Archives for July 2019

July 29, 2019 By Madhu Soni Leave a Comment

Here Is Why Group Workouts Are The Best For You!

Whether you’re a newbie or a veteran to the fitness world, working out with a lively group of like-minded people with similar goals can turn any heart-pounding, sweat dripping and running out of breath experience into an enjoyable activity!

It is no surprise that group workouts can turn even an hour-long session into a fun one. Let’s see how it can prove advantageous for you!

1. Motivation

Perhaps the most difficult task is getting off the couch or bed. But, when you have a group of enthusiastic individuals backing you, no task is impossible! One is likely to workout harder as a part of a group rather than by themselves. A shout out of motivation from a friend is sufficient to keep anyone going!

2. Well-Planned Workout

As group workouts are planned from variations to the body parts that will be covered, it is easier to follow suit with other individuals than when one is alone. Group workouts generally have a fitness instructor who guides participants with proper form, benefits and helps the team avoid injuries.

When working out alone, one tends to neglect certain exercises and be choosy. Thus, group workouts help in removing many mental blocks and helps you follow through with routine.

3. Accountability

To be effective, any exercise needs to be performed using the correct form and posture, regularly. When in a group, skipping a class might make you feel guilty as you need to provide a reason to your buddies the next day. Being in a group automatically makes you more accountable.

4. Camaraderie

Since the whole group is sailing in the same boat, you tend to discuss problems and solutions related to workouts with your teammates. Meeting your fellow class members daily builds up good camaraderie and soon you have your own tribe!

5. Economical

Though everything comes with a price tag, group workouts are quite economical. The professional fees are shared among the group as a result of which it doesn’t disturb your budget.

6. Sustainable

Besides all the above-mentioned advantages, of the most crucial one is sustainability. Group workouts are constantly refreshing, challenging oneself improves the endurance level and helps to break the plateau. Thus making it an inseparable part of your lifestyle!

To put it in a nutshell, group workouts are beneficial as it not only keeps you physically fit but mentally happy too!

If you’re looking for group workouts in your city, join our GOQii Active Sunday Sessions and meet like-minded individuals for a good, early morning workout! Register here: https://goo.gl/KN82CU (Please note that the registration link activates and refreshes every Friday).

#BeTheForce

July 27, 2019 By GOQii Leave a Comment

Overcome! Achieve! Excel! Shivkumar Vishwanathan User Journey

There is definitely a lot of struggle in the process of getting healthy after being sedentary for too long. But what if you’ve been active and healthy your entire life? Do you keep pushing yourself to the limit, consistently improve or stagnate? Shivkumar Vishwanathan found himself in such a predicament and what did he do?

Before GOQii

Before joining GOQii, Shivkumar Vishwanathan was regular at the gym from 2007 to 2014. He stopped training once his trainer quit the gym. Due to the lack of motivation from a trainer, he didn’t hit the gym for almost a year. But Shivkumar Vishwanathan was not someone who could stay still. He wanted to continue being active and decided to look for a fitness tracker that would help him. It was purely by chance that he found GOQii in late 2015. What attracted him to GOQii was the personalized coaching feature, which at the time was not available with anybody else.

Passion for Cycling

Shivkumar Vishwanathan used to cycle to school back in the day. Later, when his family was aversive to him commuting to work on a motorcycle, he bought a bicycle on a whim! What began for purely commuting purposes soon became a passion.

Initially, cycling for even 5-10 km used to be tough. When he registered for BRM (Brevets de Randonneurs Mondiaux) chapters for long-distance endurance cycling, his GOQii Coach was able to help him improve his stamina and endurance.

His GOQii Coach used to give him targets to complete every week, progressively increasing distance and speed. The training strategy was charted out to gear up methodically for the ride. On the nutrition front, he was asked to consume complex carbs and proteins.

He was advised to begin carb-loading 3-4 days before the ride and his GOQii Coach also advised him on how to stay hydrated during the ride and what gels to use for quick energy. His Coach also suggested protein supplements, vitamin D and B12 supplements.

Thanks to all these inputs and support from his family, especially his wife who watched his diet, helped him cut on sugar and implement suggestions by his GOQii Coach, he can cycle for 100 km effortlessly.

He attempted the Mumbai – Pune and back 300 km ride in January, 2019 but, had to pull out midway. He, however, has two successful completion rides namely Mumbai – Charoti 200 km last November in 12 hours and the Mumbai – Kamshet 200 km night ride in April 2019.

Currently, he has cycled in every country he has been to. He did a 55km ride in North England, braving the rain and the extreme cold.

Completing the Kailash Parikrama

One of his close friends wanted him to go on the Kailash Parikrama along with him. They gathered 15 of their friends and decided to do it last December. When his GOQii Coach got to know of this, she immediately suggested that he do a lot of cardio to improve his cardiovascular fitness and to get his heart to pump at a higher rate. Resistance training also became a part of his routine to improve stamina and endurance. He began eating a diet that was rich in antioxidants. This consisted of more fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. He also ate iron-rich foods that improved his blood circulation.

The highlights of the expedition were that he did not suffer from any stomach issues or headaches which are common among people while acclimatizing to higher altitudes. He didn’t face any major issues thanks to his training and diet. He was happy that he didn’t have to pop a single pill during the entire expedition.

The first day they covered 15km at an altitude of 5000mtrs and 22km on the 2nd day which was a climb to 5620mtrs. This was extremely excruciating and painful due to the lack of oxygen. 7 out of 15 of his friends, including him, completed the Parikrama. The expedition was a success for him although it was physically and mentally challenging.

Although physically fit, Shivkumar Vishwanathan wanted to push past his limits and take up challenges to test himself. He says it was because of the guidance, motivation and inputs from his GOQii Coach that he could overcome his challenges and achieve everything he has so far!

He plans to visit Tokyo to watch the Olympics and cycle in Japan! We look forward to hearing more of his adventures!

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#BeTheForce!

July 20, 2019 By GOQii Leave a Comment

“It’s My Duty To Give It Back!” – Paramdeep Singh Ghuman

Does health really need to take a backseat when you chase your professional goals? And if you do recover, work on your health, get active and fitter, how do you take it to the next level? Do you train harder or do you influence those around you to be better? Our GOQii Player and Champion of Chandigarh Paramdeep Singh Ghuman found the answers to these questions!

Life Before GOQii

As with every high profile working professional, Paramdeep Singh Ghuman was unable to focus on his health. He used to actively participate in sports during his college days but once he began working, everything else took a backseat.

He became a workaholic and immersed himself into work without thinking about his health, diet or sleep. As a result of neglecting his health, he was diagnosed with high blood pressure (140/100) and cholesterol (250). To add to this, he suffered from constipation and disturbed sleep.

His doctor advised him to start with some physical activity and lifestyle changes. Taking his doctor’s advice, he started walking for 20 minutes a day at a nearby park. After a while, he became inconsistent and fell back to his old habits. As soon as that happened, the fear of heart-related ailments crept in. He began exploring other options to track his activity, steps and someone who could monitor his eating habits.

He was determined to change!

Enter GOQii

Paramdeep Singh Ghuman’s friend, who was employed with Axis Bank, introduced him to GOQii in February 2017. This proved to be a turning point for him. His journey began with a little bit of myth-busting and a lot of hard work! Paramdeep believed that a heavy breakfast like paratha with ghee and curd was ideal to keep him going throughout the day. This, along with his other perceptions on nutrition was corrected by his coach.

He was asked to drink lemon with warm water in the morning and eat nuts that were soaked overnight. After his morning exercise, he ate muesli with milk. Once he reaches office, he had to eat either raw paneer or boiled eggs. He began including salads in his lunch and dinner, fruits for mid-morning snacks and an apple or banana milkshake in the evening.

On the exercise front, he was advised to start walking again. Initially, he did complain of pain but his coach reassured him that it was because his body is still getting used to being active. After 3-4 months, he began running for a kilometre which gradually increased to 5km and further to 10km. He improved his stamina with strength training and HIIT.

Changes and Champion of Good Health!

As of today, Paramdeep’s blood pressure, as well as cholesterol, are both under control. He is completely off medication. His sleep has improved and his constipation issues are now a thing of the past!

His weight has reduced from 90kg to 83kg. He feels stress-free, happy and content with his life and the changes introduced by his GOQii Coach. He regularly attends Dr. Paramjeet, Coach Parwage Alam and other nutrition classes on GOQii Play.

After seeing the impact of the changes that he made to his lifestyle, Paramdeep wanted to do the same for others. He now encourages community members and office colleagues to be physically fit – with many of them joining GOQii.

He says, “I feel it is my duty to give back to society, prep young guns to participate in some or the other activity, stay fit and healthy. I want to emphasize the importance of physical exercise and mindful eating to them.”

He is currently a GOQii Champion and heads the Chandigarh Chapter and thoroughly enjoys his assignments.

Did you find this story inspiring? Do you have a story to tell? Click here and we’ll reach out to you!

#BeTheForce

July 17, 2019 By Trishala Chopra 5 Comments

Tips to protect yourself from allergic conjunctivitis this monsoon

I guess I am late! Rains are already here and we can’t just ignore getting drenched in heavy rains. But, getting drenched in the rains might not be a good thing for your body. Monsoon not only brings with it rains but it brings along with it an army of infections. Viral infections are the most common ones. They are at its peak during monsoon season because of the sudden increase in the moisture levels in the climate. Among all infection, eyes are the worst affected part of the human body.

You might have suffered from itchy eyes which turns red the moment you rub it? Do not ignore it as it could be conjunctivitis. Conjunctivitis in literal terms means inflammation of conjunctiva (thin protective membrane of the eyes) Conjunctivitis is of two types: – acute allergic conjunctivitis and chronic acute conjunctivitis. Acute allergic conjunctivitis includes the seasonal allergy which turns up during monsoons. Conjunctivitis spreads through direct contact. Hand to eye touch can cause conjunctivitis, as this disease is highly contagious. It can last for minimum 3 days up to 7 days.

Redness always doesn’t mean conjunctivitis, there are various other reasons that can cause redness or itchy eyes. It might be dust or too much strain on the eyes or insomnia which might cause redness of the eyes. Do not confuse yourself between these reasons and conjunctivitis. It is always advisable that if you face redness, itchiness, watery eyes, swelling, difficulty in blinking, dry eyes for more than 2 days then visit your ophthalmologists as soon as possible. It might be allergic conjunctivitis or some other disease, it is always better to get it checked from the expert.

Here are few tips to protect yourself from conjunctivitis this monsoon!

Maintaining personal hygiene is most important precaution which one needs to take.
Avoid touching your eyes without washing your hands properly.
Wash your eyes with cold water whenever you come from outside.
If you feel that there is slightest pain in your eyes or you have been in contact with the person who has conjunctivitis, give your eyes cold compressions immediately after you come home. It is always better if you visit a doctor before the diseases aggravate.
If someone at home is down with conjunctivitis make sure that whenever you are putting drops in their eyes or giving them cold water compressions, you wash your hands thoroughly before and after you get in contact with the person.
Put 2 drops of rose water every time before you go to bed.
If you wear contact lenses, avoid using them during monsoons as the chances of infection is higher with lenses.
Do not share cosmetics. Risk of infection doubles when you share them.
Avoid swimming, visiting water parks during monsoon, not only conjunctivitis, body gets prone to other diseases too!
Avoid touching public taps, handles and if you get in contact with them, always keep a sanitizer and use them frequently.
Wear glasses to keep your eyes protected.
Avoid self-medication. You do not know about the action of drugs.
Never use steroid eye drops. Always consult your doctor.
If in case doctor is not available, choose antibiotic drops over steroid eye drops.