EXCLUSIVE How to tell if they are REALLY gaslighting you or are YOU the one with the problem?: DR ISABELLE MORLEY
Since then, as therapy has become not only widely accepted, but also a badge of honor to say you're 'doing the work', it seems everyone is now a clinical expert.
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Daily Mail
38 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Father-of-two sheds 16 stone in under a year after kicking thrice-daily addiction... without weight loss jabs
A father who began uncontrollably comfort eating after suffering with loneliness and depression has revealed how he lost half his body weight in just under a year after seeing his 'horrific' wedding photos. Dale Forrest, 36, from Bolton, fell into a trap of unhealthy eating—gorging on three pasties a day for lunch—battling with poor mental health, an inactive lifestyle and a job he hated. But, when he saw his wedding photos after marrying his wife, Kat, in September last year, he knew something had to change. 'I used to be so miserable, feeling guilty but living a lazy lifestyle. 'When I saw the wedding pictures, I thought I looked horrific and the first thing I said to my wife was I need to make a change.' As well as scoffing three pasties for lunch, the father-of-two would put away a Greggs for breakfast and a Papa John's Pizza for dinner before heading to the pub for several pints. The office worker had previously made an impressive effort to lose the weight over a decade ago—which saw him give up alcohol and lose a mammoth 14 stone. But, after suffering with poor mental health, his confidence plummeted and the weight piled back on. 'I was living alone in a studio apartment, all my mates had girlfriends, wives and kids and I was just lonely,' he recalled. 'I also didn't like my job at the time. As soon as I put a little weight back on, everything just spiraled.' At his heaviest, Mr Forrest weighed 32 stone and sported size 6XL t-shirts. Then, after meeting his wife Kat in 2021 and having two children, Bailey, 3, and Tate, 1, Mr Forrest began to notice improvements to his mental health—but it wasn't enough to drop the weight. But after receiving their wedding photos on September 17, the 'embarrassment' gave the father-of-two the push he needed to get back on track. He said: 'As soon as I saw them I just had to make a change. 'The first thing I did was bin all the snacks in the house so they weren't there to tempt me. Then I started my diet.' Determined to lose the weight and keep up with his two growing children, Mr Forrest tried a calorie-restrictive diet designed for sustainable weight loss—consuming just 1,500 calories a day for a month. 'I was so unhealthy to the extent that I couldn't walk 100 metres before feeling tired,' he recalled. 'I knew I wouldn't be able to exercise until I had lost some initial weight.' According to the NHS, as a guide an average man needs 2,500 kilocalories a day—though this can vary based on age, weight, height and exercise levels. When trying to lose weight, the health service suggests reducing daily calorie intake by around 600kcal. Just a month later, the father-of-two had lost two stone, giving him the confidence to add exercise into his daily routine aiming for 10,000 steps a day to build up his fitness levels. Then in December, having dropped 7 stone, the office worker decided it was time to implement a more structured workout routine. 'Going to the gym at that weight even though I had done it before was terrifying,' he said. 'I thought everyone was looking at me thinking "why is this guy here". 'I was self-conscious of my body, but especially my legs,' he added. Mr Forrest, who has his eyes set on a charity boxing competition this September, said: 'I wanted to see what I could do naturally and what was possible'. Despite starting his fitness journey when the likes of Mounjaro and Ozempic were bursting on to the weight loss scene, Mr Forrest said he didn't feel the need to use them. After starting with cardio and light weights, before progression to heavier weights and boxing, the father-of-two found he was able to drop around a stone a month—now weighing a healthy 15 stone. He added: 'When the weight started dropping just through diet alone, it made me realise I could do it without [the] support [of weight loss jabs].' 'I did this the hard way, without the use of jabs or anything. Goold old fashioned exercise and diet got me here, no shortcuts.' Now, the weight loss influencer, who boasts over 3,000 followers on TikTok, is looking to shed another two stone before September as he inspires others to start their own weight loss journey. 'I can now play with my children as before I used to tell them to play with their mum. 'It's nice when they ask:"Daddy, can you put me on your shoulders", and I can be there for them. 'I like to downplay my achievement, but secretly I'm buzzing. I'm now so energetic I can't sit still, I always want to be doing something.'
The Independent
39 minutes ago
- The Independent
It takes a lot to impress a mature skin beauty writer – but this anti-ageing cream won me over
We're spoiled for choice with doctor-developed skincare: Augustinus Bader, Dr. Barbara Sturm, Dr. Dennis Gross, and 111Skin are just some of the popular brands rooted in their founders' medical expertise. However, before all these popular skincare brands came along, Murad was ahead of its time. Celebrity dermatologist Dr. Howard Murad was among the first dermatologists to start selling clinical skincare products to the general public. Today, his anti-ageing products are so well-loved and trusted that Murad is the number one dermatologist-founded skincare brand in the States. The brand's marketing makes much of the claim that it only uses 'scientifically proven formulas' to create its products, but it's hard to measure up to that promise. When I saw that the brand launched a range of four new SPF moisturisers, with a high level of sunscreen and high-performance actives, I had to see if it really lived up to the hype. Leading the pack is the Murad superactive moisturiser SPF50: brightening, an update to the essential-C day moisturise SPF30 (£69, with a new formula and a new look. This vitamin C-loaded day cream promises to act like a 3-in-1 moisturiser, skin-brightener and sunscreen all in one, and it certainly lives up to the claim. It's so good it's earned itself the top spot in my guide to the best anti-ageing day creams. How I tested To put the new SPF moisturiser to the test, I've been trialling it for six weeks in place of my daily serum, moisturiser and SPF. This was through two heat waves when UV levels were high. During testing, I assessed the moisturiser using the following criteria. Texture: I noted how the formula felt on the skin. Did it feel greasy and heavy, or was it more lightweight? Hydration: And, as a moisturiser, its formula should be hydrating, so I noted how hydrated my skin felt. Additionally, I assessed how well the formula sat beneath my make-up, and whether it left a white cast, as SPFs sometimes can. Results: I looked at how well the cream rejuvenated my skin. Specifically, whether it brightened and evened my skin tone, and had any effect on dark spots, as these are the effects the brand claims the product will have. At the same time, I noted any skin irritation. Ease of use: Murad has introduced new packaging, so I assessed if, and how, this helped with ease of application. Why you can trust IndyBest reviews Sabine Wiesel is a beauty journalist with years of experience trialling and recommending skincare to IndyBest readers. As a woman in her 40s, she has reviewed plenty of neck creams, retinol eye creams and similar products formulated to address the signs of ageing, such as fine lines, dullness and dark spots. With this in mind, she knows which actives to look for, and has a wealth of relevant testing experience. Having tried many anti-ageing day creams for our round-up of the best, Sabine named Murad's superactive moisturiser SPF50 the best on test. This is her full, honest review.
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
Humans may have hibernation ‘superpowers' in untapped genes, scientists say
The 'superpowers' of hibernating animals are also present in human DNA, according to a pair of recent studies that provide clues to unlocking this potential and opening the door for new diabetes and Alzheimer's treatments. Hibernating animals such as squirrels and bears exhibit incredible resilience, going long periods without food and water and withstanding near-freezing temperatures by slowing down metabolism. They avoid muscle and nerve decay and stay healthy despite massive weight fluctuations. When these animals emerge from hibernation, they appear to recover from dangerous symptoms similar to those seen in people suffering from diabetes, Alzheimer's and stroke. 'If we could regulate our genes a bit more like hibernators, maybe we could overcome type 2 diabetes the same way a hibernator returns from hibernation back to a normal metabolic state,' Elliott Ferris, an author of one of the studies, says. The research focuses on a gene cluster called the 'fat mass and obesity locus', which plays an important role in hibernators. DNA regions near the FTO locus regulate the activities of neighbouring genes, tuning them up or down. They enable hibernators to put on weight before cosying up for winter and allow them to slowly use their fat reserves throughout hibernation, researchers say. 'What's striking about this region is that it is the strongest genetic risk factor for human obesity,' says Chris Gregg, a senior author of one of the studies from the University of Utah Health. When researchers mutated the hibernator-specific gene regions in mice, they noticed changes in their metabolism and weight. Some mutations sped up weight gain while others slowed it down under specific dietary conditions. The mutations also affected the ability of mice to recover body temperature after a hibernation-like state. 'When you knock out one of these elements – this one tiny, seemingly insignificant DNA region – the activity of hundreds of genes changes,' Susan Steinwand, another author of the studies, says. Previous studies show that hibernating animals can reverse neurodegeneration, avoid muscle decay, remain healthy despite massive weight fluctuations, and show improved ageing and longevity. The latest studies suggest we possess the necessary genetic code for hibernator-like superpowers, if we can bypass some of our metabolic switches. 'This work provides a genetic framework for harnessing hibernator adaptations to understand human metabolic control,' researchers say. 'Humans already have the genetic framework,' Dr Steinwand says. 'We just need to identify the control switches for these hibernator traits.' Further studies on these genes and their surrounding DNA regions can help confer similar resilience to humans, scientists say. 'There's potentially an opportunity – by understanding these hibernation-linked mechanisms in the genome – to find strategies to intervene and help with age-related diseases,' Dr Gregg says. 'If that's hidden in the genome that we've already got, we could learn from hibernators to improve our own health.'
