Saturday, 1 February 2014

Photos: Halle on the Red Carpet of the Acapulco Film Festival

Halle Berry attends the closing of the 9th annual Acapulco Film Festival on January 29, 2014 in Acapulco, Mexico.

Thursday, 30 January 2014

The secrets behind Hollywood's Oscar-winning bodies of Halle, Reese, Sandra and Julia

Reese Witherspoon's intense yoga and Julia Roberts' underwater workouts: The secrets behind Hollywood's Oscar-winning bodies

Halle Berry only worked out for five minutes a day to achieve toned abs
Reese Witherspoon was worried about going sleeveless at Oscars
Women's Health magazine quizzed personal trainers behind the stars

By BIANCA LONDON

PUBLISHED: 18:40, 28 January 2014 | UPDATED: 19:12, 28 January 2014

As one of the biggest red carpet moments of an A-lister's career, getting it right at the Oscars is enough to make anyone break out in a sweat.

So it's no surprise those celestial, designer-dress-adorned bodies are the product of intense and gruelling workouts in the months running up to the star-studded event.

Ever wondered how they do it? Women's Health magazine quizzed the personal trainers behind previous Oscar winners' honed physiques.

REESE WITHERSPOON, 2006, BEST ACTRESS FOR WALK THE LINE

Reese found her 1955 vintage Dior dress in a Paris boutique, but even she worried about going sleeveless, so her trainer Matthew Reyes helped her target her shoulders, upper arms and obliques.

'The one body part women fear is a flabby underarm. A dress like Reese's required focus on the triceps, biceps, shoulders and waist,' her trainer Matthew Reyes told the magazine.

Reese got red carpet-ready with a 5km jog three times a week, and by heading to Matthew's YogaHop class.

'It's a 60-minute class that combines yoga moves with cardio and body-weight strength training,' he explains. 'It works all your major muscle groups.'

Her secret's out! Reese, pictured in 2006 with ex-husband Ryan Phillippe, got red carpet-ready with a 5km jog three times a week, and by heading to Matthew's YogaHop class

SANDRA BULLOCK, 2010, BEST ACTRESS FOR THE BLIND SIDE

Sandra's dazzling lace and satin Marchesa number left no margin for error.

It was all about the side profile, so her trainer Simone De La Rue helped her work on her arms and hips.

'The best moves for achieving a sleek silhouette are a combination of strength training and cardio,' said Simone, who uses a fusion of Pilates, strength training and cardio dance moves to get her clients into shape.

'The strength training tones and sculpts the muscles, while cardio strips the outer layer of fat.

'Just 10 minutes of interval training elevates your metabolism. To maximise muscle gain, eat some carbs and protein an hour before you work out,' she advises.

Dazzling: It was all about the side profile with Sandra Bullock's dress so her trainer Simone De La Rue helped her work on her arms and hips

JULIA ROBERTS, 2001 BEST ACTRESS FOR ERIN BROCKOVICH

Smouldering in her Valentino gown, Julia had to work hard to ensure she was honed for the smaller vintage sizes.

She called on Kathy Kaehler - who she's trained with for 20 years - to help her work on her shoulders, arms and hips.

'In the lead-up to that day, we did a lot of push-ups and planks,' reveals Kaehler, working her shoulders, chest and upper arms.

'They're the best moves for upper body conditioning if you don't want to bulk up. We also worked out in her pool to mix it up a bit,' says Kathy.

Water baby: Smouldering in her Valentino gown, Julia had to work hard to ensure she was honed for the smaller vintage sizes by doing water work-outs

HALLE BERRY, 2002 BEST ACTRESS FOR MONSTER'S BALL

Halle's Burgundy Elie Saab gown with sheer bodice was a daring move, one which required focus on abs, back and shoulders.

But, of course, she pulled it off with aplomb - and it only took five minutes a day, according to her long-time trainer, Harley Pasternak.

'She was my inspiration for the five-factor training method. We worked out five times a week for 25 minutes, each day working a different part of the core.

'At home, spend one day working the upper abs, then the lower abs the next day, then the obliques, then the lower back.

'Stability exercises strengthen the major parts of our core and improve the way we look by creating a longer, leaner silhouette.'

Daring: It only took Halle Berry five minutes a day to get in shape, according to her long-time trainer, Harley Pasternak

Read the full secrets behind the most covetable Oscar physiques of all time in the March issue of Women's Health, on sale Wednesday 29 January. Also available as a digital edition.

Women's Health

Halle Berry Shows Lightning Power on New 'X-Men' Magazine Cover!

Halle Berry shows off her lightning powers for the cover of Empire magazine‘s March 2014 issue.

The magazine is releasing twenty-five different covers throughout the course of the day. All of the stars of the film will be getting their own features so make sure to check back to see more!

PHOTOS: Check out the latest pics of Halle Berry

Here are the new covers that have just been released: James McAvoy as Professor X; Michael Fassbender as Magneto; Evan Peters as Quicksilver;Patrick Stewart as an older version of Professor X; Ian McKellen as an older version of Magneto; and director Bryan Singer.

In case you missed it, covers of Jennifer Lawrence and a few other cast members were released earlier in the day.

Halle Berry looks sensational in low-cut dress as she makes red carpet return less than four months after giving birth

Smoking hot mama! Halle Berry looks sensational in low-cut dress as she makes red carpet return less than four months after giving birth

By IONA KIRBY

PUBLISHED: 07:07, 30 January 2014 | UPDATED: 07:36, 30 January 2014

Since giving birth to her second child in October, Halle Berry has been spotted just three times.

But she made it a fourth on Wednesday, and looked absolutely incredible in the process as she unveiled her post-baby body.

The 47-year-old returned to the red carpet with a bang and a sizzle to be honoured at the Acapulco Film Festival in Mexico.

Back with a bang: Halle Berry returned to the red carpet on Wednesday less than four months after giving birth

It was hard to believe it has been less than four months since she welcomed son Maceo with husband Olivier Martinez into the world.

Halle is clearly loving her slim but curvy shape, and it wasn’t hard to see why as she wowed in a little black dress with fringed white sides and a low-cut scoop neck.

The Catwoman star teamed the short and slinky frock with a pair of silver sandals and aside from matching earrings, decided to forgo any accessories.

Muy caliente: The actress looked amazing at the Acapulco Film Festival closing night after party in Mexico

There were no signs of sleepless nights etched on Halle’s pretty face, which was made up with just a touch of eyeshadow, mascara and pink lipstick.

Instead, new motherhood seems to be suiting the actress, who was glowing at the closing night of the festival and its after party.

Halle spoke onstage at the event, where she was presented with the Silver Jaguar Award, which is the festival's highest honour.

Proud of her post-baby body: Halle wore a low-cut, short and slinky black dress with white fringing on the sides

New motherhood suits her: Halle was glowing with little make-up and there were no signs of sleepless nights

The Oscar winner, whose brown crop of hair looked edgy and well-styled, looked thrilled to be back in her element as she giggled at the podium while receiving her trophy.

While Halle has been seen just a couple of times since Maceo's birth, she is yet to show off her young son to the world.

However the X-Men actress is clearly making sure that her daughter Nahla, from a previous relationship with model Gabriel Aubry, feels included.

Back in her element: The 47-year-old was beaming after being presented with the event's Silver Jaguar Award

Returning to work: Halle will soon be commencing filming on her new TV series Extant, in which she plays an astronaut

Halle was spotted on the beach and at the theatre with her five-year-old in December.

The brunette beauty married French actor Olivier in a private ceremony in Vallery, France, in July.

Back in May Halle said she feels it was 'a miracle' that she got pregnant at 46 and added: 'I feel really happy. It's one of the best things that happened in my life, for sure.'

Oh baby: Halle kept her figure under wraps in December. She is yet to show off little Maceo to the world

It's not just the red carpet that she is making a return to as Halle is also about to get back to work and will kick off filming her new TV show Extant soon.

The former Bond Girl stars in the series, due to commence airing later this year, as an astronaut who struggles to readjust to life back home after returning from a year-long mission in space.

It was announced on Wednesday that her scientist husband will be portrayed by ER star Goran Visnjic, while West Wing alum Michael O'Neill has also been cast as a former astronaut.

Now she's a mother-of-two: The last time Halle posed on a red carpet was back in June with now-husband Olivier Martinez