She's so VEIN: Angelina's bodybuilder arms challenge her baby bump for the limelight

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When a famous actress has a baby on the way, every eye tends to be on her bump.

But in Angelina Jolie's case, her arms attracted all the attention.

While the 32-year-old looked the picture of glamour in bright yellow dress and over-size shades, the rope-like size of her veins startled fellow-diners at a Hollywood restaurant.

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Price of fitness? Angelina Jolie heads for lunch with friends in Hollywood

Miss Jolie is thought to be six months pregnant, possibly with twins, by her partner Brad Pitt.

Her body-builder-style veins are believed to be the result of her punishing exercise regime.

Dr Chris Steele, resident GP on ITV's This Morning, said: "Prominent veins in the arms means there is very little fat under the skin, which is not something you would expect during a pregnancy.

"We are more used to seeing it on athletes, sports people and those that exercise heavily because they have very low body fat.

"Women do get varicose veins in their legs when they are pregnant, because the weight of the baby is on the legs."

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Sunny delight: Angelina looks stunning in a canary yellow chiffon dress, after ditching her dark goth look for the sunny colour. She was seen at restaurant Marina in Los Angeles yesterday

Miss Jolie is a self-confessed fitness fanatic and has often trained intensively to perform her own stunts for films such as Tomb Raider.

Steve Mongey, head trainer at the Virgin Active gym in Kensington, West London, said: "These veins can be caused by weight-bearing exercises. The body needs to pump oxygen into the veins for these exercises and this causes the veins to expand.

"If you don't keep your eating up and do a lot of exercise the fat gets stripped away and the veins become exposed."

This is not the first time that Miss Jolie's veins have been noted. She lost weight dramatically following the death of her mother, the French-Canadian actress Marcheline Bertrand, in January last year.

It was later claimed that she had turned to caviar-based skin creams to combat the problem.

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Scowl: But despite her more vibrant look, the actress had a bit of a scowl on her much photographed face

Despite speculation over her fitness regime, the usually dark and brooding Angelina Jolie appears to have embraced a sunnier look for her maternity wardrobe.

Dressed in a vibrant yellow chiffon dress, with a plunging bodice, and flats the Hollywood star who is said to be expecting twins with partner Brad Pitt, looked a picture pre-natal health.

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Full bloom: Angelina reveals her swelling bump as she leaves the restaurant looking happier than when she entered

Angelina was seen at Los Angeles restaurant Marino on rare outing without any members of her family as neither Brad or her kids were in attendance.

Her delightful new look made a change from usual fashion diet of dark, full-length maxi dresses.

Angelina in her more typical Goth style attire earlier this month

But despite the change in approach to maternity wear, the sunny disposition didn't extend to Angelina's countenance which appeared to be more of a scowl as she made her entrance to the LA restaurant.

The star, also used her huge handbag to shield her bump from the cameras, but later, as she left the restaurant, it could be seen more clearly.

The busy star certainly hasn't let the impending birth affect her packed schedule.

Recently she took part in a ground-breaking ceremony alongside actor partner Brad Pitt to build homes for Hurricane Katrina refugees.

And earlier this month she attended a high-profile meeting in Washington to urge the international community to take responsibility for the education of Iraqi children.

The Jolie-Pitt brood currently numbers four: Maddox, six; Pax, four; Zahara, three; and Shiloh, who turns two next month.

Angelina is rumoured to be planning to attend Cannes Film Festival in May as her animated film, 'Kung Fu Panda' from Paramount, will be premièring at the film festival.

And the Clint Eastwood directed film 'Changeling' - a 1920s-period mystery about a missing child that stars Angelina - has also been announced as part of the films entered in the prestigious film competition.

 

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