Archives for January 2019

January 25, 2019 By Anusha Subramanian 1 Comment

From being lazy to being fit as a fiddle

Sense of accomplaihment -Gagan on the right with his team mates successfully having completed his first 100 Km Trail walk

He was Lazy and had no control of his food habits. But, everything changed drastically on the day his daughter was born 2 years ago. That is the day when he felt if not for anyone else, I have to get fit for my daughter. Today, he is no more lazing on the couch. Clocks on an average 10000 or more steps daily, walks 100 km within 48 hours and even goes trekking when time permits …This is Gagandeep Singh Randhawa’s story in his own words.

I was a very lazy person for the longest time. It dawned on me to get fit when my daughter Samaira was born in April 2014. It was to get fit for her so that I can run around and play with her. It was a wake-up call. I knew I had to do something as I was completely inactive and unfit. I was on an entrepreneurial journey and life got busy. I spent long days at work.

I started looking around to figure what options I have. I thought let’s try gym workout. And went and joined a gym. But, my laziness got the better of me and I missed out on going to the gym and working out on a regular basis due to lack of company. Then I started surfing the net to figure other options to get fit. I was looking for a fitness tracker as it was the in thing. That is when I came across GOQii.

I read about it and found it interesting as it was offering a personal coach. I liked the idea of a personal coach as I knew there will be somebody constantly there behind you to make sure you get active. I decided to go in for GOQii and bought the band in May 2014 with Parwage Alam as my coach.

My health goal was to make my core strong and get fit and active. My coach set a target for me to clock a minimum of 10000 steps daily. In order to be able to do this I started walking regularly, I went trekking and regularly attended Active Sunday sessions. If some day my step count was less I would even take a break from work and go for a walk and come back refreshed to my work desk.

Then in December 2014, I pushed my limits further by participating in the 100 km Oxfam trail walk. My coach convinced me that I could do it. It was my first attempt at something like this. And am I glad to say that I completed successfully? It was fun and yet very challenging for me. But, I realized I could push myself and do it.

Within 3 months of getting on board GOQii, I was able to run/walk 10 km. I was on an average clocking 15000 steps daily. Now, I am able to run behind my daughter with ease. GOQii was a good wake-up call for me. I guess when it comes to fitness half the battle is won when you are able to objectively and easily assess how active you are on a daily basis.

We are the Force-Gagan at an Active Sunday Session. ( Gagan seen in extreme right)

It’s been close to two years for me with GOQii and I have enjoyed every bit of my journey to health and fitness.

I have become more cautious about what I eat and when I eat. The whole change in me I would credit to the fact that there is a coach sitting above me and keeping track of what I am doing. The moment you become answerable to someone that is your transformation. I have realized it’s not about losing weight it’s about how healthy and fit you are by exercising, eating and sleeping right and how well you rest.

It’s not only me who has seen a transformation in myself, my family has also seen the change in me. They have never seen me so active or rather I have never been so active. In fact, my family members have got inspired by me and have got themselves the band as well. I gifted my wife a band last year and she is also regular with her step count and being active on a daily basis. She is more into activities like Zumba. GOQii has definitely helped my family and friends get more fit and heart-happy.

My wife and I along with our daughter go on walks. I want my daughter to be rough and tough and for that, I have to be first fit and tough.Lastly, the concept of donating karma points appeals to me a great deal. It gives me a feel good factor.

What does Coach Parwage Alam have to say about Gangandeep?

When Gagan came on board he was completely inactive. He wanted to become active, increase stamina and be fit. He wanted to start running 5km and slowly go up to 10 km. He was very serious about bringing about a change in himself. Looking at his sincerity and seriousness, I suggested to him why just think of 5km and 10 km why not think big?

I suggested why not go ahead and participate in the 100 km Oxfam Trailwalk and practice for it. The goal was to successfully complete the 100 km. For him, it was ‘from the couch to 100 km’. He was very dedicated and practiced hard. Within 3 months he was able to run 10 km and he also completed the 100 km Oxfam Trailwalk. After this, his activities started increasing drastically. He was regular at ‘Active Sundays’. On an average, he would clock 15k steps daily.

The effect of being active has also reflected in his nutrition. He has got more conscious about what he is eating and when and how he is eating. Overall, Gagan has been able to achieve his goals because of his dedication and sincerity and by making small changes to his lifestyle. He has taken all my advice positively. Seeing him motivated motivates me too.

Gagan getting his legs massaged during his first Oxfam Trail walk in 2014

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January 24, 2019 By Luke Coutinho 3 Comments

Inflammation – What you should know?

When you think pain, think inflammation. Inflammation is a good thing. It’s your body’s way to rise up to fight germs/bacteria/infections, heal bruises when you fall, heal torn ligaments/tissues/tendons etc. Once it does its job of fighting out these invaders or foreign organisms, the inflammation should reduce to normal. The problem is when that doesn’t happen.

Have a torn ligament or muscle pulls that your struggling to heal? Seen the best doctors, therapists etc., and still not fixed? Struggling with arthritis and joint pain? Check your CRP (C-Reactive Protein) levels and focus on reducing inflammation. The cure is in reducing inflammation.

Many of us live with chronic inflammation and that’s dangerous. It’s also the reason people –struggle to lose weight, experience painful joint pain, age faster than normal,feel tired thru the day. Also with chronic inflammation there are higher chances of heart disease, Alzheimer’s/dementia, struggle with diabetes, feel depressed. Lowsilent inflammation can destroy your nerves and cellular health, suppressing and weakening your immune system, leading to deadly diseases like cancer, etc.

What’s scary is the fact that you can be extremely healthy and fit, but silent inflammation could

be eating into you from inside, which is one of the many explainable reasons why cancer or heart attacks can strike down a healthy and young human being.

Checking cholesterol levels, Vitamin D3, B12, SGOT, SGTP is imperative, but what most people miss out on is checking their CRP levels. (C-Reactive protein). This is such an important protein level to check and a simple blood test will cover that for you.

CRP level will tell you volumes about the amount of inflammation you have in your body. In my years of experience what stands out in a cancer report of a person is an increase in CRP levels and white blood cells and the immediate action is to reduce inflammation thru food and lifestyle change.Diseases breathe in inflamed environments, in environments that are acidic and in environments where there is less oxygen supply to the cells.

Over training causes inflammation.Vigorous exercise, inconsistent exercise and high intensity training which is not planned for your body type will make your CRP levels soar and kill your immunity, which is why many trainers ask their clients to take a Vitamin C and E post workouts. Running marathons without proper nutrition causes massive inflammation.

Chronic stress, Improper nutrition (high fat foods, sugar, artificial sweeteners, doughnuts, white sugar, aerated drinks, salty foods, packaged foods), Smoking causes inflammation. I’ve seen CRP levels fall in a smokers blood report within 10 days of kicking the butt.

How to keep your inflammation in check:

– Smart and moderate exercise

– Meditation and controlling your stress and BP levels,

– Nuts and seeds,Green leafy veggies and fruits.

– Good fats (like nuts, olive oil, coconut oil).

But, it has been proven that a small amount of alcohol can actually lower CRP levels.

-Vitamin D3, Curcumin (turmeric extract) is one of the best spice based inflammation fighters

January 23, 2019 By CHARMI GOGRI 13 Comments

Vegetarianism: Pros and Cons

The philosophy around going meatless or adopting a vegetarian lifestyle has become increasingly popular. People are being more aware of foods that are nutrient dense (and those less so) which helps them to stay healthy and fit. So is veering towards a plant-based approach the best way to go? A growing number of people seem to think so. A Vegetarian resource group conducted a poll and found that there was rise in people adopting vegetarianism/veganism compared to previous year’s data in USA, similar data was shown for Europe, Israel and India as well.

Before we fall in to the discussion of “Should people become Vegetarian?” however, it’s important to understand what vegetarianism actually means as well as the benefits and potential risks associated with it.

“Vegetarian” broadly refers to those who restricts consumption of animal products like meat, fish, poultry etc., and largely rely on plant based foods like fruits, veggies, whole grains, dairy, pulses etc., for living. Within this group, there are various levels of vegetarians. These are classified from most restrictive to those who are less so.

Vegan : They do not consume animal products or animal by-products like meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk/milk products, honey etc. Also, they don’t use animal products like silk, wool, leather etc for commercial use. In other words, these are individuals who not only do not eat animals, but who also choose not to use products that come from animals.

Lacto-Vegetarian: These individuals don’t consume meat, poultry, fish or eggs. But, they readily consume milk and milk products like yogurt, and cheese. Most of the Vegetarians in South Asian subcontinent fall under this category.

Ovo-Vegetarian: They avoid meat, poultry, fish and DAIRY. But, allow themselves to consume eggs.

Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian: People under this level restricts meat, poultry and fish. However, they consume egg as well as dairy. This is the most common type of vegetarian across the globe.

A vegetarian diet is naturally low in fats and high in fiber, but being vegetarian has its own risks. So no matter at what level you happen to fall, and no matter what reason you have chosen to commit to it , there are both pros and cons of being vegetarian. Here are few of them:

Pros of Vegetarianism:

Improves colon health: Fibers present in a plant-based vegetarian diet helps to maintain a healthy colon by improving the good bacteria within it. That’s because fiber is what helps feed those healthy bacteria. It also helps to cleanse the colon when supplemented with optimal water intake. Why? Because fiber can act like a chimney sweeper and remove any excess waste. The risk of colon cancer and constipation decreases with a high fiber vegetarian diet. On the flip side, meats and poultry takes time to digest and thus disrupts the natural balance in the body. They also don’t feed the friendly bacteria in our guts which are required to maintain a healthy gut lining.
Improves the heart rate: A vegetarian diet can help lower cholesterol, and blood pressure, aiding in the prevention of heart disease. A vegetarian diet can help to achieve these benefits as long as it includes food sources with potassium and dietary fiber, such as vegetables, fruits, legumes and whole grains.
Reduces risk of Kidney stones: Diet high in animal proteins leads body to excrete calcium, oxalate and uric acid. These are the major components of kidney stones. A diet high in animal protein have higher risk of Kidney stones in USA (15% of men and 7% of women) than diets rich in Vegetarian proteins.
Reduces risk of Cancer: Vegetarians show up to 40% less chance of developing cancer. Also, diets high in animal protein were associated with a 4-fold increase in cancer death risk compared to high protein diets based on plant-derived protein sources (figures based on 2014 study). The changes of contamination are high among meat eaters, on the flip side, consuming enough fruits and vegetables as part of vegetarian diet will help to build up strong immunity and fight cancer cells.
Lowers risk of Diabetes: Consumption of meat and processed meat increases the risk of Type 2 Diabetes in both men and women. On the other hand, vegetarian diets rich in whole grains, nuts, legumes and fibers improves the glycemic control in the people who already have diabetes.
Capable of delivering complete nutrition: When Vegetarian meals are optimally planned, all essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals can be supplied to the body. USDA and FAO of UN says “meat is not an essential part of healthy diet”
Weight loss: Vegetarian diet being high in fiber and low in fat helps one to reduce weight or at least prevent gaining those extra pounds from the high fat non vegetarian food.
Helps alleviate World’s hunger: There has been debate about insufficiency of our food supply if the entire world refuses to eat a primarily vegetarian diet. Grains and vegetarian food are required to feed animals and rear livestock in order to produce more meat (Over 10 pounds of plant protein is fed to produce one pound of beef). If that food were diverted for human consumption, world’s hunger can be alleviated.
Ethical view-point: Merciless killing of animals in the name of producing a food supply is on the rise. Cutting out animal products from our diet is a gentler kinder way to live as these warm blooded animals have emotions and can experience stress, pain and fear too. The less demand there will be for meat products, the fewer animals will be raised for slaughter.
For the sake of Nature: There are negative effects of raising livestock on environment. They produce more greenhouse gases than cars. Being vegetarian is one way to reduce carbon footprints and save the planet.

Cons of Vegetarianism:

Lack of Nutrition: Strict vegans/vegetarians might be missing on some of the nutrients like Omega 3 fatty acids (crucial for brain function), Vitamin B12, Vitamin D(crucial for bone health). Meeting protein needs gets hard, too, if meals aren’t planned well. While there are many good sources of iron for vegetarians, the bioavailability of that is lesser compared to non- vegetarian sources of Iron.
May still not be such a healthy choice: Vegetarianism doesn’t automatically mean you have made a healthy choice as it largely depends on the meal choices one makes. A vegetarian diet (if majorly relying on sugar, processed food, fries, refined food, high fructose corn syrup, and carbonated beverages) can possibly be harmful meal choices. An Oreo cookie is vegan. That doesn’t make it healthy.
Use of herbicides and pesticides: To improve production of crops and maintain quality. Numerous chemicals are used in the soil, residues of which can be found in the plant and can find its way to the human body.
The Notion that Vegetarians live longer can be a myth: Undoubtedly choosing high fibrous fresh vegetarian meal is the best choice. Choosing not-so-healthy vegetarian meals coupled with a faulty lifestyle like excessive smoking, frequent drinking, lack of physical activity etc., can decrease your life expectancy (Animal protein or no animal protein)

January 21, 2019 By Anusha Subramanian 3 Comments

Why is it difficult to make a lifestyle change? – 6 tips to follow

In a user story I recently wrote, the player said, “Making a lifestyle change is easy what is difficult is the commitment to follow through with determination”.

Rightly so, it’s indeed considered a tall order and hence many give it up mid-way. Most consider it forced, rather than a positive change to bring about within themselves.

This very attitude and constant cribbing of people around me prompted me to write this piece on why is it so difficult to make a lifestyle change?

Many of us have tried it sometime or the other in our life. Some of us have succeeded while many have found it extremely taxing. Making a lifestyle change is challenging, especially when you want to transform many things at once. Lifestyle changes are a process that take time and require support and lots of patience.

Here are a few tips that you could follow from my personal experience

** Start small. After you’ve identified a realistic short-term and long-term goals, break them down further into small steps that are well defined and can be managed and measured. If your long term goal (6-8 months) is to lose 20 kilos then a good monthly goal would be to reduce about 2 kilos a month in a healthy way. Physiologically too smaller goals gives you sense that it’s achievable and keep you motivated for the long term goal. Look at healthy eating options, eat smaller meals at regular intervals and balanced meals, and replace a dessert with a healthier option, like yogurt. At the end of the month, you’ll feel successful knowing you met your goal.

** Change one behavior at a time. It is said that old habits die hard. That is because behaviors develop over the course of time and replacing then will take a while. Focus on one goal at a time. If need be, get professional help to understand what changes you need to bring about within yourself to become healthy and fit. The problem arises when you try to change things really fast.

** Have a buddy or a personal coach or trainer: It can be anyone from a friend, to a family member, a co-worker or your personal trainer who you want to walk with you in your path to a healthy lifestyle. It works well for both the buddies. Your buddy and you can go for a walk, cycle or run together and keep each other motivated and charged. You can challenge each other to create some excitement in your training and make sure that it is not boring. Having someone with whom you can share your struggles and successes makes the work easier and the mission less intimidating.

** Make a plan that you will stick to. You have to plan in such a way that it will be your guide on this journey of change. Think out of the box and have things in your plan which you have never done before like an adventure or going for sport climbing (artificial wall climbing). But, don’t go haywire and be specific. Time manage well. Detail the time of day when you want to exercise, how long you want to exercise or when you can take walks and how long you’ll walk. Maintain a dairy in which all of these task are jotted down and ask yourself if these activities and goals are realistic for you. If not then start with baby steps.

** Have support around you: Having people around you to support you while you are on your journey towards health will help you to not slack. Don’t feel shy to ask for support wherever and whenever needed if you feel you are unable to meet your goals on your own.

Making the changes that you want takes time and commitment, but you can do it. Just remember that no one is perfect. You will have occasional lapses. Be kind to yourself. When you eat a brownie or skip the gym, don’t give up. Minor bumps on the road to your goals are normal and okay. Resolve to recover and get back on track.

** Self -Motivation: All the above points will help you in your journey to change your lifestyle but, the biggest factor of all and one of the most important factor is being self-motivated. No matter how many buddies you have, no matter what support your dear and near ones will give, no matter how good a plan you make yourself …but none of this will be effective till the time you are self-motivated and want to make the change.

Do it for yourself, do it on your own and feel good at the end of it all. Remember it is not about proving to anyone but yourself.