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24 things to do in 2024

As the dawn of 2024 approaches, it’s time to embrace a year of transformation with open arms and an open heart. This is not just another lap around the sun but a fresh canvas awaiting our colorful strokes of change. It’s a call to action, a challenge to ourselves to make the most of every moment with 24 enriching activities that promise to enhance our well-being, expand our horizons, and enrich our lives. From the simplicity of saving a few rupees to the grandeur of exploring uncharted territories, each task is a step towards a more fulfilling year. So, let’s embark on this journey of self-improvement and make 2024 a testament to growth, health, and happiness.

  1. Save money – even if it is just Rs. 50 daily but get a piggy bank, start saving from 1st day of 2024.
  2. Try different foods – there are so many varieties – Indian as well as exotic that we haven’t even heard or seen before. Do give them a try!
  3. Leave 1 bad habit – Changing unhygienic habits, Shouting / yelling at anyone or something more challenging.
  4. Plant a seed – Lazy ones should try, as it makes you responsible, you learn something new and are a part of making an ecofriendly surrounding.
  5. Feed any animal – If you can’t pet an animal, try doing this. Get a packet of biscuits every evening to feed the stray dogs outside your colony. Feeding milk to cat or water and grains to the birds also can be done.
  6. Gift your self – treat yourself with something you have been wanting since weeks.
  7. Self-Health Care – we don’t even bother to go for a checkup unless and until we have a problem. This year we are going to make a difference.
  8. 1 hour no phone – this 1 hour is your “me time” in this hour you can revise your whole day / meditate / prepare yourself for the upcoming day / do whatever you like.
  9. Start reading again – And I mean paper back books, not a Kindle.
  10. Some healthy intake – chamomile / green tea / moringa powder / ACV / 1 tsp ghee – trust me you will not regret this decision !
  11. Do what you have not done before – I am going to try aerial yoga this year. You can do anything that you have never done before.
  12. Walk – I don’t have to brief the benefits here, you do it and you will see a change in your overall health !
  13. Weekend activity – I am going to learn driving this year on weekends, why don’t you try swimming, cooking or dancing ??
  14. Go on a vacation – 2024 demands growth, so lets decide to explore a new city or country this year !
  15. Develop 1 spiritual habit – This way you are going to sync your health and energy with the universe.
  16. Family Time – try to have atleast 1 meal with your family daily with talks and no electronics around.
  17. Call that long lost friend or cousin of yours and bond again over a cup of Chai and Charcha!!
  18. Learn a new language/ word daily – send your brain to the gym.
  19. Keep yourself well hydrated – I mean by water, not caffeine or alcohol!
  20. Revise your diet before you enter 2024 – see where you are going wrong and do not repeat that mistake again in 2024. take baby steps to correct your plate and palate
  21. Do nothing for the whole day!
  22. Do not buy this – Check your list of things you’ve bought frequently this year and avoid buying them next year completely.
  23. Get sunlight – Investing 10 mins daily to get a sun bath.
  24. If you are procrastinating something – 2024 is the right time to do it!

As we bid adieu to a year spent well, committing to 24 life-affirming activities, we reflect on the progress we’ve made. Each small change, from the coins clinking in our piggy banks to the new languages that now dance on our tongues, has contributed to a larger metamorphosis. Our endeavors in 2024 have not just been tasks ticked off a list but milestones on a journey of personal evolution.

We stand at the threshold of the future, not as the people we were, but as the sum of our experiences, our learned habits, and our savored moments. Let’s carry forward this spirit of proactive living and make every year better than the last. Here’s to a 2024 well-lived, and to the many more years that will echo the positive changes we’ve embraced!

#BeTheForce

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Pranayama To Detoxify The Body, Mind And Vital Organs

detox your body with pranayama

Pranayama is the yogic practice of breath control. It means the ability to expand our health by controlling the breath. There are various ways and positions to practice yogic breathing.

The combination of pranayama and meditation has positive effects in curing various problems like acidity, stress, anxiety, skin diseases, improved blood circulation, and managing lifestyle disorders such as thyroid, PCOS, controlling blood sugar and blood pressure. 

We breathe daily, right? So what is pranayama? Why Pranayama? 

Pranayama is slow, deep breathing, in a rhythm. The breathing that we do normally is not in rhythm and is non-harmonic. It is in pranayama that gets our mind and organs in sync. There are various pranayama practices which you can do daily. 

1. Kapalbhati Pranayama
This is a famous pranayama practice also known as The Skull Shining Breathing Technique. Kapalbhati has  physiological effects on cardiovascular, digestive and nervous systems.

Benefits of Kapalbhati Pranayama: 

  • It Generates heat in the system to help dissolve toxins and waste matter.
  • Daily practice helps in adding luster to your face and you get glowing skin
  • Improves digestion and can help alleviate gastrointestinal problems like acidity, indigestion and flatulence.
  • Improves the function of kidneys and liver as it provides a gentle massage to the organs.
  • If practiced daily helps in reducing belly fat.
  • Kapalbhati helps reduce stress in the eyes, thus reduces dark circles around the eyes.
  • It triggers your abdominal region, so it’s beneficial for diabetic patients.
  • It improves the blood circulation problem in whole body parts.

2. Anulom Vilom
Also known as Alternate nostril breathing, it has various benefits for the body internally and externally. Oxygen is pure and required by the body for every single process to take place and therefore, it is vital for us to breath right and Anulom Vilom serves the purpose. It is the best way of balancing the Tri Dosas (Tri means “three” and the meaning of dosas is impurities) in our body i.e. Vaat, Pitta and Kaffa. All three are the cause of all diseases. So, it is important to balance them. Our body gets ill when Tri Dosas are not in harmony.

Benefits of Anulom Vilom Pranayama

  • It can provide some relief from mental health problems like Depression, Anxiety, Stress, Tension, etc.
  • Improves the working of the lungs, beneficial for  most respiratory problems like (Bronchitis, Asthma), etc.
  • Best breathing technique for boosting your memory – makes your brain sharper, increases concentration and gathers focus.
  • Improves your immune system, so it can cure general issues like cough & cold.
  • Alternate nostril breathing is an ideal breathing technique for maintaining your heart healthy.

3. Sheetali Pranayama
The meaning of the word “Sheetali” is cooling down. This pranayama practice is a process to cool your body down. It gives the feeling of coldness by decreasing the body temperature, thereby having a positive impact on our nervous system and endocrine glands. Extremely helpful during the summer season.

Benefits of Sheetali Pranayama

  • It is useful in managing disorders related to tongue, mouth and throat.
  • It is very beneficial in treating diseases of the spleen.
  • Helpful in fever by cooling the system down.
  • Controls and manages high blood pressure.
  • It purifies the blood.
  • Improves sleep quality and is best for fighting Insomnia.
  • It calms the mind, as it is an effective stress buster. Once our mind is calm, we can easily deal with negative emotions like  anger and anxiety.
  • Effective in hyperacidity. Excellent for people who have GERD and face issues with acidity and indigestion.

There is another breathing practice similar to Sheetali, known as Sheetkari pranayama. 

Both are similar, the only difference is the way of breathing. In Sheetali, we breathe in by folding the tongue and breathe out from the nose. In Sheetkari, we inhale through the teeth and exhale from the nose.

Benefits of Sheetkari Pranayama

  • Effective against dental problems like bad breath, bleeding gums and pyorrhea.
  • Balances body temperature.
  • Calms the mind, reduces emotional excitation and mental tension.
  • Can help you manage depression, anxiety and panic attacks. 

As a yoga instructor, I get these questions a lot of time: What is the best time to do pranayama? Generally, morning is the best time for a breathing exercise as it helps us activate our organs. Plus, on an empty stomach, we achieve optimum benefits. To know why morning yoga is beneficial, you can have a look at my previous article: https://goqii.com/blog/benefits-of-practicing-morning-yoga-at-home. 

We hope this article helps you! For more on yoga, check out Healthy Reads. You can also get tips and learn more about yoga and pranayama from experts by subscribing for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here:

#BeTheForce 

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Benefits of Practicing Morning Yoga at Home!

morning yogaPicture this: you’re starting your day with a sense of inner calm, strength, and clarity, all thanks to the practice of morning yoga at home. Before we unravel the numerous benefits that come with this enriching practice, let’s first take a moment to delve into the heart of yoga and what it signifies.

What Do You Understand About Yoga?

What is it? Is it a form of exercise? Is it meditation? For me, yoga is a way of life. I believe the whole idea behind it is total discipline. It is physical, mental, intellectual and spiritual development. It helps you balance health from a physical, mental and emotional standpoint.

Benefits of Morning Yoga

You can practice yoga in the morning and night as well, although, morning yoga is the best as it cleanses your mind and body. It energizes all day and keeps you disciplined. Let’s explore the benefits of morning yoga!

  • Yoga improves flexibility and posture but it’s much more effective in the morning. The fresh air helps us relax our body and make it more flexible.  
  • We have more energy in the morning and morning yoga enhances it to last all day. Which means more intensity and focus! 
  • Setting up a morning practice is beneficial as it creates a ritual – it sets the tone for the day. By practicing morning yoga, there are no distractions or tasks that will get in the way – so no excuses for cancelling your session in the morning. 
  • That fresh morning air helps you deliver more oxygen to the body, breathe better and cleanses your system naturally. 
  • It also helps your digestive system as metabolism rate is higher in the morning. It increases digestion and keeps all indigestion problems at bay. 
  • Morning yoga boosts your brainpower and makes your brain more active to study or work. 
  • It enhances happiness and positivity as it boosts mental clarity and relaxes you. The release of endorphins that early in the morning make your body a more physically comfortable place to live in. 
  • Disease-fighting white blood cells in the body are able to do their best when our blood flow and lymphatic system have efficient circulation. By moving in a way that feels good first thing in the morning, we essentially ‘wake up’ all the body’s systems, which enhances the flow of circulation and gives the immune system an immediate boost. Gentle inversions like Viparita Karani, Cow Pose and Child Pose are especially effective for stimulating the immune system.
  • As a parent, taking time out for your own well being is difficult. Getting up early and practicing morning yoga puts your health first. Only if you are healthy, can you take care of others. A morning yoga practice is a way to know you’ve done something for yourself that day  
  • Apart from all of the above, morning yoga regulates your sleep rhythm, balances your hormones and helps you build a healthy and consistent routine. 

Asanas You Can Practice 

Try these yoga poses daily in the morning to increase blood circulation, enhance and stimulate the immune system, improve body function and strengthen your cells, tissues, glands and organs! Also, these poses will help you beat stress, anxiety and depression.  

  1. Suryanamaskar – for over all body workout
  2. Jivah Bandh – manages and relieves stress
  3. Simha Mudra – decreases stress and prepares you to face the day by increasing your willpower.
  4. Sheetali Pranayama – is a process which can cool the body down and give a feeling of calmness.
  5. Bhramari Pranayama – is one of the great breathing exercises to release the mind of disturbance, anxiety or frustration and get rid of anger.
  6. Om Recitation – excellent breathing exercises for meditation. Brings stability of mind and improves memory power
  7. Shavasana – removes nervousness, adds a sense of presence. Very important to start our day peacefully.
  8. Tratak Drishti – to increase concentration.
  9. Anulom Vilom Pranayama – is the best way of balancing the Tri Dosas in our body. Our body gets ill when Tri Dosas are not in balance. Vaat, Pitta and Kaffa are known as the Tri Dosas (Tri means “three” and the meaning of dosas is impurities). All three are the cause of all diseases. So, it is important to balance them. The way to do that is to practice Anulom Vilom Pranayama regularly. It is the simplest and best way for this.
  10. Kapalbhati Pranayama – generates heat in the system to help dissolve toxins and waste matter. It adds luster and beauty to your face and helps your skin glow!  

If yoga is practiced regularly in the morning, it will help you face the day with balance and a practical approach. Ensure that you do not eat at least 2-3 hours before you begin your practice. So try morning yoga and do share your feedback and changes with us in the comments below! 

To learn more about Pranayama, read this article: https://goqii.com/blog/pranayama/. 

To begin practicing yoga subscribe for LIVE interactive sessions with our Yoga experts on GOQii Pro within the GOQii App.

#BeTheForce 

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How To Create A Full Body Workout At Home!

Create A Full Body Workout It has been over a year since I wasn’t able to visit the gym or go for my swimming classes. To continue being active, I had to plan a full body workout at home! A full body workout can provide overall toning and help you achieve your goal – whether the goal is to gain strength or to lose weight! A full body workout doesn’t require any machines so it’s a routine you can follow anywhere. 

How You Can Plan A Full Body Workout At Home 

To begin with, I divided my workout into three parts – Stretching, Abs and Cardio. Let’s see why these are important. 

1. Stretching

workout schedule for beginners - stretchingThere are many benefits of stretching regularly. It not only increases your flexibility but also corrects posture, reduces stress and body ache. I believe this is a must during a lockdown, especially for individuals working at home as continuous sitting hours affect posture drastically. So stretching should be an important part of your routine. Stretching before a workout prepares the muscles for an activity. It improves performance, blood circulation, blood flow to the muscles and reduces muscle soreness.

Types of Stretching include:

  • Dynamic: Usually done before an exercise to get your muscles ready for movement 
  • Static: Done after exercise to reduce risk of injury 

Stretching exercises include: neck stretches/rotation, shoulder stretch, arm stretch, chest stretch, stretching your wrists, standing stretch, ankle flex, etc. 

2. Core Strengthening

create a full body workout - core strength After getting in a few good stretches, I begin with core strengthening because with long sitting hours, I’ve observed my belly growing in size. To curb that, my full body workout also includes core strengthening. 

Abdominals or Abs are that part of the body which help in generating power for functional movements. To avoid injuries that may occur from day to day activities, it is very important to keep the core of the body strong and flexible.

There are varied benefits of core strengthening. It is not just about reducing belly fat. Some of the benefits of training your core include: 

  • Balance and stability to the body
  • Improved posture
  • Helps in alleviating back ache
  • Better performance in sports and related game activities
  • Strong core is very important for women during pregnancy
  • A strong core minimizes the chances of injury caused by undue stress on some parts of the body
  • Core strengthening leads to muscle strengthening and this, in turn, leads to bone strengthening

Some simple exercises for core strengthening include:

  • Forward Crunches
  • Reverse Crunches
  • Bridge
  • Plank variations- Front plank, side planks, plank walk
  • Air cycling 
  • Leg pull-in/push-out

3. Cardio 

Eventually, I increase the intensity of my workout by including a few cardio exercises. Cardio exercises are aerobic exercises of long duration (more than 3 minutes at a stretch). It works on your cardiovascular strength (heart health), stamina and muscular endurance. Examples of these exercises are walking, brisk walking, jogging, running, swimming, cycling, stair climbing, etc. In lockdown or while self-quarantining, I include spot jogging, spot cycling, jumping jacks, march pass and stair climbing to my daily routine.

Few Things To Keep In Mind While Planning Your Routine 

  1. Workouts should be developed around a person’s age, goals, nutritional strategy, free time, etc.
  2. How much time can you devote to exercise? If you can do an hour a day, that’s fantastic. But maybe you have a wife or husband, three kids, a dog, two jobs, and no robot butler… then maybe you only have thirty minutes, twice a week.
  3. Break up your workout! According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), if you accumulate three 10-minute bouts of exercise throughout the day to a total 30 mins of exercise, then that is as effective as someone who does one 30 mins bout of exercise

How to Build a Full Body Workout? 

Now comes the tricky part—putting all this together. 

  1. Full-body workouts should be fairly simple! Always begin with a dynamic warm-up and finish with a cooldown.
  2. Add a variety to your exercise routine by including one new exercise every week to avoid boredom
  3. As a beginner, you can start your full body workout slowly and once you get used to the routine, you can increase the intensity for better results.
  4. Rest is also required to ensure complete recovery of the body. So do not forget to give one day rest to your body – it deserves that! 

Finally, the favourite that I never miss doing is Surya Namaskar! At least 1-10 rounds depending on my workout. Surya Namaskar postures are a good blend of warm-ups, asanas and burn out. It helps to tone and shape the body and it also improves body function, improves flexibility, strengthens muscles and helps beat stress. Add this to your routine to stay active always and it’s best done in the morning hours. 

If this article helped you, let us know your thoughts in the comments below. If you’re not sure where to begin, try joining a live, interactive class, conducted by an expert on GOQii PRO. You can schedule a class via the GOQii App. 

To get a workout routine suited to your health goals, speak to a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

You can also browse through more articles on everything workout and fitness here.

#BeTheForce 

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