Ann Jones Weight Loss Diary

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AnnJones

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EDIT: Comment removed for bashing Moderators.

Hi, my name is Ann and I want to kick the habit of overeating and being over weight. I'm here like an alcoholic would be at an AA Meeting. I have come to lay my cards on the table and begin to be accountable for my actions. I have come to win and make friends along the way.

1. Answer these questions before starting your diary.
A. OK

-- How much weight do you want to lose?
A. 126 pounds starting March 3, 2010

-- What is the timeframe for reaching your target weight?
A. As long as it takes. Roughly 16 pounds a month.

-- How do you want to accomplish your goal (what methods do you want to use)?
A. I will count every calorie that go into my mouth.

-- Who or what can support you in reaching your goal?
A. A weight loss buddy(s) would be nice. Some one to talk to about our success's and what we have learn along the way. I'm not a whiner so, my buddy shouldn't be either.

-- How realistic is your goal?
A. Very obtainable and 98 pounds is in my BMI health weight range.

-- When will you start?
A. March 3, 2010 and seven months from now will be October 2010.

Other Questions:

What is your current height and weight?
A. 5' 1", 225 pounds

If you were at an ideal weight now, what would that weight be?
A. I have changed my mind, I want to be 98 pounds, That is in my BMI healthy weight range.

At what weight would you like to be at four months from now?
A. 161 pounds that losing 16 pounds a month.

Why do you want to lose weight?
A. I want a long life with fewer health problems and for self esteem.

Do you want to lose weight for a specific life event such as wedding or reunion? If so, when is that event?
A. No, I did buy a new bikini that I love and I want to fit into.

What obstacles could get between you and your weight loss goals?
A. Eating too many sweets.

Why do you think that you now have a weight problem?
A. Research and it doesn't take a Rocket Scientist to figure it out.

What lifestyle changes do you think would help you lose weight?
A. Start Exercising.

Have you lost weight in the past? If so, what has worked in the past to help you lose weight?
A. Yes, I have read everything I could read from reputable sources and convience myself, "I'm Ready!" Again. This time for sure!

Why do you believe that you did not lose weight or you gained the weight back?
A. Mental block.

What, if anything, has not worked for you in the past in helping you to lose weight? Why do you think it did not work?
A. Blindly dieting and not knowing what I was doing. Unsure if I was getting the proper proteins and nutrients in my diet. Not wanting to feel hunger pains. Being spoiled and spoiling myself.

Would you try writing down all food and drink consumed for a given period of time?
A. Yes, and I am currently doing that;

Do you cook at home often? If so, what do you cook?
A. I cook daily and only recipes that show the nutritional values. I eat mostly fresh produce raw, cooked and steamed. I rarely eat meat. I eat a protein, a starch, vegetable and fruit every meal.

How often do you go out to eat? Where do you go?
A. I have stopped going out completely.

What are your three favorite foods?
A. Grapes, watermelon, potatoes.

What are your three favorite restaurants?
A. Asian, Pizza, 4 Star.

What are three things you can do differently when it comes to food?
A. Watch portion control, count calories, eat a balanced diet.

If you woke up tomorrow and your body was exactly the way you want it, what would be different?
A. I would buy a new wardrobe and get rid of all my fat clothes. Hopefully I would feel healthier and I would be proud of myself for accomplishing my goal.

Do you eat when you are not hungry?
A. I have been known to give into temptation.

Do you binge eat (large amounts at a time)?
A. I have overeaten until, I was uncomfortable. Like at Thanksgiving, Christmas...

Do you hide your food or eat in secret?
A. No.

Do you eat when you are sad, nervous, or depressed?
A. Yes, That's what I call my mental block. I found just saying out loud what's bothering you helps. Tell your demons they aren't going to win and they can't stop you. Knowing what your problem is the first step to solving your problem. I finally came to my realization yesterday. Now, I'm here.

Do you eat as a reward?
A. I have.

Do you eat while watching TV or using the computer?
A. T.V. only.

What do you normally eat for a meal?
A. Starch, protein, vegetable and a fruit.

What type of snacks do you eat?
A. I don't eat snacks per say, I am eating in a 5 hour window from 10:30 am to 3:30 pm. So, Breakfast lunch and dinner are all eaten in that window and I feel very full plus I drink lots of water out of a 32 oz. glass.

In terms of exercise, what, if anything, are you currently doing?
A. I use to be quite athletic but now I'm inactive. I will start doing small exercises and work my way up from there. I have worked out with the T.V. shows before. I guess I'll start doing that again or buy a workout video. I like Denise Austin. I swim in the summer months.

Where do you go for exercise? A local public gym? School/work gym? Home?
A. Home and the pool.

What, if anything, are your three favorite types of exercise?
Aerobics, Hiking, Modern Dance.

What is your daily/weekly/monthly/yearly motivation to move towards your goals?
A. Being happier than I am now. Being healthier so, I won't need medical attention at young age for old peoples ailment's.

Do you have rewards for certain goals?
A. I can fit into certain clothes that are new. I pat myself on the back for sticking to my diet. Being healthier is a reward all in itself. I wasn't alway fat, I use to wear size 6, (26 inch waist) and still have those clothes. It would be nice to fit into my old jeans again. People treat you differently when you're thin.
 
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Hey, looks like you have a good plan going! I use fitday to keep track of calories and what activities I have done. Its nice to know exactly how many I have eaten, and how active I have been each day. Good luck on this journey I know its hard but you can do it! :)
 
Hello and Welcom to the site!!!! You seem to have a great plan and it looks like you are commited!! Congrat on taking your health seriously and I will check out your diary from time to time.
 
Thank You, nothingnowhere, I appreciate your support. I'll have to read your journal if you have one. This is my second day and I still am finding new things to read.
 
Verobc,

Thank You for dropping by. I will be sure to be good, I don't want to disapoint you or myself and end up looking like a big fool. I'm already hanging on a limb here. LOL
 
I will be logging down my food choices and I will note; that I take a mulitiple vitamin and calcium pill twice a day, everyday. I write down what I will eat in the mornings and add it up. Then I make myself something to eat with the ingredients. I always have a 32 oz. glass of water to drink. (I love it) I will also say, I eat in a 5 hour window. My window is from 10:30 am to 3:30 pm. After that I only drink non-caloric drinks.

Day 1.

March 3, 2010
Wednesday

FOOD DIARY

10.3 oz. Potato
2 egg whites
16 grapes

8.19 oz. Spanish Rice, homemade
4 egg whites
8.7 oz. tomato
16 grapes

1 Pickel
4.10 oz. Spanish Rice, homemade
1/2 head of lettuce
1 cucumber, peeled
16 grapes

Total: Calories 816.01, Carbs. 158.19, Fat 2.21, Protein 37.28

I made an omelet with the 6 egg whites and potato. I nuked the spud whole for 5 minutes half covered with water, in a covered container, then cooled and diced it. In a teflon skillet with Pam, water and spices, I made the omelet. I made a salad and served the rice on the side and had the grapes after each meal. Had water to drink.

For a salad dressing I used, 2 tablespoons vinegar + 3 tablespoons Splenda and 1/2 cup of water. (no calorie salad dressing)

****************************************************************

Day 2.

March 4, 2010
Thursday

FOOD DIARY

2 Basic Wheat Bread, homemade sliced 30 slices to the loaf.
16 grapes
1 c. Yogurt, Dannon low fat
3 oz. Turkey

1/2 head of lettuce
1 cucumber, unpeeled
1 yellow bell pepper
7 oz Tomato

4.72 oz. Spanish Rice, homemade
16 grapes

Total: Cals. 790, Carbs. 130.89, Fat 14.82, Protein 38.25

I made a turkey sandwich (no condiments) cut it in half and had one half with one meal and the other half with another meal. I mixed the plain yogurt with cinnamon and spices and Splenda and divided it. (creamy desert) I made a salad with (no calorie salad dressing) and had the Spanish Rice on the side. Had clean fresh clear water to drink, because we live in America.
 
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Eating under 1200 calories is not good for your body, get the right information and read it carefully because you can seriously hurt yourself going on the way you are going. This is not supposed to be something you do for 7.56 months, to lose weight and keep it off you need to change your lifestyle.
Your plan sounded good in the first posts (though your loss expectation was too high, you should lose at a 1-2 pound rate to do it "the healthy way"), but your meals are ridiculously low in calories and it will just come back with a vengeance. You will either get very sick from not eating enough, or stop being able to do it and gain a lot of weight back or possibly even damage your metabolism.
Losing weight the right way, having a healthy lifestyle, is not a race, it is a marathon that will last your whole life. If you run yourself sick in the first few metres you will not be able to be running much further!

Honestly you said in your first post that you had informed yourself, that you had done your research... where did you do it? Because nobody in the field of medicine, physiology, personal training... hell in the field of "being a human who has lost some weight" will be in favour of a hypocaloric diet like the one you are doing unless you are under VERY close medical surveillance (and even then you would only do it if you were at high risk of dying soon of weight related issues).
I may sound harsh but I am speaking the truth, you are going to hurt yourself so please get properly informed before deciding to risk your health for a slimmer body.
Camy

P/s: and I am not in America and I also drink clean water... not sure what you wanted to say but it sounded a bit superior.
 
Dear Camy,

Being Proud of my country is not a superior attitude towards anyone or any country. Please don't take my words personal. We Americans know there are 3rd world countries that don't have clean water and we are very lucky to live in such a great country that provides us with so, many things. I don't take for granted that we have clean water, I know how blessed we are. I have traveled to many countries and have seen how they live.

As far as your concern about my calories intake. I have been to a nutritionist and am following her guidelines. I am not a very tall person and my frame is small. To maintain my goal weight of 104 pounds, which is a healthy weight according to The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, BMI calculator. I could even weigh 98 pounds and still be in the healthy weight range. My doctor has approved me being 104 pounds for my height and frame. For the lifestyle I am living, the caloric intake to maintain a 104 pound weight would be, 1,045 calories.

So, when someone's regular calories are 1600 calories, and they want to reduce, they may drop their calories to 1200. Do you attack them for eating too little calories?

I have used the book:

"The Protein Counter", 2nd edition
by Annette B. Natow, Ph.D., R.D. and Jo-Ann Heslin, M.A., R.D.

to figure out my protein requirement. I also, read information from the Mayo Clinic and The Harvard School of Public Health along with many government sites on nutrition and weight loss.

I have read that the reason they recommend 1200 calories a day is because they're afraid people won't get proper nutrition. But in my case I only need 1,045 calories a day. I am inactive because I have been injured.

I am confident my plan is a healthy way to lose weight. I don't eat sweets which some people can add 400 calories or more on their diets. I will only drink water and eat vegetables, fruit and starches and protein. Not an ounce of empty calories will cross my lips and I do not drink alcohol.

Ann Jones
 
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Glad I stocked up on low fat popcorn. This should be fun to watch especially once Jericho gets in here.
 
Cerad,

Are you a trouble maker?
It's what I live for.

Understand, I'm on your side. But the powers the be on this board have very definite ideas on what constitutes a healthy weight loss plan. And they tend to come swarming around when someone posts something differently.

It is interesting that you indicated that you were eating only 1600 cals per day and not losing weight. But I'll take your word for it.
 
"It is interesting that you indicated that you were eating only 1600 cals per day and not losing weight. But I'll take your word for it."

I didn't say that.

I said, "So, when someone's regular calories are 1600 calories, and they want to reduce, they may drop their calories to 1200. Do you attack them for eating too little calories?"

Which means that person eating 1600 calories dropped 400 calories off their regular calories to make it 1200 per day. I'm only dropping 200 calories. People should go to medical school before they start practicing medicine.
 
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We prefer that everyone does not start flame wars but tries to explain that its a proven fact that unless you are on a specially written Drs diet, and monitored (and even then ..) you may die .


Protien is a must, but because its fashionable or anything else, but because your muscles need it. When you loose weight your body doesn't care if its fat or muscle it just sheds it. If you eat protien it generally sheds the fat and not the muscle (btw you need about 120+gm protein at least per day).
Now a lot of people go 'bah who needs muscles im not that strong anyway'. WHilst that may be true about your arms and legs, how about your lungs? and your heart? those too are a muscle, and once you loose them its a downhill battle :)

So for everyones sanity, please do not eat stupid restrictive diets that will slow your metabolism down and only work in the short term. (this also saves on stupid arguments on WLF forums)
 
We prefer that everyone does not start flame wars but tries to explain that its a proven fact that unless you are on a specially written Drs diet, and monitored (and even then ..) you may die .


Protien is a must, but because its fashionable or anything else, but because your muscles need it. When you loose weight your body doesn't care if its fat or muscle it just sheds it. If you eat protien it generally sheds the fat and not the muscle (btw you need about 120+gm protein at least per day).
Now a lot of people go 'bah who needs muscles im not that strong anyway'. WHilst that may be true about your arms and legs, how about your lungs? and your heart? those too are a muscle, and once you loose them its a downhill battle :)

So for everyones sanity, please do not eat stupid restrictive diets that will slow your metabolism down and only work in the short term. (this also saves on stupid arguments on WLF forums)

The Daily Mail now, there's a reliable medical source.
 
But the powers the be on this board have very definite ideas on what constitutes a healthy weight loss plan. And they tend to come swarming around when someone posts something differently.
The "powers that be" on the board simply want to make sure that it's clear that the forum itslef doesn't condone extreme diet plans.

As for the OP's plan - it seems to me to be rather high in simple carbs and low in protein and veg. It also is way too low in calories, given the overall nutritional value of the plan.

But all we can do is make the suggestion. If the OP doesn't want to take the advice, then that's her choice.
 
Ann, I was not being insulting or otherwise, I am a mod here, and i do have clearly more clue than you. See my sig, i have been there, i have lost the weight. Please stop being juvenile trying to report me (im the one getting the emails!).

It would help if you read some of the sticky threads, in particular the ones from Steve whos a PT

ps. daily mail ran the story, does not have diet advice.
 
And by the way, as another mod on this board, referring to someone as a "bimbo" becuase you don't agree with them .. yeah. You're not going to get a lot of credibility with that method of talking about people.

Wishes has done what you hope to achive. So have I. Perhaps you might listen to people who have been there and done that, rather than calling names and talking about how because you're an "american" you drink clean water. America is NOT the only civilized nation in the world.
 
My information on protein requirements came from this book.

Pages 10 - 17 of:
The Protein Counter 2nd edition
By Annette B. Natow, Ph.D., R.D.
and Jo-Ann Heslin, M.A., R.D.

How to figure Protein & Calorie needs per day

How much protein you need each day depends on your weight, activity level, age, and overall health. You'll find the table "Your Daily Protein Factor" (to follow). Use this table and the 4 steps (to follow) to figure out your individual protein needs.

Your Daily Protein Factor
Determine How Much Protein You Need Each Day

Age..................................... ..........Grams Protein per Kilogram of Target Weight

Adults.................................. ......... 0.08
Mature adults................................ 1.0
Recreational athletes...................... 0.8 to 1.0
Endurance athletes........................ 1.2 to 1.8
Strength training............................ 1.7 to 1.8
Strenuous exercise*....................... 1.8 to 2.0
Mature athletes.............................. 1.0 to 1.5
Infections, fractures, fever, surgery... 1.0 to 1.4
Severe trauma................................ 1.5 to 2.5
_______________________________________
*daily exercise program of one hour or more

Figuring Out Your Daily Protein Requirement

1. Determine your daily protein factor.
Check the table "Your Daily Protein Factor," to determine the category that is right for you.
For example, if your a recreational athlete, your protein factor is 0.8 to 1.0 grams of protein.
Your daily protein factor is:_______________

2. Find your "target" weight.
Your protein requirement is based on your weight. Here is a simple way to determine your target weight.

Women: Give yourself 100 pounds for the first 5 feet of your height and add 5 pounds for each additional inch over 5 feet (or subtract 5 pound for each inch under 5 feet).
For example, if you're 5 feet, 6 inches tall:

100 pounds (for the first 5 feet)
+30 pounds (6 additional inches x 5 pounds each)
__________
130 pounds Target Weight

Men: Give yourself 106 pounds for the first 5 feet of your height and add 6 pounds for each additional inch over 5 feet.
For example, if you're 5 feet, 9 inches tall:

106 pounds (for the first 5 feet)
+54 pounds (9 additional inches x 6 pounds each)
__________
160 pounds Target Weight

Add 10% for large body frame; subtract 10% for a small body frame. If you're not sure of your frame size, a large shoe size is a good predictor of large frame.

______ pounds (for the first 5 feet)
+_____ pounds ( ______ additional inches
x_____ pounds each)
______ pounds Target Weight

Your target weight: _________

3. Convert your weight in pounds to kilograms.
To determine your weight in kilograms, divide your weight in pounds by 2.2.

_______(your weight or target weight) divided by 2.2 = ___________ weight in kilograms

____or_____

The chart "Converting Weight in Pounds to Kilograms", (to follow) can be used to complete this step.
Your weight in kilograms: __________

4. Setting your daily requirement for protein.
Multiply your protein factor (from Step # 1) times your weight in kilograms (from Step #3).
For example, if you are a recreational athlete weighing 75 kilograms, your daily protein factor would be 0.8 to 1.0.

0.8 (protein factor) x 75 kilograms = 60 grams of protein per day
1.0 (protein factor) x 75 kilograms = 75 grams of protein per day

A recreational athlete weighing 75 kilograms should be eating a minimum 60 to 75 grams of protein each day.


________ your protein factor x ________ weight in kilograms = ________ grams of protein per day.

Your daily protein requirement is: _________ grams of protein per day.

Now that you know how many grams of protein you need each day, use the "Protein Counter" (book) to select the best choices to meet your needs. If your situation changes -- for example, if your change your exercise program -- simply use Steps 1 to 4 to recalculate your daily protein requirement.
________________________________________ __________________________________

Converting Weight in Pounds to Kilograms

Weight in Pounds...........Weight in Kilograms
________________________________________ __________________________________

85...................................... 39
90...................................... 41
95...................................... 42
100.................................... 45
105.................................... 48
110.................................... 50
115.................................... 52
120.................................... 54
125.................................... 57
130.................................... 59
135.................................... 61
140.................................... 64
145.................................... 66
150.................................... 68
155.................................... 70
160.................................... 73
165.................................... 75
170.................................... 77
175.................................... 79
180.................................... 82
185.................................... 84
190.................................... 86
195.................................... 88
200.................................... 91
210.................................... 93
 
The Best Diet is the One You'll Follow, Harvard Sc
The Nutrition Source

Excerpt:

The Best Diet is the One You'll Follow


Harvard School Of Public Health

The only sure-fire way to lose weight is taking in fewer calories than you burn.

Psst. Want to know the secret to losing weight that diet books have been hiding from you? Take in fewer calories—it doesn't really matter how, according to a new study—and get some support for your efforts.
For years, we've been told that fiddling with the form of calories is the way to lose weight. First came low-fat diets, like the American Heart Association Step I diet or the Ornish diet. They were pushed aside by low-carb diets like the Atkins and South Beach diets. Higher-protein approaches, like the Zone diet, had their day on stage, along with everything in between, from Sugar Busters! (eat no sugar) to the Paleo Diet (eat like a cave man).

The conclusion from the latest head-to-head trial comparing different weight loss strategies, however, is that what you eat takes a backseat to how much you eat. What really matters for weight loss is that you take in fewer calories than you burn. How you get there is immaterial, according to the study, which was published in the February 26, 2009 New England Journal of Medicine. (1)

Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Louisiana State University's Pennington Biomedical Research Center compared the effect of four different diets on weight loss. They recruited more than 800 motivated volunteers. Each one was randomly assigned to one of four prespecified diets that were loosely based on popular diets like Atkins, Ornish, and the Mediterranean diet: low fat, average protein; low fat, high protein; high fat, average protein; high fat, high protein (see table, Overview of Weight Loss Diets and Results). Each of the diets met the American Heart Association's recommendations for cardiovascular health.

The participants were given daily meal plans, were asked to attend weekly support sessions, and were encouraged to exercise at least 90 minutes a week. Body weight, waist circumference, cholesterol levels, and other measures were gathered at 6 months, 12 months, and 2 years.

Over the first 6 months, the participants lost an average of about 12 pounds and had a 2-inch drop in waist size, regardless of the diets they were following. At 12 months, most began to regain some weight. At 2 years, the amount of weight lost was similar across the four plans, on the order of 7 to 9 pounds (see table, Overview of Weight Loss Diets and Results). Feelings of hunger, of being satisfied (satiety), and of satisfaction with the diet were the same across the board. So were cholesterol levels and other markers of cardiovascular risk.

The averages, though, hide the huge variation in weight loss seen in this and other diet trials, pointed out lead researcher Frank Sacks, M.D., professor of cardiovascular disease prevention in the Department of Nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health. Some of the participants lost 30 pounds or more on their diets, while others actually gained weight during the trial. The study also found that the more group counseling sessions participants attended, the more weight they lost, and the less weight they regained. This supports the idea that behavioral, psychological, and social factors are probably far more important for weight loss than the mix of nutrients in a diet.

This study joins a handful of trials that have shown that low-carb and low-fat diets both work in the long run, as does the Mediterranean diet. (2-6) Some of the earlier trials suggested that the low carb approach yielded somewhat faster weight loss, but this latest trial did not find any speed advantage for one diet over another.

How to Put These Diets into Practice
The take-home message from this trial and other recent weight loss trials is simple: If you are serious about losing weight, find a diet that appeals to your taste buds. If it's one your family can follow, so much the better—that way you aren't making different meals for you and your family.

The form of the calories you take in matters for only one reason: helping you stick with the diet. If you prefer protein, then a higher-protein diet might help you lose weight better than a diet that emphasizes carbohydrates. If you like variety and vegetables, try a Mediterranean approach. If you believe that eating fat makes you fat (it doesn't, anymore than eating protein or carbohydrate makes you fat), then try a low-fat approach like one of the Ornish plans.

Better yet, build your own plan. It should provide plenty of choices, have few restrictions, and be as good for your heart, bones, and brain as it is for your waistline. It should be a diet you are excited about trying, or at least not dreading. Most important, it should deliver fewer calories than you usually take in.

What's the best way to determine that? If you can see a nutritionist, she or he can help you figure out how many calories you usually consume. The process usually involves keeping a diary or record of everything you eat, drink, and nibble on over the course of three days. This can be converted to calorie counts and your daily caloric intake. You can also do this yourself online, suggests study co-author Kathy McManus, R.D., director of the nutrition department at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Many web sites offer online food diaries that automatically calculate your calorie intake. Some you have to pay for, others offer up ads for diet products. A free, and ad-free, site worth trying is MyPyramid Tracker, set up by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to support its new food pyramid. The site also has an exercise tracker.

Once you know how many calories you take in on an average day, you can set a target for the future. A 500 calorie deficit is a good place to start. Do that for a week, and you'll lose a pound of fat (which is the equivalent of 3,500 calories). You can adjust your diet to take in 500 fewer calories a day. Or you can cut back by 250 calories (the amount of calories in a 20-oz bottle of sugary soda pop, a 16-ounce vanilla latte, or a jelly donut) and exercise long enough to burn an extra 250 calories (walk an extra 2 miles, take 5,000 more steps, swim for an extra 20 minutes, or do whatever exercise you prefer).

This kind of plan doesn't have a catchy name. But it has something better—a proven record of success.

Overview of Weight Loss Diets and Results (see link)
 
So you currently weigh 225 lbs, right?

And according to the very convoluted information presented above (which I don't necessarily agree with).

Your goal weight: 105lbs or 47.75kg
Your protein goal: 48*.8 = 38.4

That's LUDICROUSLY low for someone who is in a calorie deficit and who is working out. Seriously, that's even below the US RDA for protein for a sedentary adult.

If you're eating at a calorie deficit and even remotely active, you should be aiming for .8g of protein per POUND of lean body mass. Not GOAL body mass, but CURRENT body mass.

If you follow the RDA for your current body mass, you should be getting around 102g of protein per day (that's 1g per 1kg of body weight).

In your case, I'd estimate you should be getting around 120g of protein per day. Eating 38g per day and carb loading will guarantee that you will maximize lean muscle loss and eventually stall out your weight loss.
 
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