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.

September 13, 2021 By Parwage Alam 12 Comments

How to Turn Household Chores Into a Workout

Taking care of the house is a never-ending job! I still remember my mother being so caught up with household chores that she never got the time to workout. One day when I got home after working out, I saw my mother doing the regular housework and an idea struck me! What if we can turn daily household chores into a workout routine?

Benefits of Turning Household Chores Into a Workout

Most people struggle with the fact that due to the lack of time, they skip working out. If you turn household chores into a workout routine, you’re killing two birds with one stone. You find your chores as well as get a good, light workout.

Like any other physical activity, housework can tone muscles if done correctly and in the right posture. It’s already proved that short bouts of relatively mild exercise can help improve your fitness levels, especially for those who do little or no physical activity or are just getting started. To top it off, this can help you break the monotony of routine and add a little bit of fun to completing chores.

Here’s How You Get Started

Lunges (Vacuum Cleaning): While using the vacuum cleaner, you can walk in a lunges posture. Remember to keep your knees directly above your ankles, your back straight and your abs engaged. You will know this is working by feeling the pressure in your thighs and glutes. Lunges are a good exercise for strengthening, sculpting and building several muscles/muscle groups, including the quadriceps (or thighs), the gluteus maximus (or buttocks) and the hamstrings as well.
Squats: Pick up items on the floor or tables by squatting. Keep your back straight, squat deeply by bending your knees. Hold for 15 seconds before rising up again. A Squat is an exercise that primarily trains the muscles of the thighs, hips and buttocks. It also works the quadriceps (vastus lateral, vastus medialis, vastus intermedius and rectus femoris), hamstrings, and strengthens the bones, ligaments as well as the insertion of the tendons throughout the lower body
Make Sweeping Movements: Instead of cleaning haphazardly when scrubbing glass doors or cleaning windows, make long, sweeping movements. For instance, when you are cleaning the doors or windows, take long swipes from top to bottom, squatting (not bending) to reach the lower spots. This will give you a fantastic shoulder workout and engage your entire lower body. If you want you can also hold a small bucket of water in your other hand to increase the strength of your arms.
Sweeping: While sweeping, tuck your stomach and oblique muscles in, keep your back straight and bring the bristles of the broom as far as possible and pull in.
Dance on the Beat: Turn on the music system while doing household chores and dance to the music the way you want. Try to use some fast music so you’ll be encouraged to pick up your speed and break a sweat. If you’re wondering how dancing helps your health, click here.
Step it up: Use a stepladder, stairs or step stool when you need to reach high areas. Try to repeat the same steps 8-10 times. Trust me, this is a really great exercise for your hamstrings, provided you keep your back straight. You can simulate your own step aerobics session this way!
Loading the Washing machine: When you are loading or unloading your washing machine, just twist and move more. This movement will help to strengthen your core.
Sculpt and Fold: Lifting laundry can be the toughest part of your routine. Tone your arms by holding them raised at 90° angle as you carry the laundry basket. Use the squats and lunges posture with your legs as your fold.
Take a Swing. Instead of cleaning your rugs, carpets, sheet using a vacuum cleaner, take them outside, hang them up, pick up your broom and show your muscular talent! Swing away to beat out the dust and dirt. Performing this activity will help you involve more muscles than vacuuming alone and help you get some fresh air as well.
Always Prefer Stairs: Instead of making one trip up and down, try to convert it into multiple trips with the clean or dirty clothes. Remember, we have a target to do more work as a workout, not less work with the help of machines!

What are you waiting for! Make your household chores something to look forward to by turning them into a workout. Try this for a week and let us know if you see any changes. Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

For tips on exercising and workouts, check out Healthy Reads or sign up for live GOQii Pro Classes hosted by experts who will guide and motivate you every step of the way! Download the GOQii App now to get started.

Get Active and #BeTheForce

July 14, 2021 By Parwage Alam 1 Comment

7 Positive Habits To Have An Incredible Day

How many times have you woken up wondering what your day is going to be like? Given the current scenario, your thoughts are clouded with the pandemic, infections and to top it off the pending office work, assignments, presentations and meetings you probably don’t want to attend. In the turmoil of these menacing thoughts, the thing you forget to focus on the most is being positive!

All the thoughts perceived as negative spike your cortisol (the hormone that leads to bad stress) levels. If your day starts on a negative note, it is certainly guaranteed that the rest of your day is going to be the same. What you do and think during the first few hours after waking up can impact your mood, routine and productivity.

It is important that your morning routine starts on a good note. Follow these simple strategies when you wake up and you’ll be all geared to be positive and happy!

1. Rest Well To Be Positive & Happy

Sleep plays a vital role in good health and well-being throughout your life. Getting enough quality sleep at the right time can help protect your mental and physical health, quality of life, and safety. Sleep is just as important as eating and drinking water. Despite this, millions of people do not sleep enough and experience insane problems as a result.

The way you feel while you’re awake depends partly on how you have slept or what kind of sleep you have had. During sleep, your body is working to support healthy brain functions and maintain your physical health.

2. Prayer & Meditation to Facilitate Clarity and Abundance

Once you wake up after a healthy 7+ hours of sleep, prayer and meditation are crucial for orienting yourself towards positive thinking.

Nothing can be better than meditating for 10 min in a day for a healthy mind. Meditation can transform the mind. It doesn’t mean that you have to sit in a particular posture and focus on any single point. The definition of meditation is different for different people. If you ask me, meditation is the art of focusing our attention (100%) in one area.

MRI brain scans of people who meditate has shown an increase in activity around areas that control metabolism and heart rate. Some studies on Buddhist Monks have shown that meditation produces long-lasting changes in the brain activity in areas involving attention, working memory, learning, and conscious perception.

3. Sniff Your Way Awake

Most of us start our day with a morning wash which helps us open our eyes properly. Similarly, the scent you wash with can have a big effect on your mood, says Art Markman, Ph.D., the author of Smart Change.

Research suggests Lavender can help you relax, mint can stimulate your brain, and citrus can reduce stress. Scrub and sniff away.

Over and above, a cold shower is more beneficial. Cold water immersion radically facilitates physical and mental wellness. Regular use of Cold water for shower provides long-lasting changes to our body’s immune, lymphatic, circulatory and digestive systems that improve our quality of life.

4. Get Up & Move More!

Exercise is extremely important for a healthy lifestyle. If you’re healthy, you can devote a 100% to any task. Kickstart your day with some good physical activity. Exercise decreases your chances of depression, anxiety and stress as it helps your body release endorphins which are good for you!

5. Take 2 Mins to Thank Someone

There is no harm in thanking someone for their presence in your life. People are magnets. When you’re grateful for what you have, you will attract more positivity and good. Gratitude is contagious. Gratitude may be the most important key to success. It has been called the mother of all virtues. Begin your day by putting yourself in a position of gratitude, you will attract the best that the world has to offer.

6. Listen to Something Uplifting

Everyone loves music! It’s one of the best ways to boost your mood. Personally, I love listening to old Bollywood or Sufi music and whenever possible, I use an alarm that actually plays music.

Music helps you find some relief from stress and if you start your day with such a great medicine – think how the rest of your day will pan out. If you listen to inspirational/uplifting material right when you wake up, then you will eventually condition that message into your mind and connect it with waking up in the morning.

7. Lighten Up The News

I personally try to avoid news channels in the morning in order to avoid any negative content I may come across. If you start your day with negative news, you may think about it for the rest of the day. Try something more motivational or positive. If you read stories that inspire you or make you happy, you’re guaranteed to have a fabulous day. Try creating a bank of motivational videos and begin your day with them.

This has been my personal experience and it has never led me astray! Try these very simple routines and gear up for success. Most importantly, begin your day with a smile!

Hope this helps! Do share your thoughts in the comments below! For more on mental health and emotional wellness, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to classes by experts on GOQii Play. To get these tips directly from your coach, sign up for personalized coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce

September 2, 2019 By Parwage Alam 10 Comments

8 Reasons Why You Need a Health Coach!

Have 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?

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 than often, being your own health coach can backfire in more ways than one.

A health coach, who is an expert with proper certification can guide you in the right direction by helping you take decisions on the right food and exercise. Having a health coach does not only keep you accountable but also keeps you motivated.

Here are 8 reasons why having a health coach is good for you!

1. Discover Natural Remedies

Having a health coach who knows what they are talking about can help you understand symptoms of a sickness and help you with natural healing options. Imagine if the contents available in your kitchen and even 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. Eventually, this kind of isolation and lack of communication can lead to increased stress levels. If you have a health coach, he/she is 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 and is all ears to listen to your woes, ask the appropriate questions, and help you identify the root cause for your concern and help you resolve it.

3. Responsible and Accountability

Research shows that 80% of the population who make health resolution on New Year’s, break them within 2-3months. 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 goal.

4. Help You Understand Your Body

Leading an unhealthy lifestyle can be costly! Weight gain, loss of stamina, a weak immune system are just some of the banes. Imagine getting active, getting on 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 and your body type might require 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 30kg 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, to assist and guide you through all your problems!

8. Authentic Source of Knowledge

There is this rising trend of fake health news on the world wide web and it 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!

Can’t find a coach? Subscribe to GOQii and get your own personal coach available on chat or call. You can even tune in to GOQii Play within the GOQii App for LIVE sessions with experts in fitness, general health, yoga, emotional wellness and sexual wellness, to name a few. Place your health concerns in the hands of your GOQii Coach and make a positive lifestyle change!

#BeTheForce

February 25, 2019 By Parwage Alam 2 Comments

Time Management Can Change Your Life

How Time Management Can Help You
Time is a precious commodity. We all chase it but never have enough, given our busy schedules. Ever stopped to ask yourself why you keep running out of time? Ever wondered if you’re working in a systematic manner?

My father always said that there are two kinds of people:

(i) Those who work hard
(ii) Those who work smart

Those who work hard do their work without giving it a thought and work monotonously. The smart workers are those who do their work in a systematic and planned manner, adhere to time management and also enjoy what they are doing.

Which brings us to the question, what exactly constitutes Time Management? Time management is the act or process of planning and exercising conscious control over the amount of time spent on specific activities, especially to increase effectiveness, efficiency or productivity.

To be successful is to manage your time well. It helps utilize the available time in an optimum manner to achieve one’s personal and professional goals. Without time management you will not steer your life and you’ll eventually end up doing exactly what other people want you to do. Time management helps you to take control of your life in the right manner. You decide what you want to do and where you want to go. Practicing time management has lots of benefits. Once you get a hang of it, you can work more, learn faster and play more.

How Does Time Management Affect Your Health?
Today, work pressure has everyone stressed to the bone. More than often, people stay awake till morning trying to complete their work. During the day, they are seated with eyes glued to a machine. All these negatively impact the body and the mind. No physical activity means lack of movement in your joints, muscles and hence one is prone to joint pains and other lifestyle diseases.

If you practice time management, you can complete your work and still have time to take care of your health. Believe me, you will start feeling positive. This in turn will help you be more stress-free. For most adults, sleep is the main factor that is compromised due to busy schedules. For students and professionals, moving about without sleep is a regular affair under the garb of wanting to achieve their targets. They may complete all their tasks, but do not realize that their mental and physical health is getting affected. Proper time management may prevent this.

Benefits of Time Management

1. Increase in Productivity: Practicing time management can increase your productivity by helping you finish your work in the shortest possible time.

2. Chances of Moving up the Ladder: In corporate sectors, the better you perform, the higher your chances of growth are. With proper time management, you could end up becoming a star performer in your organization

3. Reduced Stress: If you manage your time well, you do not have to panic or push yourself to finish your work. You will get your work done at the said time, thus relieving you of stress and unnecessary work pressure.

4. Higher Income: It is a well-known fact that in today’s world, time reciprocates money. Managing your time helps you accommodate more time to take up new assignments, opening up many more doors of opportunities.

5. Boost in Self-Confidence: If you are completing your work within a given time frame and delivering quality as well, it will certainly boost your self-confidence and be fruitful for your career advancements.

6. Stronger Family Bonds: Time management will help you spend quality time with your family and friends, which seems next to impossible these days. Time management helps you maintain a fine balance between your professional and personal life. Your family bonding will be much better.

7. Better for Health: For better health, you need at least 7 to 8 hours of sound sleep. If you spend the whole night finishing your pending tasks, then you are certainly evoking great health hazards. There are many health related irregularities which are caused by lack of sleep.

All of my above explanations prove that the benefits of time management are irrefutable. Life is all about accomplishments and enjoyments and efficient time management is the only instrument which helps you to find both. You can’t allow yourself to sink under the files of pending tasks and persistently overlook your family responsibilities or personal necessities. Adopt a proficient time management technique to lead a balanced and prosperous life.

Have you been unable to manage your time or excel in managing it? Please share your thoughts in the comments below!

#BeTheForce