Latest news with #What'stheJam
Daily Mirror
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Mum loses 17 stone after being 'too big' for rollercoaster
The mum of two said she had a wake-up call when she was forced to sit on the sidelines and miss out on family fun A mum who splurged £400 a month on takeaways has lost an incredible 17 stone after she realised she couldn't fit on a rollercoaster. Rachel Pashley tipped the scales at a 30st 13lbs and wore a size 32. But it was when she had a family trip to a theme park that she got her wake-up call. The 32-year-old mum from Brighton was devastated when she couldn't join her two sons, Ethan, 13, and Jenson, 12, on a ride, leaving her sidelined as they had fun. Following a £12,500 gastric bypass in May 2021, Rachel has slimmed down dramatically to 12st and now fits comfortably into a size 12. Her transformation has since taken her to Disneyland Paris, where she was able to enjoy all of the rides. "My sons love rollercoasters," Rachel shared with What's the Jam. "We went to a theme park and I realised that I couldn't go on the ride, so my friend had to go on with my kids. "It was sad. I couldn't walk up the stairs, and I was always too tired, so I'd take my kids to breakfast club and go back to bed. "I couldn't run around after my children. We never went on bike rides, we never did anything. "Now, we can do anything, bike rides, theme parks, days out in London, days at the gym and swimming. We've been to Disneyland Paris, and I didn't have to worry about getting on the rides. It was amazing." Before shedding the weight, she recalled how clothes shopping made her feel low. "I was really depressed before and struggled with buying clothing, but I'm so much more confident now", she continued. "The best part of this journey isn't the weight loss, it's getting my life back. I can finally be present for my boys, enjoy days out, and feel proud of the woman I've become." Speaking about her eating habits, she said: "I used to eat rubbish all day and barely move, I just didn't have the energy. Now, I fuel my body with real food, I move every day, and I finally feel like I'm living, not just existing." Rachel had always embraced her "curvy" figure and was a size 16 when her son Jenson was diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma. He has now been in remission for a decade. His semi-permanent make-up artist mum said Jenson's diagnosis marked a "turning point" as she sought solace in food. She spent £100 weekly on takeaways because she lacked the time to cook or exercise amidst hospital visits. Jenson's remission has brought Rachel immense relief. She said: "That period was horrendous. "It was 18 months' worth of treatment, sitting in a hospital room and massively comfort eating. He went into intensive care, and that was the turning point. "I ate absolute crap. It was a family-sized chocolate bar every night on the way home from the hospital. "I'd have a full English for breakfast, a meal deal from Co-Op, chocolate and a share bag of crisps for lunch. We had takeaways six days a week and I never cooked. If I did, it was freezer food. "There were a lot of kebabs and Domino's. The delivery driver knew us." Now loving cooking and looking into what foods are best for her, she proudly admitted: "We haven't had a takeaway at all this year and we're really proud of ourselves." Nowadays, Rachel commits to working out four times a week. She spent another £12,000 on an arm and breast lift in January this year and intends to complete her transformation with a tummy tuck in September. Rachel continued: "I remember the day when I was walking to the shop for some binge eating food because I'd had a really bad day and was at my heaviest, and I was crying my eyes out. "I bumped into someone I used to work with, and she said she'd had weight loss surgery and it was the most amazing thing she'd ever done, so I went home and booked a consultation. "When I was on the journey, I just wanted to get back to a size 16, but I kept going. I fit into a small skirt in Zara now, and it feels amazing because I never thought I'd get to this point. "Someone once told me to go and eat another sausage roll. And online, I tried to do plus-sized fashion, and people would say I could barely breathe trying on clothes. It was horrible." Talking about her transformation, she said: "Now, people can't believe how much I've changed. In Aldi, I bumped into a girl I used to work with and said hello, and she completely blanked me. Then she messaged me asking if that was me, and she didn't recognise me. It feels amazing." Rachel is sharing her experience to motivate others battling with their weight. She chronicles her weight loss transformation on her social media account @racheljadepashley. She concluded: "I wanted to share my story because I know what it's like to feel completely lost in your body and stuck in a cycle that feels impossible to break. "If someone out there sees this and realises change is possible, then that's everything." Rachel diet before and after BEFORE Breakfast: Full English Lunch: Meal deal sandwich, family-sized chocolate bar and a share bag of crisps Dinner: Kebab or Domino's Snacks: Family-sized chocolate, a sharing bag of crisps and six cans of Coke a day NOW
Edinburgh Live
06-07-2025
- Health
- Edinburgh Live
Young Scottish woman's holiday nightmare after 'sun cream mix up'
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A Scottish dancer's face swelled up so much she could barely see after she used tanning oil instead of sun cream. Hally Galletta was making the most of the UK heatwave at an outdoor swimming pool. The 23-year-old forgot her own sun cream and instead applied some of her friend's tanning oil, assuming it had SPF in it. And after four hours in 32C (89F) heat, her face had turned bright red. Hally's face started to swell, and the next morning she was in agony and could barely open her eyes. READ MORE - Oasis fans say gig-goer 'didn't deserve' ticket as they spot what she's doing READ MORE - Alan Titchmarsh makes 'heartbreaking' find after returning home with wife "It was a hot day - 32C with a UV index of eight," Hally, from Perth, told What's the Jam. I normally wear SPF every single day, but that morning I forgot to put it on. "I knew my friend was bringing tanning oil and I used that, not realising it didn't have any SPF in it. I was only in the sun for about four hours. (Image: Jam Press) "When we left the pool, my face was red, but I didn't think too much of it because I'd never had a bad sunburn before. "Later that evening, it started to swell. I put on some aftersun and hoped it would be better by morning, but when I woke up, I could barely open my left eye, and the pain was awful. "I kept trying to manage it at home with aloe vera, antihistamines, ibuprofen and ice, but nothing helped. The next day, my skin felt even tighter, more painful, and then it started to blister and peel." Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. Hally says her face was so red and swollen that people were staring at her in the street. Her face is still recovering, and Hally worries there will be long-term damage to her skin. She said, "It was really noticeable. People were staring when I was out, and when I went to work, everyone was asking if I needed to go home or see a doctor. "My friends and family were really concerned. My face is still healing. It's peeling and sore, and I'm planning to see a doctor soon to check everything is okay and that there's no long-term damage." Hally is sharing her story to raise awareness of the importance of wearing sun cream. She added, "It's been such a wake-up call. I think a lot of people my age still think more about getting a tan than protecting their skin, but I'll never leave the house without SPF 50 on my face again. "It's really not worth the pain or the risk. I'm just praying my face goes back to normal soon."
Daily Record
06-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Scots woman left in agony after mistaking tanning oil for sun cream during heatwave
Hally Galletta was left barely able to open her eyes after using tanning oil without SPF during the UK heatwave. A dancer's face swelled up so much she could barely see after she used tanning oil instead of sun cream. Hally Galletta was making the most of the UK heatwave at an outdoor swimming pool, but the 23-year-old forgot her own suncream and instead applied some of her friend's tanning oil, assuming it had SPF in it. After four hours in 32C (89F) heat, her face had turned bright red. Hally's face started to swell, and the next morning she was in agony and could barely open her eyes. "It was a hot day - 32C with a UV index of eight," Hally, of Perth, Scotland, told What's the Jam. "I normally wear SPF every single day, but that morning I forgot to put it on. I knew my friend was bringing tanning oil and I used that, not realising it didn't have any SPF in it. "I was only in the sun for about four hours. When we left the pool, my face was red, but I didn't think too much of it because I'd never had a bad sunburn before. "Later that evening, it started to swell. I put on some aftersun and hoped it would be better by morning, but when I woke up, I could barely open my left eye, and the pain was awful. "I kept trying to manage it at home with aloe vera, antihistamines, ibuprofen and ice, but nothing helped. The next day, my skin felt even tighter, more painful, and then it started to blister and peel." Hally says her face was so red and swollen that people were staring at her in the street. Her face is still recovering, and Hally worries there will be long-term damage to her skin. She said: "It was really noticeable. People were staring when I was out, and when I went to work, everyone was asking if I needed to go home or see a doctor. "My friends and family were really concerned. "My face is still healing. It's peeling and sore, and I'm planning to see a doctor soon to check everything is okay and that there's no long-term damage." Hally is sharing her story to raise awareness of the importance of wearing sun cream. She added: "It's been such a wake-up call. I think a lot of people my age still think more about getting a tan than protecting their skin, but I'll never leave the house without SPF 50 on my face again. "It's really not worth the pain or the risk. I'm just praying my face goes back to normal soon."
North Wales Live
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- North Wales Live
52-year-old shares exact routine that keeps her looking 20 years younger
Nerys Middleton often gets mistaken for a woman in her 30s. But when the mum-of-one reveals she's actually 52, people are reluctant to believe it. She told What's the Jam: 'It annoys me when people say, 'You don't look 52' and I think, no, I shouldn't – I work hard to look the way I do. You have to.' The fashion influencer believes it's not just down to looks, but a few youthful habits that keep her from ageing as fast as her peers. She added: 'People tell me they think I'm in my 30s because of the way I am. I hang around with people in their 30s, so they talk about what 30‑year‑olds talk about, like Love Island.' Nerys is religious around certain parts of her routine that she believes keeps her young looks in tact, like wearing SPF 50 every day and avoiding the sun at all costs. She spends around £400 each month on vitamins, skincare and beauty treatments like CO2 laser facials. She has also been getting Botox in her forehead since she was 29. But she doesn't drink or smoke and avoids junk food whenever possible. However, despite all of this Nerys believes it's her mindset that has the most powerful anti-ageing effect. She said: 'If you think old, you become old. Most of my friends I met through work are younger than me and we get on because I have a young mindset. 'I spend a lot of time with young friends. We go on holidays, we go clubbing in Budapest. I wouldn't go away with people my own age; they don't like going out and partying. 'I think it's not just about looks, it's how you act. Because I've got younger friends, we talk about younger things and I spend a lot of time with them.' In terms of fashion, Nerys is careful to avoid the 'old-fashioned' trends she saw her mum doing as she grew older, like cutting her hair short and wearing florals. But she's also careful about sticking too closely to what 20-year-olds are wearing. She continued: 'Try and keep make-up to a minimum and see what trends are out there; see what other women are wearing. But don't follow like a sheep, try and think of trends yourself. 'Stay away from ripped jeans and ethnic shorts because they make you look like you're trying too hard. It's the balance in between. You can either look frumpy or look trashy. 'I'm trying to tell people about this balance that's in the middle that can make you look classy, sophisticated and young.'
Daily Mirror
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
'No one believes I'm 52 because Love Island keeps me young'
Nerys Middleton says people often assume she's in her thirties, but claims it's not just down to looks but how she acts that keeps her young Nerys Middleton has surprised many as a fashion influencer, often being mistaken for someone in her 30s despite being 52. She told What's the Jam: "It annoys me when people say, 'You don't look 52' and I think, no, I shouldn't – I work hard to look the way I do. You have to." The mum-of-one attributes her youthful appearance not just to physical looks but also to keeping youthful habits. Which make her seem younger than her contemporaries. Nerys claims that having younger friends and sticking to what they act like is a major factor: "People tell me they think I'm in my 30s because of the way I am. I hang around with people in their 30s, so they talk about what 30‑year‑olds talk about, like Love Island." Religiously adhering to her beauty routine, including daily SPF 50 and avoiding sun exposure, Nerys spends roughly £400 monthly on vitamins, skincare, and various beauty procedures, such as CO2 laser treatments. With Botox treatments since the age of 29. Nerys also has a disciplined lifestyle by avoiding alcohol, smoking, and junk food. But above all, she believes her young mindset is what's preserving her youth. She added: "If you think old, you become old. "Most of my friends I met through work are younger than me and we get on because I have a young mindset. I spend a lot of time with young friends. We go on holidays, we go clubbing in Budapest. I wouldn't go away with people my own age; they don't like going out and partying. "I think it's not just about looks, it's how you act. Because I've got younger friends, we talk about younger things and I spend a lot of time with them." When it comes to fashion, Nerys is mindful to steer clear of the "old-fashioned" trends she observed her mum adopting as she aged, such as short haircuts and floral prints. However, she's also cautious about adhering too closely to what 20 year olds are wearing. She added: "Try and keep make-up to a minimum and see what trends are out there; see what other women are wearing. But don't follow like a sheep, try and think of trends yourself. "Stay away from ripped jeans and ethnic shorts because they make you look like you're trying too hard. It's the balance in between. You can either look frumpy or look trashy. "I'm trying to tell people about this balance that's in the middle that can make you look classy, sophisticated and young."
