Kate Winslet: Not Fair to Put Pressure on New Moms to Lose Weight

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Kate Winslet insists there is nothing bad if a mother takes time to shed her post baby weight.

 

The Titanic star, who gave birth to a son 15 months ago, believes the media has created an unhealthy trend for shedding baby weight as soon as possible.

 

“The media do rush to put women on the cover of a magazine, or even grab a paparazzi shot of them, eight weeks post-baby and say, ‘Oh look, eight weeks post-baby, doesn’t she look amazing?’ You know, looking amazing eight weeks post-baby is having a belly that still looks like you’ve got a baby inside it, because guess what – that’s what actually happens,” the 39-year-old actress said on a US TV show Extra.

 

“I think it’s not right and it’s not fair. Having a baby is amazing and not fitting into your jeans, it just doesn’t matter and that time of being at home with that little newborn and not having to wear a pair of jeans or slip into a red carpet dress, it’s so fantastic and I wanted it to go on and on forever,” she added.

 

Categories: Baby, baby weight, kate winslet, nbsp, post, post baby, weeks, weeks post, weight

Top Tips For Great and Safe Sex During Pregnancy

If you’re finding sex a little trickier now you’re pregnant, you’re not alone. Many women find this a difficult time to enjoy sex due to the sheer difficulty as you go through each trimester. However, the good news is that it’s not impossible. Here are some tips to help you through your pregnancy and ways to make it enjoyable and fun.

The First Trimester

During the first trimester, it’s not uncommon for sex to be the last thing you want to do. Morning sickness, hormones and exhaustion make this a less than sexy time, so it’s no surprise that you don’t really up to it. It’s also in our genes to lower the libido during pregnancy, as we’re hardwired to seek sex to perpetuate the genetic line – so when you’re pregnant, this automatically grinds to a halt. But sex doesn’t have to be intercourse or an orgasm to be fun. Tell your partner if you’re feeling ambivalent towards sex, and maybe they can offer up a well deserved massage instead. You can always keep an open mind too, as sex may not be the first thing you crave but it can be incredibly relaxing. While it may take you a while to get in the mood, if you happen to have sex then you’ll be glad you did. However, if you’re simply not feeling it, then maybe take a few weeks off from the bedtime activities. Most women find their hormones resurface after a few weeks anyway.

The Second Trimester

Weeks 14 to 28 are the blissful weeks where you really get to enjoy your pregnancy. You’ve no doubt told people now, you’re finally less tired and the morning sickness has subsided. You also get to enjoy your body’s new look, where your definite baby bump appears. Many women find themselves really relishing the fact that they don’t need to worry about their body image anymore and can focus just on being healthy and happy. It sends your confidence levels through the roof, and you’ll be pleased to know that your arousal levels also peak too. Be yourself during this time – if you want to try something new, use your vibrator or go back to the sex you used to enjoy before your got pregnant, go for it! Unless your GP has advised you not to have intercourse, there’s no harm in having sex exactly as you would have. The only risk here is UTIs which could show symptoms of cramps or painful urination – if you spot these, speak to your GP as soon as possible.

The Third Trimester

This is the less than blissful stage, where increased blood flow leads to swollen ankle and disrupted sleep from that big baby bump. You might not be feeling your most attractive, but don’t let that put you off sex – there’s still opportunities for enjoy yourself in the bedroom. Be creative, and remember the first trimester mantra where sex doesn’t have to mean intercourse or an orgasm. Spend time with your partner and just enjoy each other’s company, with a cuddle or a chat. Reassure your partner that sex isn’t going to cause harm to the baby – it’s a worry than many men have during this stage. And remember that this last trimester is a small stage in the grand scheme of things – there’ll be plenty of time to get back to a normal sex life once the baby arrives. This is the best time to simply enjoy the last stage of your pregnancy and be excited for your new arrival.

Categories: baby bump, morning sickness, pregnancy, Sex, sex doesn, stage, time, trimester, weeks, Women

Seven Top Tips to Help You Get in Shape for Diwali

From the amazing food to the figure-hugging clothes, looking good during Diwali isn’t without it’s challenges. However, by making a few adjustments to your wellness plan, you can fix your fitness and wellbeing in time for the festivities.

 

1. Start with a good night’s sleep: According to ACE-certified Personal Trainer Sasha Gusain, who is also a fitness writer and editor for HealthyLivingIndia.org and HealthMeUp.com, ‘Sleeping right, on time and for the minimum six to eight hours every night is crucial to how you look come festival time.’ If you get plenty of regular, restful sleep, you’ll be better able to digest your food for the next morning, rest and recover more effectively after workouts and avoid the overall look of facial puffiness and weariness that comes from sleep deprivation.

 

2. Sort out your exercise routine: Gusain recommends planning a strength and cardio combination workout with a professional trainer. ‘Two weeks of regular workouts can help you trim the extra flab to a certain extent,’ she notes. ‘You won’t lose weight, at least nothing more than one to two pounds (at best – the healthy way), but you won’t add any more fat to your body.’

 

3. Try to clock five or six days at the gym for the next two weeks: Gusain advises, ‘Depending on workout intensity, plan the workout days in advance and stick to them. Don’t skip a single workout. You’ll be amazed to notice how much better you look and feel within just two short weeks.’

 

4. Incorporate interval training: Studies have shown that it isn’t the length of time that you workout for that makes the difference; it’s the type of activity and the intensity at which you do it. While this is a great method to keep your weight in check in the weeks leading up to Diwali, Gusain insists that it might become a way of exercising that you’ll fall in love with and stick to for life. She asserts that interval training ‘is immensely more involving and encouraging than hour after boring hour on the treadmill.’

 

5. Clean up your diet: With Diwali right around the corner, stopping eating healthy foods in the weeks leading up to the festivities will help you to look your best. This means you need to avoid all fried foods, greasy snacks, high sugar foods, and foods made with refined and processed flour. Gusain adds, ‘Avoid more than two to three helpings of high starch foods like white rice and potatoes during this phase as well.’ Moreover, as adding salt to foods causes you to retain more water and lose nutrients from your bones, cutting salt down as much as possible can get your body Diwali-ready.

 

6. Say no to your sweet tooth: While it’s OK to include a little bit of salt in your diet – and we’re talking about a very little bit here – any more than a teaspoon of white sugar every day is too much. Gusain explains, ‘Not only does white sugar add unnecessary calories to your diet, it removes nutrients from your body, and adds no nutrients of its own.’

 

7. Eat your fruit and vegetables: Veggies are ‘an important food group and help trim the fat, quite literally,’ Gusain says. ‘Strict fitness diets sometimes forsake the extra fruit sugar and follow just one or no fruits for daily consumption. This, however, is debatable and has many different schools of thoughts and reasoning. You should eat some fruits for the antioxidants, flavinoids etc, but if you’re on a strict calorie count, then trade the extra fruits for vegetables. Either way, a single serving of an apple, papaya, or pomegranate will benefit you as a healthy snack that satiates you and keeps you away from unhealthy snacking.’

Categories: Diwali, foods, fruits and vegetables, gusain, Interval Training, nbsp, weeks, weeks leading, white sugar, Workout

Abortion: What Does The Procedure Involve?

Unplanned pregnancies are common and occur far more than people realise – at least half of all pregnancies are unplanned, and one in five women will choose to have an abortion. This is not an easy decision to make and can be an emotionally distressing time, but it is a personal choice which is influenced by a number of factors, from the woman’s age to her ability to raise a child, or simply the fact that the pregnancy was not a planned one. Ultimately, no-one can help you reach the decision to opt for an abortion – there are counsellors or doctors who can talk through your options with you though, as well as your friends and family who will be able to support you through this time. More than 90 percent of abortions are carried out before 13 weeks of the pregnancy term, whilst over 98 percent are carried out before 20 weeks. After 24 weeks, if there are exceptional circumstances, an abortion can still be carried out - these include any significant risk to the mother, or if the child were to be born with a serious disability.

 

Your GP can refer you for an abortion – if you’re referred through the NHS, this procedure will be free. As with all medical procedures, your abortion will be confidential, even if you’re under 16. You also don’t have to tell your partner, as they have no legal rights where abortion is concerned. Depending on where you live, your referral time will vary but you shouldn’t have to wait more than two weeks from the time of your referral to your abortion date. If you need to have an abortion for medical reasons, then this will be sooner. Depending on the stage of your pregnancy, you will either be given medication to incur a miscarriage or you will have to have surgery to remove the foetus. Your GP or nurse will discuss this process with you – whichever form of abortion you have, you will experience some discomfort or period-like pain. This is completely normal, and it will depend on what stage you’re at in the pregnancy as to how uncomfortable it will be. It is perfectly safe though.

 

Complications at the time of abortion are very rare, and less likely to occur the earlier on the abortion is carried out. For example, excessive bleeding or haemorrhage occurs in around one in every 1,000 abortions, though this increases to four in every 1,000 in abortions carried out after 20 weeks. Additionally, damage to the cervix occurs in less than 10 in every 1,000 surgical abortions. As with any procedure, there are risks attached but your GP or nurse can go through these with you at your consultation.

 

Socially, there is some stigma attached to abortion – this varies depending on where you go and the religious and moral beliefs of the people there. Some places are more accepting of this being a personal choice than others, but this is entirely dependent on where you live. This is still a taboo subject and is difficult to talk about openly. Many women feel judged or pressured by the opinions of others where this subject is concerned, as well as feeling criticised for being sexually active and getting pregnant. Furthermore, they feel self-critical if they decide to have an abortion, feeling as thought they’ve failed in some way – it is considered a no-win situation, and there is no way of alleviating this. It comes down to personal choice and what is right for you at the time.

Categories: abortion, carried, pregnancy, social, time, weeks