreed at last to make her relationship with long-time partner Stedman Graham official. She’s shocked even her closest friends by confiding she plans to tie the knot with Stedman after accepting his proposal on a recent holiday in Hawaii.

The couple have been together for two decades, and it’s 14 years since Stedman first proposed — but now Oprah says she’s finally ready to say “I do”.

“They’re the magic words we’ve all waited so long to hear,” reveals an insider from the set of Oprah’s hit show. “She’s always full of surprises, but this takes the cake.”

And no-one was more shocked than Stedman. Oprah, beaten down by months of scandal, had turned to him for support. So he whisked her off to their house in Hawaii for some time out — and surprised her by getting down on bended knee once again.

“He’s proposed many times over the years and she even agreed to do it once many years ago, but the wedding was postponed a few times and then it just never happened,” reveals the source. “But Oprah swears that this time it will be different.”

For the full story — as well as Oprah’s response to those gay rumours — see this week’s issue of Woman’s Day.

Also in Woman’s Day

Christmas with the stars

Low-fat festive food ideas

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I stole my niece’s internet lover!

When my niece Louisa was dumped by her boyfriend, I generously suggested she come and stay with me as my guest, paying whatever she could afford. We had always gotten along as she was growing up and I saw no reason why we shouldn’t have a great time living it up in my flat now that she was an adult.

I had a fairly active social life and I knew Louisa had been down in the dumps, so I couldn’t wait to be the hip young aunt and show her a good time! I soon found, however, that Louisa had totally different ideas when it came to filling in time. While I liked going out for coffee or dinner, or going to see movies and dancing with friends, Louisa just wanted to stay at home. It got to a point where, if she didn’t have to work, I was sure she wouldn’t have even left the house! I couldn’t imagine what she was doing, but I decided she must just be depressed about her boyfriend, and to leave her alone for a few weeks.

You can imagine my shock when my quarterly phone bill arrived, and it was several hundred dollars more than usual. I suddenly realised what she’d been doing: my niece was an Internet junkie! I didn’t use the Internet much, so I never bothered to get broadband with unlimited downloads, and now all Louisa’s downloading had cost me a fortune. I showed her the bill, and suggested that she contribute some money towards it. She gave me a little, but what she could afford barely made a dent in what she had spent. I insisted that she would have to pay it off, but she refused, reminding me that she was a guest and that she’d been told to make herself at home. I couldn’t believe she was being so spoilt and immature, so I decided to teach my niece a lesson.

When she went to work the next morning, I was determined to see what she had been doing. I knew her e-mail address and it didn’t take me too many guesses to come up with her password either: her ex-boyfriend’s name! I logged into her account and with great amusement discovered the secret: Louisa had an Internet lover!

I read through Louisa’s messages and it soon transpired that they had never spoken or met, though they had been writing for months. I decided that it was time for Louisa and “Glenn” to break up! I quickly wrote Glenn a message, telling him that it was over. I didn’t intend to do any more than that, but before I had a chance to log off, “New message” flashed up on the screen. It was Glenn, begging me to speak to him. Before I knew it we were having an e-mail conversation — and I was calling in sick, so I could stay home and talk to Glenn! He really thought I was Louisa and he had decided it was time for us to meet!

Still enraged by Louisa’s selfishness, I decided this was my chance to get her back! Besides, Glenn seemed really great: he sounded intelligent and funny. I had no idea what he looked like, and I just hoped he hadn’t swapped photos with Louisa or my plan would never work. We arranged to meet up for a coffee the next day. I had no idea what I was going to say, or do, but I decided that, at the very least, I would ruin things for him and Louisa.

When I turned up at the café the next day, I met the man of my dreams. Glenn was kind and funny and gorgeous. I quickly realised I couldn’t deceive him, so I told him what I had done. Glenn informed me that he had known something was different when I started writing to him. He said he knew I wasn’t the same person and he wanted to catch me before I went away — that’d he’d never asked the real Louisa to meet him for coffee! It seemed like fate; too good to be true.

My niece’s Internet addiction turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me, as I found a life partner in Glenn. But neither of us has ever been able to tell Louisa that I stole her Internet boyfriend!

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Low-fat festive food ideas

There are many options when it comes to healthy meals at this time of year — it’s all about taking the time to plan properly. And it doesn’t mean losing out on taste, either — you just have to think laterally.

  • Don’t stand next to the food table — if you’re not near it, you can’t eat it.

  • Fill up on healthy salads before you arrive, so you only have room for a small amount of food.

  • Trick your mind and use a smaller plate.

  • Don’t eat all the crust in cheesecakes, pies and flans.

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Bindi’s health kick

Bindi's health kick

Bindi Irwin chats about her new Kidfitness video and how she’s coping without her exceptional dad.

Was the video fun to make?

A lot of fun. Especially fun because I got to get up and dance. That was really cool. I had some dance lessons so I could do all the moves with the Crocmen. The whole thing took about two months. One month to learn the dances and another month to learn the songs.

Had you discussed the reasons behind this video with your parents?

Yes, I talked to my mum and dad about the importance of keeping fit and healthy. Because a lot of kids are just sitting on the couch playing video games and eating fries – all of that bad greasy junk food. We want to remind people how you can have fun and live well.

Does your family exercise much together?

Yes, we always have. My dad and mum would get up and run around with us. And we’d love to swim together. We all do a lot of exercise. We usually play hide and seek around the house. Or we go to the zoo and run around to see the animals. Sometimes I go bike riding.

In the video you and Steve are joking around a lot in the cooking scenes. He even puts pie in your face!

Yes, in the video I’m the nine-year-old and he’s the eight-year-old. I’m one year older! He really can cook but he likes to pretend he’s having trouble in the video.

When you look at that tape and you’re having so much fun in the kitchen, you get a laugh out of that?

I do get a laugh and it’s really nice to look back on all the memories. Sometimes it’s really sad and I have to cry a little bit. But I really believe he’s just in another world, it’s not like he’s… tormented!

Do you cook much?

I kind of cook. I cook really good desserts. My daddy wasn’t a really dessert person. I can cook a dessert that has more fruit than ice-cream.

What’s your favourite Christmas meal?

Steak. My dad cooked, oh my word, mouth-watering steak. Oh, I loved his steak. He was like a chef with food, he was amazing. Just give him an oven, give him milk and flour and you have a beautiful gourmet dinner.

Was this all year or just at Christmas?

Terri: Through the year. He’d cook every night. We’d go to the property and he’d cook barbecues.

What would you normally eat in one day?

Generally I have toast and fruit for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch, and dinner I have curries and salads and all the nutritious stuff… steaks. Snacks in the day are apples, grapes, all of that. I have a lot of fruit. I think I’m actually a monkey, I eat lots of bananas. Sometimes I actually share with the animals. I go into the enclosure and I share with them. The lemurs, they give me a piece and I give them a piece and we feed each other. It’s so cute!

There must be something you like to eat that’s not so healthy?

I really like a little piece of chocolate, it’s really yummy… my mum’s addicted to it! She has to watch my Kidfitness Show!

Will there be other health and fitness videos?

Hopefully next year there will be another. Working with the Crocmen again. They’re really nice.

Are they the next Wiggles?

John Stainton: They’re catering for an older group than the Wiggles. They’re six down and we’re eight up. We’ve worked with the Wiggles before and we’ll be working with them again in January. They’re great friends of Bindi’s.

Bindi: Even though I’m eight years old I’m really good friends with the Wiggles!

So the video would make a good present?

I would love kids to get it for Christmas! It would be really cool if they could get up and dance along because it’s really scary to see kids getting so big. I don’t want people to stay still like a slab of concrete, just watching videos and not moving. It’s important to get fit and healthy so you have the energy to get out and do things.

What do you want from Santa?

There’s a series of books about different kinds of fairies which I would love to get. But most of all I want peace and happiness for Christmas Day.

Any New Year’s resolutions?

Next year, I think I would like to take my singing and dancing and my conservation to another level.

So you’re going to work with wildlife?

Yep. Just like my dad. I want to help conservation. I’m a Wildlife Warrior. I want to get out there and help!

Well, Bindi, thank you. A pleasure interviewing you. You know you’re better than a lot of grown-ups!

Thank you. Thank you very much!

Listen to John Williamson’s musical tribute to Steve Irwin.

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My practical joke nearly killed my flatmate!

My flatmate Joseph and I were in the middle of a practical joke war, but it was all done in fun. He would subscribe to embarrassing magazines in my name, I would get him back by bathing his Maltese terrier in food dye. He then put a fake plastic spider under the visor of my car (luckily I wasn’t driving when I pulled it down), so I responded by filling his glovebox with awful boy band CDs the night before he took a road trip to Sydney with his mates (and I took out all his good CDs, of course!) But when he announced over the loudspeaker at the department store where we both worked that “Kerry in women’s shoes” (that’s me) needed a date for her sister’s wedding, I knew it was time for Joseph to pay!

I didn’t know what to do that could possibly equal the mortification he had caused me, so I decided to just do a whole lot of little things that would make his life miserable. I had no idea just how miserable I was going to make him!

Joseph hated cooking and was into preparing one big pot of food on the weekend and freezing portions of it to last him the week. I knew that Joseph hated cinnamon, so one day I took a shaker and sprinkled it liberally into the pot on the stove. Joseph dished it up and froze it, none the wiser. A few hours later, it was time for dinner. I could barely contain my laughter as I waited for Joseph to eat something.

Finally, he took out a portion of his latest concoction and put it in the microwave. I waited in the kitchen, pretending I was doing something, but really just wanting to be there when Joseph realised how awful his food was! In the end, it was lucky I was so eager. Joseph took one bite and I instantly saw that his reaction was not one of disgust, but panic. He hoarsely instructed me to call an ambulance and I realised with dread that it wasn’t that Joseph didn’t like cinnamon — it could kill him!

Amazingly, Joseph never twigged that I had spiked his food. He thought it had been added to a packet mix he’d bought by mistake and actually ended up suing for quite a lot of money. To this day, Joseph has never found out that I nearly killed him with my practical joke.

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