need help? MFP settings causing me to binge...

vengefullilac
vengefullilac Posts: 44
in Motivation and Support
Hi I made a post on a sub forum asking if it was normal to starve when you just start lowering your calories.

to start I have a binge eating disorder.

I want to get this undercontrol and stop letting it control me. I also want to lose weight and stop hating my body...

the problem is I try to eat as many protein and veggies as I can without eating them all in one sitting (I live at home and we don't have the money to buy all these organic foods. I do what I can...)

I try eating at times of the day where maybe I won't be hungry. once it gets later though after dinner, I manage to ignore my hunger for a few hours. replacing food with water or tea. (keep in mind I don't log my water here consistent so don't judge me)

only to wake up in the middle of midnight to finally cave and eat SOMETHING because I'm sick of starving and can't sleep.

I didn't binge but I'm afraid I'll never lose weight.. this seems extremely difficult and starving just to be "healither" doesn't seem very healthy to me... yes I eat back my calories.

yes my settings are at 1 lb per week

no I don't have time to exercise multiple times of the day. (ok to be honest exercise=sweat and I'm battling a bad acne problem too... you do the math. just puting water on your face doesn't help it's more complicated than that)

the site gives mixed replies like 1,200 isn't enough!!
or it is enough and you need to suck it up.

I'm just really afraid the starving will just help my binge eating disorder. and I won't lose weight.

so please what do I do? I really need help and some support...

I would really appreciate non condescending replies.
«1

Replies

  • twinmom1993
    twinmom1993 Posts: 52
    sent u a personal message..:flowerforyou:
  • robin52077
    robin52077 Posts: 4,383 Member
    very hard to give proper advice without more info.

    Need:

    height
    weight
    goal weight
    exercise (current typical routine)
    exercise goals (build muscle, run a 5K, etc)

    without that, just in general I would say:

    Looking at the ONE day you have filled out in your diary (yesterday), I will say:

    More protein.
    No quick adds, can't tell the macros that way.
    Your macros are screwed up big time...why are you set for only 9 grams of fat?
    Fat does not make you fat. You need it in your intake. And it makes you feel full and satisfied. Change them to reflect about 100g of protein a day, split the rest between fats and carbs (40/30/30 is a good place to start if you are unfamiliar with macro ratios, adjust from there if needed)
    Weigh all your food in grams on a food scale to tell if you are even inputting it correctly.

    And most importantly...EAT all your calories. You are less likely to binge if you are satisfied rather than hungry....

    If you want a little more specific advice, please provide the info asked for earlier...
  • SigningMomma
    SigningMomma Posts: 10
    My second week on MFP I had a similar issue - I felt I was starving. I wouldn't be able to make it through to the next meal without my stomach literally hurting. Each day I played with the food I was going to eat, ate slower, added water - just tried to find the right combination that would help me through to the next meal. And I realized that some days I need to eat more so I just tried to choose healthier options. I'm in my 3rd week and still struggling to get the pounds off, but I'm better under control now. And I know that if I choose an unhealthy option, I make room for that in my calories. It helps.

    Good luck with finding your right combination! But most of all, please don't give up. Each day that you try, you are closer to your goal!

    Dawn
  • lulabellewoowoo
    lulabellewoowoo Posts: 3,125 Member
    Since this is a lifestyle change, and no quick fix, try starting this week at your maintenance calories. Like most of us, it is probably at least a little lower than what it was before you calculated. Once you feel comfortable with that, then drop 50 to 100 calories the following week until you get to the point where you are not having that overwhelming feeling of hunger. Usually it will NOT be 1200 calories and probably somewhere around 1400 or so for most of us. If you can have the patience, then you will lose, albeit not fast, but in a healthy, sustainable way so that you learn to control your binge eating (I also am learning to control my binge eating - only 2 times in the past 6 weeks, and all on veggies and yogurt). YOU CAN DO THIS!!!
  • vengefullilac
    vengefullilac Posts: 44
    age: 20

    5'3

    153 lbs

    exercise 3.5 mph walking 30-47 minutes

    goal weight 120 lbs
  • supplemama
    supplemama Posts: 1,956 Member
    -You are not starving. Even on 1200 a day you are not starving. When your body is used to massive amounts of food, then of course eating at a calorie deficit will initially feel like deprivation.
    -You are psychologically addicted to food. You are used to stuffing yourself. Learning how to eat normal amounts of food is a process.
    -Find ways to fill your time and occupy your mind besides food. Therapy might be in order to help you deal with your binging problem.
    -Exercise is a great way to add more calories to your day and will likely help your skin. If you refuse to exercise/exercise more then learn to be patient while your body adjusts to 1200 calories.
  • vengefullilac
    vengefullilac Posts: 44
    "-You are not starving. Even on 1200 a day you are not starving. When your body is used to massive amounts of food, then of course eating at a calorie deficit will initially feel like deprivation. "

    so then what do I do when I feel sick and dizzy from feeling extremely hungry?
  • shyeban
    shyeban Posts: 121 Member
    I can't live on 1200 calories a day. Some days yes, some days no. So I have a 1500 calorie limit, and eat less some days. I do workout a few times a week (zumba, bike rides, etc)... but I'm losing 1-2 lbs almost every week.

    But I agree that it's a psychological problem. I am a recovering binger. It takes time and patience.
  • robin52077
    robin52077 Posts: 4,383 Member
    age: 20

    5'3

    153 lbs

    exercise 3.5 mph walking 30-47 minutes

    goal weight 120 lbs

    with that info I can add:
    make sure you always eat at LEAST 1400 a day minimum, anything less than that for you would cause your body to feel like it is not getting enough, therefore triggering you to binge.
    I would suggest either...
    1. set your diary to 1400 and log and eat all your exercise calories... or
    2. set your diary to 1600 and eat that every day but do NOT log and eat your exercise calories (already accounted for throughout the week)

    choose either one of those and aim to MEET the goal (not fall too far under it) daily for 3 weeks, then judge how you feel and look. Do not weigh for 3 weeks. The scale is a lying SOB, especially when it comes to water weight, TOM, bloating, etc.

    I also STRONGLY SUGGEST adding weight training.
    walking burns calories, that is all.
    weight training will shape and firm your body.
    if all you do is "lose weight" you will end up not happy with the results.
    assuming you want everything high and tight instead of wanting to look frail, weak, and soft even when you reach what you think is your goal...

    let me know if you, or anyone, wants any advice on HOW to start weight training for a very beginner
  • robin52077
    robin52077 Posts: 4,383 Member
    "-You are not starving. Even on 1200 a day you are not starving. When your body is used to massive amounts of food, then of course eating at a calorie deficit will initially feel like deprivation. "

    so then what do I do when I feel sick and dizzy from feeling extremely hungry?

    you eat, that's what.

    you ARE starving at 1200. she's dead wrong.

    your BMR is 1400. That is the number the hospital would put in your feeding tube should you be in a coma... the amount that is needed to sustain basic life functions. (breathing, beating your heart, cell reproduction, brain function) eating below BMR takes energy away from those basic functions. no wonder "dieters" feel like crap...

    you should eat between 1400 and 1600 a day for a slow but healthy proper weight loss without feeling hungry...
  • paprikas
    paprikas Posts: 118 Member
    Buy a fitbit and calculate the calories you are burning as accurately as you can. Fitbit syncs with MFP and automatically adds a generous number of calories when you are active. There is no reason to be on 1200 calories. If you add some exercise and incidental movement into your day, you will be able to eat significantly more and still lose weight.
  • vengefullilac
    vengefullilac Posts: 44
    age: 20

    5'3

    153 lbs

    exercise 3.5 mph walking 30-47 minutes

    goal weight 120 lbs

    with that info I can add:
    make sure you always eat at LEAST 1400 a day minimum, anything less than that for you would cause your body to feel like it is not getting enough, therefore triggering you to binge.
    I would suggest either...
    1. set your diary to 1400 and log and eat all your exercise calories... or
    2. set your diary to 1600 and eat that every day but do NOT log and eat your exercise calories (already accounted for throughout the week)

    choose either one of those and aim to MEET the goal (not fall too far under it) daily for 3 weeks, then judge how you feel and look. Do not weigh for 3 weeks. The scale is a lying SOB, especially when it comes to water weight, TOM, bloating, etc.

    I also STRONGLY SUGGEST adding weight training.
    walking burns calories, that is all.
    weight training will shape and firm your body.
    if all you do is "lose weight" you will end up not happy with the results.
    assuming you want everything high and tight instead of wanting to look frail, weak, and soft even when you reach what you think is your goal...

    let me know if you, or anyone, wants any advice on HOW to start weight training for a very beginner

    how do i fix my calorie settings?
  • vengefullilac
    vengefullilac Posts: 44
    age: 20

    5'3

    153 lbs

    exercise 3.5 mph walking 30-47 minutes

    goal weight 120 lbs

    with that info I can add:
    make sure you always eat at LEAST 1400 a day minimum, anything less than that for you would cause your body to feel like it is not getting enough, therefore triggering you to binge.
    I would suggest either...
    1. set your diary to 1400 and log and eat all your exercise calories... or
    2. set your diary to 1600 and eat that every day but do NOT log and eat your exercise calories (already accounted for throughout the week)

    choose either one of those and aim to MEET the goal (not fall too far under it) daily for 3 weeks, then judge how you feel and look. Do not weigh for 3 weeks. The scale is a lying SOB, especially when it comes to water weight, TOM, bloating, etc.

    I also STRONGLY SUGGEST adding weight training.
    walking burns calories, that is all.
    weight training will shape and firm your body.
    if all you do is "lose weight" you will end up not happy with the results.
    assuming you want everything high and tight instead of wanting to look frail, weak, and soft even when you reach what you think is your goal...

    let me know if you, or anyone, wants any advice on HOW to start weight training for a very beginner

    how DO I weight train when I have no money for gym of supplies? D:
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    very hard to give proper advice without more info.

    Need:

    height
    weight
    goal weight
    exercise (current typical routine)
    exercise goals (build muscle, run a 5K, etc)

    without that, just in general I would say:

    Looking at the ONE day you have filled out in your diary (yesterday), I will say:

    More protein.
    No quick adds, can't tell the macros that way.
    Your macros are screwed up big time...why are you set for only 9 grams of fat?
    Fat does not make you fat. You need it in your intake. And it makes you feel full and satisfied. Change them to reflect about 100g of protein a day, split the rest between fats and carbs (40/30/30 is a good place to start if you are unfamiliar with macro ratios, adjust from there if needed)
    Weigh all your food in grams on a food scale to tell if you are even inputting it correctly.

    And most importantly...EAT all your calories. You are less likely to binge if you are satisfied rather than hungry....

    If you want a little more specific advice, please provide the info asked for earlier...
    This woman.
    She is right, this woman.

    As for weight training without a gym; well, you have a body don't you? You've got a weight right there :) Look up some bodyweight training routines.
  • abby_dunham
    abby_dunham Posts: 5
    I THINK I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM... :[ JUST DONT GIVE UP! WE CAN DO THIS!!
  • slimlifter
    slimlifter Posts: 61 Member
    "-You are not starving. Even on 1200 a day you are not starving. When your body is used to massive amounts of food, then of course eating at a calorie deficit will initially feel like deprivation. "

    so then what do I do when I feel sick and dizzy from feeling extremely hungry?

    you eat, that's what.

    you ARE starving at 1200. she's dead wrong.

    your BMR is 1400. That is the number the hospital would put in your feeding tube should you be in a coma... the amount that is needed to sustain basic life functions. (breathing, beating your heart, cell reproduction, brain function) eating below BMR takes energy away from those basic functions. no wonder "dieters" feel like crap...

    you should eat between 1400 and 1600 a day for a slow but healthy proper weight loss without feeling hungry...

    BRILLIANT way to explain BMR :)

    Finally someone with some knowledge on the basics of nutrition.
  • supplemama
    supplemama Posts: 1,956 Member
    "-You are not starving. Even on 1200 a day you are not starving. When your body is used to massive amounts of food, then of course eating at a calorie deficit will initially feel like deprivation. "

    so then what do I do when I feel sick and dizzy from feeling extremely hungry?

    Eat something! Eat a handful of almonds. Have a carton of yogurt.
    Try spreading your meals out so that you are eating every few hours. Your day might look something like this:
    Breakfast 7am
    Morning Snack 930am
    Lunch 12pm
    Afternoon Snack 2pm
    Afternoon Snack 4pm
    Dinner 630pm

    That's just an example. Eat something with protein in it at every meal. 1200 calories is a restrictive amount but you are not starving on it. It will sustain your life; you will not starve to death on it.

    At any rate you ate over 1400 calories yesterday so what is the issue? Do you feel as if you are starving on 1400 calories? You're not. And you will still lose weight at 1400 calories...so why not use that as your calorie base?
  • TrekkieChic
    TrekkieChic Posts: 109 Member
    very hard to give proper advice without more info.

    Need:

    height
    weight
    goal weight
    exercise (current typical routine)
    exercise goals (build muscle, run a 5K, etc)

    without that, just in general I would say:

    Looking at the ONE day you have filled out in your diary (yesterday), I will say:

    More protein.
    No quick adds, can't tell the macros that way.
    Your macros are screwed up big time...why are you set for only 9 grams of fat?
    Fat does not make you fat. You need it in your intake. And it makes you feel full and satisfied. Change them to reflect about 100g of protein a day, split the rest between fats and carbs (40/30/30 is a good place to start if you are unfamiliar with macro ratios, adjust from there if needed)
    Weigh all your food in grams on a food scale to tell if you are even inputting it correctly.

    And most importantly...EAT all your calories. You are less likely to binge if you are satisfied rather than hungry....

    If you want a little more specific advice, please provide the info asked for earlier...
    This woman.
    She is right, this woman.

    As for weight training without a gym; well, you have a body don't you? You've got a weight right there :) Look up some bodyweight training routines.

    So true! You can do a whole host of things right there in the privacy of your own home... And regular exercise will improve your skin dramatically!

    Something I often see on this forum: "You can have results or you can have excuses. You can't have both"
  • vengefullilac
    vengefullilac Posts: 44
    very hard to give proper advice without more info.

    Need:

    height
    weight
    goal weight
    exercise (current typical routine)
    exercise goals (build muscle, run a 5K, etc)

    without that, just in general I would say:

    Looking at the ONE day you have filled out in your diary (yesterday), I will say:

    More protein.
    No quick adds, can't tell the macros that way.
    Your macros are screwed up big time...why are you set for only 9 grams of fat?
    Fat does not make you fat. You need it in your intake. And it makes you feel full and satisfied. Change them to reflect about 100g of protein a day, split the rest between fats and carbs (40/30/30 is a good place to start if you are unfamiliar with macro ratios, adjust from there if needed)
    Weigh all your food in grams on a food scale to tell if you are even inputting it correctly.

    And most importantly...EAT all your calories. You are less likely to binge if you are satisfied rather than hungry....

    If you want a little more specific advice, please provide the info asked for earlier...
    This woman.
    She is right, this woman.

    As for weight training without a gym; well, you have a body don't you? You've got a weight right there :) Look up some bodyweight training routines.

    So true! You can do a whole host of things right there in the privacy of your own home... And regular exercise will improve your skin dramatically!

    Something I often see on this forum: "You can have results or you can have excuses. You can't have both"

    I swear I'm not trying to make excuses. I don't know ANYTHING about this stuff. I have no idea what I'm doing.
  • vengefullilac
    vengefullilac Posts: 44
    "-You are not starving. Even on 1200 a day you are not starving. When your body is used to massive amounts of food, then of course eating at a calorie deficit will initially feel like deprivation. "

    so then what do I do when I feel sick and dizzy from feeling extremely hungry?

    Eat something! Eat a handful of almonds. Have a carton of yogurt.
    Try spreading your meals out so that you are eating every few hours. Your day might look something like this:
    Breakfast 7am
    Morning Snack 930am
    Lunch 12pm
    Afternoon Snack 2pm
    Afternoon Snack 4pm
    Dinner 630pm

    That's just an example. Eat something with protein in it at every meal. 1200 calories is a restrictive amount but you are not starving on it. It will sustain your life; you will not starve to death on it.

    At any rate you ate over 1400 calories yesterday so what is the issue? Do you feel as if you are starving on 1400 calories? You're not. And you will still lose weight at 1400 calories...so why not use that as your calorie base?

    I don't think you have any clue what you're talking about
  • robin52077
    robin52077 Posts: 4,383 Member


    how do i fix my calorie settings?

    Home -> goals ->change goals -> custom

    set calories to either 1400 or 1600 depending on which of the 2 plans you prefer...
    set macros to 40carb/30fat/30protein

    follow it precisely as possible for 3 weeks, THEN judge if it is working for you.
    a lot of people experience slight gains or bloating when making a change like this, but it is necessary, temporary, and do not let it get in the way of your ultimate goal by causing you to abandon it too soon before the real changes start to happen!
  • TrekkieChic
    TrekkieChic Posts: 109 Member
    very hard to give proper advice without more info.

    Need:

    height
    weight
    goal weight
    exercise (current typical routine)
    exercise goals (build muscle, run a 5K, etc)

    without that, just in general I would say:

    Looking at the ONE day you have filled out in your diary (yesterday), I will say:

    More protein.
    No quick adds, can't tell the macros that way.
    Your macros are screwed up big time...why are you set for only 9 grams of fat?
    Fat does not make you fat. You need it in your intake. And it makes you feel full and satisfied. Change them to reflect about 100g of protein a day, split the rest between fats and carbs (40/30/30 is a good place to start if you are unfamiliar with macro ratios, adjust from there if needed)
    Weigh all your food in grams on a food scale to tell if you are even inputting it correctly.

    And most importantly...EAT all your calories. You are less likely to binge if you are satisfied rather than hungry....

    If you want a little more specific advice, please provide the info asked for earlier...
    This woman.
    She is right, this woman.

    As for weight training without a gym; well, you have a body don't you? You've got a weight right there :) Look up some bodyweight training routines.

    So true! You can do a whole host of things right there in the privacy of your own home... And regular exercise will improve your skin dramatically!

    Something I often see on this forum: "You can have results or you can have excuses. You can't have both"

    I swear I'm not trying to make excuses. I don't know ANYTHING about this stuff. I have no idea what I'm doing.

    No excuses? Great attitude - and trust me, attitude is half the battle!!

    Do this:
    Home -> goals ->change goals -> custom

    set calories to either 1400 or 1600 depending on which of the 2 plans you prefer...
    set macros to 40carb/30fat/30protein follow it precisely as possible for 3 weeks, THEN judge if it is working for you.
    a lot of people experience slight gains or bloating when making a change like this, but it is necessary, temporary, and do not let it get in the way of your ultimate goal by causing you to abandon it too soon before the real changes start to happen!
  • robin52077
    robin52077 Posts: 4,383 Member
    bodyweight exercises are an excellent alternative to weights. squats, pushups, situps, planks, lunges, pullups if you have a bar you can use, etc.
  • azalais7
    azalais7 Posts: 187 Member
    Here's a great beginning bodyweight workout:

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/
  • vengefullilac
    vengefullilac Posts: 44
    bodyweight exercises are an excellent alternative to weights. squats, pushups, situps, planks, lunges, pullups if you have a bar you can use, etc.
    thank you. you have been the most helpful person I've met on this site.
  • supplemama
    supplemama Posts: 1,956 Member
    "-You are not starving. Even on 1200 a day you are not starving. When your body is used to massive amounts of food, then of course eating at a calorie deficit will initially feel like deprivation. "

    so then what do I do when I feel sick and dizzy from feeling extremely hungry?

    Eat something! Eat a handful of almonds. Have a carton of yogurt.
    Try spreading your meals out so that you are eating every few hours. Your day might look something like this:
    Breakfast 7am
    Morning Snack 930am
    Lunch 12pm
    Afternoon Snack 2pm
    Afternoon Snack 4pm
    Dinner 630pm

    That's just an example. Eat something with protein in it at every meal. 1200 calories is a restrictive amount but you are not starving on it. It will sustain your life; you will not starve to death on it.

    At any rate you ate over 1400 calories yesterday so what is the issue? Do you feel as if you are starving on 1400 calories? You're not. And you will still lose weight at 1400 calories...so why not use that as your calorie base?

    I don't think you have any clue what you're talking about

    Ok then stop making excuse to what other people are telling you.
    It sounds like you are asking for permission to eat more. Others have given you that permission! Heck I do too, as I certainly don't restrict my eating to 1200 calories either. I just pointed out that you will not starve to death on 1200 calories a day. This is true. Don't want to eat only 1200? Then increase to 1400. Which you did. So what is the problem? You want to eat more than that? Then do so! But if you want to lose weight, you'll have to account for a deficit.

    Personally I eat 1900-2000 calories a day, but I exercise daily. I've been losing 2 pounds a week consistently since June. Feel free to check out my diary for food and exercise ideas.
  • abby_dunham
    abby_dunham Posts: 5


    how do i fix my calorie settings?

    Home -> goals ->change goals -> custom

    set calories to either 1400 or 1600 depending on which of the 2 plans you prefer...
    set macros to 40carb/30fat/30protein

    follow it precisely as possible for 3 weeks, THEN judge if it is working for you.
    a lot of people experience slight gains or bloating when making a change like this, but it is necessary, temporary, and do not let it get in the way of your ultimate goal by causing you to abandon it too soon before the real changes start to happen!

    AWESOME ADVICE!!!
  • robin52077
    robin52077 Posts: 4,383 Member
    Here's a great beginning bodyweight workout:

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/

    I was just about to go grab this link...thanks...

    everyone should subscribe to the NerdFitness blog. read everything he says, knowledgeable AND inspirational.

    and...

    meet Staci...read the whole article, but most importantly...
    check out the pic at the end where she weighs 11 pounds MORE but looks WAY WAY better...that's what weights do for you, ladies...screw the number on the scale. Let it go UP if I can look like THAT!

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/
  • MessyLittlePanda
    MessyLittlePanda Posts: 213 Member
    Try a calorie calculator. Scoobys workshop is the one I've used.:

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/

    Has some great ideas about how to do home workouts using bodyweight as resistance as well as a realistic calorie calculator.

    I'm a foodie, and I cannot do low calorie diets. I lost my weight eating 1890 cals a day. I am active though, so that's not a realistic amount unless you are exercising, and I don't "eat back" exactly but I DO make sure that I net my BMR every day, which is around 1450. (net calories consumed = food consumed-exercise calories burned) If you are eating somewhere between your BMR and total daily requirements, you will lose weight. Slower than a 1200 calorie diet sure enough, but if you don't want to feel "hangry" (combination of hungry and angry) all the time, and mess up your metabolism, then in my opinion, slow and steady wins the race. The evidence for low cal dieting also shows that the weight is more likely to go back on once you go back to normal eating.

    If you're short of cash, you can do home based resistance workouts, go to the park and walk/jog, use a bench for step-ups, walk up hills, you can use your stairs at home to do step ups if it's raining, do squats with a heavy object in your hands, do sit-ups with a kg bag of flour or sugar or something. Or have a look for a couch to 5k programme on the internet - this one is as good as any:

    http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

    And yeah, low fat diets are rubbish. You need GOOD fats to function, and because fat slows down digestion, you will feel more satisfied. I'm talking avocado, nuts, Greek yoghurt, oily fish, things like that mind you, not saturated fat-loaded junk foods :) Low fat diets often lead to people eating a whole load of "diet food" that's processed and ends up being full of sugar and sweeteners and salt and stuff to make it taste good. And doesn't fill you up, so yeah, you're hungry a lot, and it sucks.

    I might well get flamed for saying 1200 calorie diets are not, for most people, a good way to sustainable weight loss, and that low fat diets suck, because that's the standard diet advice you'll get most places. But I will say that if you are inactive, unable to exercise at all or have a health condition like hypothyroidism or PCOS which affects your weight, then a lower calorie programme MAY be more appropriate. But in my experience (professional and personal) those who have a problem with overeating or binge eating will not fare well on restrictive diets like that, and will end up bingeing more. A balanced diet (macros as suggested, 40/30/30), eating real foods, avoiding junk on which you are likely to binge, and moving more are the building blocks to tackling those issues, as well as re-education on food and nutrition.
  • caraiselite
    caraiselite Posts: 2,631 Member
    less carbs (i mean crappy ones like flour, sugar, and rice)
    eat more meat/seafood/poultry, vegetables, low sugar fruits, some nuts, and some dairy.
    and remember, fat is healthy.

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