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January 11, 2012

Grief increases heart attack risk

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Can you be a heartbreaker on Valentine's day?

The death of a loved one is devastating — but a new study has found it could literally break your heart.

Researchers from Harvard Medical School have found that your risk of heart attack dramatically increases in the days and weeks after the death of a close friend or family member.

The study — published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association — found that heart attack risk was 21 times higher than normal within one day of the death, and were almost six times higher than normal throughout the first week.

The risk factor then steadily declined for one month, eventually returning to normal.

“Caretakers, healthcare providers, and the bereaved themselves need to recognise they are in a period of heightened risk in the days and weeks after hearing of someone close dying,” preventive cardiologist Murray Mittleman said.

Mittleman and his team interviewed 1,985 adult heart attack survivors. Patients were asked about the circumstances of their heart attack, and whether someone close to them had died in the past 12 months.

Researchers could then calculate the relative risk of heart attack by comparing the number of patients who had lost a loved one in the week prior to their cardiac episode, to the number of patients who had lost someone one to six months before their heart attack.

They found that the number of heart attacks spiked in the first few days after the death of a loved one, and remained higher than normal for one month.

Intense grief cause psychological stress, which can increase heart rate and blood pressure, thus increasing risk of a heart attack.

Grieving people are also prone to poor diet, interrupted sleep and neglecting their normal medications, which are also bad for heart health.

“Friends and family of bereaved people should provide close support to help prevent such incidents, especially near the beginning of the grieving process,” study co-author Elizabeth Mostofsky said.

Related: What to eat to avoid cancer

Heart attack symptoms include chest discomfort, upper body or stomach pain, shortness of breath, breaking into a cold sweat, nausea or light-headedness.

Video: Heart attack warning signs

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January 11, 2012

William and Kate’s bizarre gift list revealed

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The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the premiere of Warhorse in London.

What do you get the couple who has everything? Two mosquito traps and a jar of Vegemite, apparently.

Clarence House has released the list of official gifts received by Prince William and Kate Middleton during their visits overseas in 2011.

The Duke of Cambridge visited Australia and New Zealand alone in March, and was joined by his new bride for a tour of Canada and the US in June and July.

In pictures: Lacy lady Kate Middleton wows on the red carpet

On both trips, officials and members of the public showered the royals with all manner of presents, including caribou antler snow goggles, a rock sample, a pair of hard-carved salmon figurines, a papier mache model of a cassowary and a wooden humidor.

They also received a dog toy (despite not owning a pet dog), two polar bear shaped lapel pins, a peacock feather fascinator, beaded moccasins, a wicker fish basket, a jar of Vegemite, 54 books, a set of tuxedo buttons and two mosquito traps (thoughtfully gifted by Canada’s Minister of Health).

Clarence House also released a list of presents received by William’s father Prince Charles and his wife Camilla during their tours of Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Kuwait, Qatar, South Africa and Tanzania.

Among the strangest gifts the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall received were eight jars of marmalade, a camel saddle, a ceremonial dagger, a velvet and brocade cape, the horn of an unspecified animal, a copy of the Qur’an and a pencil portrait of Charles’ mother Queen Elizabeth as a girl.

The royal family is hitting the road en masse this year to celebrate the queen’s diamond jubilee.

In pictures: Princess Mary’s twins turn one!

Charles and Camilla will visit Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea while William and Kate will tour Malaysia, Singapore, the Solomon Islands and Tuvalu.

Your say: What would you give William and Kate as a gift?

Video: The Duchess of Cambridge wows at Warhorse premiere

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Catherine, Princess of Wales, has officially returned to public royal duties

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An adorable smile and sweet, curly hair: Here’s what Princess Lilibet looks like now

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An image of Queen Mary with insets of Queen Margarethe and King Frederick.

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January 10, 2012

Lose 5 kilos in 2 weeks: Day 3

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Want to know how to lose five kilos in two weeks? Elle Macpherson’s trainer James Duigan shows you how!

When it comes to losing weight, just like everything in life we need to a little bit of inspiration to achieve our goals. Elle Macpherson’s trainer James Duigan has come on board for the Woman’s Day diet in 2012 and shares with us all of his top tips. “I am thrilled to contribute to The Woman’s Day Diet 2012,” he said.

“You’ll find all your favourite WD diet recipes – kJ-crunched, cooked and tested in the WD test kitchen – plus a few of my own recipes, diet tips and the workouts that get my celebrity clients in tip-top shape.”

Make sure you follow the rules, work out plan, eat two snacks from the snack list per day and stick to the portion sizes.

Top tip: Please note foods in bold are free kj and you can eat as much as you like.

You should lose 1-2kgs a week (up to 5kgs for heavier women), depending on your starting weight. The total daily kJ count is 5500-7000kJ. This compares to the average of 8000-9000kJ for a 70kg Australian woman;
Eat lots of green vegetables or a fibre supplement. Fibre helps reduce “bat wings” and “bingo arms” by eliminating toxins;
Limit alcohol to four standard drinks a week. A 400kJ glass of wine replaces one snack.
Your body converts wheat to sugar faster than any other grain. So try and avoid bread and pasta, if you can.
All breakfasts on the diet can be swapped with other breakfasts, lunches with lunches and dinners with dinners.
One coffee per day is allowed. After that, drink green tea.
All beakfasts on the four week diet are interchangeable with other breakfasts, lunches with lunches and dinners with dinners;
Studies show that low-fat yoghurts, for instance, are loaded with sugar and sodium to make up for the blandness of having no fat. So, eat real butter, yoghurt and milk and cheese. Keep the doses small, though, says James.Snack ListEach day choose from any two of the following:1 apple and 1 matchbox-sized serve full-fat cheese (700kJ);
Vegetable sticks and ¼ cup hummus (600kJ);
1 piece of fruit and a handful of nuts (400kJ);
100g natural yoghurt with berries, cinnamon and almonds (400kJ)
1 small latte (400kJ)
2 Corn Thins with 1 teaspoon no added sugar peanut butter (400kJ)
Make a yoghurt paddle pop (with fruit and nuts) (450kJ)
Frozen grapes and bananas (480kj)
Fruit smoothie with added fibre or bran (400kJ)
4 squares dark chocolate (400kJ)
Green smoothie (blend up celery, cucumber, lime, ginger, mint) (negligible).

1 apple and 1 matchbox-sized serve full-fat cheese (700kJ);
Vegetable sticks and ¼ cup hummus (600kJ);
1 piece of fruit and a handful of nuts (400kJ);
100g natural yoghurt with berries, cinnamon and almonds (400kJ)
1 small latte (400kJ)
2 Corn Thins with 1 teaspoon no added sugar peanut butter (400kJ)
Make a yoghurt paddle pop (with fruit and nuts) (450kJ)
Frozen grapes and bananas (480kj)
Fruit smoothie with added fibre or bran (400kJ)
4 squares dark chocolate (400kJ)
Green smoothie (blend up celery, cucumber, lime, ginger, mint) (negligible).

1 serve of rice or pasta = a fist
1 piece of meat, fish or chicken = the size and width of a deck of cards
1 serve of cheese = one slice, or 4 small cubes that could fit in a matchbox
1 serve of butter = your fingertip

For more great diet and work out tips, plus the full diet plan, see Woman’s Day on sale January 9, 2012.

DISCLAIMER: Please do not embark on a vigorous exercise program without speaking to your doctor first. This advice is general only and does not replace the advice of your doctor or exercise physiologist.

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Home Page 5140

January 10, 2012

Our favourite idols reunite to help families of the floods

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The Queensland flood disaster that unfolded 12 months ago stunned the nation. Thirty five people died, thousands were made homeless and the economic fallout runs into the billions.

Now former idol contestants have rallied together to urge Australians to remember the disaster and dig deep to help those still struggling to rebuild their lives.

More than seventy of the talented singers have signed up to a Facebook group committed to aiding the recovery effort. They hope to reunite and perform a televised Idol reunion to raise money for the flood victims.

“It seems like people have begun to forget,” says former Scarlett Belle pop star Reigan Derry, 23. “I think it is important to think of the Queensland floods in relation to the Victorian bushfires, the clean-up and the reconstruction process is very slow. The trauma lingers long after the media turns away.”

Andrew “Stretch” Madden, 36, and Cosima De Vito, 34, have pledged their full support to the cause.

“I think it has been astonishing to see how the crisis has disappeared from the public consciousness,” Cosima says. “I reckon an Idol Reunion or relief concert would be a great way to direct public attention back to Queensland.”

For Emily Williams, 27, Mark Da Costa, 33 and Paulini Curuenavuli, 29, the floods hit close to home. The Idol favourites have family in Queensland, but luckily they all escaped unharmed.

“Most of my family live up there,” explains Emily. “Although their houses were under water, they were pretty lucky and survived.”

Paulini got a firsthand account of the devastation from her aunties who live in the region. “I tried to put myself in their position, and I’d be devastated. It reminds us how lucky we are.”

Other former Idols Lee Harding, 28 and Luke Dickens, 29, want to use their Idol status to ensure that now a year on, the flood victims aren’t forgotten.

“One of the bonuses of being in the music industry is the ability to get involved in charity events that can really make a difference,” smiles Luke.

“Everyone got to a certain point in the show because of the fans and if some want to raise funds for a worthy cause and see their favourite Idol on TV, I think that is great!”

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January 10, 2012

Want a promotion? Dress like Margaret Thatcher

Why you should channel your inner Iron Lady to get ahead.

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IT has been more than 20 years since Margaret Thatcher resigned as British Prime Minister, but she is still influencing women around the world.

A new study has found that nearly 60 percent of women are emulating the Iron Lady and becoming more masculine in order to get ahead in the workplace.

Margaret famously minimised her feminine traits, having elocution lessons to make her voice deeper, wearing longer skirts and giving up her beloved hats.

Margaret’s masculine image is credited with her meteoric rise to the office of Prime Minister and her early success as leader.

Now, a survey by One Poll has found that modern women are adopting Margaret’s strategy to help further their careers.

More than half of female British employees admitted to dressing more conservatively and speaking in a deeper voice to get ahead in the office.

One Poll CEO David Saul credits Meryl Streep — who plays Margaret in new film The Iron Lady — for bringing Thatcherism back to the modern workplace.

“As the first major female leader of our times, it’s not completely unexpected that today’s women should want to emulate her in various ways,” he told the UK’s Daily Mail.

“Whilst it is still widely reported that women still have some way to go in terms of boardroom equality, evidence suggests they are well on their way to the dizzy heights of ‘Thatcherdom’ once again.”

Your say: Do you find your masculine side coming out at work? Email us on [email protected]

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January 10, 2012

What to plant now: winter roses

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Hellebores

“It’s called a ‘winter rose’ or hellebore,” she said. I looked down at the ankle-high plant with dull green leaves and even duller green-white flowers, then at the bright red real rose glory blooming on the fence.

Then I looked back at the hellebore. “They call this a rose?” I said.

My elderly friend looked at me sternly. “When it’s the only flower in the middle of a winter drought, it’s a rose,” she said simply.

She was right. Hellebores are (almost) indestructible and by the middle of the next cold dry winter I was looking at the bunch of greenish pewter flowers on the kitchen table with affection.

Hellebore flowers last… and last… and last, both in a vase and on the plant.

Then came spring. The remaining flowers turned brown, the leaves were spotty from industrious little sap suckers. The whole plant looked tired and tatty.

That was when I learned the first trick to growing good hellebores: cut back old leaves and old flowers in spring, to encourage new growth, brighter green leaves with no hint of brown splodges.

But there was still too much of the ‘bore’ in hellebore. The flowers were nice enough in winter, but nothing to be adored. And then things changed.

It seemed that many breeders had been working to make hellebores the brightest of all winter blooms — and doing it incredibly successfully.

I first noticed the new clear white flowers, that shone from among brighter green leaves; then a deep almost magenta red; then pink, then pink and white striped, and green, a pure red, an almost black, a deep grey which sounds terrible but can look stunning in a vase…

Within a few years there were singles, doubles, stripes, spots in every shade of red and purple and pink and green and white, frilly petals and rounded petals and sharp-edged petals, each more stunning than the last.

I fell in love. My hellebores fell in love too… or at least that’s the romantic way of saying that hellebores cross pollinate easily and the resulting seedlings that have sprung up are an unpredictable mix of colours and shapes.

Normally I ruthlessly pluck out any plant that self-seeds — they can become a weed too easily. But hellebores have one overwhelming need — they must have shade in hot mid-summers. And in our climate there’s no way that hellebores are going to go feral in the hot and sunny bush around me.

Hellebores will grow anywhere in Australia except the hot and humid tropics. Ideally they have hot shaded summers and cold sunny winters — under a dense deciduous apple or persimmon tree is ideal.

The hotter the climate, the more shade they need. In humid areas they’re best grown in above-ground gardens, so the leaves don’t get mildewed and the stems don’t rot. And make sure you cut them back hard, right to the crown, at the end of every winter, too, as the old leaves can encourage diseases.

But even hellebores grown in deep shade may flower — not as much, and sometimes they lose their vivid colour (I find the old green-white ones do best in heavy shade, while the brighter ones need sun as though they are drinking in the light).

Start planting hellebores now in any dull, shady spot in the garden, so they’ll be fully established and gloriously blooming all through winter and spring.

Feed your hellebores from summer to early autumn to encourage more flowers, too — but if you forget they’ll forgive you and bloom anyway.

They love mulch, especially rotten autumn leaves — hellebores are naturally an edge-of-forest plant and love it when you try to mimic those conditions. Move seedlings or divide clumps at any coolish time of the year.

Basically there are only the three great secrets of growing stunning hellebores: choose the shape and colour you love best, prune back to keep them healthy and looking good and grow LOTS.

A rose bush can look dramatic all on its own. A single hellebore just looks lonely. Buy them by the half dozen, or even more, and suddenly you’ll find they really are ‘winter roses’, just as beautiful as their more glamorous namesakes — and a heck of a lot hardier and easier to look after.

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January 10, 2012

The best bikini bodies ever!

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Bikini babe Kim Kardashian seems to always be happy to pop into a brief bikini and we can see why!

Kristin Davis showed off her bikini body on the cover of Fitness magazine.

Miranda Kerr showed off her perfect bikini body during a photo shoot.

If Beyonce Knowles wanted to show off her toned body and muscle definition she definitely succeeded! She was snapped in this bright bikini while on holidays with husband Jay-Z.

Beach-loving Gisele showed off her bikini body in this itsy bitsy bikini.

Former Bond girl Halle Berry’s bikini body was still obvious despite her trying to cover it up.

The original Victoria’s Secret angel recently hung up her wings, but she still knows how to rock a bikini with effortless style.

Isla Fisher knows how to show off her best assets in this one piece.

Fitness fanatic Jennifer Aniston has notably one of the hottest bikini bodies in Hollywood. And it’s no surprise when you take a look at her super healthy lifestyle.

From one fitness fanatic to another, Jessica Biel is known for her toned abs and discipline when it comes to exercise.

After giving birth to her daughter Honor, Jessica Alba bounced back to her original bikini body in no time.

She has appeared on more than 300 magazine covers, so she had no problem posing for photos or taking them while holidaying in Thailand.

Super cute Katherine Heigl showed off her curves in this metallic pink two-piece.

In a recent US magazine poll, Penelope Cruz was voted as having one of the best bikini bodies in Hollywood!

Mother of two-adopted sons 48-year-old Sheryl Crow showed she still has it when she visited the beach with her sons recently.

With long legs and a toned tummy, Cameron Diaz can easily look fantastic in any bikini.

Beach babe Charlize Theron shows off her super slim bikini body.

Super model Cindy Crawford keeps herself hydrated while showing that a plain black bikini is all you need for summer!

It’s certainly not hard to see why Elle Macpherson is known as “the body”.

Singer Fergie not only looked fit in her lime green bikini, but tanned too!

Heather Graham’s hot pink bikini shows off her slim figure.

Even when she hits the beach Kate Hudson keeps her casual fresh faced signature look.

Lily Allen has long battled with her body image. But recently the star has demonstrated just how beach ready her body is.

Anna Kournikova struts her stuff along the beach in her tiny yellow bikini.

Despite now wearing a bikini model Adriana Lima still shows she has a stunning beach body.

Carmen Electra is know for her bikini body!

Demi Moore is still smokin’ at age 48. She even posts photos of herself in a bikini on her Twitter account.

Recently single Eva Logoria shows off her cute bikini and her tanned body.

Model Jenny McCarthy shows that she still has it while holidaying in Hawaii.

Former Miss Universe Jennifer Hawkins strut her stuff on the runway.

Just like her competition, Megan Gale knows how to work it on the catwalk!

Even after giving birth to twins, JLo has a hot bikini body.

Although she isn’t wearing a bikini Katie Holmes’ slender figure is still obvious in this once-piece.

Katy Perry shows off her pretty side in their sweet pink bikini.

beach babe Brookyln Decker on the set of Adam Sandler’s movie Just Go With It!.

Madonna takes some time out to show off her fit bod.

Singer Pink soaks up the sun while taking time out from her busy schedule.

Singer and actress Vanessa Hudgens shows off her tanned beach body.

Desperate Housewives star Nicollette Sheridan shows that she still has it at 46-years-old showing off her curves in this tiny string bikini.

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January 9, 2012

Lose 5 kilos in 2 weeks: Day 2

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Want to know how to lose five kilos in two weeks? Elle Macpherson’s trainer James Duigan shows you how!

Make sure you follow the rules, work out plan, eat two snacks from the snack list per day and stick to the portion sizes.

Top tip: Please note foods in bold are free kj and you can eat as much as you like.

You should lose 1-2kgs a week (up to 5kgs for heavier women), depending on your starting weight. The total daily kJ count is 5500-7000kJ. This compares to the average of 8000-9000kJ for a 70kg Australian woman;
Eat lots of green vegetables or a fibre supplement. Fibre helps reduce “bat wings” and “bingo arms” by eliminating toxins;
Limit alcohol to four standard drinks a week. A 400kJ glass of wine replaces one snack.
Your body converts wheat to sugar faster than any other grain. So try and avoid bread and pasta, if you can.
All breakfasts on the diet can be swapped with other breakfasts, lunches with lunches and dinners with dinners.
One coffee per day is allowed. After that, drink green tea.
All beakfasts on the four week diet are interchangeable with other breakfasts, lunches with lunches and dinners with dinners;
Studies show that low-fat yoghurts, for instance, are loaded with sugar and sodium to make up for the blandness of having no fat. So, eat real butter, yoghurt and milk and cheese. Keep the doses small, though, says James.Snack ListEach day choose from any two of the following:1 apple and 1 matchbox-sized serve full-fat cheese (700kJ);
Vegetable sticks and ¼ cup hummus (600kJ);
1 piece of fruit and a handful of nuts (400kJ);
100g natural yoghurt with berries, cinnamon and almonds (400kJ)
1 small latte (400kJ)
2 Corn Thins with 1 teaspoon no added sugar peanut butter (400kJ)
Make a yoghurt paddle pop (with fruit and nuts) (450kJ)
Frozen grapes and bananas (480kj)
Fruit smoothie with added fibre or bran (400kJ)
4 squares dark chocolate (400kJ)
Green smoothie (blend up celery, cucumber, lime, ginger, mint) (negligible).

1 apple and 1 matchbox-sized serve full-fat cheese (700kJ);
Vegetable sticks and ¼ cup hummus (600kJ);
1 piece of fruit and a handful of nuts (400kJ);
100g natural yoghurt with berries, cinnamon and almonds (400kJ)
1 small latte (400kJ)
2 Corn Thins with 1 teaspoon no added sugar peanut butter (400kJ)
Make a yoghurt paddle pop (with fruit and nuts) (450kJ)
Frozen grapes and bananas (480kj)
Fruit smoothie with added fibre or bran (400kJ)
4 squares dark chocolate (400kJ)
Green smoothie (blend up celery, cucumber, lime, ginger, mint) (negligible).

1 serve of rice or pasta = a fist
1 piece of meat, fish or chicken = the size and width of a deck of cards
1 serve of cheese = one slice, or 4 small cubes that could fit in a matchbox
1 serve of butter = your fingertip

For more great diet and work out tips, plus the full diet plan, see Woman’s Day on sale January 9, 2012.

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January 9, 2012

Our real-life Thumbelina

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A rare genetic disorder means Eva Pym will stay smaller than most, but this adorable 18-month-old girl has a huge heart, writes Glen Williams.

They say good things come in small packages, and little Eva Pym is proof of that. She may be tiny, but this precious little girl is proving to be a big-hearted fi ghter and an endless source of joy and nspiration to her loving mum and dad, Katherine and Daniel. Eva was born full term weighing just .86kg (4.2lb). She came into the world with an extremely rare “genetic chromosome deletion” – which means her body is missing the vital “programming” it needs to know how to develop normally.

Compared to other 18-montholds, Eva, at 68cm, is tiny. Because of her condition, she may never grow taller and, as she gets older, the gap between her and other children of the same age will become even more pronounced. Her grandmother Noelene nicknamed her Thumbelina after the much-loved Hans Christian Andersen fairytale. Mum and Dad prefer to call her little Evie.

“Basically, she’s the only one in the world with her condition,” says Katherine, 27. “We only found out in July that Eva’s specifi c gene deletion has never been detected in any DNA test in the world. “Very little is known about the condition and there is very little information available, so Eva’s future is very uncertain. As parents, we are devastated that our daughter has to face the unknown, and that even doctors don’t know what to expect because they have never seen a case like it before.”

From the moment she was born in July 2010, Eva has been plagued with health issues. “It had been a normal pregnancy until the last trimester, when Eva stopped growing,” says Katherine. “[At birth] she was rushed to The Children’s Hospital at Westmead’s neonatal intensive care unit with major heart problems. Her heart was the size of her chest cavity instead of the normal 60 per cent. It was so frightening – Eva’s heart was racing at 200 beats per minute, which is about 90 per cent capacity.”

Doctors fought to bring Eva’s heart back to normal function, but she still wasn’t thriving. She developed sleep apnoea and wasn’t breathing properly. “Every single thing that could go wrong did go wrong,” says an emotionally spent Daniel. “Nothing could prepare us for this.”

For the devoted mum and dad, the last year has been a blur of specialist appointments, endless tests and traumatic hospital visits. “I think our little girl has been in hospital at least nine times in the last 12 months,” says Daniel, 34. “And the specialists we need to see form a mind-boggling list. We’ve lost track of how many X-rays and ultrasounds she’s had.” And through it all, this brave and inspirational little girl has managed to smile and delight others with her playful spirit.

“Eva is a little trouper,” says Katherine proudly. “She’s been put through the wringer, and I think she can handle anything.” She’s such a good little girl and takes everything in her stride. “She really is a happy baby. She’s playful and loves games, like any other child. She loves seeing other children. She just wants to grab them and kiss them. She’s so loving and adorable.”

When Woman’s Day visits the family’s Sydney home, Eva and her friend Scarlett are happily lost in a game. Scarlett, like other children Eva’s age, is substantially taller. But when it comes to little girls at play, size doesn’t matter.

“Eva tries her hardest in everything she does,” says Daniel. “I’m sure she knows she’s not the same as other kids – she observes them and knows. But she always gives 100 per cent, and has her own strong little personality.” Daniel admits he and Katherine worry about the future. “My biggest fear is that, as she gets older, she’s not going to look like every other kid, and kids can be so cruel when someone is different from them. It would absolutely break my heart if she was picked on in school.”

Fortunately, there have been some recent positive developments in Eva’s health. “Her sleep apnoea is being treated with an oxygen machine, which we are hopeful will give her a good night’s sleep – that really helps babies to grow with more strength and energy,” says Katherine. “We are hoping she can start hitting those developmental benchmarks.”

Daniel and Katherine are quick to pay tribute to their parents for their constant love and support during this difficult year. The couple are cautious when asked about having more children. “We’d love to,” says a teary Katherine. “But for now, our focus is on our beautiful little girl. It would be nice for her to have a brother to grow up with and protect her. We’ll see.”

“We are blessed,” says Daniel softly. “It’s an absolute miracle we got to leave the hospital. A lot of parents don’t even get the opportunity to bring their little ones home. We’re very thankful.”

Now to Love

Home Page 5140

January 9, 2012

How we halved our body weight – we lost 242kg!

Now to Love

When Woman’s Day gave readers the chance to win $5000 and guidance from Elle Macpherson’s personal trainer, we were flooded with inspirational weight-loss stories. Meet our three amazing finalists.

“I started with small changes.”

“I began piling on weight in 2006 after my husband left me and I became a single mum to Jordan, 9, Natashja, 7, and Xzavaier, 5.

“The loneliness drove me to eat. My mouth became an endless black hole. I wanted to get fat, as I couldn’t stand the thought of anyone getting close to me again.

“Then Tashj was diagnosed with autism and ADHD. Jordan was diagnosed with the same condition in 2009, and Xzavaier was diagnosed this year. Tashj cannot show any affection at all, Jordan can only go to regular school three hours a day and has a special aide, while Xzavaier also needs special attention at school.

“I was so busy with the kids I didn’t even think about exercise but last year, when I saw a full-length photo of myself taken at a birthday party, something tweaked. Was I really the person in this photo? How had I become so big? I was a size 28 and knew I had to change, not just for me, but for my kids.

“Food is not the enemy.”

“Growing up, I was always the tubby kid and I am still haunted by the nickname ‘Fat Amy’ from school. I remember going to the school formal in a long-sleeve dress that went up to my neck and down to my ankles – it was the middle of summer and I just wanted to disappear.

“There wasn’t a light bulb moment for me but a gradual series of revelations that made me realise I needed to change.

“I have lost 90kg in three-and-a-half years. I have a Facebook following of 1000 weight-loss friends and my biggest tip to them is not to stop eating. A lot of people see food as the enemy rather than simply restructuring the way they eat.

“I inspire others to lose weight.”

“I think the first emotional trigger for my weight gain was losing my younger brother in a tragic accident when he fell off a balcony playing at a friend’s house.

It was shortly after that I started piling on the pounds.

“I tried everything on and off for 30 years, but my biggest trigger was going shopping with a friend who had lost weight on a program called Be Trim.

As I watched her try on tiny-sized clothes, I thought, if she could do it, perhaps I could too. It cost $50 a week and involved weighing food, strictly limiting carbohydrates and one-on-one sessions with a consultant.

“Exercise was hard – I was utterly exhausted after walking up two flights of stairs. After dropping a few kilograms, though, I started walking a kilometre every day and now I go to the gym four times a week.

Now to Love

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