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October 26, 2019 By GOQii 1 Comment

If You Must Take Control, Control Your Health! | Sakuntala Rao User Story

At some point in life, you can’t help but wonder that as you get older, things change. Life passes you by in such a blur that most times you’re unable to take control. Health issues begin to surface as medication and doctor visits become more common. While things seem bleak in this fixated downward spiral, there are individuals who think otherwise! At the age of 60, our player Sakuntala Rao can proudly say that life didn’t pass her by. She’s living it, breathing it and enjoying it to the fullest with good health… but was it always like this?

Early Life and Health Issues

Hailing from Bangalore, Sakuntala Rao had two major concerns – sleep issues and fluctuating weight. Albeit, she was aware of the reasons for both her concerns but was unable to find a viable solution. She attributes her sleep issues to high levels of stress. Being a control freak, she used to get worked up when things didn’t go the way she wanted. She had trouble falling asleep and used to wake up in the middle of the night unable to go back to sleep. Less sleep hours and disturbed sleep were regular occurrences.

On the other hand, her weight was something she had always struggled with. This was due to her travel routine for work, her diet which was completely erratic, marred with junk food, untimely eating, and zero portion control. As she puts it, her eating habits were all over the place.

To add to this, she was under medication for hyperthyroidism for 14 years before she underwent Radioactive Iodine Therapy which reversed her condition the wrong way. She developed hypothyroidism since most of the gland was destroyed during the procedure. This again contributed to hormonal imbalance leading to weight gain.

She often tried fad diets from time to time. Though she lost a little weight, she would gain it back in a month or two. Her daily routine was also devoid of any physical activity. After her retirement in 2017, she got herself a personal trainer to help her get active. She decided she wanted to focus more on health and fitness. That’s where GOQii came in!

Joining GOQii and Making a Lifestyle Change

In 2018, her husband got her a GOQii tracker as a gift. She explored the app, learned about the coaching mechanism, live video coaching by experts and blogs which motivated her to stick with GOQii. She was assigned a GOQii Coach when she signed up. Her goal was to just get fit which, with help from her Coach, got narrowed down to her two major issues – improving sleep and weight loss.

The first habit set by her GOQii Coach was an early dinner. She was also asked to perform Pranayama as demonstrated by GOQii Play Coach Ronak Gajjar. Sakuntala Rao was also given a few links to meditation which she was asked to listen to after Pranayama. She was also asked to stay away from her phone for at least an hour before bed.

All of this together, with the realization that she cannot control everything and that she needs to let go at times, helped her calm down. This reduced her stress greatly and thus, improved her sleep quality.

She wasn’t asked to change much in her diet as she had already started eating healthy. Only a few tweaks were made. For instance, including protein in each meal. She also began intermittent fasting on the 16/8 pattern – Her last meal being dinner at 6 pm and she breaks her fast at 10 am the next morning. The first thing she drinks is a glass of warm water followed by Ajwain (soaked overnight) and pink salt followed by nuts.

Her lunch consists of 2 rotis, some curry, and a large bowl of salad which consists of carrots, cucumber, radish, avocado, capsicum and some seeds mixed with curd. She consumes a cup of coffee and eats a fruit before that. Dinner consists of one roti, some curry, soup and salad.

Currently, she has set her goal as reaching a weight of 60kg in order to fall under the normal BMI range and maintaining that level.

Experiencing the Change

Sakuntala Rao says that her sleep has improved significantly. She is now able to sleep for an average of 7 hours and doesn’t wake up in the middle of the night. Her weight has reduced from 79kg in July 2018 to 70g when she last checked. She feels that progress has been difficult but consistent. She thanks her GOQii Coach for being persistent and following up with her, ensuring she keeps on track.

Now, she believes that mental health is just as important as physical health, especially after the age of 60 with people talking about Dementia and Alzheimer’s everywhere. She has enrolled herself for a dancing class as a hobby and she is also associated with a group called Silver Talkies. They cater to people over the age of 55 and get them involved in various social activities. The group has also planned a dance performance for early November in support of a social cause.

Her current physical activities include functional workouts 4 days a week, walking for at least 4 days and attending dance class 2 days a week. She attempted swimming but gave up as she couldn’t overcome her Aquaphobia (fear of water).

What Sakuntala Rao Thinks of GOQii

Sakuntala Rao praises her GOQii Coach for helping her make such a positive lifestyle change. She said her Coach was very prompt in her responses, be it a comment or a problem. She is very pleased with the fact that her Coach personalizes her entire routine keeping her age in mind. She also shares a lot of information which is educational and useful.

Has this story inspired you to make a change? If anything, it tells us that even if we can’t control everything, we can certainly control our health and the choices we make. Want to share your story with us? Fill this form and we’ll reach out to you.

Keep inspiring, stay motivated and #BeTheForce

October 12, 2019 By GOQii 2 Comments

From Overweight to Overachieving! Vijayakrishna Iyengar User Story

At the age of 44, he was battling obesity and was also diagnosed with diabetes in May 2016. This was a wake up call for Vijayakrishna Iyengar to take control of his lifestyle and change it for good. A few concentrated and dedicated efforts by him, his doctor and his personal coach have helped him walk the path of good health. In about a year and a half, he lost 50kg and his blood sugar is in control with proper diet and exercise. Let’s hear his story in his own words!

Daily Life and Routine

My life was carrying along. Daily exercise was just walking on the treadmill in the gym for an hour although I followed a strict diet. I guess my biggest flaw was that I used to sleep only for 3-4 hours a day. Bad lifestyles have bad results. Mine was that I was obese, weighing around 138kg with a 48″ waist size and my shirt was 48″ as well. If that wasn’t enough, sometime around May 2016, I was diagnosed with diabetes (252) and that’s when the alarm in my head went off!

Suddenly, there was a need to rectify my habits in order to lead a medical-free and healthy life. I immediately started with some activities on my own. I started going to the gym and began walking on the treadmill. I was only resorting to cardio exercises and ignoring the other aspects of fitness. I had no guidance coming my way so I was not sure if I was doing the right thing.

Enter GOQii

I wanted to start doing the right things. I began by searching for a fitness band and came across many products. Then I came across GOQii! What I liked about GOQii is that it was not just a fitness band but a subscription for personal coaching which focused on holistic healthcare. The personal coach would guide you on fitness and nutrition.

GOQii went out of the way to ensure healthy habits are imbibed by the users. I found that very appealing and chose GOQii. I was very fortunate to get an excellent GOQii Coach who understood my goals which were weight reduction and to get fit, and my coach began advising very relevant habits which I could follow.

Earlier, when I had started going to the gym I only focused on the treadmill but my coach refined that and added strength exercises and core workouts. She also emphasized the importance of proper deep sleep and its advantages. Gradually, the habits set in. It’s not possible to change yourself in a day. With concentrated efforts and discipline, I am now able to sleep well for seven hours. Also, I do proper well-balanced cardio, strengthening and core workouts.

My water intake has improved and I regularly take at least 2L of water a day. All these positive habits helped me to sustain my efforts and make it a habit for a lifetime.

My strict diet (prescribed by my Doctor) followed with proper exercises helped me to reduce my weight (50kg and both trousers & shirts reduced by 10 inches) and the habits imbibed because of GOQii helps me sustain that. With these lifestyle changes for the better, I feel very good and positive about myself. My goal is now to reach a weight target of 75kg.

What Does Vijayakrishna Iyengar Have to Say About GOQii?

I cannot thank GOQii enough! The best part of having been on GOQii is that I can earn Karma Points for being healthy. These points I have been donating to charity. So I am doing my bit for the society as well, which otherwise, we seldom do. I have been maintaining a streak of 211 days (of walking more than 12,000 steps each day) and this helped me to earn a good amount of Karma Points.

Apart from being self-motivated and having a coach to further amplify that motivation, the other big motivating factor is earning Karma points. Whenever I walk, someone who may be underprivileged or having health issues gets the right treatment or support for food or education. What else is required to get motivated to move or to be healthy?

Among the other brands who just sell the band, GOQii focuses on mind, body and soul through physical fitness, meditation, and Karma points. Apart from that, having a dedicated GOQii Coach who understands the unique challenges of individuals and guides them properly to achieve their fitness goal makes it a unique product and service.

What Does His GOQii Coach Have to Say?

Vijayakrishna Iyengar was very determined and motivated when he came on board. I am really impressed by his sincerity. He always tried to do more than the target step count and never missed his workout. Along with cardio exercises, we also worked on doing core workouts and strength training. He has also started slow jogging. Sleep duration and quality improved by avoiding electronic gadgets before bedtime and going to bed by 10:30 pm. I am sure he will achieve his goal to be in normal BMI soon. Seeing him so motivated, motivates me too!

We hope you found this story about Vijayakrishna Iyengar to be motivating! Go on and make a positive lifestyle change today and #BeTheForce!

To share your journey or transformation with us, click here and our team will reach out to you!

October 2, 2019 By GOQii Leave a Comment

Make a Difference with GOQii Karma

We often think of karma as an intangible entity, something that we can’t touch or predict. There’s a fair chance that our notions of karma might not be true at all but that doesn’t negate the fact that doing good creates personal happiness and paves the way for gratitude.

It has been scientifically proven that the selfless act of giving creates happiness and promotes overall wellbeing. The opportunity to do good is a quality present in all of us. Humans by nature are altruistic beings. It is in our nature to help. All we must do is recognize that part of us and walk together for the greater good. That’s what GOQii Karma is all about! A tangible way to see the impact you make on the world by being healthy.

How does it Work?

Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s iconic Dandi March of 390km, for every 390 steps you clock while using GOQii, you are awarded 1 Karma Point. Once you accumulate sufficient GOQii Karma Points, you can choose to donate these points to social causes listed in the GOQii App’s karma section. The points you donate are converted into monetary contributions by our Karma Partners and our Karma Partners help the underprivileged via these causes.

What Has GOQii Karma Achieved?

Since 2015, with the Karma Points donated by our players to our Karma Partners, we have helped and enabled many individuals throughout India. Some of our key highlights include:

1. Supporting Victims Affected by the Tamil Nadu Floods: The heavy rainfall that plagued Tamil Nadu in 2015 drove thousands of people out of their homes. 5479 GOQii Players walked and contributed a total of 3.9 million Karma Points to Oxfam India to support those affected by providing them hygiene kits, non-food items, dry food ration kits, soap and chlorine tablets and hygiene promotion activities.

2. Empowering Women against Violence: Through our Karma platform we were able to aid Oxfam India in their quest to end violence against women. Through this program, Oxfam India reached out to more than 42,000 women to end violence and established 23 support centres within formal and informal locations to provide psycho-social counselling and legal aid to women facing this issue.

3. Upcycling to Slippers for Children in Need: This cause enabled the collection of old shoes and Rs. 199/pair to upcycle them to slippers and donate them to children in need. Greensole’s vision is to contribute to social good, by creating a self-sustaining infrastructure that facilitates the provision of the basic necessity of footwear to everyone. This cause was completed with 1, 30, 00,000 Karma Points donation by our players.

4. Trees for Rural Communities, Chintamani, Karnataka: Still an on-going cause, Grow-Trees.com wants to allow users to satisfy a private purpose of greeting someone through an eTreeCertificate, while doing social good by planting trees. With Grow-Trees you can plant trees with just a few clicks and gift them to celebrate festivals, birthdays, anniversaries or other special occasions using their personalized e-certificate. The cost of each tree is INR 85.

You can browse through some of the causes on the Karma section in the GOQii App. Just like this, every step you take makes a difference. So clock in your daily steps, collect and donate karma points as you never know who you might be helping.

On the day of Gandhi Jayanti, pledge to walk daily so you can help someone else get on their feet!

#BeTheForce

September 28, 2019 By GOQii 1 Comment

Fitness for Positivity – How Rupasish Bhattacharjee Overcame the Odds!

The transition from childhood to adulthood is very delicate. Everything you do during your formative years shape you as a person. If it is your choices that shape you, what happens when you have no choice? What do you do when certain things aren’t in your control? Do you double down or do you find a way to fight? In the face of hurdles, our player Rupasish Bhattacharjee made the choice to overcome them!

Life before GOQii

Hailing from Bengaluru, Rupasish Bhattacharjee was afflicted with a liver complication since birth. Owing to this, he couldn’t eat or play as much as his friends did during childhood. He felt the need to do something about this as he yearned to live a normal life from a very young age. He did not want to miss out on the pleasures of life due to his health issues.

Thanks to this determination, he got an opportunity to enrol for a yoga program at school. He learned poses to improve his liver condition and though not completely cured, his overall health improved by 70%. After seeing the changes, he got interested in physical activities and participated in various sporting events in school. He moved to Sikkim for his graduation and completed his engineering from Manipal University. His health improved further due to god weather and because he started going to the gym for strength training.

Things were going good till the time he began working. The fast-paced routine between family and work left him with no time to think about fitness. He found it extremely difficult to manage food, exercise and sleep due to his changing shifts. This eventually left him unenergetic and depressed. He felt that being physically active had always been the reason his cheerful attitude and now that there wasn’t any, he was demotivated and negative about everything around him.

Finding a New Lease on Life

Before joining GOQii, Rupasish Bhattacharjee was desperately searching for a solution to streamline everything in his life. Around October 2018, one of his uncles who was a GOQii Player directed him to the platform. He found the coaching model impressive and immediately purchased a tracker.

He set his long term goal to be energetic since it was a major issue back then. His GOQii Coach asked him to start with basic walking and clock 8000 steps a day. He always thought that walking is not an exercise and no good would come out of it but his coach said otherwise. Convinced with the benefits, he began walking.

Around February 2019, when the India Steps Challenge was launched, he became obsessed with walking. So much so that one day he managed to clock in 35k steps on a Sunday. On average, he used to clock in 25k steps a day.

This much walking, coupled with late nights at work and proper rest put a lot of stress on his knees. He developed knee pain and had to discontinue physical activities for some time. This is when he discovered that rest is an important part of being healthy as well.

How GOQii Helped Rupasish Bhattacharjee

Earlier, Rupasish had a lot of misconceptions about food, nutrition and how they benefit the body. His GOQii Coach shared a lot of insights on these things and now he feels he is much more aware with knowledge from an expert and is eager to share his knowledge with the world.

He says that GOQii is a one-stop-shop for all your health needs. It has a tracker to track steps, it offers doctor consultations, LIVE Coaching to guide you whenever you falter in eating or exercise and challenges to keep you motivated and test your abilities.

He believes that our body is like a car which needs to be serviced. Good food is the fuel and exercise is what circulates the fuel to all parts of the body, keeping it in good condition to run smoothly. GOQii is like the authorized service centre for your car where all its problems get addressed and resolved in an authentic manner.

He feels that once you’re associated with GOQii, you automatically feel the need to eat balanced food and correct your lifestyle.

Being a Champion of Good Health

Rupasish is elated that he has been given the responsibility to lead one of GOQii’s Active Sunday Chapters at Bengaluru. He organizes sessions every Sunday at 7 AM. He plans to spread the word about Active Sunday activities to all the people in his society.

He says that being healthy is not just about physical fitness but mental health as well. When you’re happy and fit, everything feels positive. Even though his body may age, he always wishes to be a child at heart – full of energy and cheerfulness!

You can watch Rupasish talk about his experience on our User Journey Special on GOQii Play. Download the app to access many more user stories to get your daily dose of inspiration!

Do you want to share your experience and transformation with GOQii? Click here to share your story!