If you’re keeping a close eye on your weight, drinking diet drinks should probably be the first thing to go.

According to a new study, children who drink diet drinks consume around 200 extra calories elsewhere in their diets and more added sugar in other food and drink.

The sugar-free alternatives are meant to be healthier, but the children who drank them actually just ended up eating more to compensate.

Researchers from George Washington University found all soft drinks bumped up children’s calorie counts – the full sugar drinks had the worst effect, but diet drinks were still noticeably worse than water.

The study looked at the diets of more than 7,000 children in the US and found only those who mostly drank water consumed fewer calories.

A 10-year-old child should need only around 2,000 calories per day, so regularly adding an additional 200 calories could take up a large proportion of their daily allowance.

Children drinking mainly sugary drinks took in an extra 312 calories, while those who drank both diet and full-sugar added 450 calories per day.

It is thought that people who drink sugar-free drinks may feel more hungry afterwards because the drinks don’t contain any calories.

According to research by Johns Hopkins University in 2014, people’s brains expect the energy that they would get from a full-sugar drink – and when they don’t get it, it leads them to crave those calories from a different source.

This could lead to them eating more over the course of the day to fill the void left by the calorie-free drink.

As a healthier alternative, the experts suggest that children could have sparkling water mixed with 100% fruit juice and a handful of pieces of fresh fruit.

‘These results challenge the utility of diet or low-calorie sweetened beverages when it comes to cutting calories and weight management,’ explained the study author Dr Allison Sylvetsky.

‘Our findings suggest that water should be recommended as the best choice for kids and teens.’

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Anton Savchuk, a builder from Russia, has been using his construction experience to help war veterans and disabled people.

The 33-year-old renovates their homes for free to make it a bit better and a bit brighter for them to live in.

He helps all kinds of vulnerable old people, but war veterans have a special place in his heart.

Anton doesn’t think that anyone who served for their country should have to live in poor conditions.

A few people help Anton with the home transformations which normally take between two-three weeks and the team covers 99% of the costs.

But since he’s started documenting the stories, people from all over the world have started donating money to help his cause.

Anton now hopes to help other people in the country and provide his services more widely.

‘I am a builder with great experience and began to notice on TV how officials go to war veterans’ homes and hand over various medals and gifts but their housing conditions are far from good,’ he tells Metro.co.uk.

‘It hurt me very much to watch. These people give [so much] to their homeland but do not live very well.

‘At best, they are remembered once a year, only on 8th May (Victory Day).

‘People want to encourage me (they send me tea, coffee, cookies, and simply say thank you), they wish good luck in this difficult task. It is very unexpected and extremely pleasant.

‘We use our own money which I saved up (after all, it’s foolish to start projects without money) and small donations that come from the U.S, Canada and European countries.’

Now, he and his small team are looking for sponsors to help the service take off.

Anton tells Metro.co.uk about one home he repaired that really stayed with him.

‘The best and most memorable repair we made was for a war veteran, Vasily Fedorovich. It was a lot of money invested.

‘The 95-year-old veteran still wanted to live and the repair just changed something in his life for the better. After the repair, people feel good, because they have never had something like this in their lives.’

And it’s not just financial help he wants from people. Anton hopes people from abroad will send souvenirs and trinkets from their countries to the war heroes to make them feel appreciated.

‘There are a lot of different ideas, but the main thing now is for our project to survive, because there’s no money to get anywhere.

‘Crowdfunding is very underdeveloped in our country, and as far as I know, people from Russia cannot open a collection at GoFundMe, and we would like to.

‘If the project does well, then we will get to teachers and doctors, they also have a small salary.’

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Scrabble is a game for those who with wide vocabularies who know their words. Younger people who perhaps haven’t had as much time to hone their lexicon, however, are set to get a new advantage.

22 new words have been added to the game, and some are going to be completely unintelligible for those above the SnapChat generation.

Collins Official Scrabble Words include a whole load of topical talking points, from antivaxxer to incel, and from shebagging to manspreading, giving you more and more chances to grab a triple word score.

The words are updated each year, with spikes in usage helping powers that be decide what goes in.

One of the more controversial on the list may be OK, as previously only okay was acceptable in the game. Hackerazzo will get you the most points at 27 – as well as helping you use up pesky Zs.

Let’s take a look at the full list.

New scrabble words for 2019

1. Agender – of a person who does not identify with a gender (9 points)
2. Antifa – anti-fascist organisation (9 points)
3. Antivaxxer – person opposed to vaccination (19 points)
4. Bae – sweetheart or lover (5 points)
5. Blud – friend (7 points)
6. Burquini – swimming costume covering the whole body apart from the face, hands and feet (19 points)
7. Cisgender – having an assigned birth gender and gender identity that are the same (13 points)
8. Ew – expression of disgust (5 points)
9. Fatberg – large mass of fat in a sewer (13 points)
10. Fleek – as in ‘on fleek’, stylish (12 points)
11. Genderqueer – person with a non-traditional gender identity (22 points)
12. Hackerazzo – person who hacks a celebrity’s personal computer (27 points)
13. Hench – fit and muscular (13 points)
14. Incel – involuntary celibate (7 points)
15. Kompromat – potentially damaging documents, photographs, etc, kept for blackmail (19 points)
16. Mansplaining – of a man explaining something to a woman in a condescending way (13 points)
17. Manspreading – when a male passenger spreads his legs into the seats beside him (18 points)
18. Misgender – refer to a person as the wrong gender (13 points)
19. OK – okay (6 points)
20. Remainer – person who remains (10 points)
21. Qapik – monetary unit of Azerbaijan (20 points)
22. Shebagging – when a female passenger places her bag on the seat beside her (18 points)

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Ikea is selling blinds that can be fitted to any window without the need for any tools – and they are only £3.

If you have a pesky window where the sun is always shining in your eyes, then these blinds are perfect.

The Schottis pleated blind comes in white and it can be cut to any size window.

It is attached with a sticky strip, meaning no drilling needed.

There are clips included to keep the blind open and if you want to close it completely, you can fasten it to the bottom of the window frame using the included hook-and-loop fastener.

The blind is 190cm long and 90cm but if your window is bigger, you can combine multiple blinds.

There’s also a dark grey block out version if you want to avoid light shining through – perfect to help you sleep.

The blinds were posted on the Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK Group and people were impressed.

A post said: ‘Lots of our group members have been sharing photos of the £3 Ikea Blind in their home! Perfect for adding some extra privacy for your home’

Many used them for doors and slim windows, where it can be hard to buy a blind to fit without getting it specially fitted.

One person commented: ‘I have these all over my house. Love them.’

Another added: ‘I highly recommend the £3 Blinds from Ikea. So easy to put up and look really nice in my little boys room.’

If you need a little extra privacy, these seem like a quick and cheap solution.

You can pick them up in store or order them online, but you’ll need to pay a shipping fee.

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Burger King US has just launched its own version of McDonald’s Happy Meals… except they’re slightly less happy.

The ‘Real Meals’ poke fun at the Happy Meals, with Burger King’s slogal being: ‘No one is happy all the time’.

Which, let’s face it, is true.

The Real Meals come in five boxes: ‘Pissed’, ‘Blue’, ‘Salty’, ‘YAAAS’ and ‘IDGAF’.

We know, super modern slogans – Burger King’s definitely going after millennials here.

Each box contains a Whopper burger as well as fries and a drink.

However, unfortunately they’re not available in the UK – as we’re not allowed nice (well, not so nice) things, apparently.

Though the burgers are poking fun at McDonald’s, they also launch as part of Mental Health Awareness Month, which takes place this month.

Burger King has partnered with Mental Health America to launch them for the awareness month.

A spokesman told Fox Business: ‘With the pervasive nature of social media, there is so much pressure to appear happy and perfect.’

The Real Meals come after it was announced Burger King would be launching a veggie Whopper burger in hopes of attracting more customers.

The ‘Impossible Whoppers’ are made with plant-based patties from Impossible Foods, and the fast food giant will trial the new product in 59 restaurants in the city of St Louis.

If they’re successful, the meat-free burgers will be rolled out internationally.

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The UK’s ‘most haunted pub’ – which was even named after the devil – is on the market for £450,000.

The Devil’s Stone Inn is said to be home to a number of ghosts.

Located in Shebbear, Devon, the pub is named after the village’s unusual tradition of annually turning a one-tonne stone.

It is said that the ‘stone fell from the devil’s pocket as he fell from heaven to hell, and turning it keeps evil spirits at bay.’

The stone is located opposite the pub, near the village church, and is a type not found anywhere else in Europe.

The Devil’s Stone Inn is said to be attached to the church by a hidden tunnel.

The pub is currently for sale at an asking price of £450,000 and has a bar, games room, function room, eight letting bedrooms plus owner’s accommodation.

Despite being appararently haunted, the pub is described as a ‘characterful village inn’ compromising of eight letting bedrooms, one private bedroom and a beer garden.

The sales brochure reads: ‘In the heart of the West Devon village of Shebbear on the edge of the village square, the pub is in an eye-catching position which is easily accessible to tourists and locals alike.

‘Shebbear is a thriving village offering a pleasant atmosphere with a historic church, general store/off licence and a private school: Shebbear College.’

A former farmhouse, the pub was converted into a coaching inn 400 years ago.

The brochure continues: ‘The pub is in the heart of the village and is famous for the turning of the stone – namely the ‘Devil Stone’ which is turned on the 5th of November every year.

‘The stone is 6ft x 4ft and is said to weigh a tonne. Legend has it that when the stone is turned the village will be safe from harm in the forthcoming year.

‘The pub is also reputed to have a tunnel from the pub function room to the village church. It is also reputedly one of the most haunted pubs in the United Kingdom.’

On Tripadvisor the Devil’s Stone Inn has a rating of four out of five, and many of the comments are from visitors who went looking for ghosts, but were unsuccessful.

One review reads: ‘An old coaching inn reputed to be haunted which we used as a base for an extended golf weekend’ and is titled simply: ‘We saw no ghosts’.

But apparently, according to the legend, the inn is haunted by a young girl aged around seven years old. She was seen by a student in 1982 staying at the pub, who saw her in his bedroom, accompanied by a grey bearded man.

Another visitor came across her in the upstairs toilet. By all accounts, however, she is considered to be a friendly ghost.

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Nearly 50% of companies expect that automation will lead to some reduction in their full-time workforce by 2022.

By 2030 experts expect that robots will replace 800 million jobs. So how do we, humans, protect ourselves from becoming completely obsolete?

Rather than focus on the negatives, maybe it is more useful to think about the skills we can build on rather than trying to directly compete with the machines.

‘Predicting jobs of the future is fraught with difficulty,’ Dominic Atkinson, founder of startup Stay Nimble, tells Metro.co.uk.

‘Our unique human qualities will really define jobs of the future. Our empathy, our divergent thinking, our creativity. The increasing capability of technology may actually make our work more human.’

While this prediction would make industries such as banking, law and accounting susceptible to automation, professions relying on ‘the human touch’ – doctors, teachers and care workers – are generally much safer.

A third of the global workforce may need to retrain to avoid losing their jobs, a report by the McKinsey Global Institute argues.

We asked the experts to find out which skills we need to work on to boost our future employability.

Social intelligence

So much of business and development takes place between meetings, in the hallways, in the conversations at the bar. To remove human interaction from work would be to drastically limit our potential for progress.

Understanding how best to communicate in different situations is a nuanced skill that will take more than an algorithm to perfect.

‘Our ability to connect with and communicate effectively with people, not just locally but globally so appreciation of different cultures, approaches and the strength that comes from this diversity is increasingly vital,’ business coach Colette Reilly says.

‘Jobs that are able to be replaced by robots will be replaced by robots, up and re-skilling isn’t a preventative measure that will stop change.

‘Ensuring we develop the above skills means we are gifting ourselves the capacity to embrace new opportunity.’

Emotional intelligence

Companies are starting to cotton on to the fact that the emotional wellbeing of their employees is a vital component in their productivity.

‘Technology is brilliant and will allow us to create jobs we can’t even predict today,’ careers coach Sherry Bevan says.

‘However in order for businesses and people to get the most out of technology, we need to be able to recognise, understand and manage our own emotions, as well as recognise, understand and influence the emotions of others.

‘At the end of the day business is still about people.’

It seems like emotions are the things that algorithms are finding it most difficult to replicate.

‘The main thing that differentiates us from machines is the emotions humans have that robots can’t possess,’ Bethany Fearn, senior consultant at TMI Resourcing, says.

‘Our emotions are what makes us passionate and creative, which are arguably two of the most invaluable skills in driving your career forward.

‘There are also technological skills and understanding behaviours that are something that I don’t believe machines will ever be able to replicate, and those are the ones we must hone in to ensure our jobs are safe.’

Visionary leadership

Think about the impact of inspiring leadership.

A rousing team meeting can transform your day, galvanise the workforce and instill you with a deeper sense of purpose.

For leadership like this you need eye contact, you need someone who can read the room, someone who can intuitively understand what motivates their team.

‘Even robots need visionary leaders,’ says Sherry.

‘Leaders who can successfully inspire, motivate and hold the vision for the business and for the employees, in the hard times as well as the good times.’

Copywriting

The ability to connect with an audience through nothing but words is vital in sales, advertising, marketing and news reporting. It is not just about writing accurate sentences that make sense grammatically, it is about the evocation of emotion.

There have already been trials where bots have written near-perfect news copy for websites, but when it comes to human stories, they still need a human hand.

‘Copywriting skills might seem in stark contrast to emotional intelligence and visionary leadership, but no matter how far robots, AI and technology influence our lives at home and at work, at the end of the day, businesses sell to people,’ argues Sherry.

‘Good copywriters for websites and for social media will always be in high demand to add the people story and the human content.’

Adaptability

Given the rate of change, it’s vital for employees to be ready to adapt to an ever-changing work environment. A thirst for knowledge and a commitment to continue learning after formal education will help to give you an edge.

‘If we consider that 41% of future skills are likely to be acquired later in life (people now learn 80% of their skills and knowledge before 21), the first skill that employees can focus on today to thrive in a rapidly changing work environment is learning to learn efficiently and effectively,’ Dominic from Stay Nimble says.

‘There is general malaise in adult learning for a number of reasons, however new opportunities will come with learning and we need to encourage learning throughout our lives.

‘We’ll need to be prepared to invest more of our time in learning, and start insisting that our employers provide us more time during our working days to dedicate to learning.

‘Importantly, directing this time towards combinations of new skills with our unique human skills and characteristics will give us more opportunity to work alongside new technology, rather and trying to compete with it.

Critical thinking, creativity and collaboration (the three Cs)

Dominic is certain that the way to ensure human survival in the workplace is to work with the developing technology, rather than fearing it.

‘It’s important to think about complimentary skills with automation, rather than thinking about how to outcompete automation,’ he tells Metro.co.uk.

‘Some tasks will be better performed by future uses of technology but others are much harder to automate. Learning how to work alongside technology will become a critical skill and applying the “three Cs” will be key to this.

‘Critical thinking in a world of ambiguity and nuance is becoming vital, particularly with the rise of misinformation.

‘Practically, things like information literacy (understanding sources, source credibility assessment) and ethics skills (especially connecting, interpreting and imagining concepts relating to ethics) are worthwhile skills to be developing and honing coming into the new decade.’

Bethany from TMI Consulting thinks human empathy is a skill that shouldn’t be overlooked.

‘So long as there are people to be serviced by the careers we have, there will always be a need for people on the end,’ she says.

‘People like to interact with other people, and empathy and understanding behaviours are skills that cannot be replaced by machinery.

‘You should be empathetic and passionate about everything you do in your career anyway, but having this drive and this skill will make you irreplaceable.’

Practical qualifications

While education and qualifications will continue to be important in the future, experts say what we learn and how we approach education needs to change.

‘People will still need qualifications but in the future, they need to provide potential recruiters with evidence of their competencies, attributes and skills developed through real world work experiences,’ says Ian Boardman, head of careers development and employment at the University of Salford.

‘Employers look for proven credentials but these qualifications will become increasingly practical and commercially-focused.

‘Honing your human and professional skills will stand you in good stead. Employers need recruits who are personable and professional in how they communicate.

‘Robots are developing the artificial intelligence and ability to behave and interact as humans and to replace humans in delivering specific tasks but recruiters still need people to make and develop technology.

While the growth of automation is seen as inevitable, experts are clear about workforces needing to be ready for change. And soon.

‘The fast pace of technological change has driven customer expectations, the responsiveness of businesses and their ability to scale,’ Sophie Devonshire, CEO at strategic consultancy The Caffeine Partnership, says.

‘Most forecasters believe that innovation and improvements in business will continue at a vertiginous tempo.

‘The only certainty is that change will continue to be fast.’

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There are two visions of the future of work:

It’s either the doomsday view where humans are rendered obsolete or the idealistic view where robots do all the bits of work we don’t want to, leaving us to lounge around in luxury.

In both situations, our working days will experience a radical change.

If the robots are ‘coming for our jobs’, what exactly does that leave us doing? Will we still need to work when most of what we do can be automated? And what will that work actually look like?

‘Worry not,’ futurist Melissa Sterry tells Metro.co.uk. ‘An army of bots isn’t going to take your every job, and you, whosoever you are, and whatsoever your specialism, cannot be “replaced” by a computer.’

A reassuring message along the lines of ‘don’t worry, you’re still special’ but in terms of work, not entirely the case.

Many parts of work can and likely will be replaced by automation, from physical labour such as packing boxes at Amazon to data entry to conducting research and writing up the findings.

Eliza Easton, principal policy researcher at Nesta, says ‘there are jobs that are likely to disappear over the next 10 years’, pointing to the replacement of cashiers with self-service checkout machines as an example of just ‘how swift and seismic changes can be’.

If your job is comprised of tasks that can be automated, it makes sense that your work will vanish by 2050. The answer won’t be to pack in work completely, but to focus on aspects of your existing work that require humanity, or to swap to a new role that’s opened up as a result of automation.

There are may jobs such as productivity officer, AI psychologist, and drone manager expected to be commonplace by 2050 but work separate from robots will be crucial, too – all the human things that we aren’t able to automate or don’t want to.

‘Good judgement, being able to speak fluently about ideas and complex problem solving look set to become ever more important,’ Eliza says.

‘Many of them are used in creative jobs that combine these skills with abilities to use new tech but also key to less ‘technology heavy’ jobs involving caring, teaching and communicating.’

Those human-facing jobs will need to become more highly valued as automation takes over.

And this means a day in the life of an employee will be very different:

But there’s a number of reasons why experts believe that just because a robot could do the work doesn’t mean they should do it.

‘We are a predominantly social species,’ says Melissa. ‘We have evolved not one but many means of communicating, and continue to do so to this day.

‘We are a particularly expressive species, physically, emotionally, and intellectually, and when we don’t have capacity to communicate to others, to build social bonds, and to express ourselves, our wellbeing is compromised.

‘Resource limits aside, we could automate umpteen occupations. But, do we really want to? Do we really want to be served a pint by a robot? To have our hair cut by a machine? To so extrapolate ourselves from our fellow citizens as to become prisoners of our own thoughts? I think not.’

Work won’t look the same as it does right now. If you spend eight hours sat in front of a computer, automation will change that. But it won’t be as drastic as you being kicked out of the office forevermore.

What we’re likely to see is portions of your work being automated, but others remaining dependent on the skills you hold as a human, using automation as a tool to improve your productivity.

Eliza tells us: ‘It seems unlikely that AI will make jobs as we know them obsolete. There are still many professions – engineering, design, care workers – which we can, with some confidence, predict are likely to grow rather than shrink over the next ten years.

‘For the time being, I think we should focus on ‘collective intelligence’, where human and machine intelligence work together, rather than AI on its own.

‘Would you be happy handing over the police service to machines, with no people involved in moderating how they are working? Would you be happy to be cared for in your old age by a robot, exclusively? If the answer is no, then we will still need workers in the future.

‘Work becoming increasingly automated should increase productivity – the hope is that people will be able to utilise their uniquely “human” skills alongside technology to produce more in less time and for less money.’

Futurist Richard Worzel echoes the benefits of humans and AI working in harmony, suggesting that the two are far better together than either could be alone – despite the apparent benefits to employers of having automated employees that don’t need decent working conditions or time off.

‘Both AI and robots, will serve to complement humans,’ Richard says.

‘In the accounting/auditing profession, for example, AI will handle the finicky, precise, detail work, drill down and review all transactions and contracts rather than just performing random spot-checks, and look for patterns of fraud, embezzlement, and malfeasance.

‘Meanwhile, humans will be free to use their judgment, come up with creative, new solutions to problems, and use common sense to determine whether AI-identified patterns make sense and mean something new.

‘Hence, humans will be more productive, but will also enjoy their work more having been freed of the mind-numbing drudgery.’

Rather than being valued depending on how much you can get done in a set amount of time, you’re more likely to be hired and promoted based on the ideas you propose, your way of thinking and the strategic contributions you make

Working hours may change as a result, to fit around the windows of time that individuals feel best able to think more creatively.

Naturally that will require adapting, and the change will be difficult. The loss of work that used to make up significant parts of our job, no matter how mundane, can make us feel purposeless. We’ll need to prepare ourselves.

‘The key thing for retaining a sense of purpose/direction is that we need to understand why we are doing what we are doing and the value it has to others,’ psychologist Emma Donaldson Feilder says.

‘This is about vision and mission, which is partly about how organisations are led and managed and how leadership is shared across the organisation.

‘Other important areas for mental wellbeing are having a sense of control and autonomy in our work and having good relationships at work, particularly having a line manager who is good at managing people.

‘If we have more leisure time and are looking for that to boost our sense of purpose and wellbeing, it may be helpful to use some of it for meaningful activities such as volunteering and supporting others.’

The real tricky thing comes when we try and answer the question of ‘why’ we work – is it only for money or a sense of self and achievement?

We currently work longer hours than anywhere else in Europe. Chances are that no matter how much of our workload robots reduce, we’ll fill the gaps with something else.

But if work remains without the ideas of ‘achieving’ something, we already know that boredom can be more stressful and damaging than overwork.

So your typical working day might change. Perhaps you’ll wake up at a time that’s best for you, when you’ve had enough high quality sleep, check on the automated systems to assign them tasks, then work on strategy or creative concepts.

What will really shape the future of work is what we use to fill the gaps created by automation.

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Almost three years ago, Steven Dowd set off on his normal commute.

As he was training for the Ride London cycling event, he was cycling the 10 miles from his home in Woolwich to the City where he worked.

He set off to his friend’s house to meet him on the way in – but he never got there.

Steven, now 40, hit a crash barrier he hadn’t noticed just minutes away from his friend’s front door, sending him flying into the air, landing on his head.

The crash caused a spinal cord injury. When he landed, he thought it was just his face that hurt but reaching up to touch it, he realised the reason that was the only thing that hurt was that he couldn’t feel the rest of his body.

Steven says he concentrated on living second by second. He was found by some passing runners and rushed to hospital.

Initially, he was told he would be completely paralysed from the neck down but doctors told him the nearby St George’s hospital was carrying out a trial for experimental surgery on the spine – and he would be a suitable candidate.

He decided to have the surgery and a few days later, Steven was able to just twitch his fingers. He set a goal – in 200 days (just days before Christmas) he would be able to walk.

Amazingly, on Christmas day, he walked the turkey to the Christmas table where his family sat.

Determined to keep pushing for recovery, Steven took on the challenge of cycling the 100 mile race he never got to do on a static bike, 200 days after that.

Through that challenge, he came across the charity Wings For Life, who funded the trial to develop the surgery he had and since then, he has raised over £50,000 for them.

This weekend, Steven is taking part in the World Run, an event where racers run against a pacer car for as long as they can, rather than to get to a finish line.

It will be the first time he’s taken part in a running event since his accident.

He tells Metro.co.uk: ‘Almost three years ago, I thought I would never be able to move again. I was paralysed from the neck down. This surgery set me on a path that has been incredibly difficult but now I can walk, run and cycle again.’

Back on 16 June 2016, the day of the accident, Steven was taken to hospital and admits he struggled to accept the news.

He explains: ‘The doctors said my injury was devastating. They said they didn’t know what my prognosis would be. They said some people make some recovery and other people never get any sensation back.

‘My wife Helen and I had a very honest conversation and I said I didn’t want to use a powerchair controlled by my mouth for the rest of my days. I completely understand that some people lead very full lives in that situation but it was not what I wanted for me or my wife.

‘I said that if that is the case, I wanted to go to Switzerland and end my life there. It was a very stark conversation.’

The doctors at Kings College Hospital told him about the experimental Injured Spinal Cord Pressure Evaluation procedure (ISCoPE), developed by Professor Marios Papadopoulos and his team at St George’s hospital in Tooting, London.

He says: ‘They asked me if I wanted to take part. They said they couldn’t guarantee it would work but I thought they couldn’t make it any worse.

‘When you have nothing, you jump at the opportunity. I wasn’t going to get this chance at any other time.’

The idea behind the procedure is that although damage is done to the spinal cord through the initial injury, the swelling and inflammation it causes can make it even worse.

The spinal cord is a rigid structure and swelling causes a build up of pressure, which can damage the nerve cells around the injury.

Steven had an incomplete spinal cord injury, which means the spinal cord is damaged but not severed. The pressure from inflammation can cause an incomplete injury to become complete, where the spinal cord is completely severed.

The ISCoPE procedure involves two probes being inserted around the site of the injury – one to monitor pressure of fluid in the spinal cord and the other to remove a small amount of spinal fluid to analyse if nerve cells are dying.

If the pressure is high, they can use medication to increase blood flow and to keep the cells alive.

The surgery was successful and in the days that followed, Steven was able to make very, very small movements.

He explains: ‘The odds were against me but on day two after my surgery, I was in intensive care and I started to get some sensation back.

‘It was like being on fire. From the waist to my chest, I had hypersensitivity and when the nurse just rested it on my arm, it was so incredibly painful.

Despite the pain, Steven had hope and he decided to set an ambitious goal.

He says: ‘I turned to face my wife. I asked her what date 200 days from then was and she said December 22nd.

‘I said to her that by Christmas day, I would be back to normal. I used that promise to her as my daily motivation to try and achieve just something every day.’

Every day, Steven would make a small bit of progress and celebrate what he achieved.

By day 90, he took his first steps following the accident.

‘I was at my mum’s house and she was saying “we need to get a ramp up to the door” because I was able to stand at that stage but I was using a wheelchair.

‘I said “why don’t I just try to walk?” I stood up, which I had been doing, but I hadn’t tried to walk unaided until that point. I shuffled into her house and out again.’

Steven spent two months in St George’s before moving to a specialist rehabilitation centre at the Royal National Orthopedic Hospital for another two months.

Even after coming out of hospital, he needed to continue his rehabilitation at home but he met his goal and was able to walk on Christmas day. He took one day off before setting his next goal.

He says: ‘I decided to post on the internet saying (before I told my wife) that I was going to get back on the same bike I fell from and I was going to cycle the 100 miles that I never got to do, another 200 days from that day.

‘My wife came in with her phone and said “What is going on here.”

‘I told her that I had a plan – I was going to do it on a turbo trainer. I wouldn’t go anywhere and I couldn’t fall off.’

Steven used his training to help with his rehabilitation but he also wanted to give back and help others who had spinal cord injuries.

While researching which charity he wanted to raise money for, he came across Wings For Life, a charity focusing on research.

After speaking to them, he discovered that they had funded the ISCoPE trial that had helped him with his recovery.

‘They told me they had funded it and there was like a 10 second silence,’ says Steven.

‘I started raising money for them because they had put me back on my feet and that is the least I could do.’

In July 2017, Steven completed his challenge, cycling 100 miles in just under six hours and raising £37,000 for the charity.

From there, he started thinking about another goal, creating the 100% challenge, where the idea is that people who take part just give everything they can give, and raised another £17,000.

This year Steven has decided to take part in the Wings for Life World Run, a unique event with people across the world setting off at the same time against a pacer car (or in some races, through an app rather than an actual car).

Each participant runs for as long as they can and once the car passes them, their race is finished.

Steven hopes to run 5k – a distance he used to run a few times a week before his accident.

He explains: ‘I am mindful to say that this is an unusual story. Most people with spinal cord injuries can’t walk again.

‘It would be disingenuous to say I am ‘back to normal’. I still have some paralysis in my hands. People focus on walking with spinal cord injuries but in reality it affects your arms, legs, bladder, bowels, sexual function and everything in between. As soon as you are able to stand and walk again, that’s not the end of your struggle.

‘I still have some days where I can’t get out of bed. Sometimes I just have to write the day off. I still spend a lot of time in rehabilitation. I still have complex spasms, specifically at night when I am tired. It’s like having a cramp but in your whole body.

‘I fully expect that after I do this run, I am going to be in bits afterwards for a few day. I am not back to the way I was before the accident but I am much further to than I thought I would be.’

Steven will be running at the Chiswick Park event from 12pm on Sunday, with other races taking place across the UK and in cities across the world.

He adds: ‘5k might not seem like a lot but it is an important marker for me. I haven’t run since the accident so to do that would be absolutely amazing.’

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If you head to Disney World right now, the biggest challenge you’ll face is deciding what to eat.

There are so many Instagram-worthy options, from the park’s new vegan menu to those towering Black Tap milkshakes.

Just to make your snacking choices even trickier, here’s another new launch from the good people over at Disney.

To celebrate the release of the live-action version of Aladdin (that’s coming on 24 May, by the way), Disney World has unleashed a special Aladdin doughnut.

It’s called the Wish Granted Donut and looks fittingly magical.

Please note the glittery glaze with shimmering gold sprinkles, the blue candy floss as a nod to the magical stuff that comes out of the Genie’s lamp when rubbed, and the milk chocolate lamp.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw7RqLNn3Ht/?utm_source=ig_embed

The doughnut itself is pretty hefty, so we reckon it’d make the perfect afternoon pick-me-up when all the rides and character meet-and-greets are starting to wear you down.

It sounds mighty tasty, too. The main body of the doughnut is a flaky vanilla concoction topped with sweet vanilla icing. Simple, classic, and delicious.

Of course, the Wish Granted Donut won’t be around forever. It’s a limited edition menu item being sold at the Sunshine Tree Terrace from 1 May until 30 June.

If you happen to be heading to Florida in the next month, it’s worth picking up a doughnut, if only for the Insta opportunities.

Snap a pic of your doughnut held aloft in front of Sleeping Beauty’s castle and watch those likes roll in.

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We each have an individual aesthetic. Whether that be solely unique and bespoke, or similar to others in certain ways, we all have our own way that we decide, every day, to present ourselves to the world.

Clothes are one thing, but makeup is something that can really change and alter the way in which we navigate our spaces, and how we feel inside them.

This is my love letter to makeup, and all that it’s done for me, and all that it will continue to do for me.

I remember the first time that I decided to wear makeup. Like most people, it came from a place of insecurity. I wanted to cover up, hide, and appear more conventionally beautiful.

As a teenager I had problematic skin and working in a department store meant that I had access to a plethora of products that could make me feel more myself. More confident.

This stepping stone into the world of transformation coincided with my queer identity coming to fruition and I was able to quickly realise that makeup had the ability to do the opposite of what the beauty industry has been telling us for years.

Instead of it being a tool to cover up and hide, it quickly became a place for me to transform and become more myself.

Fast forward to now, and I sit here in 30 inches of foundation, a casual slick of blush all the way around the contours of my head, a Black Swan-esque blue ombre eye, and too many particles of glitter on my eyelids to count. And I love that.

Makeup has become a way for me to express not just my gender identity, but all the other parts of me that are worthwhile and important.

It allows me to feel confident in spaces, consequently meaning that I can acquiesce the other parts of my personality that allow people to get to know me. This is especially felt in queer spaces as we come together and celebrate each other’s individuality and beauty.

Despite this, it is also one of the biggest challenges for people to look past when getting to know me. In my opinion, this is due to the fact that we’re told that makeup is something that we use to cover up and hide.

People don’t seem to be able to look past the artistry on my face and it stops them in their tracks. My relationship with it is so intense because it’s my favourite part of myself, but it’s also the most prominent reason that I received public prejudice.

It’s ‘intimidating’. It’s ‘too much’. It’s ‘unnecessary’. It’s ‘bizarre’. And what I’ve learnt from that reaction is that you can never be too much.

When you live in a world that doesn’t listen to you and marginalises your existence and look until it’s ‘profitable’, you can never be too much. Ever.

For queer people, and especially trans and non-binary people, our aesthetics and public visualisation is an act of political disruption.

We exist in a world where we are told not to, or where we are made to feel like we shouldn’t exist, hence why our aesthetics are so important.

It’s not just bold for bold’s sake. It’s a powerful statement that we are here, and we aren’t going to change.

Of course, there are trans and non-binary people who express themselves in their own way that isn’t so loud and bright and that’s absolutely valid.

But what’s important to remember is when cis people ask us why we express ourselves this way, it’s the exact same thing that they’re doing, just in their binary way.

>When people decide to present traditionally, in the sense of men stepping out the door in their three-piece suits, or when women throw on a little black dress and pumps, it’s the exact same as me.

We are presenting ourselves in a gendered, or not so gendered, way. It’s not our fault though that they just choose to do it so boringly.

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A woman was insulted on Tinder by a random man who felt the need to message her and tell her that he didn’t like her dress.

But, after sharing the nasty messages on Twitter and going viral, the tables have turned in Thea Lauryn Chippendale’s favour as ASOS decided to use her picture to advertise the dress on their website.

The 20-year-old shared the messages with the caption, ‘men are trash’, after a man called George said that her dress looked like a ‘charity shop job’.

The item in question is actually an ASOS design, lace, midi dress with a crew neck and an A-line skirt – and costs £75. Not something you’re likely to come across in a charity shop.

So Thea was delighted to discover that the whole ordeal had turned her into an ASOS model. Thanks George.

‘Not gonna lie you’re a bit of a joke, but that dress in the last photo is not doing any favours,’ wrote George.

Thea wasn’t about to take that unsolicited criticism lying down.

‘Why did you feel like you needed to comment on it?’ she retorted.

‘Is your head that far up your own arse that you thought your opinion mattered?’

Did George apologise? Of course not. Obviously, he continued to insult her: ‘Literally had to tell you else I wouldn’t have slept.

‘It’s awful you not reckon? Charity shop job!

‘I tell you what… GROW UP! And shop somewhere decent! Thanks. Hope this helps’.

You know what George, it actually did help – because now Thea is proudly rocking her dusky pink dress on the ASOS website – and she looks amazing.

ASOS noticed Thea’s story after her original tweet garnered more than 98,000 likes and 7,600 retweets.

The ASOS Twitter account responded directly to Thea’s tweet telling her to check her DMs:

Here’s to finding our perfect match 😉🍾 Thea babe, let's talk. Check your DMs…

— ASOS (@ASOS) May 1, 2019

The cynical may say that it’s a clever marketing ploy by the online fashion retailer, but it definitely warms our hearts to see Thea get her revenge in the classiest of ways.

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Finding a decent houseshare in London can feel next to impossible.

You’ll spot a room that’s within your price range, but find it takes you an hour and a half to commute to work.

You’ll find a lovely flat with a great location, then find your housemates are more the ‘eat alone in their room’ types than the ‘taking it in turn to do curry night’ people you imagined.

Badi is here to help, allowing you to find a room with flatmates you gel with speedily.

You create a profile, get personalised recommendations the same day, chat with people depending on you liking the sound of their profiles, then when you’ve found the right match, they can pay the first month’s rent through the app.

Ola met his housemates through Badi and clicked right away.

‘I came to view the house with my friends and met one housemate,’ Ola tells Metro.co.uk. ‘We talked about trendy restaurants in nearby area and we ended up eating there.

‘The first time I met Clara, she had a bad day and we had the first of many discussions till 2 am. We are very similar in personality. The other housemate was an architect where we talked regarding our similar interests in architecture as a surveyor myself.

‘It is unbelievable to say but I got on instantly and with everyone – that’s how I knew it was the right house.’

Ola shares a house in London Fields, Dalston, paying £650 a month.

It’s going gloriously well, with all housemates chipping in for communal items, cleaning up after themselves, sharing the cost of a regular cleaner, and getting into big chats and debates when they’re all cooking dinner.

Ola’s only experienced one slightly annoying habit from his housemates: ‘One housemate likes burnt food so she burns things on purpose to eat them. Weird.’

He’s been able to make the house feel like home with a proper deep clean – ‘I am a clean freak’ – childhood and family photos, a goal board, and framed degree certificates.

The house is close by Columbia Flower Market, so Ola and his housemates are easily able to pick up flowers for the living room area. Fancy.

As well as his housemates, Ola’s found the area a perfect fit.

‘Everyone is so trendy and cool,’ he tells us. ‘The area is also very accessible to Dalston, Hackney, Shoreditch which makes for good nights and lots of interesting day activities.’

Karolina Jasko was getting a manicure when she noticed a black line running down her right thumbnail.

Back in 2016, she had been getting acrylic nails applied once or twice a month, which were cured with ultraviolet light.

Karolina assumed the dark line was just a bruise, but one week later her thumb began to swell and turn red.

Her mum helped to remove the acrylic nail to see what was wrong, which reminded Karolina of the dark line on her nail.

She went to her doctor in Chicago, Illinois, who referred her for a biopsy from a dermatologist. That’s when Karolina learned that her ‘bruise’ was actually a sign of melanoma, or skin cancer.

Karolina had a nail melanoma, or subungal melanoma, a type of cancer that occurs in the tissues of the nail bed and is most commonly found on the thumbs and big toes.

Symptoms include a vertical band on the nail that’s a different colour, dark pigmentation all over the nail, brittleness, and bleeding.

Karolina is sharing her story to make people aware of the unusual symptom that so many of us would dismiss.

Doctors aren’t sure what causes subungal melanoma, but we do know that UV exposure can accelerate its growth. That includes having acrylic nails done as well as time spent in the sun.

It turned out that the swelling was caused by a unrelated infection – lucky, as this is what made Karolina go to the doctor.

‘He said to take it as sign from God,’ Karolina told MailOnline. ‘And I do because if I hadn’t gotten the infection, I wouldn’t have gotten to go get [my finger] checked out.’

A few weeks after the cancer was diagnosed, Karolina had her thumbnail removed so that the melanoma wouldn’t return. Doctors took a skin graft from her groin to cover the area of her thumb where her nail used to be.

Karolina also had some moles removed as a precaution.

After months of covering up her thumb with plasters, she learned to be comfortable with the tiny flaw.

She says: ‘I thought everyone was going to be staring and it took a long time to get comfortable with it. Now people say: “Oh I wouldn’t have even known if you didn’t tell me you didn’t have a nail”.’

‘I want girls to know it’s okay to have a scar or a mole,’ she said.

‘For a long time, I thought my scars defined me. But, as insecure as I was, I still went on to compete as Miss Illinois.’

Karolina still gets her nails done, but avoids UV manicures, instead opting for a classic polish or a dip powder.

She wants her story to promote the importance of skin cancer awareness and protection..

‘Take safety precautions, wear sunblock, and if you gets your nails done, try to avoid UV rays,’ says Karolina. ‘Dipping powder is a great alternative.’

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No one wants to have bad teeth.

Tooth ache, yellowing, dentures, it’s not an attractive prospect. But despite the fact we all want strong and healthy teeth, we’re not always brilliant at looking after them.

Dentist Pauline Lamant, who works for Your Smile Direct, has put together a list of the biggest mistakes we make with regards to oral hygiene.

How many are you guilty of?

Electric toothbrushes

Electric toothbrushes – yes, this may sound strange but if you are not using the right technique, they can be useless. With most electric toothbrushes you only need to touch the tooth with the bristles. If you push too hard the bristles bend and are not effective. Take your electric toothbrush with you and ask your dental hygienist for a demonstration.

Brushing your teeth for just 45 second

Surveys show that as many 43% of patients brush their teeth for just 45 seconds. This is not long enough to give them a proper clean. You should clean your teeth for at least two minutes.

Brushing at the wrong times and too much

This can cause damage as well.  Do not brush straight after eating citrus/acidic fruits or after wine.  The tooth enamel is softened by the acid and brushing straight after will wear the teeth down. Instead wait for 30 minutes for the acids to neutralise before brushing or even use a fluoride mouthwash to help neutralise the acid.

Flossing

Again the wrong technique such as a sawing motion can cause damage and recession of the gums. You should slide the floss gently up-and-down between your teeth.

Whitening toothpastes

Abrasive toothpastes such as bicarbonate or whitening pastes.  They are abrasive and can wear your enamel away and in the long-term lead to sensitivity and darkening of your teeth as the enamel wears and the inner amber-coloured dentine becomes visible.

Rinsing too soon with water after brushing

We all use water to clean our teeth but swishing water in your mouth too soon after brushing washes away much of the fluoride with it and minimises your toothpaste’s effectiveness. If you feel the need to rinse out your mouth after brushing, use a (non alcohol-based) mouthwash.
You shouldn’t eat or drink for at least half an hour after brushing your teeth.

Brushing your teeth too hard

Poor tooth brushing techniques can harm your teeth – if you really scrub your teeth too hard, you will wear the sides of your teeth down, leaving V-shaped defects near the gum margins. Also, don’t always start brushing the same place.

If you always start on the top right side, that section is going to get the most attention. Most people get bored as they are brushing, so the areas covered last get the least attention. Mix-up your brushing technique so all areas are covered adequately.

You should brush in a circular motion – rather than from side to side.

Mouthwash

Alcohol-based mouthwashes can be harsh and long-term use has been linked to development of oral cancers. Studies have found that excessive use – three times a day – presents a health risk.

Hard toothbrushes

Hard toothbrushes can cause excessive wear and recession of the gums.

If you have been making any of these mistakes then you should stop (obviously) and you might want to mention them to your dentist at your next check up.

Because you’re definately having regular dental check-ups. Right?

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Customers have slammed online retailer Fashion Nova after spotting a label in a bikini warning that materials used in the garment could possibly cause cancer.

According to tweets by a woman called Azia, from California, the neon green bikini she purchased from the site had the warning label stitched into the briefs.

The warning reads: ‘This product can expose you to Di(2-ethykhexyl) phthalate, lead and cadmium, which are known to the state of California to cause cancer, birth defects and other reproductive harm’.

Not at all what you want from your bikini.

Understandably, customers were shocked and began tweeting their outrage and concern.

‘This is not what fashion is supposed to be!’ wrote one Twitter user. ‘We’re being poisoned every day because we can’t afford to but expensive products,’ added another.

Azia uploaded a picture of the bikini alongside a close-up image of the warning label. She added the caption, ‘Did y’all know this tag is in Fashion Nova swimsuits?’

More than 7,000 people have shared the original tweet, and it has amassed hundreds of comments since it was posted.

Lot’s of people were concerned about the dangers posed of wearing something that contains dangerous chemicals, but others were more focused on the effects on the environment.

‘If you think you’re putting yourself at risk think about yourself the fish and the literal direct ecosystem!’ wrote one.

Another said: ‘At least California cares to let the people know part of what’s killing folks! Knowledge is power!’

But plenty of people were quick to point out that these kinds of warning labels are commonplace in California.

‘California is one of the few states that legally have to tell you about these chemicals,’ tweeted one person.

‘The tags only come on things sourced out of California. Other products can have the same chemicals they’re just not required to let you know its wildd [sic],’ added another.

California has something called prop65 where anything that contains lead must be labeled clearly. EVEN if the material naturally has lead. For example algae naturally has lead and STILL has to be labeled with this in the state of California. Take the label with a grain of salt.

— Yosie Fujita (@YosieDoll) April 30, 2019

It all stems from Proposition 65, a legal requirement in Califronia which means companies selling in the state have to put warnings on any products that may contain harmful chemicals.

So it’s hard to know just how seriously to take this kind of warning. But it is certainly a bit worrying.

We have asked Fashion Nova for comment on this warning and so far haven’t received a response.

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A llama is causing some drama thanks to its ‘rude’ design.

Kmart is selling a dog toy – we repeat, a toy for dogs, who we doubt appreciate the rudeness of any design – which is made to look like a fluffy little llama. It’s rather cute, but there’s one problem: it’s tail looks a bit like, well, a llama’s genitals.

that’s according to one woman, anyway, who drew everyone’s attention to the design detail on Facebook.

News.com.au reports that in a now-deleted post, a woman named Jayde Spilsted shared a photo of the llama’s tail and wrote: ‘We have this for our dog and I’d never noticed it before… until now.’

People commented to call the llama ‘rude’, while some said we shouldn’t be bothered by a toy representation of a normal part of the body.

One person wondered whether the area was designed to store treats for a pooch.

We would love to say the llama is a statement on vulva positivity and body image, but we really do think that pink folded area is just the little llama’s tail. Sorry, all.

We approached Kmart to ask about the design, but they haven’t got back to us yet.

On the website the product description says the llama is ‘sure to be your furry pal’s favourite plaything.’

Kmart also sells a llama toy for children, which doesn’t include the genital-esque tail. Sad times.

If you fancy buying your dog an anatomically detailed stuffed llama, it’s available for $9 (around £7) online.

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Wedding days are important days, and as such everything has to be right, from the groom’s tie, to the bride’s dress.

But if we’re being honest Crocs aren’t what we’d expect to make a serious appearance in a bride’s ensemble.

Yet, here we are with wedding Crocs existing in the world, with comfort over style being the main reason for this fashion faux-pas.

A sparkly version of the shoe typically attributed to children and the unfashionable is now being sold on Etsy via Princess Pumps, and can be found under the store’s bridal collection among other sequinned shoes.

The website reads: ‘Looking for unbeatable comfort with a hint of sparkle? Enjoy these flashy crystal sequin Crocs at home or work! You won’t find these in stores!’

As you would expect, they don’t come cheap – we are talking about wedding gear – and they are currently being sold for £79 on the website. But they don’t have to be used for just the wedding.

They could just be a comfortable shoe for running around in when married life kicks in, or when the marital bliss settles and the wearer needs a reminder that their special day was one that didn’t end in rubbing your ankles, wondering why you chose to do this to yourself.

If you’re not getting married but you’re still looking for something to wear in the summertime, then Crocs have some more quirky options.

Designers at Croc HQ have come up with a range of different styles – including shoes with tassels, visors and bumbags on them.

The bumbags, attached to the ankle strap of the classic Croc, are only practical enough to have your keys at jingling at your feet.

Useful. At least you’ll be reminded where they are at each step of the day.

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A ridiculously cute four-year-old celebrated overcoming cancer by ringing the end of treatment bell in a full Stormtrooper outfit.

Little Audrina Hatton-Wright, from Derby, went through 14 rounds of radiotherapy to treat a rare and aggressive form of cancer.

And, after eight months of gruelling treatment, she was delighted to proudly ring the bell at Nottingham Radiotherapy Centre.

The miniature Star Wars fan wanted to put her own stamp on the occasion, so insisted on the futuristic fancy dress costume.

All the staff at the hospital got involved and cheered Audrina on waving lightsabers.

Audrina was diagnosed with high risk neuroblastoma – a rare childhood cancer with one of the lowest survival rates – in summer 2018.

Since then she has spent her birthday in hospital, endured four operations and five rounds of chemotherapy.

‘It was all her idea,’ explained mum Gemma Gould. ‘She’s seen all the movies and has all the Star Wars Build-A-Bears. I am incredibly proud.

‘She’s been brilliant, she’s always full of beans. It’s been a long haul but she’s kept us both going.’

But while ringing the hospital bell is a hugely positive step for the youngster, her family worry that she may not be completely out of the woods.

The doctors say that the risk of a relapse with neuroblastoma is more than 50% and when it does relapse there is only a one in 10 chance of survival.

Audrina’s family are now battling to raise £200,000 for specialist treatment in the US to help prevent a relapse.

‘We are fundraising for specialist treatment in the US that helps prevent relapse called DFMO,’ reads the family’s GoFundMe page.

‘DFMO has already saved hundreds of children’s lives by preventing recurrent disease. It works differently to all the other treatment Audrina will receive and we are confident will be an effective barrier against relapse.’

The family are now on a mission to raise a huge amount of money in a very short amount of time, as Audrina would need to start this new treatment in October 2019 for it to be most effective.

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Conventional dating wisdom tells us to play hard to get.

You shouldn’t message someone back straight away, you should never say yes to a date if it’s requested less than 48 hours in advance, and of course you can’t have sex on the first date.

All of which, it turns out, is total bollocks.

According to research from IllicitEncounters.com, who surveyed 2,000 people, 58% of men and 56% of women have had sex on the first night that they met their long term partner.

So over half of the times when sex happens on the first date, it turns into a relationship.

Telling people (women, mostly) not to have sex on the first date is a long held way of policing our behaviour.

It uses the prospect of a relationship as a sort of carrot, dangled in front of a woman to bribe her into being chaste until she’s in a serious relationship. This theory seems to rather miss the point that not all women even want to be in relationships.

But for those who do want to settle down, we’re taught to use sex as a bargaining chip rather than something to enjoy.

It’s a bribe to be given in exchange for commitment, a reward to give to a man who allows himself to be trapped into commitment.

The idea that men want sex and women want commitment is outdated and sexist.

Plenty of blokes secretly lust over a house in the countryside and a pack of chubby cheeked children, and plenty of women want to live in a converted warehouse in central London, smoking Galois and taking ten lovers a week.

Which is why it’s so nice to see this research disproving the theory that sex on the first date ensures that you’ll never hear from them again, let alone become their long term partner.

It comprehensively proves that commitment is not a reward for chastity.

But perhaps there’s more to these statistics than just proving that sex on the first date doesn’t prevent a relationship from forming.

Maybe it’s the first date sex that’s the reason for the relationship.

I have always believed that sex on the first date is the perfect way to filter out dickheads.

It’s a bit like asking whether the person you’re on a date with is offended by vegetarian Percy Pigs, or whether they still listen to Gary Glitter. An easy insight into their moral code.

Anyone who respects you less because you have had sex with them is not a person you should be forming a significant attachment to.

There is nothing morally wrong with having sex – quickly or after a long courtship. To suggest that you are in some way more or less valuable depending on how much sex you’ve had is completely illogical

So, if you sleep with someone on the first date and they lose interest, or judge you, you’ve done yourself a favour. They’re out of your life and you have no need to deal with their nonsense. Easy peasy.

Plus, first date sex is a valuable research mission.

Sex is an important part of a relationship, so it makes sense to try it out.

Bad sex isn’t a reason to write someone off automatically, but it does give you an insight into their character.

Are they bad in bed because they are over enthusiastic and nervous? Or are they bad in bed because they are selfish, or applying the exact same moves to you that they’ve done on everyone else they’ve slept with?

The former speaks highly of their character. The latter suggests there might be bumps in the road.

People who condemn sex on the first date claim that it takes away any mystery from the future of your relationship. But do you really want to go out with someone who requires you to be mysterious in order to hold their interest?

Does it really make sense to have to play complicated mystery games to convince another human that you’re worthy of their attention?

Shouldn’t the kind of person you want to build a life with value you whether you had sex on the first or the fifteenth date?

If you’ve got a date this weekend and you find each other attractive, why not give first date sex a go? Best case scenario it’s great and you’ve found something special. But if not, you’ve used the first date sex dickhead filter to save yourself a whole lot of time.

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