The best thing that came from Helen Thorn's cheating husband
The supermodel whose life was derailed by tragedy and the comedian who discovered something surprising about herself after infidelity. Plus, new denim. Welcome to your weekly dose of MID-spo.
Your relationship with your body might be the most complicated one you'll ever have. So says comedian and podcaster Helen Thorn. And she'd know.
Helen has been performing onstage in a skin-tight gold spandex catsuit for years, at all sizes and shapes, as one half of the Scummy Mummies comedy duo. She says that she always felt "f*cking powerful" in it, and laughed off the patronising head tilts of those who declared her "brave".
But when Helen found out her husband was cheating on her, upended her marriage and headed into lockdown with a broken heart, her relationship with her body began to shift.
This is a story not about losing weight, but about a 'midlife' woman discovering her strength in every sense. What happens to your life, your health, your friendships when you go from living on wine and take-out to running marathons and lifting very heavy things? Well, as it turns out: a lot. Listen to this episode of the MID podcast below and enjoy the rest of this week’s tasty MID morsels.
The tragic story of 90s supermodels Niki and Krissy Taylor
You may not remember her name but if you ever picked up a glossy magazines in the 90s, you’ll likely remember this face. Niki Taylor was one of the youngest and most recognisable supermodels of the '90s and she’s about to turn 50.
She was just 15 when she became a supermodel, landing on the cover of US Vogue before being named the face of Covergirl cosmetics and fronting hundreds of magazine covers and ad campaigns. Her mother, Barbara Taylor, was Niki’s manager and like Kris Jenner, leveraged her elder daughter’s fame to kickstart the career of her younger daughter, Krissi who was three years younger than Niki…….
While joining Niki for the Fall Shows in Milan, Krissy captured the attention of designers. They decided to put her on the runway too. It launched her into a successful career of her own; she graced front covers and catwalks.
Six. That's the number of huge Times Square billboards on which she simultaneously featured on. The only person to have ever claimed such a title.
In her personal life, Niki, then 18, met former footballer Matt Martinez during a coin toss at a football game. Three months later, they eloped to Las Vegas. The following year, Niki gave birth to twin sons.
But it was a difficult delivery, and after being sent home with a bottle of the painkiller Percocet, Niki said her life was changed - "because I was like, 'Wow! Oh my gosh, I can do everything on this."
Then, as her marriage became to come unstuck, Niki was met with tragedy.Â
You can read the full story here…..
THE SCROLL
Some things to feed your mind, heart and brain
Myka and James shared every detail of adopting their son. Then they gave him away.
17 women told us exactly how much they spend on injectables.
A woman tells us about the side effects she experienced on Ozempic.
We published a story about this husband's cheating scandal. The reaction speaks volumes.
There are 7 Types of Rest. Could this be why you’re still tired after a full night’s sleep?
IF YOU READ ONE BOOK THIS MONTH….
…..this is the book everybody’s talking about. All Fours by Miranda July. Here is the literary editor of The Australian, Caroline Overington, raving about it:
People might tell you that this book is about sexual discovery but actually it’s about women who suddenly find after about the age of 45 that they haven’t been living their truth and so decide to either a) burn everything to the ground and start again or b) be completely honest with themselves and others about what they want and who they are. At 45 you may still have 35 or 40 good years left. What are you going to do with them ? Live cringed in fear of what might be out there? Or go out and face the world and see what happens? You don’t want to die thinking: I never was myself. Nobody ever really saw me. THAT’S what this book is about. Go get one.
MID-SPO STYLE: some fresh ways to wear denim
Leonie Barlow is a stylist whose fashion advice is always approachable and never intimidating. She’s our age and - like us - she’s not interested in trying to dress like a 25yo. She gets it. She gets us. So very mid.
Here is her take on some new denim trends to know about - and remember, only wear what brings you joy. Who cares what anyone else is wearing.
And if denim isn’t your vibe, it’s NOT JUST YOU. Lots of women are wanting to take a break from jeans and here’s why.
The #1 Reason Why Women Don’t Exercise
Friction. Not body-parts-rubbing-together friction but the other kind: lifestyle friction. Things like time, space and money. If the type of exercise you want to do is in any way difficult or inconvenient or involves too many decisions or logistics, you probably won’t do it. That’s Mia Freedman’s theory, anyway, and she’s exercised most days for 20 years and she says this is how she’s done it:
1. DO SOMETHING THAT DOESN’T REQUIRE YOU TO LEAVE THE HOUSE
You might have little kids. It might be raining or boiling. Or night-time. You need a form of exercise you can do at home or in a hotel room or an AirBNB.
This also saves you time getting to and from your exercise location.
3. DO SOMETHING THAT DOESN’T NEED EQUIPMENT
For many years, I've used a treadmill but they are tricky to take on holiday, they're expensive to buy, they take up a lot of room and they break down Mine did during lockdown which forced me to explore online exercise videos and apps which have been a game-changer because they’re portable, a fraction of the price of a gym membership and you can use whatever time you’ve got instead of having to commit to a class or a run that takes a fixed amount of time.
The most effective workout is one you enjoy and one you do. Move by Mamamia is a fitness app that ticks both those boxes. Move was made to be low-key, highly effective and a body positive antidote to a lot of the fitness apps and videos that make you feel bad about yourself.
MOVE is the exercise app that fits into your life. There are a range of workouts to suit your day and your needs, and you can filter them to find the right fit for you. Maybe you're low on time? Maybe you hate jumping and need something low-impact? Maybe you're peri and want a strength session? Move will help you find movement that feels good - without judging the length of your socks or negative talk about burning calories.
Mamamia subscribers get unlimited access to all of MOVE, along with everything else we make at Mamamia. If you're not a subscriber yet, you can get $20 off a yearly subscription with the code MID20.
To start a free trial and give MOVE a go, head here
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