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Fitting Fitness Around You: Building A Happy Relationship With Exercise For Busy Women

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

We all appreciate the importance of regular exercise. But, to be completely honest, finding time for those physical activities can be very difficult. Even if you love workouts, they are often the first thing to be sacrificed as you juggle the various responsibilities of modern life. Changing this immediately should be a goal shared by all women.

The only way to achieve that target is to embrace a healthy relationship with fitness that is built exclusively around your aims and needs. Here’s all you need to know.

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Appreciate Your Limits: It’s easy to feel envious towards the gym buffs seen on social media. However, you cannot expect to match their bodies or their routines. While you want to push yourself to the limit, it’s always important to walk before you run. Moreover, you must learn to take injury recoveries and time limitations into account. Sadly, if exercise starts causing problems in other aspects of your life, giving up is inevitable.

Incorporate Fitness Into Daily Activities: Time is the main hurdle standing in the way of our fitness goals. However, gym workouts aren’t the only source of exercise. Getting a little creative by cycling to work or holding yoga sessions after work can be very useful. You’ll be getting a full workout while only adding a few minutes to your day. And when regular activity doesn’t prevent you from achieving other life goals, you’ll find that long-term success is more likely.

Turn Holidays Into Adventures: Vacations are a great opportunity to let our hair down. While throwing your diet out of the window for a few days is nothing to worry about, you should still stay active. Combine the trip with a charitable endeavour such as the Mount Toubkal Trek, and you’ll be sure to do just that. Alternatively, if you’re on a city break, walk or cycle instead of taking the bus tour. Either way, it’ll stop your body from regressing whilst you’re away. In turn, this should allow you to get back into the swing of things far easier. Besides, it’ll improve the holiday too.

Exercise With Others: Human interaction is an integral part of human life, which is why time with loved ones is so important. Starting an amateur sports team or simply attending the gym together can make a world of difference. Or if you are someone that prefers to exercise alone, you can maintain a social vibe with a FitBit watch. Track your progress and compare against your nearest and dearest for that extra motivation and something to talk about in person. Perfect.

Choose The Best Routines Possible: By now, you should realise that fitness needs to be fun. Having said that, if you only have limited time in the gym or on the track, you must make it work harder. Finding a suitable HIIT strategy could see you burn twice as many calories and build twice as much muscle. Apart from anything else, seeing those positive results in the mirror is sure to put an even bigger smile on your face. What more could any woman ask for?

 

 

 

Health? It’s Only Skin Deep!

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

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Our skin is the one sure sign of age. There is nothing worse than looking older than your age and looking after our skin, and our body is the best way of fighting off old age. Eating processed foods and indulging in bad habits over the years will do a lot of damage outside and in, but here are some easy and effective methods to looking after your skin and reversing the clock.

Losing Weight

If you carry the unaffectionately named “spare tire” around your belly, losing it is always one of the best places to begin to help you look and feel younger. There are plenty of ways to do it, from eating the right foods to methods like cold laser fat reduction treatment and making sure you exercise, but the best thing is to have a combination of methods with the right lifestyle choices. A diet always sounds like a temporary measure, but it’s a lifestyle choice you need to make so you can keep the weight off. The effects of excess fat increase stretch marks, and if you find yourself with more stretch marks post weight loss, then having a diet rich in collagen will help you to regain that elasticity. Collagen is found in heavy amounts in foods like bone marrow, so you can make a healthy bone broth to drink, or make into gravy using the bones of the animal.

Reducing Stress

Not an easy thing to do in the modern world, but stress will show up in lines on your face and inside too. Too little stress is bad, but too much stress can result in elevated levels of cortisol which will impact on your ability to grow muscle and put you in a constant state of anxiety. We can all do with giving our lives a makeover to give our skin a makeover! By learning stress-controlling techniques that work for you, you can begin to make your life, overall, a better one and by cutting down on unnecessary extra activities and begin to focus on what makes you happy it will have a massive benefit, inside and out.

Rejuvenate

Recharging isn’t just about getting the right amount of sleep, but it’s about understanding when to take a step back and get a mental break or physical break from things. As mentioned, stress is the big one to cut back on, and by making sure you can recover in ways that benefit you, you will be a much healthier person inside and out. Exercise is a very basic way to rejuvenate and to encourage the body to perspire, getting rid of toxins, but you can also find ways to cleanse your body by detoxifying. And this can be by having a glass of water with a bit of lemon in the morning, or by engaging in activities that reduce stress and anxiety, such as yoga or Pilates. But while one of these methods will work, it’s best to try a combination, and combined with a healthy diet, you will be cleansed, and it will show on your face.

 

 

Push Past The Marathon Pain With These Awesome Running Tips

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

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Running a marathon ain’t easy. Even the most experienced runners will tell you that getting to the finish line is a very tough challenge, and you will certainly need to put in enough training to be able to get there. Not only that, though, but you also need to come up with a plan to push through all the pain when it hits. And we’re talking physical and mental pain!

You can reduce the amount of physical pain you experience with sufficient practice. However, the mental pain is something that can be problematic. But as long as you follow these awesome running tips, you shouldn’t struggle with it too much!

Forget Pre-Race Nerves

Pre-race nerves can really mess with a runner’s mentality before the race. If the nerves really get to you, they could scupper your chances of beating your personal best. It is very important that you try to stay relaxed right before the race so that you can forget all about your nerves. One way to ditch the nerves is to focus on your strengths and what makes you a good runner. That way, you won’t be thinking about the different ways things could go wrong!

Use The Best Source Of Energy

If your body doesn’t get the right energy to burn during the marathon, there is no way it is going to make it to the end. But getting the right energy can help reduce the physical pain, which will help you stay motivated and focused throughout the race. Carbohydrates and sugars are packed full of energy and protein is necessary to help the body repair itself. Most runners pack a load of these food groups into their meals the day before the marathon. As well as preloading, you will be able to buy energy supplements that you can take during the race.

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Think Of Pain Positively

Ok, so this might sound very hard to do, but if you manage to think of pain in a positive light, then it won’t bother you half as much. Try to connect your pain to a positive thought, as you will then feel it a lot less. Once you start to think all of the usual negative thoughts when you first feel the pain, it will make it a lot worse than what it actually is.

Keep The Finish In Mind

When you are running and start to feel the pain build up, you should start to think of the payoff that is waiting for you at the finish line. Once you cross the line, it will all be over, and you will have certainly achieved something amazing! Not only will you have completed a marathon but you might also be able to beat your personal best! Keep thinking of this personal achievement and all the joy you will feel once you are finished.

No one said running a marathon was going to be completely painless but, hopefully, this guide will help you push past it all!

Good luck with your next marathon!

 

Fast Ways To Eliminate Stress

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Stress is something that we all go through at one time or another. It is that uncomfortable feeling of being under pressure and not knowing whether you will be able to come through and achieve what you want. Unfortunately, stress is an ever-present part of modern life, and this doesn’t look as if it’s going to change anytime soon. However, there are some things that we can do to manage our stress in the here and now. Read on to find out what they are.

Meditation

Meditation is a great way to manage stress. This is because it is all about focusing in the now. The point is to just experience what is happening right at the time without controlling it, something which can help alleviate stress. By just letting it be you give it the chance to work itself out, and pass, instead of clamping down on it and making it stay for longer. 

Meditation can also help you slow down and listen to your own thoughts. This is useful as you can make calm decisions even if you are feeling stressed. Something that can help you get a positive outcome no matter what your internal state is.

Exercise

Exercise is also a good quick remedy for stress. When we are under pressure our bodies often coil and constrict as if they are ready to pounce into action. This is because stress stimulates the old fight, fight, or freeze response that comes from our lower brain.

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Exercise can help alleviate this, as it provides somewhere for all of that nervous energy to go. So next time you are feeling stressed take a walk, or head to the gym and work out some of the symptoms physically. You will be surprised by how good it can make you feel.

Water

Drinking lots of fluids can also help you beat stress. This is because your brain is 85% water, and if it’s not properly hydrated it’s not going to work right. Also when we are stressed the body releases a hormone called cortisol. By drinking lots of water, we can keep this diluted in our bodies; negating some of the effects.

But what sort of fluids should we drink? The answer is and always will be water. Why? Well, water is the most natural fluid. As well as the purest, especially if you use a system like this Everpure water filter to remove any contaminants from the stuff you get out of your taps.

It’s also easier on the body because you actually have to use more fluid to expel caffeinated drinks than you gain from drinking them. Something that often leads to dehydration.

Therapy

Lastly, if stress is a constant issue in your life, you may want to consider some counseling or therapy. This is because many people suffer from what are known as cognitive distortions, or a skewed way of looking at the world.

This can cause them to interpret situations as stressful when they are not. However, by learning to recognize these issues, you can have a more balanced reaction to them, decreasing your stress.

 

 

Bad Gut Health Gets In The Way Of The Rest Of Your Life

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Bloating. Constipation. Stomach aches. Gas. They are all very annoying in their own way, but gut health is about a lot more than just how often you encounter those issues. It’s about enjoying your life, getting in better shape, avoiding sickness, and even dealing with long-term health issues. Here, we’ll look at why you should be more concerned about your gut health.

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It might be more than a tummy ache

If you experience the problems mentioned above on a more regular basis, then there might be a couple of reasons. For one, you might eat gassy foods that get in the way of your digestive system working properly. Stress might be shutting down that system. Or you might be dealing with irritable bowel syndrome. The word syndrome makes it sound scary and chronic, but it can be easily dealt with through an IBS natural treatment that targets not only the symptoms but the causes. If you’re dealing with gut problems often, it’s best to get it diagnosed as quickly as possible so you can take preemptive action against it.

Sleeping issues

Poor gut health often plays a key role in insomnia, as well. In return, not getting the correct amount of sleep then makes your digestive system less effective at its job. The two issues need to be tackled together. For one, schedule your meals more regularly and give yourself two-to-three hours between your last meal and bedtime. Improve sleeping habits by tracking your sleep cycles and using therapeutic methods like lavender scents to easier fall asleep at night.

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Get more good

Your gut is the key to the rest of your health. That’s because your stomach and intestines are the stars of the show when it comes to absorbing nutrients from the stuff that you eat. Find out what probiotic and prebiotic foods you can include more of in your diet. These foods help create a home for the helpful bacteria that assist in breaking down food properly, allowing your body to better absorb them. If you’re not looking after your gut health, you will never get the full effects of a nutritious and well-balanced diet.

Stop reaching for those tissues

Good gut health also plays a role in helping you stay healthy in general. It’s no understatement when experts say that the gut is where sickness begins. Bacterial diseases, colds, and the flu all have their beginnings here. By helping promote your gut health, you are also promoting a more effective immune system. Beyond the aforementioned healthy foods, you should also look at increasing the amount of vitamin C you get and consider taking fish oil. You’ll start seeing the effects when you breeze past all the bugs and maladies that seem to get everyone else in the family and the workplace.

Foster healthy bacteria in your gut. Avoid foods and habits that get in the way of a healthy digestive system. Sleep better, get better results from health pushes and get sick less often. These are all the things that good gut health can help you with.

 

Foods To Include In A Diet Made To Accelerate Your Metabolism

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

There aren’t any shortcuts to losing weight, the body is too complex and by its design, has not evolved to take on massive changes so suddenly. As we get older, although in our youth we may have been spritely and full of energy, a more mature body slows down. Metabolism is the process in the body which breaks down chemicals in order for life to be sustained. Exercising regularly and getting plenty of sleep, are ways which control your energy consumption needs at a molecular level. However, not everyone can lead an active lifestyle and have the time to workout to keep those extra pounds off. But there are certain foods which speed up metabolism, thus accelerating the breaking down of the food you eat, making the energy more viable to be used than be stored; these foods support the mechanisms that will aid in burning fat.

Source – Steve Johnson

Spice

Hot peppers such as jalapeno, green Indian chillies, cayenne and spicy Italian red chillies directly tell your metabolism to speed its circulation. The spicy nature of these vegetables also reduces cravings, for sugar and fatty foods. It’s because the compound capsaicin stimulates the body’s pain receptors and the body reacts to this by increasing blood circulation and the metabolic rate. Some studies have shown that if you eat a chilli dish, that makes you profusely sweat to the point you get a runny nose, it boosts your metabolism by nearly 20% and can last for 2 hours.

Softly softly approach

If you would really not go down the no pain no gain route, whole grains can act just as effectively but in different ways. Oatmeal and brown rice complex carbohydrates which force the body to speed up metabolism by stabilizing your insulin levels. Because, of their slow burn nature, they’re great ingredients for a meal to have with supplements such as HCG Triumph. The body’s natural processes of burning fat are combined with a low-calorie intake diet, that spikes your consumption rate. This the two methods balance each other out by the complex carbohydrates releasing slowly, yet the supplement hastening digestion.

Acidic fruits

Knowledge coming out of the State University of Rio de Janeiro has found that women who eat three small apples, pears, tomatoes and oranges lost more weight than those who did not. The obvious reason is because of the acidity of the fruit, reacts with the stomach’s own acid, creating a calm but turbulent metabolic rate. Whipping into action are enzymes which break food down, and the faster that happens, the quicker the nutrients enter into your intestines. Organic apples are one of the most available fruits in any shopping market, so you can’t complain about not have access to a simple solution to burning fat.

Credit – Robert Judge

Broccoli soup

Rich in calcium

Getting the Right Amount of Sleep

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

When you head to bed, how many hours of sleep do you aim for? Are you trying to go for the standard 8 hours, do you get by with 5, or are you one of those people that try to sleep for as long as possible? Whatever your sleeping pattern is, there are most likely a few ways to optimise your sleep schedule so that you’re more likely to wake up feeling refreshed and ready for the next day.

Contrary to popular belief, recommended amounts of sleep don’t make much sense. Everyone’s body is different and, as a result, everyone sleeps a different amount every night. There’s a reason why some people sleep in for many more hours than others, and there’s also a reason why everyone manages to get by with however much sleep they get. There could be lifestyle decisions or health issues that affect how much sleep you actually get, and it’s possible that you’re sleeping too little or too much.

There are a couple of ways that will help you get the right amount of sleep, but it takes a little trial and error and it does involve some experimentation. So to help you get the most out of your bedtime, here are a few tips.

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Start with your bedroom

First of all, we need to remove any suspicion that it’s your bedroom that’s causing your lack of sleep. There are several issues that need to be taken care of before we can start experimenting with how much sleep you get each night. First of all, remove any kind of electronics in the room. For instance, if you find yourself lounging in bed at night watching late night television, then you want to remove the TV and watch all of your shows before bed. You want your body to associate sleeping with the bed, not films.

Next, visit a mattress comparison site like ChooseMattress and pick something that’s fairly expensive and meets your needs. We sleep on our beds for roughly a third of our lives, so make sure you’re not cheaping out and getting a budget mattress—your back will thank you in the future. Try to remember that your bed frame also matters.

The sleep experiment

So to start, set a baseline of around 7 hours. Set your alarm to when you want to wake up, count back 7 hours, then sleep at that time. Sleep means you’re in bed and already closing your eyes by the time that time strikes, so don’t delay it too much. If you manage to wake up on time consistently for a couple of days, then that’s your target bedtime. If you find yourself waking up consistently before your alarm, then you can reduce your sleep needed by around 10-15 minutes. If you find yourself snoozing more often, then add 10-15 minutes.

Keep repeating this process until you’ve completely grown used to a certain sleep time. It’s important to practice this experiment for at least a week until you’re comfortable sleeping and waking up at the same time. Remember a lot of sleep problems can be solved with a regular schedule that you stick to so that it adjusts your body’s inner clock. Sleeping the correct amount can solve everything from weight issues to managing your chronic pain, so make sure you’re sleeping the correct amount each night.

Alternative Methods of Managing Chronic Pain

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

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If you are suffering from chronic pain and you haven’t been able to find much relief from medication, or if the medication has helped, but you don’t like the side effects, why not try out some alternative pain management techniques?

They don’t work for everyone, and you might have to try a few different methods before you see any results, but there is nothing to lose by at least trying some of the following alternative treatments for back pain, so what are you waiting for?

Acupuncture

Opinion is still divided on acupuncture’s ability to manage chronic pain, but many people who suffered from conditions like chronic back pain, fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis swear by the ancient Chinese practice of having needles inserted under the skin, and if something works, you don’t really question the how’s and the whys, you just get on with it. So, give it a try and see how you feel.

Exercise

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I understand completely that exercising is often the last thing that you want to do when you’re suffering from intense pain, but there is good evidence to suggest that physical activity can have a positive impact on chronic pain levels. This is thought to be because to the endorphins that are released when we exercise, but it could also, in some cases, be that exercising the affected area (carefully) can help to minimize pain.

Chiropractic Treatment

Many people with chronic pain swear by their chiropractors and see them regularly, despite the fact that some quarters have expressed skepticism over chiropractic manipulation. People suffering from lower back pain, in particular, have found great relief from the simple adjustments made by their chiropractors. So, if you’re suffering from back pain, it has to be worth a try.

Supplements

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Numerous studies have found evidence that adding fish oil to the diet can reduce the pain that is caused by swelling and many more have found that capsaicin – an ingredient found in hot chilies – when applied to the chronic pain caused by back issues, arthritis and other chronic pains can reduce symptoms. However, you should never take a supplement without first okaying it with your doctor.

Therapy

Most people think that therapy is only useful for mental illnesses and emotional problems, but there is some evidence to suggest that it can be beneficial to people who are living with chronic pain. You see, it’s natural for people who have chronic pain to develop depression and depression can reduce one’s tolerance for pain, so by dealing with the depression, you can also reduce pain symptoms, at least a little.

Yoga

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There is an increasing amount of evidence to suggest, that when practiced correctly and in a suitable way for your particular illness, yoga can and does help to reduce chronic pain. The gentles stretching of the body and the relaxation of the mind is a boon to people who are in pain, and it can be practiced any time anywhere with a little instruction from an expert.

Do you suffer from chronic pain? Have you found any unusual ways of managing your symptoms?

Eat Yourself Fit: Meal Tips That Will Help You Lose That Excess Weight

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Most of us feel like we need to lose a little of that excess weight. But actually making it happen is never as easy as we would like it to be. Taking a sustainable approach to eating is the best way to go. This is not about following fad diets or pushing yourself too far at the gym. Instead, it’s about putting the right things in your body and losing weight safely and properly. You can learn more below.

Create a Solid Meal Plan

The very first thing you should do when you’re trying to eat yourself fit is create a solid meal plan for yourself. When you have this kind of a plan in place, you can be 100% sure that you know where you’re heading and what you need to eat. If you take a more relaxed approach, you will be more likely to give into the temptations that could be less healthy. There are no reasons why you should let that happen, though. It’s very easy and straightforward to come up with a few recipes that you can make a plan out of. These meal plans will help with weight loss, so start using them. You can tweak and change them as you want.

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Eat a Healthy Breakfast, But Don’t Skip It

It’s a big mistake to skip breakfast. All those people that tell you over and over again that breakfast is the most important meal of the day are correct. Eating a healthy breakfast is the perfect way to start the day, and it’s something that you really need to focus on if you want to do well and lose that excess weight. You can get your day off to the right start, and you shouldn’t fall into the trap of skipping it. This is what lots of people do, and it can actually make it harder for you to lose weight.

Cut Down Starchy Carbohydrates 

Carbohydrates can be pretty damaging for your health if you eat them too much. Those starchy carbs are full of all the things that your body doesn’t really need. Of course, you can’t cut out carbs altogether because they are an important part of any diet. But that doesn’t mean that you should rely on them too heavily. Far too many people see carbs as the biggest part of their diet. It doesn’t have to be that way, though. Find other healthy foods that are less starchy to form your diet 

Swap Meat for Fish More Often

Meat can be a good part of your diet. But too much red meat in your diet can be damaging in the long-term. One of the smartest things you can do is replace some of that meat with fish. Fish is very healthy, it’s great for your body and mind, and you can do lots of great things with fish-based recipes. If you don’t have much fish in your diet right now, this is something that you should try to change. It could be the best dietary change you make.

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Getting Yourself Healthy In Time For July

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

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If you are anything like us, then you have been saying you’ll get healthy in time for summer since Boxing Day. Yet here you are, at the dawn of summer and you still haven’t done a quarter of what you had intended (read: haven’t done anything whatsoever). Don’t worry, it’s hard, we know that. Time flies like a jet plane and healthy habits are hard to get into. We know this as much as the next couch potato. It’s not too late, though.

It’s only the start of June and that means you have about a month to get super-duper healthy, which is totally doable. All you need to do is follow these simple strategies. It’s not one-size fits all, so pick and choose the ones that will suit your life and go from there.

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Ba-Bye Junk Food

Junk food is the antichrist of a healthy body because it is the polar opposite of healthy food. So if you have junk food in your diet, toss it out. Get rid of that and you’ll get rid of your belly fat. Anything that is fatty, sugary, salty or greasy needs to be gone. Set yourself a challenge of one month whereby you have no junk food in your home – or at work – whatsoever.

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Find Yourself A Diet

What you want is a diet that will use the body’s natural processes of burning and storing fat; something like the HCG diet will get you ready for summer. The reason for getting into a diet plan is that it will give you something tangible to follow and that will act as motivation alongside the ticking clock of summer.

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Cook In Bulk

The best way to stick to a healthy eating plan is to cook in bulk. Get ahead of the game by cooking in big beautiful batches of healthy meals and then store it in the freezer. Not only will this mean you have something healthy to take to work or have at your fingertips, it will also mean less time in the kitchen and more time on the treadmill. That’s two birds with one stone.

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Change Up Your Snacking

When we think snacks we think about crisps, chocolate and that sort of thing (thank you very much, food industry). However, a quick mentality alteration and your snacking can become that much healthier. Things like fruit, raw nuts, and chopped vegetables are a way healthier alternative and will see you summer ready in no time.

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No More Naughty Drinks

Just take a moment to think about what you drink on a normal day. Sugary drinks and coffee with sugar in it (or even coffee without sugar in it!). These are empty calories that are so detrimental to a healthy body. So get into the habit of drinking water or some gorgeously healthy tea, like green tea or jasmine tea or any kind of fruit tea really. Healthy body and mind here we come.

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Bring On A Partner

The hardest thing about getting healthy, as you’ll probably agree, is motivating yourself. At first, it isn’t too bad, but then you miss one gym session and it spirals out of control. That’s where having a partner on board can be so helpful. Your spouse or a friend or someone you work with, anyone that will stop you making up excuses like you just have to watch the next episode of Big Little Lies and then you’re good to go. Having someone with you makes it more fun too, and in one month’s time, you can thank them for the way you look at feel.

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