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A state level Athletic and Pole Vault champion, Parwange Alam encourages and motivates people to be healthy. While pursuing his graduation at the Punjabi University of Patiala, he also doubled up as a coach training students in running. His mission is to help people improve their lifestyle and lead them towards a healthier future with his acquired knowledge in fitness and experience. Apart from a sporting career he is also an artist and likes to express his feelings through painting. Parwage believes that every individual has a sportsman spirit within them and if coached well it can unveil that sportsman in the individual.

About Parwage Alam

An Athlete and Pole Vault champion, Parwage Alam encourages and motivates people to be healthy. He is an ACSM certified Marathon Trainer and Ultra Marathoner (4 Times 100 KM Trail walk + Marathon's), parallelly a yoga Trainer as well. Also, he has done the certification in GAIT analysis (ACSM), Functional Rehab Training Program (Back Pain) (IHFA), Functional Rehab Training Program ( Untold Facts of Functional Training) (IHFA).

While pursuing his graduation at the Punjabi University of Patiala, he also doubled up as a coach training students in running. His mission is to help people improve their lifestyle and lead them towards a healthier future with his acquired knowledge in fitness and experience. Apart from a sporting career he is also an artist and likes to express his feelings through painting. Parwage believes that every individual has a sportsman spirit within them and if coached well it can unveil that sportsman in the individual.

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Sitting Too Much? Here’s How It’s Shortening Your Life

How sitting for long hours at work can shorten your life

We spend more time sitting than sleeping. The average office worker sits for 9–10 hours a day, far more than the recommended 7–8 hours of sleep. But did you know that prolonged sitting is linked to obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and even early death?

You may have heard the phrase “Sitting is the new smoking”, and for good reason. Research suggests that excessive sitting can be as dangerous as smoking, increasing your risk of serious health issues even if you exercise regularly. With the modern workplace being largely desk-based, it’s crucial to understand how excessive sitting affects your body and what you can do to counteract it.

How Sitting For Long Hours Can Affect Your Health

  • Poor Blood Circulation – Sitting for long periods slows down blood flow, increasing the risk of blood clots and varicose veins.
  • Increased Risk of Diabetes & Heart Disease – Studies show that prolonged sitting doubles the risk of diabetes and raises the likelihood of heart disease.
  • Eye Strain & Digital Fatigue – Constantly staring at screens causes dry eyes, blurred vision, and headaches.
  • Back, Neck & Joint Pain – Poor posture and lack of movement contribute to chronic pain in the back, neck, and joints.
  • Weakened Heart & Lung Function – Sitting too long reduces cardiovascular efficiency, making the heart and lungs work harder.
  • Digestive Problems – Poor posture can slow digestion, leading to bloating, acid reflux, and constipation.
  • Mental Fatigue & Mood Changes – Reduced movement can affect mental health, leading to increased stress, anxiety, and fatigue.

How Can You Stay Active At Your Workplace? 

While it may not be possible to completely avoid sitting, you can incorporate small changes into your routine to minimise its negative effects.

  • Take Small & Frequent Breaks – Stand up and stretch every 30–45 minutes to improve circulation and prevent stiffness.
  • Use the Stairs Instead of the Lift – A quick way to get your heart rate up and strengthen leg muscles.
  • Take a Walk After Lunch – Even a 5–10 minute walk after eating helps digestion and boosts energy.
  • Blink & Rinse Your Eyes Regularly – Combat screen fatigue by following the 20-20-20 rule (look away from the screen every 20 minutes, for 20 seconds, at something 20 feet away).
  • Try Simple Desk Exercises – Stretch your neck, shoulders, and legs while sitting to relieve tension.
  • Adjust Your Chair for Better Posture – Keep your back straight, feet flat on the floor, and screen at eye level to avoid slouching.
  • Consider a Standing Desk or Active Workstation – Alternate between sitting and standing to reduce strain on your body.
  • Move While You Work – Take calls while standing or walking, or use a stability ball instead of a chair for better core engagement.

Try to avoid it by taking short breaks and being active! If you experience any pain, here’s what you can do to avoid any further injuries.

Sitting for long hours is unavoidable for many, but small lifestyle adjustments can make a significant difference. By being more aware of your sitting habits and incorporating movement into your daily routine, you can protect your health and improve your overall well-being.

💡 Takeaway: Stand more, move more, and prioritise an active lifestyle to reduce the risks associated with prolonged sitting.

💬 What’s your favourite way to stay active at work? Share your tips in the comments!

#BeTheForce

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6 Ways To Track & Achieve Your New Year Goals

6 ways to track and achieve your goals We are in the second week of the first month of 2025 and I am sure many of us have already made New Year Resolutions! The most common resolutions often revolve around “Losing weight and getting fit”, “Quitting smoking”, “Learning something new” or “Traveling to new places”.  The question is – are we working on them and what’s our game plan?

The desire to change something about yourself happens year after year. While intentions are good, most of us seldom end up fulfilling the resolutions we set. A recent article by Forbes magazine mentioned that only 8% of people actually achieve their New Year Goals. 

Why Is It So Hard To Stick To New Year Goals?

Why do so many people fail at goal setting? What is it about those few who manage to get it right and achieve their goals?

There are many answers to the why’s and how’s. New Year goal setting is often seen as an opportunity to dish out a large bucket lists of all that we wanted to achieve but couldn’t throughout the year. It’s an attempt to tell ourselves that this year will definitely be better than the last.

The enthusiasm usually lasts through the first week of the New Year. Gradually, as days and months pass, interest in achieving these goals fades away. The human mind always finds excuses or loses interest midway, with little room for introspection. But fear not! Here are 6 ways to help you stay on track with your New Year goals.

6 Ways To Track & Achieve Your New Year Goals 

  1. Create a Q&A: If you’ve decided to resolve a habit, prepare questions to ask yourself at timely intervals. This helps boost enthusiasm and keeps a check on progress. Analyze your life. Is there anything you want to change or improve? All answers start with questions, so be ready to create your list. Ask yourself: Who do I want to become? What can I improve? How can I change? Give yourself plenty of time—anywhere from a few hours to several days.
  2. The Devil Is In The Details: With your list ready, analyze it thoroughly to stick to your routine and track progress. For example, if your goal is to lose 10kg, track your weight monthly to measure how much progress you’ve made. Detailed data works as a roadmap to success.
  3. Gaze Into The Future: Create an emotional attachment to your New Year goals to make your journey enjoyable. Visualize how you’ll feel after achieving your goals. For instance, if your goal is to lose 10kg, imagine yourself at your ideal weight. This visualization motivates you to keep pushing forward. The more senses you engage, the better!
  4. Eating Elephants: How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time! Break your goals into smaller, manageable portions. For instance, if you need to run 10km, the thought might feel overwhelming. Instead, break it down into smaller goals, like running 1km 10 times. Achieving these smaller milestones makes the larger goal feel attainable.
  5. Reward Yourself: Rewards are a powerful motivator. Celebrate every milestone you achieve. For instance, after running 1km, reward yourself with a 100-meter walk. This break will recharge you for the next stretch. You can also set a grand reward, like a dream vacation, after achieving your primary goal.
  6. Socializing: When you commit publicly, you’re more likely to stay motivated. Share your goals on social media or with friends, and update them on your progress. The accountability will push you to stick to your routine and achieve your goals.

And that’s it! A simple 6 step process to help you achieve your New Year Goals! We hope this article inspires you to take charge and accomplish your resolutions. Do share your thoughts in the comments below. For more tips on goal setting and achieving them, check out Healthy Reads.

If you need help sticking to your resolutions, get guidance from a GOQii Coach. Subscribe to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here to get started now.

#BeTheForce 

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10 Ways To Eliminate Bad Habits & Embrace Good Ones This Diwali

eliminate bad habits this DiwaliIt’s that month of the year when festivities start. We have just finished with Dusshera, an important Hindu festival, and now we are gearing ourselves for the Festival of Lights. Deepawali is celebrated on the occasion of gaining success over the bad (Ravana) and the returning of goodness. Bad Qualities could be the 10 heads of Ravana namely:

  1. Kama vasana (Lust)
  2. Krodha (Anger)
  3. Moha (Attachment)
  4. Lobha (Greed)
  5. Mada (Pride)
  6. Matsara (Jealousy)
  7. Swartha (Selfishness)
  8. Anyaaya (Injustice)
  9. Amanavta (Cruelty)
  10. Ahankara (Ego)

If we can eliminate the above bad qualities within ourselves, then we, in all likelihood, would end up being better human beings. Today, we have modern day demons in our life, which are making it unhealthy and lead us towards a bad and shorter life. This Diwali, let’s get rid of the modern day and olden days demons together!

10 Modern Day Bad Habits We Need To Eliminate This Diwali 

1. Smoking
I do not think I need to explain what smoking is? Smoking is responsible for several diseases, such as cancer, long-term (chronic) respiratory diseases, and heart disease, as well as premature death. You can read how smoking affects your health in the following articles:

2. Alcohol and drugs
Today, most of us are used to late night parties-  be it an office party, a birthday party, a marriage anniversary or the likes. One of the most common beverage in parties is ALCOHOL! In any celebration, you’ll find a number of alcoholic beverages that flow like water and we tend to consume them without much thought. This leads to a number of health complications. These complications have been talked about at length in this article on the Effects of Alcohol on your Health.

3. Stress
Stress is one of the most understated evils of our time hiding under the veils of office work, relationships and other everyday affairs. You can name any lifestyle diseases and one of the reasons behind it, in most cases, is stress. Stress can also lead to weight gain! Keeping stress under control will not only help you stay calm and relaxed but also helps you keep your weight under control and lifestyle diseases at bay! So manage your stress well!

4. Unhealthy Eating Habits
We are well aware that we need to form good eating habits to stay healthy but do we really follow them? Its only after we have put on excess weight that we try to manage our diet or follow some sort of diet plan to reduce weight. Instead of doing that, isn’t it better to eat healthy before things go wrong? While you’re forming healthy eating habits, make sure that you are also aware of the habits that are destroying your health and correct them.

5. Laziness
There is no dearth of excuses to avoid exercises and make ourselves lazy. One does not realize that laziness leads us to a sedentary lifestyle and eventually to a shorter life. You don’t even need to do any strenuous exercises or hit the gym daily. Just basic walking, taking the elevator instead of stairs and moving as much as you can will help you stay healthy. The core idea is to keep yourself active and off the couch. If you still think you’re bogged down by chores and do not have time, you can turn your daily chores into workouts!

6. Denial (about our health – physical or mental)
Another dangerous demon is denial. People will go to any extent to not find out about their health. Most are generally ok not getting a health check up done. This can be quite dangerous. Getting regular health check-ups is imperative because many health conditions can be resolved if detected early.

7. Sleep
For a better health, you need sound sleep of about 6 to 8 hours. If you spend the whole night finishing your pending tasks or binge watching a show, then you are certainly walking into a health hazard waiting to happen. There are too many health related irregularities which are caused by lack of sleep. But, if you have a proper sleep, you can get rid of all your issues. If you find it difficult to fall asleep, try these breathing techniques or follow these tips for better sleep.

8. Environment
While celebrating Diwali, we all try to burst crackers that pollute the environment. If you breathe in such an environment, it will only affect your health. After Diwali, the pollution still persists and can affect the heart and brain. People with existing heart or lung diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart disease, or ischemic heart disease are at increased risk of admission to hospitals based on the severity of an already existing problem. Given these issues, it would be nice if we use eco friendly ways of celebrating Diwali.

9. Sweets and Immunity
Most sweets contain refined sugar, which directly impacts our immunity. Sweets are quite pleasurable to eat, but eating too many can negatively impact your health. Sweets often lack beneficial nutrients and are full of detrimental ones, including saturated fat, sugars and artificial sugars. Excessive sweet consumption can increase the risk of Diabetes, Crohn’s Disease and lead to tooth decay. Additionally, it can also reduce HDL cholesterol and bone strength. While you might not be able to avoid sweets, eat them in moderation and be smart about it!

10. Unsafe Sex
And the last demon on our list is unsafe sex! We are a nation that’s very uncomfortable talking about sex and this has led to the state where a lot of people are ignorant about safe sex. Unsafe sex can lead to Sexual Transmitted Diseases like HIV/AIDS or unwanted pregnancies. Always remember that you must use a condom. If you don’t have one at that particular time, use other forms of contraceptives, but remember that other forms of contraceptives do not guard against STDs. Prevention is better than cure!

So we hope you take stock of these modern day demons and eliminate bad habits this Diwali! If you need help conquering these demons, you can always find an ally in our team of experts waiting to guide and motivate you to live a healthier lifestyle. You can start by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

Wish you all a happy, healthy and safe Diwali!

#BeTheForce

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8 Reasons Why You Need a Health Coach!

health coachHave you ever taken a year-long subscription to a gym but barely gone twice before you decided to quit? What about one of those fancy weight-loss diets that never helped you cut out junk food? Is binge-watching episode after episode of a thrilling web series while sacrificing sleep a daily routine? The real question is, how many times have you lost motivation while trying to be your own health coach?

On this Teacher’s Day, we celebrate the invaluable role of teachers in shaping our lives. Just like a teacher guides us through our academic journey, a health coach plays a crucial role in guiding us towards a healthier lifestyle. Whether it’s understanding the right food choices, maintaining an exercise routine, or staying motivated, a health coach acts as your personal wellness mentor.

Let’s face it! Most people find it difficult to stick to a routine. Even if you do find the time to squeeze in a workout, are you doing it right? Are you eating the right food for your body type? Is your dietary intake in line with your health goals? There are many questions, and more often than not, being your own health coach can backfire in more ways than one.

This is where you need a health coach. A health coach is like a teacher who guides you in the right direction by helping you make decisions about the right food and exercise. Having a health coach not only keeps you accountable but also keeps you motivated!

8 Reasons Why You Need A Health Coach

  1. Discover Natural Remedies: Having a health coach who knows what they are talking about can help you understand symptoms of a sickness and guide you with natural healing options. Imagine if the contents available in your kitchen and normal food can heal you, wouldn’t you want to know?
  2. A Health Coach Is Your Friend: Life is increasingly fast-paced and monotonous. It is difficult to find someone who is willing to listen to you and your problems. This kind of isolation and lack of communication can eventually lead to increased stress levels. If you have a health coach, they are always there to listen to your issues and is well trained to counsel you in that particular situation. The coach, in this sense, is your buddy – ready to listen to your woes, ask the appropriate questions, help you identify the root cause for your concerns, and assist  you in resolving them.
  3. Responsible and Accountability: Research shows that 80% of the people who make health resolution on New Year’s, break them within 2-3 months. With a bit of self-motivation, you can stick to your plans 1-2 or 3 months at best, but after that, you tend to go off track. Now, if you have a health coach, you will be answerable to that person, which in turn, will help you stick to your resolutions for a long time and eventually achieve your goals.
  4. Help You Understand Your Body: Leading an unhealthy lifestyle can be costly! Weight gain, loss of stamina, and a weak immune system are just some of the consequences. Imagine getting active and following a great diet plan, but it doesn’t work for you! This is where a coach comes in and helps you identify the reason. It might be your body type requiring a different approach.
  5. Increase Your Knowledge: All the nutritional tips, exercise routines, and even techniques to sleep better can enable you to manage a healthy life on your own for years to come. Getting the right knowledge to manage your lifestyle is a gift that you can share as well. Knowledge is power, and a health coach gives you the power to live an active, healthy, and happy life!
  6. Setting Realistic Goals: We always set goals without knowing whether we will be able to achieve them or not. For instance, setting a target of losing 30 kg in 2 months is not realistic. Can you achieve this goal with your current lifestyle? A coach can counsel you on setting more realistic and achievable targets based on your daily routine. Setting small targets to achieve a long-term goal is what a coach can bring to the table.
  7. Problem Solver: Can’t stop that sugar or pizza craving? Got a headache? A hangover maybe? Don’t know what mid-meal you should eat? Is whole wheat bread good for you? You just ate a cupcake! What should you do? Your coach will always be by your side to answer these questions, assist and guide you through all your problems!
  8. Authentic Source of Knowledge: There is a rising trend of fake health news on the internet which can be extremely dangerous! These fake health tips coax people into trying ridiculous things like eating banana peels or following something like beer yoga! Your expert coach can guide you with proper factual information and keep you from making mistakes that can harm you!

Most importantly, a health coach can motivate and push you to achieve your goals!

As we honor the teachers who’ve made a difference in our lives, let’s also recognize the importance of having a guide for our health journey. A health coach not only educates and motivates but also empowers you to lead a healthier, happier life. This Teacher’s Day, take the first step towards positive change by subscribing to Personalised Health Coaching with GOQii.

We hope this article helps you understand the value of a health coach! Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. For more insights into health and wellness, check out our other articles in Healthy Reads.

To get personalized advice and tips from your GOQii Coach, subscribe to Personalised Health Coaching here

#BeTheForce

From Terminal Illness To Complete Wellness! Ananda Mukherjee Health Story

As we observe World Cancer Day under the powerful theme ‘United by Unique’ (2025-2027)**, we are reminded that every individual’s journey with cancer is distinct, yet united by shared resilience, hope, and the collective fight against this disease. This theme places people at the centre of care and their stories at the heart of the […]