Archives for October 2020

October 28, 2020 By Divya Thampi Leave a Comment

Your Mental Health Guide To Work From Home

It wasn’t that long ago that working from home was considered a luxury that only a few could afford. But with the pandemic setting in, working from home (WFH) became the norm. And suddenly it doesn’t feel like all that it was made out to be. To start with, the pandemic forced most people to switch from work-from-office to WFH, irrespective of their preference, and studies show that perceived lack of choice can add to people’s overall sense of unhappiness and dissatisfaction. Secondly, even for those who may have preferred WFH, the suddenness of the change deprived them of the opportunity to plan and prepare for it. In many households, the added responsibility of children being at home, with the schools going online, only added to the chaos.

But Work From Home need not be all distress, challenges and constraints. If we follow the right set of guidelines, it can be a pleasant experience for most even in the current situation. Here is a list of 7 guidelines to change WFH into a boon rather than a bane!

1. Follow a healthy routine

Having a healthy routine is one of the most underrated mental health tools. For the uninitiated, WFH seems to bring out the worst in people. From starting work before even brushing teeth to sleeping with one’s laptop still turned on by their side, there is no dearth of unhealthy routines in people’s lives. This can be disastrous for your mental health.

Follow a well-defined healthy routine. Start with sleeping and waking up at a set time each day, followed with a personal hygiene routine (shower, change), moving on to some stretching or exercise, followed by small rituals (like a cup of tea/ breakfast with family or meditation) to ease into the work day. Begin work at a scheduled time and as far as possible, stop at a pre-decided time. Take short breaks every 30-45 min and make sure that you take proper breaks for your meal.

2. Focus on all the benefits of Work From Home

Changing the way we think about WFH can bring about a significant shift in the way we feel about it. Instead of allowing your thoughts to routinely worry about how you dislike the current situation, deliberately list down and focus on all the opportunities and benefits that the WFH situation presents. From closer proximity to family members through the day or having more chances to invest in learning new skills, to finding more time to focus on your health and relationships, this situation presents a lot of openings to live a more deliberate and meaningful life.

3. Invest in your home office

Do not under any circumstances work from your bed and avoid working from that favorite couch you like to lounge on. It was okay to do so when you were doing that odd hour of Work From Home, on the weekends, but it is not going to fly when you are working from home every day. A separate work room that can shut out distractions while you focus on work, would be ideal. But if that is not possible, designate a particular corner or side of the room from which you will be working. Invest in a worktable (you could also opt for a second hand or inexpensive but sturdy collapsible table) and a chair that supports your back well. Your posture and physical comfort while working makes a big difference to how you feel about the work you do and how energized you feel through the day.

4. Get physically active

Your physical health and mental health are intricately linked. When you are involved in physical exercise, not only does that make you physically stronger but also stimulates the production of endorphins – chemicals in the brain that act as mood elevators and painkillers. Physical activity also reduces stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. So, whether it is practicing yoga or shaking a leg to Zumba or going for the good old brisk walk, make sure to add a dose of physical exercise to every single day.

5. Connect with nature

Spending more time in green spaces and/or bringing nature into your everyday life, whether it is by growing plants or exercising outdoors or being around animals, is known to benefit mental as well as physical health. It helps reduce stress, increase relaxation, boost self-esteem and improve your mood. For city dwellers, having tea in the balcony each day or taking a walk in the open air (even within the building complex) could be ways to make interaction with nature a part of your daily routine.

6. Take Digital breaks

Technology has saved the day by making many things possible in today’s world. And yet, we all know that excessive screen use can disrupt the delicate balance of our body and mind. Consciously take breaks from screen for at least 1-2 hours during the waking hours. It could be for some time soon after waking up and during your meal times or an hour before hitting the bed and your time with family or exercise time.

7. Socialise and nurture harmonious interactions

We humans have a strong need to feel emotionally connected with others, irrespective of our gender, class or age. While following the physical distancing rules, make sure that you have relaxing chats with friends, family or even colleagues on a regular basis; chats that go beyond the transactional interactions. Regular audio or video calls with close friends or a sibling or a grown-up child, who resides in a different city or engaging in planned catch up sessions with friends can help fulfil the much-needed connection.

Allow yourself to be more relaxed in your interaction with colleagues. Setting the intention to not get upset with unplanned events & unpleasant interactions, at the start of each day, can set you up for success and making a choice to pause and breathe deeply each time you notice feeling stressed, can do wonders for your mental well-being.

We hope this article helps you! For more on maintaining good health during Work From Home, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play.

#BeTheForce

October 27, 2020 By Aruna Bhatia Leave a Comment

Quinoa vs Rice: A Head-to-Head Comparison

We’ve been consuming rice for as long as we can remember. Rice is a cereal grain whereas quinoa is a seed grain. Off late, a lot of people have been replacing rice with quinoa for what they assume are added health benefits. Is there a reason? Which one is better in this quinoa vs rice debate? Let’s compare!

Quinoa vs Rice: The Facts

Carbohydrates: are essential for fueling our body and its functions. Both rice and quinoa provide us with complex gluten-free carbohydrates, but eating white rice will raise the blood sugar levels faster than quinoa due to the difference in fiber content. Higher fiber content in quinoa is also helpful for weight loss as it helps one feel fuller for a longer time.
Protein: are the building blocks of our muscles and equally important for our metabolism. Proteins are chains of amino acids out of which the nine essential amino acids are present in quinoa. Whereas rice is low in lysine and has an incomplete protein profile. Quinoa has in all 12 amino acids which make it a hit in consumer demand.
Antioxidants: While rice mainly has starchy endosperm, the removal of its bran strips it off its fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Quinoa on other hand is a good source of antioxidants and sprouting increases its antioxidant levels even further.

Both quinoa and white rice are easy to cook and versatile in nature. Both can be easily included in various Indian recipes, but taste wise, rice is more plain and subtle while quinoa is mild. White rice wins over easy availability. Although, Indian farmers have started cultivating quinoa now, rice will always have a place in all Indian households.

To summarize the quinoa vs rice comparison, we can say that while rice might still be a favorite in many parts of India, it doesn’t match the nutritional profile of quinoa.

We hope this article helps you make a sound choice between quinoa and rice. Which one would you pick? Let us know in the comments below! For more on nutrition and grains, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to live sessions by nutrition experts on GOQii Play.

#BeTheForce

October 26, 2020 By Neha Goyal Leave a Comment

Should You Avoid Going To The Gym?

With India slowly unlocking, all the public places which were high risk areas are slowly opening. With some ease in restrictions in many parts of the country, local gyms and yoga centers are reopening gradually. Despite this, we can’t overlook the fact that India is still in the top 5 affected countries. This begs the question if it is safe to go to the gym or avoid it completely!

Why Do You Feel Like Going To The Gym?

Physical activity or exercise is a very crucial part of a healthy lifestyle. Everyone who wants to stay healthy understands its importance as well as how hard it is to stay motivated and not miss our daily workout. Gym & fitness classes don’t just provide us personalized instruction to help achieve our fitness goals but they also give a sense of community & support. Considering the current situation, we cannot deny the fact that they are also crowded, where risk of infection is much higher due to a lot of surface area that people commonly come in contact with.

Have You Tried Joining the New Fitness Revolution?

They say where there is a will, there is a way and the same applies to keeping fit as well. People are now turning to fitness apps and workout videos to stay fit. Exercising at home has become the new normal. Besides, studies have shown that it’s better to workout in open and natural spaces than poorly ventilated and crowded places. But, if you’ve been regular at the gym for a few years, you might be missing the discipline and support it provides. It’s natural to feel the urge to hit the gym as soon as it opens.

Things To Consider Before Rushing To The Gym Again

While it’s natural to have an increased urge to go back to your pre-pandemic fitness regime, you still need to ensure that the risk of infection is minimized. So consider these points to stay safe:

Check if the strength of group fitness sessions is low so maintaining distance is possible.
Check if gym staff is sanitizing the equipment often and between the sessions.
Ask if they are checking temperatures of staff & members before entering.
Avoid gyms which do not have enough ventilation, or are located in the basement.
Carry your own sanitizer, towels, mask, water bottle, yoga mats, etc. every time you visit.
Do not share any of the above things with anybody.
Stay home if you are not feeling well.
Avoid going if there is a surge of infections around the locality.

With so many things to consider before going to the gym, what’s your take? Let us know in the comments below!

If you’re still unsure, consider working out at home till things change for the better. Moreover, you can download the GOQii App and workout with our fitness experts online on GOQii Play. If you’re looking for home workouts or more information on fitness and an active lifestyle, check out Healthy Reads.

If you will be heading out to the gym, then #KeepAWatch on your health with the GOQii Smart Vital that comes with 18 exercise modes to help you get the most out of your workout. It also helps you track your body temperature, blood oxygen (SpO2), heart rate and blood pressure – all of which can help you detect infections at an early stage.

Stay safe and #BeTheForce

October 24, 2020 By GOQii 7 Comments

“Don’t Ignore Your Health!” – Nirmal Bhatt Shares a Message For All Womenfolk

As a working woman, managing a professional life and a personal life can be quite challenging given the status quo that exists in our society. Sometimes, so much effort goes into looking after a household as well as crushing it in the professional field that one easily forgets to take care of themselves. Nirmal Bhatt, a 42 year old working professional from Noida faced similar challenges as she tried her best to maintain the delicate balance between her work as an Academic Coordinator at Amity University and her household.

Before Being a Part of GOQii

Since 2012, Nirmal Bhatt has been suffering from hypothyroid and hypertension. Over the years, her weight had been increasing consistently. In 2019, she weighed almost 82kg. Her TSH was 10 and her BP was 150/110. Her diet was loaded with ghee and oil, zero physical activity and every weekend involved eating out. She always felt lethargic and given her routine, she lacked any motivation to do anything for herself. But all that was about to change!

Making a Lifestyle Change With GOQii

As a part of the deal with Star Health Insurance, she got a GOQii subscription as well. Living in a joint family with her husband and 2 grown-up kids, she says one can only imagine how hectic her life was. She had avoided talking to her GOQii Coach fearing that she’d be asked to make drastic changes in her routine which would be near to impossible to achieve.

She had heard from her friends how dieting works and she undoubtedly wouldn’t be able to do any of it. Upon the brink of giving up, Nirmal decided to give GOQii a try after relentless calls from her GOQii Coach who refused to give up on her. Since taking that decision to move forward, Nirmal didn’t have to look back ever again.

Her coach explained to her how she can bring about small changes to her lifestyle and still achieve her goals. She stressed on 3 major changes which have contributed the most to her weight loss – reduced tea consumption, avoiding junk and sweets. Nirmal confessed to being a tea addict, consuming almost 7-8 cups of tea a day. Now, she has reduced to just 2 cups a day. In addition, she has also stopped consuming fried food and sweets – both of which she couldn’t resist before.

Physical activities were something she would never try before but has now become a part of her daily routine. During the 2 initial months of lockdown, she wholeheartedly gave herself up to an active lifestyle and worked out for an hour every day. Since May, when she resumed work from home, she still tries to complete her 10k steps on most days. Her secret, she says, is never sitting idle. She constantly tries to be on the move, walking, stretching as and when she can.

The other changes which were implemented by her coach include:

Intermittent fasting
Including salads in meals
Early dinner
Fixed meal time irrespective of other family members

Thanks to all the changes which she accepted, her weight has reduced to 67.5kg and her waist size has gone from 38 inches to 34 inches.

What Does Nirmal Bhatt Have To Say About Her Coach?

Nirmal Bhatt says that she can’t thank her GOQii Coach Meenakshi enough for all the cooperation, guidance and motivation she provided. During the early days, when Nirmal would get frustrated about preparing all the delicious snacks for her family and not get to eat any, Coach Meenakshi used to keep her morale high by reminding her that she has to fit into that lehenga while attending the next wedding. She used to keep nudging and pushing her constantly, giving her tips and ways to stay healthy even on days when she would absolutely want to do nothing. Owing to her positive outcome and the bond she and her coach have formed, Nirmal has renewed her subscription for a year.

“I want to tell this to all the womenfolk”, Nirmal says as she adds that, “It’s very easy to lose track of yourself while tending to your family and household responsibilities. Don’t ignore your health! You can only take care of your loved ones if you are fit. Don’t bother what others have to say about your appearance. Lose weight because you want to look and feel good. Not because your relatives or friends want you to. It’s not at all easy but it is definitely worth the effort. You can’t stop beaming when you get compliments on your transformation from friends and colleagues.”

What Does Coach Meenakshi Have to Say About Her Player?

Nirmal Bhatt was very determined,dedicated with the health goal to reduce weight and waist size when she came on board .She was suffering from thyroid, BP, bloating, emotional stress, less energetic and disturbed sleep. She wasn’t able to spare time for her health because of her busy schedule

We began with small changes like reduced tea, sweets, biscuits and added salads and early dinner along with 15 minutes of Pranayam. She lost 4.5 kg. weight with 1 inch loss in a month. We worked on stress and sleep by adding deep breathing and meditation to her routine. We followed 10 minute abs exercises along with some cardio like jumping jacks, skipping, spot jogging, plank. For dinner, we added proteins, beetroot juice, chia seeds – post which she lost 10 kg. and 2 inch loss in 4 months. Then we accepted challenges like reduced sugar, intermittent fasting and added flax seeds, green tea and virgin coconut oil in her diet – all of this with consistent 10,000 steps with strengthening exercises. She further lost 14.5kg and 4 inch loss. Her TSH level is now 6.5 which was 10.2 in 2019. BP is also under control but she takes medicines sometimes, not regularly. Nirmal is very honest about whatever she eats. The best part of Nirmal is trying to be active throughout the day to complete 10,000 steps challenge daily with any exercises.

We hope this story motivates you to make a positive lifestyle change! For more inspiring stories, check out Healthy Reads. To be a part of GOQii’s preventive healthcare ecosystem, visit our website now!

#BeTheForce

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