Losing weight is tough. It would be easier if a benevolent someone concerned about your health controlled exactly how much you ate and how often you exercised, right? Thats the situation for most dogs and cats in the United States, and yet the majority are overweight or obese.

As with our own dieting woes, the unpleasant prospect of the simple solution feeding our furry friends less makes us reach for alternative, quick-fix strategies. Many pet parents have turned to radically new menus. These grain-free, all-meat and raw-food diets are inspired by the meals eaten by wild relatives of our fidos and felixes.

But are these diets really better for our pets? Veterinarians and pet nutrition researchers say probably not.

According to clinical veterinary nutritionists at Tufts University, grain-free foods were one of the fastest-growing sectors of the pet food market in 2016. All I ever hear is, oh, on a good diet, its grain free, said Dena Lock, a veterinarian in Texas. The majority of her pet patients are overweight.

Why have these pet diets become so popular?

Its a marketing trend, Lock said.

Grain-free is marketing. Its only marketing, said Cailin Heinze, a small-animal nutritionist at Tufts Universitys Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. A lot of foods market themselves by what theyre not including, and the implication is that the excluded ingredient must be bad.

Grain-free is definitely a marketing technique that has been very successful, said Jennifer Larsen, a clinical nutritionist at the University of California Veterinary School in Davis. (Disclosure: I went to graduate school at the University of California at Davis, but studied plants, not pets.) People think that if they pay a lot for food and there are a lot of exclusions on the bag, that the food is healthier, but theyre buying an idea, she said, not necessarily a superior product.

There is absolutely no data to support the idea that grain-free diets are better for pets, Heinze and Larsen noted.

Some pet owners have a false impression that grains are more likely to cause an allergic reaction, but its much more common for dogs to have allergies to meat than to grain, Heinz said. Chicken, beef, eggs, dairy and wheat are the most common allergies in dogs. And its not that theres anything particularly allergenic about these foods, she said, theyre just the most frequently used ingredients.

Marketing campaigns such as Blue Buffalos Wilderness or Chewys Taste of Wild claim that their grain-free, meat-forward formulations better reflect the ancestral diets of our dogs and cats evolutionary predecessors, but the veterinarians I spoke with also questioned this logic.

For one, our pets wild cousins arent all that healthy. People believe that nature is best, Larsen said, but animals in the wild dont live that long and they dont lead very healthy lives.

For dogs, we know that they have diverged from wolves genetically in their ability to digest starches. Dogs arent wolves, said Robert Wayne, a canine geneticist at UCLA. They have adapted to a human diet. Research in Waynes lab showed that most wolves carry two copies of a gene involved in starch digestion, while dogs have between three and 29 copies. According to Heinze, the average dog can easily handle 50 percent of its diet as carbs.

For cats, this argument makes a little more sense. Cats are carnivores rather than omnivores, so they have higher protein requirements than dogs, but cats can digest and utilize carbohydrates quite well, said Andrea Fascetti, a veterinary nutritionist at the University of California Veterinary School in Davis.

Many grain-free pet foods are made with starch from potatoes or lentils and they may be higher in fat. If you cut grains but increase calories, your pet is going to gain weight, Heinze said.

Dogs and cats also have a drastically different lifestyle from wolves or tigers. Pets are almost always spayed and neutered which is in itself a risk factor for obesity. And most live inside or in pens, so their energy needs are reduced dramatically.

In the wild, wolves and feline predators eat the hair, bones and cartilage of their prey, not just meat. For pet owners who do choose to feed their animals an all-meat diet, its essential to add supplements to make sure their pet isnt missing out on key nutrients such as calcium, Fascetti said. And theres the environmental impact to consider: Pets consume a quarter of all animal-derived calories in the United States.

Experts especially caution against feeding pets raw meat. Its not uncommon to find things like salmonella and E. coli and listeria in raw meat, Larsen said. There are a lot of microbes present in our farming systems, and unlike when an animal is hunting in the wild, there are many opportunities for bacteria to contaminate meat between the time an animal is slaughtered and when it reaches our kitchens.

Even if eating contaminated meat doesnt make pets sick, it poses a health risk to pet owners and their children who handle the pet food and waste. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration both warn against feeding raw meat to your pets, and I really cant advocate it, because its not safe for the whole family, Heinze said.

But what about all those benefits you hear about from feeding a raw diet, like shiny coats and less frequent stools? I cant tell you how many clients send me pictures of poop, Larsen said. But changes to a pets bathroom habits dont have anything to do with their food being raw.

Raw diets tend to be lower in fiber, and high fiber probably results in larger stools. But we dont have a sense of whether stool quality and quantity correlate with health, Fascetti said. And that shiny coat probably is because of high fat, Heinze said.

If pet owners wish to formulate their own diets, they should work with their veterinarian and a board-certified nutritionist. If youre feeding your pet a balanced diet such as in a commercial chow, obesity is the biggest nutrition issue pet owners should worry about, Heinze said.

We want our pets to enjoy what theyre eating, so many foods and especially treats are formulated to be high in fat, Larsen said. Most people dont realize that a milk bone has about as many calories as a candy bar, Lock said.

I know the struggle. My own hefty husky mix stares at me with her big brown eyes and licks the window whenever she wants food. Ive taken to calling the dental chews I buy her guilt-a-bones, because I cant help but give her one every time I leave.

But studies have found that feeding dogs to maintain a lean body weight has very positive effects on their overall health and can even increase life span. This is also the case in mice and rats, and we believe that these findings apply to cats as well, Fascetti said.

Theres no one magic diet for every animal. These experts strongly recommend working with your veterinarian to find a diet that works for you and your pet. When it comes to navigating marketing claims in the pet food aisle, Lock suggests finding a company that employs a veterinary nutritionist and does feeding trials. Try not to get too hung up on the no list, Heinze said. Claims like no gluten, no grains, and no soy generally mean no science.

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Grain-Free Pet Foods Are No Healthier, Vets Say - Valley News

Weight loss can be kick started by many things but one Imgur user shared his journey, telling the social sharing site he "wanted a change" after seeing his picture.

User going by the moniker Theguythatdoesthething said: "I was at 210 lbs and ate terrible all the time, I was also into drinking and just overall did not care.

"After looking in the mirror the night I took this pic I decided I was over it and wanted a change."

He took another snap just 16 weeks later documenting his simply incredible change.

The brunette was notably more toned, confident and willing to share his story.

He said: "I have lost 40 lbs in the course of 4 months. I have changed my eating habits, no more fast food, I've been sober for 3 months. The only liquid I take in is water now.

"I am no where near what I want to be but I feel so much better both physically and mentally.

"I had my reservations about posting this but wanted to show that you can lose weight and get into shape if you put your mind to it."

After posing the picture online he came back to the post and added an 'edit', explaining other users had been asking exactly how he dropped the weight so quickly.

He explained for the first eight weeks "it was nothing but treadmill" - he said he worked out on the treadmill Monday to Friday and ran on the roads on the weekends.

The now-buff man said he stopped eating fast food, junk food, stopped drinking fizzy drinks and beer; he only drinks water.

Explaining his diet, the gentleman said for breakfast he eats two eggs and possibly steak. For lunch and dinner he alternates variations of grilled chicken and vegetables.

This is how important eating breakfast is for your health and diet.

Now he lives on a low to no-carb diet where he eats as much meat as he wants - and at least six times a day.

He does this six days a week with a dedicated cheat day where he eats whatever he would like to.

The Imgur user explained he has started lifting weights which makes it "imperative to consume large amounts of protein" in his eyes.

He added: "My biggest advice is to change your diet, Instead of eating three big meals eat six smaller ones, and make the meals relatively healthy or it won't work.

"Chicken and fish is your friend, along with low carb salads (no dressing) and low carb veggies.

"Just watch out because even a lot of fruits are packed with carbs.

"My best advice is to get a macro tracker and be truthful with what you put down or it does no good."

Read more:
Weight loss: Man cut THIS from his diet, lost nearly THREE stone in four months - Express.co.uk

As Emily Sim lays slices of avocado onto a bed of rice and seaweed, she counts each piece with her two-year-old son Henry. Youre doing well, arent you? she coos, snuggling the boisterous toddler, who asks for more dried mango as he watches his mum prepare the familys evening meal.

Henry has been raised as a vegan from birth he doesnt eat eggs, dairy products or meat. Sim avoids leather, silk and wool in his clothing, and constantly checks bottles to ensure baby lotions are cruelty-free and not tested on animals. There are some things you can never avoid, she says. But we do the best we can.

Sim, an Australian, runs the Facebook group Veg Parents Hong Kong, which she set up not long after moving to the city with her husband in 2015 just before Henry was born. She is one of a number of local parents proving that children can thrive as vegetarians or vegans, even in a city where meat or dairy-free options arent easy to spot on menus.

The group is a source of information and tip-sharing for its 350 members, who swap recipes, ideas for meat substitution, and advice on the best places to buy food, and also organise meat-free social events. We have vegans, pescatarians [people who eat fish, but not other flesh], vegetarians ... and many are still eating meat but are trying to give their kids more veggies, Sim says.

Compared to an adult choosing to make the switch to a non-animal diet, raising a vegan baby comes with extra nutritional considerations, particularly during the nursing phase when the babys brain is developing. Mothers who cannot, or choose not to, breastfeed can use soya-based formulas, which, although nutritionally complete, can contain vitamins derived from animals.

The World Health Organisation recommends a plant-based diet rich in vegetables and warns against processed meat, while doctors say babies can be raised safely on a meat-free diet if parents make sure theyre getting enough nutrients.

Debate in the vegan community was stirred recently by the case of a Belgian couple convicted of the death of their severely malnourished infant son. The seven-month-old was fed a meat-, dairy- and gluten-free diet from birth, and, in the absence of breast milk, was given various milks made from different types of flour and grains, which lacked nutrients and protein.

In June, the judge ruled the babys death in 2014 was the result of the systematic offer of food that was not suitable. Instead of noting the parents failure to feed their son enough calories and take him to hospital before it was too late, headlines instead spotlighted their veganism and stirred up outrage towards the wider vegetarian community.

Coverage of the case was unfair, says Hongkonger Stevie Go, who runs Meat Free Hong Kong, a group that promotes vegetarian and vegan diets and organises events. He said the babys death was not caused by veganism, and caused a moral indignation that meat-eating parents wouldnt be subjected to.

Highlighting vegan parents in child-neglect cases has clickbait potential that doesnt seem to exist for omnivorous parents, he says. Go, who became vegetarian 27 years ago and vegan 10 years later, extols the benefits of raising children on an animal-free diet.

Diets without animal products dont just offer all the nutrition requirements for optimal human health, he says. They are also without nasties such as cholesterol that are impossible to avoid when eating animal products.

Dr Fatima Cody Stanford, an obesity specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital in the US, says to ensure their childs brain develops healthily, Parents need to pay particular attention to adding vitamin B12, calcium, zinc, and high-quality protein to their childs diet to ensure optimal nutrition and growth. If some nutrients arent easy to source, parents can use supplements, she says.

Sim is used to questions about her sons health. Often, when people find out Henry is vegan, theyll be shocked. Theres a misconception that hes neglected and malnourished, she says. But I tell people that organisations around the world, like the American Association of Dieticians, state that a vegan diet is healthy for all stages of life.

The family sees a dietitian every six months and Sim says the check-ups are for peace of mind, as she is confident that her son is flourishing. I know more about nutrition than many other parents because Ive done so much reading. I wouldnt raise him vegan unless I was 100 per cent sure it was safe and healthy. And we know that it is.

Although her husband eats meat when the family visits restaurants, the food Sim prepares at home is vegan. But she suspects Henry will want to copy his father and try meat one day. I wouldnt be too concerned, but, personally, I wouldnt want to buy or cook meat for him, she says. My approach is to teach him about compassion. I want him to be aware of what that meat is and the cruelty involved. Hopefully hell stick with veganism and continue to be compassionate.

Megha Chaddah is one of the mums who found Sims forum useful after moving to Hong Kong 18 months ago from India, where vegetarianism is just a way of life, she says. No one sees it as being out of the ordinary, or asks if our diets need to be supplemented.

A vegetarian since the age of 12 for ethical reasons, Chaddah has a two-year-old daughter Rhea, who eats eggs and some dairy foods, but not meat. Like Sim and her husband, Chaddahs partner is omnivorous, and the family has two cats that eat meat.

As Rhea starts linking the friendly fish she sees on TV with the tinned tuna the familys pets devour, the couple expects its just a matter of time before she starts asking questions. And like Sim, if Rhea wanted to try meat, Chaddah wouldnt be upset. Rhea is starting to get more aware and, one of these days, shes going to ask why is daddy eating different from us?

Id try to explain why mama wasnt eating that. Shes pretty smart its like if Im baking and say, dont touch the oven. She doesnt have to touch it to know its hot.

Being vegetarian in Hong Kong is easy and inexpensive, says Chaddah, who shops online for bulk foods, like lentils, a staple of Indian cooking and a favourite source of B-vitamins and protein among both vegans and vegetarians. She says she has never been in any doubt over whether Rhea is getting enough nutrients.

In Indian cooking, most of the food groups are covered: your plant-based proteins, your carbs, fats, dairy, and trace vitamins ... I feel that Western families thinking about going vegan have a lot more concerns in terms of nutrition whether theyre getting enough compared to meat eaters, she says.

Chaddah doesnt see herself becoming full vegan in the near future, but has cut down on milk due to her concerns about the dairy industry. Given Im a mum now, the thought of taking milk away from another baby is starting to throw me off ... Its a difficult habit to break but Hong Kong has lots of different choices, like soy and almond milk, she says.

In vegan restaurateur Grace Nguyens eyes, veganism neednt be a compromise when it comes to feeding her two daughters, aged nine and 12. The Vietnamese chef, who has been vegan since 2002, runs two vegan restaurants in her home country. Food education has always been important to Nguyen: while pregnant, she did a lot of research into what nutrients she should be consuming.

And rather than showing her children graphic documentaries about the farming industry, she simply took them for ice cream one day to illustrate why the family was vegan. She explained that the dessert they were enjoying came at a high cost to the environment, and the calves having been separated from their mothers.

Her own move to veganism was rooted in both scientific facts and spirituality. Being vegan is good for your health, the environment and animals, she says. Killing animals for our pleasure isnt right. Theyre intelligent, they have feelings, they feel pain and theyre scared to die. My daughters understand that very well.

As well as home-made vegan ice cream, Nguyen has also created versions of fried chicken, macaroni and non-dairy cheese, burgers and banh mi sandwiches to make sure her daughters dont feel like theyre missing out on treats or fast food their friends are eating.

All three mums agree that the meat-free movement is gaining momentum in Hong Kong, meaning that their children will grow up in a city that increasingly understands and caters to their diets.

Raising a vegan child takes some education, Sim says. But we really try to think of it as a lifestyle. In Hong Kong, there are more vegan restaurants and more vegan options in non-vegan restaurants. People are leaning towards veganism more now. Its on the up all over the world. Its becoming more normalised.

See more here:
Meet the meat-free Hong Kong parents on a vegan mission - South China Morning Post

Heidi Klum has spent much of the past quarter of a century baring her body, whether through her famous tenure as a Victoria's Secret Angel, her always memorable Halloween costumes, her endless Instagrams from the beach, or, of course, the many ensuing tabloids shots of hergaspunapologetically topless on said beaches. But in her forties, a usually unheard of era in this industry that for Klum only seems to have somehow brought more successshe now also hosts three TV shows: Project Runway, Germany's Next Top Model, and America's Got Talent, and tirelessly promotes them even from the beachshe's found another way to show off her confidence, too: For the past couple of years, she's been designingand of course modelingher own Heidi Klum Intimates lingerie and swimwear line, which is about to see a serious world takeover from the brand Bendon's usual realm of Australia to 10,000 stores around the globe.

The expansionand her new collection, which is full of everything from silky slips to maternity braswas enough to make even Klum, who barely ever has time to sit down for some avocado toast, to celebrate with a so-called "Bra Brunch" in Los Angeles this week, where she also revealed her new campaign, shot by Francesco Carrozzini. Safely settled once again amidst the florals, Klum, who once reminded the president that every woman is a 10, shared why she's always been so comfortable with her body, how she takes care of her skin, and how still manages to eat everythingyes, even pasta.

Working in intimates is of course nothing new for you, but when and why did you decide to get into designing them?

Well, Ive obviously been working with one of the biggest lingerie companies for over 15 years, but three years ago, I was asked by Bendon if I would take over the Elle Macpherson intimates brand, which had come to an end after they'd been working with her for 25 years. I wasnt that familiar with themthey're situated in Australiaand was in a different lingerie world at that time, but I looked at all the pieces and quality, and since their product has been really beautiful, I said, Why not? I love sexy lingerie and I love women, and Ive been designing off and on for many different ventures for 15 years. I started with Birkenstock, designed for Jordache jeans, had a capsule collection for New Balance, made childrens clothes for Babies "R" Us and Toys "R" Us, had a jewelry line for Mouawad that sold out on QVC... What am I forgetting?

Well, thats quite a roster already.

So Ive done a lot of different things, and Ive always loved designingit's actually something I wanted to do as a child. When I finished school, I actually applied to one of the fashion design school in Dsseldorf, but then I won the modeling contest in 1992 and my life took a different path. So it didnt happen then, but its always been my passion, and I feel like now, my time has kind of come around to do the things I originally actually wanted to do. And for the past two years now, Ive been designing lingerie and swimwear, and now I have a new partner thats huge in Europe, the supermarket chain Lidl. People in America arent familiar with them yet, but will be, because were opening many, many stores in America, starting in September, which is when Ill be going in with my clothing line in 10,000 stores in 34 countries around the world. It's definitely the biggest design venture that Ive ever doneIve never reached that many people. My Heidi Klum intimates and swim line is now in over 2,000 stores around the world, so 10,000 is enormous and even bigger than I can imagine, and Im very, very excited about thatespecially for the fashion I get to do for the prices, which are just unbeatable.

Heidi Klum in the new Heidi Klum Intimates campaign shot by Francesco Carrozzini.

Heidi Klum Intimates/Francesco Carrozzini

Is keeping prices low a priority of yours?

What's great about going into so many stores is that I have the opportunity to make them quite affordable for women around the world. This Tuesday on Americas Got Talent, for example, I wore one of my designs, which is a beautiful leopard suit I designed for Lidl. Everyone was like, what is this, Dolce & Gabbana? How much is this, $1,500? I was like, actually, nothe pants are $12.99 and the blazer is $19.99.

Even though you have quite the design background, were you at all intimidated getting into intimates in particular, having worked so much with Victoria's Secret and coming on the heels of another supermodel, Elle Macpherson?

I mean, obviously I wanted to be as successful as they have been in the past. But I also had to change a lot of things, because Elles design aesthetic, which was more of a full coverage bra, a lot of bows, very feminine, very flowery laces, a lot of push-up and a lot of padding, which is not necessarily my aesthetic. But a lot of women do love that, so some of those styles I kept, but at the same time, the trends are changing and I feel like a more natural shape is dueI couldnt find any racer-backs or strapless bras or triangle bras, for example, so I wanted to expand the line and make something for younger customers and someone who is not as chesty and likes more of a natural fit. But to be honest, I dont really look and be like, Oh my god, I have to be like this person or that brandI try go with my gut feeling and what I believe is beautiful.

Heidi Klum launching Heidi Klum Man at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, 2016.

Caroline McCredie/Getty Images

What do you believe is beautiful? How would you characterize your own aesthetic and approach to design?

I do three [TV] shows currently, and I get inspired by all of them; I travel all over the place and I always go to flea markets and cute little stores and I always keep an eye on street style in small cities and different countries. When I start designing, subconsciously these things obviously filter down; when different vendors, say, present me new laces, I think of all of that. There are so many wild and beautiful things being developed out therenot just polka-dot or flower lace like beforeso when people come to me with a new one, I buy it so that no one else can have it, and then I start playing with it. I have what I call "dummy bras" and I play with them, how to place the lace and in what colors, at home. And then I meet with my teambecause obviously I cant sewand they start making the first samples. I do my presentation on what I believe on what I believe is going to be the next thing, and then they help me develop my ideas and make them become reality.

You got even more into intimates, an industry that typically targets a younger audience, when you were in your forties. Have your feelings about wearing underwear and swimsuits, especially in public, changed at all as youve aged?

For me personally, not much has changed. I still wear triangle bikinis that I have in the pastand most of the time bottoms, not even tops. [Laughs.] You are who you are, I guess, and Im always going to be more of a free-spirited person and more open with my body. Ive never been really shy with my body, and I think thats also due to the way I grew up. Lets say I was at home and walked into my parents bedroom and they were changingthey wouldnt be like, Oh my god, close the door. Its not like we all walk around naked at homedefinitely notand I didnt walk around naked in my house with my parents, but if they would walk in on me changing or vice versa, we wouldnt hide ourselves, like it was something you shouldnt be seeing. It's just very natural. If it was summertime, my mom would be sunbathing topless outside, because thats what I saw my mom do, now my children see me sunbathe topless. So if Im 25 or in my thirties, or now in my forties, it doesnt really change just because I have a different age now. Do you know what I mean? Its kind of just a way of living and being, I guess.

What about your approach to fitness and your diet? Has that changed as you've aged?

Not really, I think because Ive been modeling now for over 25 years. My life changed 25 years agoit definitely did. Being in Germany, eating a different kind of diet and my moms cooking: Its very greasy, theres a lot of heavy cream sauces, we have potatoes with everything, we have salad with heavy whipping cream with oil and pepper and salt. Here, its definitely very different; its more balsamic vinegar with oil and pepper and salt. And living in New York by myself as a young girl and not having the money to go out to eat all the time, I learned to cook and make my own foodand eat healthy, because Im a model and you have to have great skin, great nails, great hair. You have to be fit, and if you dont want to exercise so much, you better be watching what you eat and you dont eat so much candy and muffins and bagels and cream cheese and all that stuff. In order for me not having to go to the gym that much, I had to learn how to eat differently than when I was still living with my parents. So its not like Oo, now Im older, I have to changeit really changed 25 years ago, when this job became my job.

Are there any routines youve stuck to in those past 25 years?

People are always like, What do you eat? I eat everythingI just dont eat a lot of fattening food or a lot of bread, or pasta, obviously. I eat all those things, too, just not as much as others do. I dont eat bagels with cream cheese every morningI eat yogurt with tons of fruit instead, or I make myself eggs with vegetables inside. I eat food that actually fuels the body, because theres definitely food that energizes you, and food that you dont really need. And I try to stay away from food that I dont really need.

How do you take care of your skin, especially as someone who likes to spend time on the beach?

See, I believe in living my life, and I believe in enjoying life. Im not someone who hides in the house or in the shade. I like to enjoy my life and I have to have fun, and if my skin ages by being in the sun, so be it. I do try to protect my skin because of the ozone of everything, so I definitely use some protection or I wear a hat, because I dont want to uber-fry my face. I use it, but I also love the sunI love how it feels on my skin, I love the way it smells. I love being in the salt water, and I like to have funI dont want to be all covered up head-to-toe. I want to live and enjoy all these gorgeous places and roll around in the sun and in the sand.

What are your go-to skincare products?

A lot of the time Ill choose the childrens products I put on my children, because if its good for them, Im sure its good for me, too. I usually have a very high [SPF] number for protectionand I still get really tan, even with 50. But I love when you kind of look like a marshmallow thats just been roasted on a fireI feel like that nice gold glow makes everything look great on your skin. I feel super sexy when Im a little tan, because I feel like every swimsuit pops and looks so much better. You definitely do have to protect from the sun, but I do love it and I definitely still go in it.

I imagine you dont have too much time to do so, though, with everything you have going on.

Well, I do vacation quite a bit, I do. Because I feel like if Im at home, someone will come by and ask me to do something, or I get too many emails from my office, or people ask me to do more things even though I said I took the week off. So I tend to go on a quick one week here or a long weekend there, and people will probably catch me on the beach more often than others, but I literally have to kind of disappear with my family or friends somewhere in order to really take a breather. I shoot three shows right now, which always takes a very long timewhen I shoot Germanys Next Topmodel, its three-and-a-half months, so sometimes afterwards, Im like, I have to go away for five or six days and really take a breather before I then roll into the next venture, which is now Americas Got Talent every weekand then another season of Project Runway. So I do like to take off in between. I love being on the beach, and I love being on a boatthat I absolutely love that the most. To me, there's nothing that feels more free.

Related: Gabby Reece, Still in Pro Beach Volleyball Shape at 47, Wants You to Know That Food Is Your Friend

See Jasmine Tookes Try on the $3 Million Victoria's Secret Fantasy Bra:

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Heidi Klum, 44, Doesn't See Why Women Her Age Should Be Afraid of Bikinis, Even If She Prefers to Go Topless - W Magazine