Birth control is becoming increasingly popular for women these days, and not just to help prevent pregnancy. Birth control can help decrease cramps and PMS symptoms, help clear skin, even help decrease hair on the body! Women’s Health Magazine had an online quiz to take about knowledge on this oral contraceptive, and even though I’ve been on the pill myself for a number of years, I scored “contraceptive confused.” For instance, I wasn’t aware that having the flu or other stomach alignment can lower the effectiveness of the Pill. Because the contraceptive is digested through the stomach, if you are experiencing vomiting or diarrhea, it may not be digested properly. It is recommended that you use a back up form of birth control combined with the Pill while you are sick. Were you confused at all when you read taking the Pill can help decrease body hair? I was! Body hair is produced because we have testosterone, but taking birth control lowers the female testosterone produced, ultimately decreasing the amount of hair- and shaving time! The quiz at Women’s Health Magazine gives some really good information about birth control and other forms of protection, and I would really recommend checking out that full article. Being knowledgeable is the best form of power and protection.
Who’s the most powerful couple in all of Hollywood? If you guessed hip hop duo Beyonce and Jay-Z, you are correct! Forbes has released their list of top earning celebrity couples, with Beyonce and Jay-Z coming out on top with combined earnings of $122 million between June 2008 and June 2009. (Last year, they topped the list as well, raking in $162 million.) Usmagazine.com reports that Forbes accounts for celebrity’s record sales, movie salaries, touring, merchandising ,and endorsement deals. See where your favorite celebrity couples make the list: 1) Jay-Z and Beyonce Knowles - $122 million 2) Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart - $69 million 3) Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie -$55 million 4) Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith - $48 million 5) David and Victoria Beckham - $46 million 6) Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi - $36 million 7) Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson - $35.5 million 8) Jim Carrey and Jenny McCarthy - $34 million 9) Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes - $33.5 million 10) Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow - $33 million 11) Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick - $29 million 12) Tim McGraw and Faith Hill - $28 million 13) Eva Longoria and Tony Parker - $22 million 14) Katherine Heigl and Josh Kelley - $20 million 15) Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban - $17 million
Joey Fatone and wife Kelly have welcomed their second child together. The former ‘NYSYNC singer told PEOPLE that daughter Kloey Alexandra Fatone was born Monday evening in Orlando, weighing in at 5 lbs, 8 oz. Kloey joins older sister, Briahna, 8 ½. Kelly was diagnosed earlier in the pregnancy with a condition called Methylene-Tetra-Hydro-Folate-Reductase, rare genetic disorder. The disorder can be life threatening to the mother, and also pose a threat that baby will be born with chromosomal defects such as Down's Syndrome. Fatone, 32, reported that his wife suffered fainting spells and an increasing heartbeat, so doctors decided to induce Kelly two weeks early. He also told PEOPLE that both Kelly and Kloey are healthy and doing well.
Get ready for The Bachelor/Bachelorette All Star Cast! People.com has reported that former contestants from the popular ABC dating show will be reunited for a spin off show. The contestants for the new project, titled Bachelor Pad, will live together in a house and compete Big Brother-style for one winner. The show will begin with 20 contestants, and each week a cast member will be booted off. The cast hasn’t yet been released, but executive producer Martin Hilton did say that former winners are onboard. Host Chris Harrison has also been confirmed to emcee. The show is expected to air in late summer.
Fans looking forward to Spider-Man 4 are being disappointed. Usmagazine.com reports that the blockbuster franchise has scrapped plans for a fourth movie, which was set to star Toby Maguire and Kirsten Dunst. Sony Pictures announced their plans of “re-booting” after director Sam Raimi pulled out of production, citing concerns he would not be able to maintain the action flick’s creative integrity nor keep the summer of 2011 release date. Instead, the company will focus on producing a Spider-Man series- with a new director and cast. The movies will be released in the summer of 2012, and will focus on the comic book character’s teenage years.
Are you being as safe as you need to be when you work out? Chances are, you are slipping in at least one area, causing exercise to be an enemy to your body. Shape.com listed four fitness tips that will help you avoid injury while getting your best workout. 1. Don’t Forget to Stretch! I am guilty of this so often, because I feel like I don’t have enough time. But stretching is crucial to a workout; giving you more flexibility and you will be less likely to pull a muscle if everything is stretched out. It’s important to stretch both before and after your workout to get the best results. 2. Overtraining. Exercising too frequently can have harmful effects on the body. The body needs recovery time, so it is important to let muscles rest. If you work your legs one day, the next day work on upper body strength and vice versa. This will cause your body to get stronger while preventing injuries. 3. Doing the Wrong Workout. Shape advises against choosing a workout simply based on its popularity or the fact your friends are doing it. You need to make sure it is a class that will focus on your fitness needs, and most importantly- fit your current fitness level. If you are a beginner, don’t sign up for an advanced kickboxing class. You will more than likely end up hurting yourself, and feeling defeated about working out. 4. Getting Dehydrated. You should never do a workout without enough fluids or food in your system. Shape reports that both are essential to complete a workout and keep up your stamina. Drink water or munch on a protein bar before your workout to keep your energy up. Remember, exercise can be harmful if you are not doing it correctly! Be sure to check out Shape.com for the full article and other fitness tips.
Simon Cowell is the next judge leaving American Idol. Cowell has announced that he is leaving the hit show after his contract ends in 2010. The British music executive- known for his harsh criticisms- will be moving on to judge and produce an American version of his British show The X Factor which will air on FOX in 2011, according to Usmagazine.com. Cowell said in a statement, “I felt like doing something different. I want to leave Idol this year bigger and better than it’s been before.”
Former Spice Girl Mel B will be taking over hosting duties for the show Dance Your Ass Off. Mel B will be replacing former host Marissa Jaret Winokur, and Winokour’s rep told PEOPLE the decision was mutual between his clients and the program. Her rep says, “Marissa’s reasons for not returning to season 2 are the following: the format of the program did not allow her to interact with the contestants and offer them encouragement and support, and criticism she received from producers regarding her appearance.” Executive producer Dan Cutforth has a different take on the situation. His statement reads, “There was a portion of the audience that absolutely loved [Winokur] and a portion that didn’t connect so much with her. We wanted to find a host that really, really connected with our core audience. The core Oxygen audience grew up Spice Girl fans!” Mel B, who is a singer, dancer, mother of 2, and has appeared on Dancing With the Stars couldn’t be more thrilled with her new job. She says, “Dancing has been a big part of my life. I kind of fell into it. I didn’t go, ‘I’m going to dance and lose weight.’ I did it and it just ended up happening, which is brilliant! I’m so excited about doing this show because you get to know [the contestants] and follow them along on their story and their journey.”
