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Improve Your Golf Game with Pilates

6/2/2022

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With summer in full swing, many guys and gals are hitting the green for rounds of their favorite game- golf! Golfers both pro and amateur are passionate about their game and want to stay on top of the competition– whether they’re playing in a top tournament or just with a group of friends!

What many don’t realize is how much of a full body sport golf is. The swing is an incredibly dynamic movement that requires muscle strength, flexibility, timing, and engagement. When muscles are overly tight or weak, it can not only create injuries for the golfer but also have a major negative effect on your swing.

You can have the fanciest golf equipment and lessons, practice on the green 6 nights a week, play countless rounds, but if your key muscles are weak or imbalanced, you’ll never reach your full potential as a golfer.

Pilates strengthens and more importantly balances the key muscles that you use in golf. It also keeps you flexible to help prevent injury. Let’s look at some of the key muscles involved in the game of golf and how weakness or imbalance can hinder you.

Key Muscles Used in the Golf

Neck & Shoulders: A weakness or imbalance in the neck and shoulders causes a golfer to rely too heavily on their wrists for stabilization, causing wrist pain over time.

Arms & Wrists: A bit of a no brainer! Grip strength and forearm endurance are both important in holding the club correctly. Wrist flexibility is imperative for accuracy. When wrist or arm muscles are tight, fatigued, or too weak, your accuracy really suffers.

Hips & Glutes: Pelvic stability during the backswing comes from strong and balanced hip and glute muscles. The gluteus maximus especially has been shown to be key in both rotation–during the swing–and extension–in the follow through of the swing. When these muscles are imbalanced or weak, you tend to incorrectly shift your weight to your front foot, and not have as much power on your follow through, both negatively impacting your shot.

Hamstrings: Tight hamstrings means short hamstrings, and short hamstrings cause lower back pain. This is because the tightness of the hamstrings pulls your pelvis under you, stretching the spine to compensate and causing back pain. If you feel lower back pain after a long round of golf, or get pain when you bend over to pick up the ball, you probably have tight hamstrings.

Core: We can’t forget about the core. A strong core is what gives your swing power and distance. Ben Witter, who trained two time World Long Drive champion, Carl Wolter, focused on core training as a part of his training of all his golfers.

Pilates and golf are a match made in heaven. Pilates trains each of the muscles above, teaches you how to efficiently use your breath, and helps all of your muscles work in concert together. It also keeps you flexible enough to be pain and injury free on the green!

What are you waiting for? Call (817) 737-2673 today to book your appointment or book online here.

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The Heat and Sweat Myth

5/21/2022

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One of the biggest misconceptions about exercise is that it’s only “working” if we are sweating. People think that sweating makes us more flexible and/or “detoxifies” our body. But this isn’t how the body works. 

Why We Sweat 
The average person has a baseline core temperature of  between 98 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit.  While our body has some flexibility with temperature, if we get too far to one end of the spectrum or the other, things can go badly. In order to keep us in range, our bodies thermoregulate--or maintain our core temperature--by heating us up or cooling us down. 
  • When our internal temperature rises, sensors in our central nervous system (CNS) send signals to various organs and systems in our body. 
  • Our body does two things to cool us down--we sweat, and we radiate heat. 
  • Sweating cools our skin as the sweat evaporates. 
  • Vasodilation, which makes the blood vessels under our skin wider, increases blood flow to the skin and away from our warm inner body. The heat radiates off our body, which also cools us down. 

How We Detoxify
Despite popular belief, sweating itself doesn’t “detoxify” the body. While there are very small amounts of toxins released through our sweat, sweat is made almost entirely of salt and water, and its primary function is to cool the body. The liver and the kidneys are the true detoxers in the body, which filter and then release--through urine and feces--the harmful substances we encounter. In this way, exercise DOES detox the body, by maintaining liver and kidney health. It's all about taking care of your body's natural defenses and processes. 

The Mental Detox   
One form of detoxification that is often overlooked is a mental detox. A mental detox is like a vacation for our mind. Over the course of the day, we encounter countless stressors—at work, home, and personally. And when we’re running from one thing to the next as we so often are, these stressors can start to pile up, adding to our baseline levels of stress and anxiety. We might start at a relatively low baseline when we feel relaxed and calm, but each stressor we encounter “ups” our baseline to make us a little more stressed each time. We’ll continue this way, carrying all that extra stress, until the proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s back– some seemingly small stressor will set us off completely–because our levels are just too high. We need a mental detox- a chance to reset.
Turns out exercise, especially mind-body exercise like Pilates, is an excellent way to mentally detox. While you are active, your body naturally releases feel good chemicals (remember I wrote about these last month?) called endorphins that relieve stress and elevate your mood. These endorphins, combined with the sense of accomplishment that often accompanies finishing a good Pilates workout, bring down our stress levels to a more healthy baseline.

The Bottom Line
The bottom line is you don’t have to sweat for Pilates to work wonders on your body (though you often will sweat!) When practiced regularly, Pilates DOES detox the body by maintaining both physical and mental health.

So what are you waiting for? Let’s get started!  
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Pause, Pleasure and Pilates

5/4/2022

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Ritual N. The established form for a ceremony. A way of doing something in which the same actions are done in the same way every time. 

The transformative power of ritual can transform not just your health but your whole way of being. It’s about celebrating the habitual and making a ceremony out of the everyday. A ritual doesn’t have to be complicated, it could simply be a moment of pause, repeated daily or as often as you can. It could be a nightly bath, a walk through the park, or a daily Pilates session.

In our busy, fast paced world, carving out pockets of pause and pleasure is a necessary act of self care. Joy is not a “nice to have '' but a key Ingredient to building resilience and good mental and physical health. 

Pilates is perfect for this, especially a one-on-one session, where it’s just you and the instructor. For that hour, you can shut out the rest of the world and focus only on what’s in front of you- the stretch and tone of your muscles, the deepness of your breath, the warmth of your body as you move from one transition to the next. This mind body exercise can become a meditation of sorts, a beautiful and peaceful ritual where you give your body and mind the message that you are worthy of love, worthy of self care, and worthy of the strength and resiliency you are building on the mat. 

Pilates restores. It gives me purpose, not just because I run the studio but because Pilates is a way of life, a way of moving with ease through the world with my head up and my posture strong. Pilates is just one of my rituals, but one I can't live without!

Whenever you find something that is restorative and life-giving, set aside time for it whenever you can and return to it whenever you are feeling stressed, drained, burnt out, or in need of something more. Whether it's through movement, meditation or another form of self care, don't forget to prioritize yourself.  You can only give others what you pour into yourself. 

How do you practice self-care on the regular?


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FEEL GOOD BRAIN CHEMICALS AND HOW TO BOOST THEM WITH PILATES

4/21/2022

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It's natural to feel moody (yes, it really is!). Our brains are incredibly complex, and it's quite natural to feel a spectrum of emotions. Our moods can be affected by so many things, and while we can't control them all, there ARE some that we can control- especially the feel good chemicals that flood us with love, joy, happiness, and calm. And couldn't we all use a bit more of that in our lives? So, how can Pilates play a role in boosting these chemicals?

There are four main brain chemicals that regulate those feel-good feelings in our brains: dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins.

Dopamine: The Reward Chemical
You feel it when you master a really hard transition on the reformer, or when receive a high five for a job well done, or even just in anticipation of something exciting. That rush of pleasure or satisfaction- that's dopamine, a neurotransmitter that plays a significant role in your brain's reward system and your feelings of motivation. When our brains feel it, they want more of it, and it makes us motivated to do the things that gave us the rush in the first place. Getting dopamine naturally, like through Pilates, initiates a positive feedback loop to keep doing more, which keeps us healthier in the long run. Dopamine does more than just make us feel good, it helps with getting good sleep, assists us with learning and concentration, and even helps with memory.

Ways to Boost your Dopamine:
-Enjoy pleasurable activities- listen to music you love, meditate, hang out with people who bring you joy
-Exercise- Pilates is a great way to get that dopamine boost, but if you can't get to a class today, try taking a walk outside; preferably while it's sunny for added benefit
-Work toward your goals- I've had the honor of watching so many Pilates students excel in their practice, and while everyone has down days, overall they experience the reward of a strong sense of accomplishment
-Eat a healthy diet: foods rich in l-tyrosine can also help boost dopamine levels. These include almonds, bananas, eggs, avocados, tofu, chicken, and beef

Serotonin: The Mood Stabilizer
Serotonin plays an important role in our mood, sleep-wake cycles, appetite, digestion, and sexual desire. Low levels can leave us feeling flat, while consistent and optimal levels leave us feeling focused, emotionally stable, and calm.

Ways to Boost Serotonin:
-Get Active- (Are you seeing a pattern here!?) Exercise is one of the best things you can do to release serotonin
-Get Outside- Some studies suggest that sunlight can trigger the release of serotonin
-Meditate- Meditation or other relaxation activities to you quiet your mind can boost serotonin

Oxytocin: the love chemical
When you hug or kiss someone and you get that warm feeling of bonding and closeness, that's oxytocin. Oxytocin influences our feelings of love, connection, trust, and loyalty

How to Boost Your Oxytocin
-Stay socially connected: Spend time with people who fill you with joy (as oppose to drain you). Connecting with your instructor in private lessons or the camaraderie experienced in group classes are great ways to connect socially.
-Enjoy physical touch- if you're partnered up, find opportunities to hug, holds hands, and be with each other intimately. If you're not partnered up, get a massage. Research suggests massages can both boost oxytocin and also lower your stress hormones leaving you calmer and happier.

Endorphins: the runner's high
Endorphins are the body's natural pain relievers, flooding us with good feelings in response to discomfort or stress. Our bodies create them when we do things that exert ourselves, or in response to activities that feel good like enjoying delicious food or having sex.

How to Boost Your Endorphins:
-Get Sweaty (Definitely a pattern here!) Exercise is a sure fire way to release endorphins.
-Laugh- there's a reason they say laughter is the best medicine. Watch a comedy, listen to a funny podcast, or come take a group class with friends. Laughter helps release endorphins for that high feeling
-Indulge a little- enjoy the things that bring you bliss- your true guilty pleasures. Whether that's watching your favorite reality TV show or getting an extended massage, indulging in your favorite activities release endorphins for that feel-good feeling.
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No Time For Pilates?  We Can Help!

4/11/2022

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It's a super common phrase these days: "I just don't have time!" We're rushing from job to job, family function to family function, and we're lucky if we're able to do our hair, finish the grocery shopping, and get a healthy meal on the table each day. Research shows that time-poor individuals who feel constrained by competing priorities often become less active and less healthy. "Time" is the number one reason people give for making unhealthy food choices and exercising less.  

Our Perception of Time
Turns out time is more than just some numbers on a clock. While there ARE only a certain number of hours in the day, our attitudes toward time are shaped by our values and our mindset. We all know the concept of "making time" for the things we value and the things we prioritize. "Looking" for more time in the day or trying to do multiple things at once just won't work. Research has shown that when people multitask the end result can actually be more sloppy--and each task take longer--than if the person had just focused on one thing at a time.

Our Priorities
So if it's not about "making more time" or finding more "life hacks", what is it about?
It's about defining (or redefining) our priorities based on our values (not based on what others think our values should be) and then making the best use of our time. It can be helpful to reflect on what is most important to you in life and move away from tasks, people, or projects that no longer serve your values. Reflect on your core values and whether they align with your daily activities. Are there daily tasks you are completing that are not getting you any closer to your goals? Are you "prioritizing" these things over other more important activities?

How We Spend our Time
Did you know that the average American checks their phone over 80 times a day? Mindlessly scrolling through social media, watching Netflix, or browsing/shopping online may all feel good, but might not be the best choices when it comes to your wellbeing. Technology offers a constant temptation to fill your time (and attention) but too much screen time can result in the production of excess stress hormones. Besides, how many people really say on their deathbeds- I wish I had spent more time on Facebook?

Let's Go
So let's begin. Reflect on your priorities and core values, and then assess whether your daily activities matches those. If it does, wonderful! If it doesn't, maybe it's time to make a change. And I know all of this "sounds" easy but in reality can be challenging to implement. But challenging doesn't mean impossible. Next time you think "I just don't have time for Pilates today," reflect on why you started Pilates in the first place (mental/physical health, pain relief, injury rehabilitation, toning your body, increasing strength, etc) and the benefits it brings you. You just might "find" the time was there all along!

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Spring into Life with Pilates

3/28/2022

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Spring is upon us, and with the flowers starting to bloom and nature coming to life all around us, I can’t help but feel a bit more positive, a bit lifted, like there’s a spring in my step! I’m such a big believer in the mind-body connection, so it will come as no surprise that I largely credit Pilates with giving me such an optimistic mindset. Pilates will change your body, yes, but it will also change your life. The principles of Pilates are the mind-body gift that keeps on giving. There are six of them, but I’m going to focus on three here.

Principle 1: Breath
Breath is literally how we live and exist. But do you live and exist to your fullest? The breath is so powerful. It is a direct pathway to our para-sympathetic nervous system, the system that can bring us calm when we need it. I don’t know about you, but calming down is a great skill to have when you have kids, a job, a husband/wife, a house, family, pets, and a million other things to juggle.

Couple a calmed nervous system with a boost of endorphins that you get from moving your body in Pilates, and hello happiness. That’s why Pilates is addictive: it makes you happy from the inside out. It keeps you calm and sane–on and off the reformer. Breathing also heals, by sending oxygenated blood all throughout your body. When you heal and calm your body in Pilates, you take that healing and calm out into the world, and it's powerful.

Principle 2: Centering
In Pilates, your Center is also referred to as your Powerhouse. Your Powerhouse is all the muscles from your ribs to your hips in the front, in the back and around the sides. These are the girdle of muscles that we want to strengthen to help stabilize your spine and pelvis. And, we let’s not forget about the booty muscles- they are part of the Powerhouse too!

In Pilates, the premise is working from the center first. It’s the place from where we draw our strength and stability. There is SO much focus on this because we always want our movements to be initiated with a strong Powerhouse. This is powerful because in the chaos of life, it’s Centering that we need. We want to think and behave and live from our core values- our Center- a grounded place where we are more self aware, kinder, less triggered and more positive. Pilates makes us aware of this place of strength in a physical way, but the ripple effect makes us aware of it in our lives.

Principle 3: Control
Did you know that before Pilates was called Pilates, it was called Contrology? It’s wasn’t until Joseph Pilates died in the 1960’s that his method was named after him. We’ve all been there: as we get older, if you live a sedentary life and overall make poor health choices, your body starts to be in control of you. Whether that be with illnesses, ailments, or injuries, these things start to dictate your life and the choices you make. You start to participate less in life, less in the activities you once enjoyed, because of the illness/pain/ailment.

Pilates puts you back in control of your body. It’s “stretch and strength with control”, and the control part is important because it’s the part that uses your mind. When you can exercise control over your mind, you can execute exact movement in your body. And it’s that exact movement that will increase mobility, break bad habits, and fix poor alignment. All of this means you’ll be able to participate in your own life more.

I love Pilates- what it does for my body, my mind, and my life. Come join me for a session, and you’ll reap the benefits too.
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How to Hydrate When You Don't Like Water

3/6/2022

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Why is Hydration Important?

Drinking enough water throughout the day is important for a number of reasons, some of which might surprise you! Hydration regulates our body temperature, lubricates our joints, keeps our immune system strong, delivers nutrients to our cells, and keeps our organs functioning properly. When we’re optimally hydrated (notice I didn’t say the MORE water we drink– because too much is a problem) we have better sleep, mood, and brain function. 

So How Much is “Enough”?

Many experts recommend drinking approximately 11 cups of water a day for the average woman, and 16 cups of water a day for the average man. Another way to calculate optimal hydration is to divide your weight by two to get the number of ounces you should strive for: a 160lb person would set a goal to drink 80 ounces of water per day. Don’t overthink it: you’ll know you’re drinking enough water if your pee is consistently clear throughout the day. 

What to do when you don’t like drinking plain water

  1. Add some natural flavors: If you CAN, add some natural flavors (as opposed to packaged sweeteners that probably contain artificial colors and flavors) to your water. Some of my favorite combinations are sliced strawberries/lemons and sliced strawberries/mint. Cucumber is also an easy addition, and you know what- I feel fancy drinking it! While there are many fancy special water bottles out there that have special compartments for your fruits/mints/flavors, honestly– if you don’t already have one, don’t let this stop you. Any water bottle will do. Just cut up your flavor enhancers and toss them in!
  2. Eat more water-rich foods: drinking isn’t the only way that our body hydrates. We also take in water from the foods we eat. Foods that are naturally hydrating include: melons, strawberries, pineapples, peaches, oranges, bell peppers, broccoli, and celery. So don’t discount what’s on your plate- it can keep you hydrated as well!
  3. Drink a glass of water first thing in the morning- While “proper” hydration should be sprinkled throughout your day (it doesn’t support your body to just drink 5 glasses of water all in the morning, then nothing for the rest of the day- and in fact, drinking TOO much water at one time can be toxic and/or lethal) something I find helpful to “cue” myself to hydrate more throughout the day is to start my day with a small glass of water. I add a few drops of lemon essential oil to a warm glass of water and drink it while I’m preparing my coffee. Starting my morning in this way helps me to be more aware of hydrating throughout the day.
  4. Track your intake: There are several tracking apps and devices out there that will let you track how much water you are drinking. This is really helpful for some people, and it makes sense- what you focus on is what you control and change in your life. Set a goal for yourself, and then track throughout the day how much water you’re drinking. This extra “accountability buddy” might just be the go for you.

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Pilates for Back Pain

2/23/2022

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Back Pain. UGH. Most of us will either have it currently or have experienced it at some point in our lives. 
It’s pretty common– low back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide–and the number of people with low back pain has doubled in the last 25 years. Whether it’s our jobs (more sitting) or our lack of time (no time to strengthen the muscles that keep that pain away), low back pain is a growing problem for so many of us. 
The truth is, I experience it too! I know, I know, the Pilates teacher who has built a career on making people stronger, longer, and more mobile is a back pain statistic.
These days, I feel it most when I spend too long working at the computer, or my shoes are too high, or I’ve done too much yard work. 
The only thing that makes it feel better is more Pilates. A bit of rest doesn’t go astray either. But when it comes to movement, Pilates literally keeps me together. I usually need to do LESS running and LESS HIIT workouts when it gets really bad (other physical pursuits I enjoy), but never less Pilates. Sure, Pilates at the top of its game can have you swinging from straps and bars and all sorts of fancy things, but at its foundation, Pilates is a series of simple principles that build the skills necessary to support your spine. 

How does it do this?

  1. Pilates Improves Core Strength: The transverse abdominal muscles are deep abdominal muscles that play a critical role in supporting and stabilizing the pelvis and low back. Before you move your arms or legs, the TA activates. Think about this muscle as a corset around your lower spine and internal organs, supporting your pelvis and low back. Because it’s such a deep muscle, and not “flashy” like the 6-pack rectus abdominis muscle, it is often neglected (and thus weak) which can lead to back pain issues. Pilates strengthens this muscle, as well as the other major core muscles like the rectus abdominis, which improves your whole core strength. Strong core = less low back pain.
  2. Pilates Increases Muscle Flexibility: I know a Nurse Practitioner at one of the leading orthopedic hospitals in Dallas. She deals with a LOT of low back pain, and you know one of the first things they prescribe to most people? Hamstring stretches. Yep! Tight hamstrings, glutes, hip flexors, and other muscles surrounding the spine can cause misalignments. If a muscle is tight, it may pull on other structures causing pain. Pilates partially focuses on lengthening these muscles – ensuring you have the proper flexibility to prevent pain and injury from happening. All without surgery!
  3. Pilates Supports Good Posture: The image is clear- we’re sitting hunched over our computers for 8 hours at work, or folded into ourselves on the soft couch at home scrolling through our phones. Both of these aren’t great for our posture: they create imbalances and weaken the muscles we use for GOOD posture. Pilates workouts increase your postural awareness. It focuses on the correct alignment of the spine and pelvis. A good posture is one in which the body experiences the least amount of stress. In other words, it is the natural alignment of your bones, ligaments, muscles, and other tissues. Many exercises in Pilates narrow in on keeping the spine in this neutral position. In turn, you’re less likely to develop back problems.


Whatever kind of back pain/discomfort you are experiencing, let me teach you the Pilates basics and foundational movements to nurture your spine back to a place where you feel stronger, more mobile, and most importantly, more pain free in the future. Book your class here today!

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Pilates FAQ

2/4/2022

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You asked, we answered! I’m rounding up 3 of the most frequently asked questions I get from students, or people thinking about starting Pilates. 

1. Will I lose weight with Pilates? The short answer–in my experience–is yes. While you can’t of course eat cake and cookies all the time, do some Pilates, and expect to lose weight, I have found that a consistent Pilates practice supports a healthy weight. When you become more mindful about how you move your body and how your body and mind work together, you become more mindful about what you put INTO your body as well. Mindful eating tends to lead to better weight outcomes. But at the end of the day, it's true what they say - Abs are made in the kitchen.  A solid nutrition program coupled with your Pilates practice will shave inches off in no time.

2. Is Pilates easy or hard? One of the things that I love about Pilates is that it uses a progressive technique of many, many different movements so it can be scaled to all levels. I’ve taught beginners with zero fitness or exercise experience all the way to professional dancers who have been doing Pilates since they were children. The foundational series in Pilates runs the gamut from basic to difficult movements in terms of strength, flexibility, and coordination, and modifications are possible in everything. Whether you find it simple or hard will be largely a personal experience. You can choose how much effort you’re willing to expend, you can scale back an exercise if you’re not quite ready for it, and it will still reward you in the end. I find Pilates to be the “good” kind of hard. Come and try it with me and see what you think!

3. Does Pilates “count” as my cardio? While Pilates is traditionally considered a strength training workout, you will elevate your heart rate in a session. There’s an adage out there that if you don’t sweat, the workout doesn’t “count.” This just simply isn’t the case. While the movements might look simple from the outside, you’re using so many individual muscles–ones you might not have used before– and this builds up the heat in your body! Pilates is quite athletic. Performing advanced mat work without stopping can burn 300 calories in a 30 minute session, which rivals many gym workouts. While you don’t need to join a separate gym to “do cardio” if you’re consistently doing Pilates, Pilates will boost the efficiency of your other workouts should you choose to do them!
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What other questions do you have? Reach out to me and let me know. Better yet- book a session and we’ll talk about them in person. 

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Pilates + Nutrition: Pantry Edition

1/14/2022

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    Heather Gradke

    I'm a BASI Certified Pilates Instructor by day, somewhat competent housewife by night. I used to have hobbies but then CHILDRENS. I am married to the love of my life and somewhat charismatic Rustin Gradke. I have 4 kids that are wonderful sometimes but mostly they just eat a lot. I'm a lover of God and movement and the occasional bowl of queso.

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