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DEC
21

Exercise Machines for Osteoporosis

osteoporosis gym machines

Osteoporosis is a condition which causes the bones to become brittle and weak. In the early stages, there are little to no symptoms, which means you may not be aware you have this condition until it’s already progressed. 

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  729 Hits
NOV
25

How to Improve Your Squats

 How to Improve Your Squats

In order to improve your squat, you need to make sure that your form is correct. Follow these tips to improve your squat form:

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  539 Hits
NOV
08

Back Strengthening Exercises for Seniors

 Back Strengthening Exercises for Seniors

Back strengthening exercises can help improve balance, strength, and mobility in your back. Exercise properly to prevent back problems in the future!

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  618 Hits
OCT
27

Group Training

group training

Whether you’re an avid gym goer in need of a change or a complete novice looking to learn the lay of the land – group training could be the answer to your prayers!

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  743 Hits
OCT
04

Staying on a Diet

  Staying on a Diet

The most important part of any diet is being able to stay on it to achieve the desired results. By making the diet too extreme or limiting, it can become too difficult to follow.

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  693 Hits
SEP
27

Benefits of Cardio Exercises

Benefits of Cardio Exercises

For some people when they start their health and fitness journey, it can often become overwhelming of where to begin. Cardio exercise is one of the most popular forms of exercise. Understanding the major benefits of cardio exercise may help you discover how to start including it as part of your routine.

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  669 Hits
SEP
06

Why Mobility Is Important

Why Mobility Is Important

What is mobility?

Mobility is simply a person’s ability to move. In professional ‘terms’, it is described as how well we can move our bodies (joints and muscles) freely through their full range of motion.

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  705 Hits
AUG
29

Low Calorie Food Options

Low Calorie Food Options

One of the key suggestions when aiming to eat healthier is planning your meals. Mapping out your meals with higher volume, lower-calorie options ensures that you never feel restricted and stay fuller for longer! Bulking up your meals with these 9 pantry staples means you always walk away feeling as energized as possible. 

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  975 Hits
AUG
05

How Working Out Can Increase Your Happiness

 How Working Out Can Increase Your Happiness

We are all of course aware of the physical benefits that exercise provides us with. It tones up your limbs, strengthens your core, aids in keeping your heart strong, and can add years onto your life. But what about the benefits of exercise on how you feel, your brain development and overall health?

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  613 Hits
JUL
27

Lower Stress Levels

Lower Stress Levels

Eat more leafy greens

Leafy greens like spinach and kale are already known to be packed full of essential nutrients like iron, vitamin A, vitamin K and magnesium, but they’re also a rich source of folate, which helps the body to produce feel-good neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine.

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  656 Hits
JUL
01

Foods To Eat Before A Workout

Foods To Eat Before A Workout

Our bodies need to be fueled correctly in order to function to the best of their ability when working out. Consuming the right foods and fluids before and after you exercise is crucial to get the best out of your exercise.

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  579 Hits
JUN
23

Yoga Benefits

Yoga Benefits

Yoga can reduce cortisol

Cortisol is the body’s primary “stress hormone”. It not only contributes to those familiar, unwelcome feelings of stress and anxiety, it also promotes the breakdown of tissue around the body, including muscle. When cortisol levels are chronically high, you can expect to feel terrible, and struggle immensely trying to gain mass.

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  545 Hits
MAY
26

Fitness Tips For Busy Students

 Fitness Tips For Busy Students

 

Balancing college and finding time for the gym can often be very difficult. Many of you might have part-time work to throw into the mix, making it a whole lot harder to manage it all. With these priorities at hand, we get it, it's easy to let go of looking after your fitness and health. Before you know it, your energy levels are down and you're finding that running isn't as easy as you remember, leaving you to wish there was a way to juggle it all.

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  915 Hits
MAY
06

Strength Training for Women Over 50

 50training

WHAT IS STRENGTH TRAINING?
Strength training is a type of resistance training that involves lifting weights in order to build muscle strength and size.

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  1081 Hits
DEC
28

How Exercise Helps Your Mental Health

mentalhealth

EXERCISE RELEASES HAPPY HORMONES

As you work out, different chemicals get released into your body; one example of these is endorphins, which are produced by the central nervous system. These work with the opiate receptors in the brain to reduce the sensation of pain and provide a boost of positivity and pleasure. This can lead to a feeling of post-workout euphoria that’s a natural and healthy way to feel good.

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  1229 Hits
DEC
06

Safe Training in Your 40's

 40training

Aside from physical changes, there are major mental benefits to exercising. As we age and become more sedentary, our cogitative ability is negatively affected, so you can start to see things such as mental reasoning, memory and thinking start to decline. By keeping active, you can help ward off some of these symptoms and also alleviate symptoms of depression which is all the reason to get moving, no matter what age you are.

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  1302 Hits
NOV
29

How to Reduce Holiday Weight Gain

holiday

Whether you’re wine tasting in Italy or sampling the local delicacies in France, most holidays involve major food indulgences. There’s almost an unwritten rule that when you’re away from home, there’s a no-holds-barred mindset where all healthy eating habits are thrown out of the window.

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  1398 Hits
NOV
08

Why You Should Use a Treadmill

 treadmilil

 As the days get shorter, the evenings get darker, and the weather gets chillier, heading outside for a jog isn't quite so appealing, is it?! 

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  720 Hits
OCT
27

Feeling Scared of the Gym?

gymfear

There’s no getting around the fact that for some of us the gym can feel like an intimidating place when you’re first starting out. Our latest research shows that 50% of non-gym members say they find the idea of going to the gym scary, with one in five saying they would find it very scary. But don't worry, because we have found the best ways of overcoming this.

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  899 Hits
OCT
06

Is it Too Late to Lose Weight?

weightloss

Body composition will change as you age.

The first thing to understand is that weight gain really does seem to be a natural part of the ageing process, with various research confirming the trend. One 2014 cross-sectional study1 of Czech women found, for example, that body fat mass increased with age, and that even when lean body mass (think “muscle”) decreased with age, weight gain still occurred due to the increased fat gain.

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  667 Hits
SEP
27

Low Carb or Low Fat: Which is Better for Muscle Definition?

lowcarb

Successful muscle definition isn’t the result of luck or magic, but rather the culmination of hard-work and dedication to training and nutrition. Training alone will not result in muscle definition so it's important to keep your diet in check.

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  817 Hits
SEP
07

Weight Training and Lifting After a Break

weight

Ready to return to weight training after a long break? Getting back into lifting after a while away from the gym? Here's a guide to help you plan your return to the gym safely and effectively, so you can get your strength and fitness back.

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  712 Hits
AUG
25

Chia Seeds & Health Facts

chia

They are high in fibre which improves digestive function and bulks up the stool to make bowels more regular

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  668 Hits
AUG
06

Why Women Should Do Pilates

When we think of exercise we often think of all-out, high intensity running, cycling or sports and aerobics. But it might surprise you to learn that one of the most effective ways to safely condition your body is by practicing Pilates.

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  1705 Hits
JUL
06

What Does Sweat It Out Mean?

 

There are many schools of thought when it comes to the term ‘sweat it out’. 

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  1519 Hits
JUL
26

Kids and Toddlers Nutrition

Get on the front foot with your children’s eating habits and start to pave the way. Healthy eating is a skill that must be taught. They’ve got to learn it from us.

If you’re a little bit unsure as to where to start, here are the four ‘P’s  for raising healthy kids and toddlers:

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  1748 Hits
JUN
27

After Training Meals

protein foods

The goal of your post workout “meal” is to replace your glycogen stores and digest some protein to help repair your muscles. This should be done as soon as possible and as shakes are much faster to digest and prepare than whole foods they tend to be the preferred option.

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  890 Hits
JUN
07

Weight Loss Through Nutrition

 weight

Weight loss can be achieved through gradually reducing the amount of calories you take in or by doing repetitive exercise for any given duration i.e. walking, jogging, running, cycling etc

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  1047 Hits
MAY
28

Vitamin D Deficiency

vitamiin d

There are three ways to get this much needed vitamin: the sun’s UV rays, food sources and supplements.

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  1224 Hits
MAY
05

How to Sleep Better

sleeping

1. Create a calm and restful environment
Close down your laptop, put your phone down, turn off the lights and create a space that is calming and ideal for sleeping. Exposure to bright lights and electronics can stimulate your mind before bed which is the opposite of what we want when it’s time to sleep!

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  1368 Hits
APR
29

Can Fat Loss Hormones be Activated?

weight loss

HUNGER HORMONES: GHRELIN AND LEPTIN
Two important hormones that shape our appetite and hunger signals are leptin and ghrelin. Leptin suppresses your appetite. The more body fat you have, the more leptin you produce.

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APR
06

How to Prevent Splints

running

 

It can range from a mild ache to debilitating pain that may derail your workout efforts. But don’t let this common running conundrum stop you in your tracks. The best treatment is prevention, so here are some simple ways to keep your shins strain free:

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  1158 Hits
MAR
25

How to Get Rid of Bloating

bloating

Stay away from Carbonated Drinks

Drinking carbonated drinks such as sparkling water and soft drinks may seem like a treat, but where do you think those tingly bubbles end up? Trapped in your belly. Watch out for sugar-free or low-carb products, too. These beverages still contain artificial sweeteners, such as sorbitol, which can be difficult for many people to digest.

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  1297 Hits
MAR
10

Energy Foods

energy foods

So, how do you keep a spring in your step when your fuel tank is low? Thankfully, nature provides food varieties that serve up big flavor and an even bigger energy hit. 

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  1204 Hits
FEB
24

Easy Steps to Living Healthier

 easysteps

Step 1: Take stock

Change requires an honest assessment of where you’re at. Analyze your eating patterns, physical activity, moods, social network and destructive habits (i.e. smoking, excessive drinking, four coffees/day). Once you identify the things you need to improve, you can start to tackle what realistic action is required to make positive changes. 

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  1282 Hits
FEB
10

Extreme Workout Fatigue and Dry Eyes

dryeyes

Luckily, there is a way of preventing dry eyes. But let us get a bit more familiar with the topic.

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  5904 Hits
JAN
27

Nutrition & Diet Myths

diet

1) “Eating past 7pm is bad for you” – Our body doesn’t store more calories just because it’s later in the day however ideally you should aim to have your last main meal around 2-3 hours before bedtime to avoid indigestion. Eating late at night isn’t problematic if you truly are hungry or have just come in late from work etc. however it may be problematic if you are snacking on high fat/sugar foods out of boredom and subsequently eating too many calories over the course of the day.

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  1652 Hits
JAN
11

Protein in Nutrition

protein

Often people think of protein as a means for “bulking up” at the gym – but in fact, protein is so much more.  Did you know that protein is a component of every single cell in your body, and is used to build and repair bones and tissue?
So it’s safe to say – sourcing adequate protein is pretty important!

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  1377 Hits
DEC
07

Enhancing Your Daily Walk

Enhancing Your Daily Walk

Below are 5 easy ways to make walking more enjoyable, more productive and drive long term results.

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  1408 Hits
NOV
26

5 Healthy Ingredients You Haven't Used Yet

5 Healthy Ingredients You Haven't Used Yet

Luckily we've uncovered 5 of the healthiest ingredients that you probably haven't used yet!

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  1648 Hits
NOV
04

The Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean Diet

WHAT IS THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET?

Thanks to dense coastlines and rich soils, the islands caressing the Mediterranean Sea serve up diets full of nuts, veggies and legumes, and olive oils. Traditionally a peasant-style diet, it’s largely plant-based, with little meat, and next to no hyper-processed foods. However, it is relatively high in fat – meaning if the Mediterranean diet is as healthy as research shows, fat is not the enemy commonly thought of in Western diets.

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  1323 Hits
OCT
28

Changes You Can Make to Your Lifestyle Today

Changes You Can Make to Your Lifestyle Today

If you’ve ever set a big goal, you know that your excitement and enthusiasm are high and you can’t wait to get started. But over time, motivation naturally starts to decrease and day-to-day life becomes a distraction. But that’s no reason not to set goals in the first place. You just have to change your strategy.

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  1306 Hits
OCT
06

Signs of an Unhealthy Exercise Habit

Signs of an Unhealthy Exercise Habit

The endorphin rush that comes with a workout, the accomplishment in improving strength or dropping a few kilos is hard to beat. It is motivating and inspiring and is often the driving force that keeps us going back for more.

For most, this healthy habit is something that enhances our quality of life, but for a subset of the population it becomes more sinister.

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  1976 Hits
SEP
21

5 Foods to Help You Sleep Better

sleepbetter

1. Carbohydrates

Eating carbs increases the level of tryptophan in your blood, which the body converts into serotonin – a sleep-inducing brain chemical that slows nerve impulses and promotes calm. While more research is needed, sleep researchers generally agree that including a carbohydrate, particularly slow-burning carbs (beans, pasta, quinoa, sweet potato) to your evening meal will help you sleep more soundly.

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  1683 Hits
AUG
27

Best Foods to Eat for Radiant Skin

radiant skin

Vitamin A is a potent antioxidant necessary for collagen and keratin production – a type of protein responsible for skin strength and smooth, plump appearance (not quite the same as what you find in fancy skin creams. Be sure to include lots of sweet potato, carrots, dark leafy greens, pumpkin, capsicum, mangoes and broccoli in your diet.

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  1497 Hits
JUL
30

Eating habits and healthy diet

eating habits

Everyone can eat a bit healthier with a few tweaks to their diet – here are some basic rules and cooking tips to point you into the right direction.

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  1524 Hits
JUN
24

Coffee & Nutrition Facts

coffee

My general compromise for a person without these conditions is: 1 good quality coffee per day. What do I mean by good quality coffee? Coffee made by running water through ground coffee beans with an espresso machine, plunger etc. Instant coffee is not OK as it is high in a chemical called acrylamide which has been shown to cause nerve damage and some research suggests that it is carcinogenic (cancer causing).

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  1510 Hits
JUN
03

5 Protein Sources in Our Kitchen

protein sources

Red meat

Whether you want to strip body fat, or build lean muscle, eating red meat helps by keeping you fuller for longer and curbing hunger cravings.

A powerful source of energy and nutrients – such as vitamin B2, iron and zinc, red meat also helps the functioning of bones and muscles. When selecting your meat look out for fresh, lean cuts which have a vibrant red color, and opt for grass-fed beef, which has higher levels of omega-3 fats.

Enjoy red meat twice a week, and chicken, fish or vegetable sources of protein on other days.

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  1467 Hits
MAY
06

Beat Stress

stress

When we are stressed, or experience stress there are changes in the brain and in the whole body. We experience the ‘stress response’ or ‘fight-flight’ response. When we are in danger or feel threatened our body gets ready and geared up to face up to it in the best possible way to survive. Our heart rate increases, muscles become tense, stress hormones are released and flood into the nervous system, fats and sugars release to create instant energy, the digestive system shuts down to save energy and the area of the brain which is used for clear decision making shuts down.

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  1349 Hits
MAY
21

Willpower

 willpower

1. Willpower is a mind-body response

You may have heard the mantra ‘tell your mind what to do and your body will follow.’ It seems logical that willpower works simply through your mindset, however, it’s actually a full-blown mind-body response. This mind-body response triggers a ‘pause and plan’ effect, which puts your body into a calmer state, unlike the adrenaline rush of stress, which depletes your willpower reserves and leads to poor decision making. The result is the difference between reaching for that chocolate bar or taking a deep breath and making a cup of tea instead.

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  1193 Hits
APR
23

Strength Training Can Make Everyday Tasks Easier

strength training

Here are some examples:

Playing with your kids and grand children

As we get older, many of us complain of stiff joints, immobility and tight muscles - not to mention just a lack of general cardiovascular fitness. All of these things create a barrier when it comes to carrying out our daily chores and activities, but we get by. We adapt, we figure out ways of making things easier. We take the elevator instead of the stairs, we park closer to the supermarket and we store things where they’re easily accessible.

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  1659 Hits
APR
08

Alcohol and Fitness

Alcohol and Fitness

Sleep
Alcohol may help you fall asleep quickly, but the quality of your sleep may not be so good. Those who drink close to bedtime don’t get enough rapid eye movement (REM) sleep where important processes of dreaming and restoration occur. This lack of sleep impairs muscle recovery and reduces energy, meaning your workouts the next day will suffer.

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  1592 Hits
MAR
24

7 Ancient Grains You Need On Your Plate

ancientgrains

Modern wheat has been subjected to selective breeding over thousands of years, stripping it of many nutrients, but untouched ancient grains boast a far richer nutritional profile. Higher in protein and lower in gluten, they’re an excellent source of dietary fiber, which not only give you a “full” feeling, but are necessary  for digestive health.

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  5419 Hits
MAR
03

Things That Are Sabotaging Your Workout

Things That Are Sabotaging Your Workout

Here are six things you should never do before hitting the gym.

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  1735 Hits
FEB
10

Sitting and Standing

sitting and standing

To Burn Calories- Standing

According to studies standing at a desk increases calorie burn by 20 percent compared to sitting. Why? When we sit, our muscles are not engaged, our digestive system slows and blood circulation is gradual. So if you find yourself chained to the desk most of the time, stand up every 20 minutes and go to the printer, get a drink of water, take a stretch or pace while talking on the phone.

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  1210 Hits
FEB
20

Heart Health Precautions Every Woman Should Take

Heart Health Precautions Every Woman Should Take

KNOW YOUR RISK?

Women of all ages should take heart disease seriously. Those under the age of 65, and especially those with a family history of heart disease, need to pay close attention to the risk factors. Smoking is another contributing risk for heart disease more so in women than in men, so either quit or don’t start this unhealthy habit.

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  1589 Hits
JAN
07

Nutrition & Metabolism

Nutrition & Metabolism

Staying slim, toned and vibrant for life is something we all want. And the key to getting it is to train your metabolism to perform at its best. Your metabolic system is not only responsible for burning fat and building lean tissue, it’s also involved in hormone function, recovery, sweat, sleep, regeneration.

So how do you get your best metabolism ever? Imagine you were trying to train a puppy. The most effective approach is to keep repeating the same messages, day in, day out. The best kind of information over and over until things click into place. 

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  1404 Hits
JAN
21

Breathing the right way

Breathing the right way

Considering how crucial it is to our survival, we spend very little time thinking about the way we breathe. In fact, most of us generally only think about our breath when we’re short of it. But it’s a subject that could do with a little more attention. If we breathe the way our bodies were designed to, we can unlock real and lasting benefits for our workouts and our health.

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  1655 Hits
DEC
09

Your Quality of Sleep Matters

Your Quality of Sleep Matters

QUALITY VS. QUANTITY

For an ideal sleep you need to go through several stages. Two of these phases are particularly important: Deep sleep is the most restorative stage of sleep when the body repairs itself, and studies suggest the most damaging effects of sleep deprivation are from inadequate deep sleep.

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  1725 Hits
NOV
25

Improving your balance

Improving your balance

While usually overlooked, good balance is an important factor for your overall health and injury prevention.  Poor balance can lead to falls and injury, especially for older people. By developing greater balance, you’ll improve your coordination and postural stability.

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  1600 Hits
NOV
12

Omega 3 Nutrition Benefits

Omega 3 Nutrition Benefits

It is true to say that all fats are not created equal. In fact, fats such as cholesterol, saturated fats and trans fats are detrimental to one’s health when ingested in large quantities. Conversely, omega 3 fatty acids are one type of fat that possess countless health benefits.

Omega 3s have been shown to improve heart rate, cut the risk of blood clots, decrease plaque in arteries, reduce inflammation, lower blood pressure and boost good cholesterol (HDL).

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  1460 Hits
OCT
21

Diet Mistakes that Slow Your Metabolism

Diet Mistakes that Slow Your Metabolism

Whether it’s your heart beating, nerves communicating or muscles pumping – your metabolism works 24/7 and is the source of your energy. To carry out these bodily functions, we require energy that ultimately comes from our food. Metabolic rate is affected by many factors, including our age, weight and genetics.

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  1663 Hits
OCT
04

5 Signs You're Overtraining

5 Signs You're Overtraining

Believe it or not, exercise can be unhealthy if overdone. It’s known as overtraining.

When we exercise, we push our body, and this is normal. The exertion stimulates our muscles and cardiovascular system, which makes us fitter. But when we increase the frequency of our training, or up the intensity level, our bodies struggle to recover which can bring progress to a standstill, or even send it backwards.

Everyone is different so there’s no exact formula for how much exercise is the right amount. How quickly your body recovers is affected by experience, intensity, how often you train, nutrition, sleep and other lifestyle factors. But there are a few tell-tale signs it might be time to pull it back a little.

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  1604 Hits
SEP
24

Exercise Can Help Boost Brain Bower

Exercise Can Help Boost Brain Bower

Getting fit isn’t just about bigger muscles, it also helps build brain cells. Here are five reasons why exercise makes you smarter, sharper and more productive.

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  2089 Hits
SEP
10

How To Stay Hydrated

How To Stay Hydrated

Keep a bottle of water with you during the day:

While it might seem obvious, always carrying a water bottle with you will encourage you to keep sipping on water throughout the day. Keep a bottle on your desk at work, in your car or in your gym bag and you’ll have one with you wherever you go.

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  1390 Hits
AUG
28

Protein Food that Can Help Burn Fat

Protein Food that Can Help Burn Fat

Including foods with protein in every meal and snack is essential for weight and fat loss. Protein containing foods help to make you feel fuller for longer period of time, preventing blood sugar spikes and dips.

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  1403 Hits
JUL
24

Ways to Balance Lifestyle and Fitness Goals

health

Sometimes it’s all too easy to put health and fitness into the ‘goals to be achieved’ bucket and revisit at a time in your life when it feels like more of a priority.

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  1614 Hits
JUN
24

Benefits of Exercising

BENEFITS OF EXERCISING

When it comes to breaking a sweat, many people focus on bigger biceps and a trim waistline, but for some, that’s not enough motivation to get moving. Indeed, the phrase ‘exercise is medicine‘ is becoming increasingly recognized as a fundamental form of treatment for various lifestyle related diseases, including depression, diabetes, heart disease, asthma, some cancers, and hip fractures. Here are a few unexpected benefits of exercise that happen when you're active.

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  3180 Hits
JUN
13

Yoga Health Benefits

 Yoga Health Benefits

Yoga, an ancient practice and meditation, has become increasingly popular in today’s busy society. With many forms of exercise and training coming and going, yoga is one that has stood the test of time, having been around for more than 5,000 years. The word yoga means ‘to join or yoke together’. It brings your body and mind together, and is built on three main elements – exercise, breathing and meditation.

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  1662 Hits
MAY
23

Incidental Exercise Ideas

Incidental Exercise IdeasHow did you spend your last 24 hours? How many hours did you spend sitting down compared to standing up? What type of movement did you do?

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  1642 Hits
APR
23

How to Motivate Yourself to Run

How to Motivate Yourself to Run

Let’s be honest, finding the motivation to run isn’t always easy. Even for the seasoned runners and athletes out there, there are plenty of days where the last thing you want to do is go for a run. Too busy, too tired, hot weather, cold weather, not feeling well, I’ll do it tomorrow – we’ve all been there with ways of talking ourselves out of a run. And while you’ll always regret not going for your run, you will almost never regret just getting out there and doing it. To help you on those days where you’re just not feeling it, here are some tips to motivate you to get out the door and get those miles in:

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  1275 Hits
MAR
27

The Right Way to Bench Press

The Right Way to Bench Press

The bench press is one of the most important upper body exercises. You can be forgiven for thinking it is a chest exercise, a lot of people do; however, it is so much more than that. It is a compound exercise, and that is because it recruits many muscles throughout the body.

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  1369 Hits
MAY
01

What Are Compound Exercises?

What Are Compound Exercises?

There are two main classifications of exercises: compound exercises and isolation exercises. In this post, we will cover exactly what a compound exercise is.

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  2914 Hits
MAR
20

Hunger & Appetite Aren't the Same Thing

 

HUNGER & APPETITE AREN'T THE SAME THING

Why do some people manage to say no to that extra slice of cake, yet others can’t resist? It’s important to understand the difference between hunger and appetite to help you keep a more balanced attitude toward food and eating.

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  1396 Hits
FEB
20

Foods that Boost Your Immune System

Foods that Boost Your Immune System

Feel a cold coming on? Can’t shake your cough? Don’t worry these immune boosting foods are star defense players in your diet.

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  1464 Hits
DEC
20

Why Does the Cold Make it Difficult to Get Out of Bed?

 

sleep

Hot chocolate, Netflix marathons, and warm duvets are just some of the finer comforts the cold weather brings. But a season linked to shorter days can influence how well you sleep. Here’s why cold weather makes it difficult to get out of bed in the mornings.

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  1394 Hits
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FEB
20

Essentials for a Fast Healthy Meal

 Essentials for a Fast Healthy Meal

Filling your fridge with healthy perishables makes whipping up nutritious meals a pleasure, not a chore. Fill your fridge with these 10 versatile ingredients.

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  1504 Hits
JAN
08

Improve Bone Health

 

improve bone health

Our skeleton is also extremely efficient, despite supporting the weight of our entire body. The dry weight of a healthy human skeleton averages only around 7% of total body mass – so blaming excess weight on ‘big bones’ is not exactly an excuse!

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  1511 Hits
JAN
23

Are You Eating Enough?

 

are you eating enough? 

Are you getting enough nutrients to power through your HIIT class or do you sometimes feel like you’re running on empty? Lookout for these 5 common signs you’re not eating enough to fuel your workout.

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  1740 Hits
NOV
19

How to Boost Metabolism with Exercise

 metabolism

‘Metabolism’ is a bit of a buzz word on the fitness scene these days. Countless studies aim to prove speeding up your metabolism equals faster weight loss. But what is it exactly?

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  2197 Hits
SEP
05

Vitamin D

vitamind

Vitamin D – The Sunshine Vitamin Your body produces vitamin D when you are directly exposed to sunlight. It is also a vitamin that you can get through certain foods and supplements to ensure that we have the correct levels in our blood.

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OCT
30

How to Get Back on Track After a Binge

 overeating

Starting a new training and eating regime often resembles the wheels of the bus. Everything is running smoothly until the wheels come off, motivation plummets and you have just finished the entire tub of Ben & Jerry’s. What next?

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NOV
07

Four Winter Fitness Mistakes

winterfitness
There is no denying that it’s more difficult to keep in shape during the winter months. With dark mornings and nights, freezing conditions, and snow and rain soaking our favorite running paths, it’s hard to get enthused about exercising or drinking cold green smoothies. So to help you out, we’ve compiled a few simple solutions for four of the most common winter weight mistakes we hear every day:

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JUL
13

Workout for Tennis players

tennis_match (1)

Working on your fitness can really improve your tennis game. The workout below targets each of the main areas involved in the game so you’re in top shape when you step on court. Repeat the workout twice a week for the best results, resting for 30-45secs between sets.  Start with a warm-up of marching then jogging on the spot and stretches for the upper and lower body.  

Forward and Side Jumps/hops – 2 sets.

Arrange 5 low hurdles in the floor roughly 1.5f apart (you can use cones or any other markers if necessary).  Jump over each hurdle with feet together, using your arms to add momentum, jumping again as soon as you land. Turn to your right and repeat the course, jumping sideways, leading with your left shoulder, and then repeat leading with your left. 

Lunge and Twist – 2 sets of 12 reps (6 each side)

Stand with feet together holding a medicine ball or weight level with your chest.  Take a large step forward with your right leg and extend your arms out in front of you.  Rotate your torso to the right and then back to the centre.  Bend both knees to perform a lunge, making sure your front knee is behind your toes.  Quickly straighten your legs, jumping up and bringing your left leg forward and right leg back.  Turn your torso to the left and then back to centre, lunging and jumping again.  Continue, alternating sides to complete one set. 

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Copyright

© Club Fitness NY

AUG
08

The Five Rules for a Muscled Body

From time to time, people are saying they find the perfect solution to "build" your body. But what about if you don't want to become a body-builder, but just get more fit and healthy? Let's see the 5 basic rules to fit your self up the easy way:

1.  Eat five times a day at 2-3 hour intervals. This keeps you saturated with the amino acids and glycogen from protein and carbohydrate sources that you need to push abnormal muscle growth. This also prevents muscle loss due to a bodily starvation reaction to heavy workouts.

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SEP
09

Abs workout training - Hanging leg raise

Hanging leg raise works the abdominal muscles, especially the lower abs.  It also trains your grip strength which you need it for many weight lifting workouts including pull up and bench press.

Womanraise Menraise

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OCT
12

Losing fat and gaining muscle

fatandmusclesLosing fat and gaining muscle has nutritional, physical and psychological aspects. The following 15 strategies can help you reach your goals:

  • Increasing your protein intake helps protect muscles when calories are low and helps release stored energy.
  • Eating smaller meals more often provides a continuous flow of nutrients when calories are low. Foods high in nutrient volume but low in calories, such as spinach, broccoli and cabbage help you stay lean while feeling full. Beaten egg white expands for the same effect.
  • Eat more green leafy vegetables and fresh fruits to keep your body functioning and maintain your acid balance. Starches such as sweet potatoes, brown rice, quinoa, etc. Should be kept for post workout meals.
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JAN
11

Muscles and Intensity on training

intensity1Intensity refers to load/weight and has been shown to have a significant impact on muscle hypertrophy and is arguably the most important exercise variable for stimulating muscle growth.  Intensity can be recorded as a percentage of 1RM and equates to the number of repetitions that can be performed with a given weight.

Repetitions can be classified into 3 basic ranges:

  • low (1–5)
  • moderate (6–12)
  • high (15+)

 

These repetition ranges involve the use of different energy systems and stress the neuromuscular system in different ways.  This variation of stress impacts the extent of the hypertrophic response.The use of high repetitions has generally proven to be inferior to moderate and lower repetition ranges in eliciting increases in muscle hypertrophy.  This means that a load less than approximately 65% of 1RM is not considered sufficient to promote substantial hypertrophy.  This is because the high rep training can bring about significant metabolic stress but the load is inadequate to recruit and fatigue the highest threshold muscle fibres.Whether low or moderate reps evoke a greater hypertrophic response has been a matter of debate as both produce significant gains in muscle growth.  However, the general consensus is that the moderate rep range of 6–12 reps will optimise muscle hypertrophy.

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FEB
11

What harm does over training do?

over1Overtraining is something that many people are facing nowadays. It hasn’t always been strictly hard exercise but has usually come from just pushing too hard in a few sets of just working out too frequently. Just putting too much strain on the body, going that extra unnecessary mile.

There are a few vital clues that our bodies give out when they have had enough and require some rest – or at least time off exercise all together (in the conventional sense). I believe movement and activity is always good but sometimes we need to take it easy with things like weight lifting, running, and other intense exercise.

Keep an eye out for when:

  • Sleep becomes disturbed
  • Digestion isn’t what it usually is
  • Constant feeling of tension in neck and shoulder muscles
  • Muscles feel heavy

This happens for a variety of reasons - our nervous system gets tired, and our muscle glycogen gets depleted leading us to feeling grumpy, irritable, tired, lethargic and like we don’t want to move – a sort of tired but wired feeling. Basically all the things that we do not want to feel especially when trying to look and feel healthy – the trouble is our nervous system needs a lot of time to repair, only good sleep, relaxation and food can help.

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FEB
10

5 Important Rules for Great Shape

healthyyear1Everyone have seen the cut/bulk cycle that many people go through adding weight for the winter with the pipe dream of gaining some extra muscle and dieting the whole summer to reveal those abs…..Its not something you want to do you can look and feel great all year round by following a few rules!

- Don’t attempt to bulk!

Your body is very self regulating if you start lifting heavy weights and doing intense workouts your appetite will ramp up and so long as you stick to good wholesome food 80% of the time you will gain quality muscle and your strength in the gym will increase….
Take your time with gaining size if your getting stronger it means you are getting bigger, simply having trust in that will keep you progressing in the gym. Find new ways to challenge your body and trigger growth whether thats 100 rep body weight squats or a fully loaded leg press just keep your body guessing! You can’t force feed yourself into growth it will just leave you feeling bloated and chubby….

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MAR
07

Spring is here - Time to lose fat

over2After a really heavy winter in NYC, spring is coming and many of us - especially women- have been looking for different ways to lose weight. Recently I flipped a typical women magazine at my colleague’s desk, I saw advertisements selling magic cream, magic foods, uknown slimming pills and many other too good to be true weight loss products or services. Look as if those companies are never getting tired in coming out with new products which promise easy way to lose weight. Unfortunately, customers become the victim of many of these products but seldom they learn from it. Why? Because they too continue to look for easy fast and way to achieve the ideal weight.

There is only one secret to guarantee you to lose weight. This method has proved to be working well, whether it is in year 1968, 2008 or even 2048. Actually, instead of lose weight, you should lose fat to be exact. Weight can be fat, muscle and bones. What we need to get rid of is the body fat.

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MAR
18

Body problems and how to beat them

bodyproblms1If you are serious about developing your physical stregth, whether by competitive running, personal training, pumping iron in the gym, or even just doing yoga you’ll know there’s a whole lot more than seven potential ways in which your body can not only protest but cause some serious troubles.  Whatever your genetic strengths or weaknesses, learning to listen and respond to your body’s initial warning signs makes all the difference between a short or long recovery time and is crucial if you want to keep doing what you do well.  On this article the focus is on some of the most common injuries affecting competitive runners, but the information applies to most physical workouts and regimes.

Runner’s knee accounts for about 40% of all running injuries.  It typically strikes on longer runs, while descending hills or stairs, or after prolonged sitting.  Almost everyone is at risk.  The first solution is to slow down.  Take extra rest days and reduce your mileage, running only as far as you can without pain.  Running uphill or simulating hills on a treadmill strengthens your glutes, hips and thighs and prevents knees from rolling inwards.  Cycling is also good for strengthening your quads and swimming is knee-friendly.  If you have knee pain on waking which doesn’t ease up, stop running.

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JUN
16

Is running a marathon really dangerous for your health?

marathon1Marathons the last two decades are very succesfull. More and more people are participating either for athletic purposes either for a cause.

Let’s start with the bad news though. For those who believe running makes you healthier there are some rather depressing recent statistics. Last year Ryan Shay, aged 28, running in the US Men’s Olympic Trials in Central Park was the first world class marathon runner to die of a heart attack while competing. One day later Mathew Hardy, 50, died of a heart attack just after finishing the New York City Marathon. A month earlier Chad Schieber, 35, died in the Chicago Marathon although he’d previously been diagnosed with a heart defect.

Then of course, back in 1984, there was the case of Jim Fixx, who is largely accredited with popularizing running with his 1977 book ‘The Complete Book of Running’, who died of a heart attack aged 54 while running near his home in Vermont.Enough to make you hang up your running shoes? Then what about Bhai Fauja Singh? Nicknamed the ‘turbaned tornado’, born in the Punjab in 1911 and now living in East London, he’s 100 years old, a life-long vegetarian who avoids alcohol, fried foods and smoking and weighs only 52 kg and is not only running in international marathons, but consistently winning them in his age group. And he didn’t even start serious competitive running until in his 80s! Kind of contradictory, no?

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MAY
06

Intensive training & yoga?

balasanaHave you ever consider what can be the relationship between bodybuilding exersices and yoga? Rushing headlong into our strength training routine without the requisite stretching and then rushing through our warm down isn't the best for your body. How conscious are you of your flexibility? Can you still touch your toes? Do you still want to be able to do this as you get older?  Yoga could be the power lifter or strongman’s new best friend and you don’t need an incense filled room to do this either.

There are a few quick and simple moves you can incorporate into your warm down that might just make all the difference.  After all yoga is no flash in the pan, it’s been around for a few thousand years and it may just extend your lifting career and improve your power lifting routine.

There are a few yoga moves that will improve the suppleness of your big muscle groups: the glutes, hams, quads, and lats.

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JUL
16

Fitness requires energy

energy1Different physical activities have differing energy requirements, as one might expect. However, these energy requirements rely on a variety of sources of fuel as well as bodily energy systems to supply their needs. Understanding your body’s needs and responses according to the type of physical activity you’re involved in largely determines your overall performance and success.

Take, for example, the 100 meter sprint and the marathon. The sprint is a brief high intensity event, whereas the marathon is a prolonged endurance test. Both burn up plenty of energy from different sources and by way of different bodily systems. Basic energy comes via the muscles in the form of Adenosine Triphosphate, or ATP. However, stored supplies of ATP for immediate use are limited and must be replenished and resynthesized from other sources via various metabolic paths depending on the intensity of the need.

The energy systems providing the metabolic paths are categorized as either immediate, short or long term and each is based on the resynthesis of ATP either from intramuscular phosphate PCr macronutrients, carbohydrates, lipids and protein or in some form of combination. These fuel sources use varying metabolic pathways in the regeneration of ATP.

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AUG
10

Push ups workout tips

pushups1Push ups offer a great upper body workout, by using the body to work the deltoids, pectorals and triceps. However, this workout can put too much strain on your arm joints, especially those in the wrist. Modifications to your usual routine may help alleviate the pressure.

Ball press-up

Using a stability ball changes the position into a wrist-friendly, albeit more challenging exercise that targets the mid-chest area, triceps and abdominals. Hold your body horizontally with your toes on the floor over the ball. Hold the ball, grasping it to stop it wobbling. Your hands should be placed just under your shoulders. Bend your arms to at least 90° with each rep.

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SEP
10

Muscle stretching

calv1When taking up an exercise such as jogging, more serious running or just about any physical activity that pushes your body beyond its comfort zone, you’ll need an appropriate pre and post exercise warm up and wind-down routine if you want to avoid injuries. In addition to this you should always remember to avoid eating at least one hour before you exercise.

It’s all part of the process of getting fitter faster while listening to your body’s needs and respecting its capacity.

A common area for problems when running is the foot and ankle region which is where most of the impact occurs and blood pressure increasing during training. Keeping your calf muscles flexible can help you avoid tendonitis and plantar fasciitis by softening the shock as your foot hits the ground. One popular injury preventive training method which focuses on flexibility and strength is the Wharton Performance Model.

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OCT
07

Goals and Motivation

dweir1Not making much progress in losing weight, or on a slow train in attaining your strength and fitness goals? You think you have problems? Take a look at someone who could have had plenty to complain about, but took a different approach: David Weir, the British and World Champion Paralympic champion who won this year’s London Marathon for the fifth time and won last year’s New York Marathon and took triple gold in the World Championships in Christchurch New Zealand.

He is described as Britain’s top wheel chair athlete and one of the best in the world.
So how did he get there, given the significant disability of being born paraplegic? Self-perception seems to be the secret, or at least a large part of it. “I have never seen myself as disabled. I have always been treated as normal,” says the 34 year old from South London who has an 8 year old daughter from a previous relationship and now has a new-born son with his current partner.

He has been a full time athlete for the last thirteen years.

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NOV
11

Something new, something old: Get some rest

rest2Workout - Recuperate

Getting sufficient rest and recuperation is as important as any workout. Overtraining won’t make you any stronger or aid your performance, so learn to keep a proper balance between the two by watching for the following markers.

A loss of body mass/weight of just 2% indicates a lack of sufficient hydration which affects both physical and mental performance. Another indicator of dehydration is the colour of your urine. Dark yellow means you need to drink more water. Drinking more fluids both before and after a workout is recommended.

It’s a good idea to check your resting heart rate each morning to see what’s normal for you. An elevated resting heart rate is a sign of stress and your heart trying to move more oxygen to muscles and the brain. Physical and psychological stress registers the same. Both require extra recovery.

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DEC
09

Training after middle age

older1Many women are turned off from training as they have the wrong impression that lifting weights or any kind of gym activity is something men want to do to build muscles. How your body adapts to working with weights is determined by your genetics.

For women there are numerous benefits for doing resistance training and I promise you won’t end up looking like Arnie! Resistance training is good for anyone of any age or ability. It offers the benefits of gaining strength, improved co-ordination, better posture, a serious kick to the metabolism and heaps of self confidence. Heart problems, fat and a series of other conditions may become better by time and self-confidence can be boost as never before.

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