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Age no Bar, if you’re determined to achieve your goals

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                                                                           Transformed Shankar Sabadi

Every day is another chance to get stronger, to get better and to live healthier. At 54 years of age, Shankar Sabadi from Hubli in Karnataka proved that age is just a number if you are really determined in achieving your goals. He joined GOQii on 1st May 2017 and has turned his life around in an unbelievable fashion.

A businessman by profession, Shankar was not always appealed by the idea of staying healthy. His friend had to persuade him for almost a year before he decided to give it a try. At the age of 54, Shankar was fairly content with his life, not feeling the need to stay healthy. His bigger apprehension of joining a health platform was being asked to restrict himself from doing things and eating stuff that he has been fond of. However, he was aware that it was important to keep an open mind and not give up when starting a health journey. Soon and surely his attitude changed and also the state of his health, in a good way.

Initially, Shankar’s health goals were to reduce his belly fat which was at 46 inches, then reducing the 15 tablets he was popping on a daily basis, improving his calcium levels and lastly getting rid of unhealthy eating habits. Already having a medical history of high blood pressure, he started slow and gradually eased into his regime.

When asked about his routine, this is what Shankar had to say:

“My coach Anagha started by inculcating, simple but healthy habits like having 2tbsp of Sesame seeds daily in the morning, having small and frequent meals, not eating fruits after sunset etc. I also reduced my consumption of salt considering my history with high BP and started taking small walks after every meal. As I started feeling more comfortable with the program, I decided to take my goals a notch higher. I focused on shedding some weight and also burning some belly fat. Though I could have never imagined myself doing any of these earlier and achieving my goal, joining GOQii induced a new-born confidence in me. 8 months into the program, the results were miraculous. I reduced more than 80% belly fat reaching a waist size of 36 inches from 46 inches and also shed 15kgs in weight.”

“My BP is back to normalcy and cholesterol levels dropped significantly. I used to take 8 pills a day for my cholesterol and BP and now I don’t take only 1 for BP. All my other Tabs for calcium and pains etc have also been stopped completely. My stamina and endurance are much better now, I couldn’t walk 100 metres without getting tired but, now I walk to achieve my target of 10000 steps daily. I walk for over 2 km a day. I also completed a trek of 252kms in 6 days, covering an average of 40kms per day and not once did I feel the need for any kind of medical attention. It was a proud moment for me. Overall, it has been a wonderful time for me and I look forward to achieving more and always stay healthy,” he adds.

At this age, it is easy to say Shankar has achieved wonders.

This is what his coach Anagha Kulkarni had to say :

“We started our journey on 1st May 2017. The most amazing thing about him is that he is very determined and enthusiastic to learn and improve. We focused on his diet primarily and encouraged him to eat more meals but in lesser quantities, from three meals a day, it went up to 5.  He has been an active player on the app since the beginning and seeing his determination gives me the incentive to help him further. We maintain a good contact on the app and I get all the data about his meals and activities regularly. I’m very proud of the trek he completed, which would’ve been an impossible task for someone of his age. Now, we are just working on muscle strengthening and maintaining his current health routine.

Shankar Sabadi’s story has set an example for everyone who thinks it’s too late for them, and use their age as an excuse for not leading a healthy lifestyle. As mentioned earlier, age is just a number if you are really determined to make your dreams come true.

“Do not go gentle into that night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light”– Dylan Thomas

 

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WHOLEHEARTEDLY HEART HEALTHY

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Death rates due to heart diseases continue to rise in India, claiming 1.7 million lives in 2016, as per the Global Burden of Disease report released exactly a year ago in September 2017. Recently, a national daily in India published a report stating that deaths in India due to heart disease have risen by 36% over the past 26 years. GOQii India fit report released early this year finds that there has been a rise in the number of lifestyle diseases among Indians. Of these, an increased number of people have high cholesterol with data showing an increase from 9.4% in 2016 to 10.1% in 2017.

Given the above statistics, Heart health is something that needs immediate attention. Today is World Heart Day and let us all be responsible and consciously make simple changes to our life to improve our heart health. In this blog, we have jotted down few simple lifestyle tweaks that you can implement in your life if you already have not done so.

  1. Love your couch a little lesser:

After a hectic workday at your desk, we love to get cosy on the couch, even though it isn’t the best thing to do. Did you know that people working desk jobs are more prone to contracting a heart disease than the others? You might begin to see the connection here. Yes, being physically active has a big impact on achieving a healthy heart. Start slow, even a short walk after every meal will help you in many ways. Along with improved blood circulation, factors like obesity and blood pressure can also be controlled by giving your body the exertion it craves.

    2. Toss the butt for good:

Kicking the butt is always tougher than picking up smoking. Smokers who try to quit, regress many times before leaving it completely and this is totally natural. But the determination to come back on a healthy track is what really matters. If you think you can’t do it alone, try counselling or other methods like nicotine patches, nicotine gum etc.  Forget heart health, if you want to be healthy in general, the time has come to say goodbye to your cigarettes.

    3. Stop stressing out:

We totally understand why you think it is impossible, considering our busy schedules and the endless deadlines which are caught in a loop. The problem is that high amounts of stress cause strain on the heart due to the release of adrenaline, making the heart beat faster and also narrowing your arteries. It also harms your heart indirectly by contributing to factors like blood pressure, cholesterol and obesity. To keep your stress levels in check, choose a program such as yoga, meditation etc. that’s convenient and suitable for you and stop stress from overpowering you.

      4. Keep the weight under control:

Overweight and underweight conditions like obesity or anorexia attract heart diseases easily. So calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI) to check for the category you fall in and if you do not fall under the normal category, you need to gain or reduce some weight. More than being healthy, a change like this will boost your self-confidence and help you feel more comfortable in your own skin.

      5. Eat Healthy To Stay Healthy:

This is one of the most important steps towards achieving a healthy heart. At the end of the day, it is what we eat that constitutes the state of our body. Most importantly, stay clear of saturated fats and oil as this increases the level of bad cholesterol in the blood, which is extremely bad for your heart. Foods like red meat and processed food with high sugar and corn syrup content are all to be frowned upon, to achieve a healthy heart. Eat a lot of fruits, vegetables and lean protein foods like skinless chicken and fish (not fried). This not only helps in maintaining a healthy heart but also increases your quality of life.

  1. Alcohol Consumption:

In the book “The Heart Truth” by Dr Aashish Contractor, it is stated that alcohol may be beneficial in raising good cholesterol (HDL) as well as other anti-oxidant properties when consumed moderately. If you are someone who hasn’t consumed alcohol before, please don’t start now thinking it’s good for your heart! But if you are someone who enjoys a drink or two, then do so in moderation. Dr Aashish personally defines moderate as one or two drinks, three days per week and the optimum amount of liquor to be 45ml a drink. It is important to remember that excessive consumption can cause harm and damage your heart and other organs. So drink responsibly folks!

  1. Stay positive, Stay Motivated:

Pessimism lurks in each and every one of us. Sometimes, we decide to give up not realising how close we have come to our goals. When maintaining a healthy heart or being healthy in general, it is very important to know what you want and be clear about it. Self-doubting is natural but steering through that phase keeping a positive mind towards it is difficult. Don’t be another brick in the wall, be the one to achieve and prove it is possible. GOQii wishes the best for all of you on this World Heart Day!

 

 

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5 signs you’re not getting enough Protein

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The food market is constantly advertising about adding protein to all edibles, and this might mislead you into thinking that you are consuming an abundance of this key micronutrient in your diet. This might not be the actual scenario and a lack of protein may be ruining your health and your effort in the gym.

While protein requirement varies for every individual depending upon body weight and activity levels, there is no doubt that an adequate amount of protein keeps the body lean and preserves muscles strength as we age. If you are unsure about the amount of protein you are getting and wondering if it’s enough to fuel your fitness goals, here are a few ways to know.

  1. Your hair starts Thinning

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Hair thinning is a major concern these days and it haunts both genders equally.

But why? And how is protein linked to it? So, here is the answer. If you don’t nourish your body with adequate protein, then it looks for “non-essential” body parts like hair to pull protein from. The body needs nutrients for the basic functioning. Once your hair is deprived of the nutrient it needs, it starts thinning and even falling out. Next time when you observe hair fall or thinning, consume a high protein diet.

      2.Constant Injuries

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Injuries, as we all know, are barriers we have to overcome amidst our fitness journey.  But why do people get injured so frequently? Let’s solve the query. Apart from muscle loss, a lack of protein in diet precipitates several perils such as loss of bone mass and osteoporosis. The body tends to face difficulty in absorbing calcium which most likely will make you prone to injuries. This is the reason why we lack stamina during high-intensity workouts. So, if you are constantly injured, you may need to increase your protein intake. Some rich sources of protein are Seafood, white meat, eggs and green vegetables. Hog on them to keep the doctor away.

       3. Workout Doesn’t Entail Results

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It takes a lot of dedication and effort to wake up each morning and workout. Still, the scale in the weighing machine is not changing? So, here’s the answer to “But why?” Protein is crucial for building new muscle mass and also important in sustainable energy and motivation. It adds up the strength to recover the muscles post workout. A low protein diet may make you suffer muscle atrophy which is a condition when your body starts cannibalizing the tissue for fuel. If you don’t serve your muscle composition with adequate protein, no matter how much you work out, the results will always be below your expectation. Therefore, always consume a protein-rich pre/post workout meal for faster and better results.

       4. Unexpected Anxiety and Food Cravings

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Do you often lash out at your co-worker or others around you? This is not always stressing. Let’s dig deeper. Serotonin is a hormone that regulates calmness, and protein plays a vital role in helping the brain synthesize serotonin. Also, if you don’t consume enough protein, your body causes spikes and crashes of insulin, resulting in a craving for carb-rich snacks. Your body’s demand for biscuits and other oily snacks is not because of taste but because of lack of protein. Serotonin also helps in regulating the spike of insulin in your blood, so a lack of serotonin will result in imbalanced amounts of insulin in the blood. So, if you are unable to tame your temper or are craving for greasy and unhealthy snacks, it could be a sign of protein deficiency. When you feel anxious next time, you know what you need.

 

 

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Is guidance necessary to lead a healthy life?

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We deal with a variety of problems in our everyday life. Many factors inherent in our home, school, society, occupation, and relationships pull us in different directions. We often find ourselves in such a state of confusion and bewilderment that it is difficult to steer ahead without the help of a proper guide. This blog is focused on bringing out the importance of proper guidance to lead a healthy life.

Even the best need guidance to improve. An expert guidance offers a lot more than you are aware of and one of them is not falling for the marketing stunts. While most products claim things like “Gluten Free” “Low calorie” and “No preservatives” there still are many ingredients in them that make it an unhealthy consumption. With the help of proper guidance, you are in a better position to make a more informed choice.

It has become almost impossible to incorporate a healthy lifestyle into your busy one. Like kryptonite for Superman, a busy schedule is often the excuse for many individuals to refrain from leading a healthy lifestyle. This is where the role of a guide or a mentor comes in, when there’s someone to motivate you and push you to do your best, you’ll eventually start taking out time to concentrate on health and fitness. Everybody needs guidance in life and this isn’t just restricted to health and fitness but every other aspect and the interesting part? Even the best need guidance, for example, Lionel Messi one of the greatest football players, the world has ever witnessed trains under a coach. Why? Because there’s no limit to how much one can progress and someone to guide you in the right direction is essential. In the case of health and fitness, it always possible for you to walk in the wrong direction without understanding what your body actually needs. You may come across a time when your workouts aren’t yielding results and you have come to a halt, but with expert guidance, there’s always a solution to your problems and your trainer will help you get past the barriers in the best ways possible. As human beings we all require support, and taking it from the right sources is what makes the difference. At GOQii, we focus on providing every individual with the guidance and support he/she requires to make the best of their lives. We are proud to be the force.

With the help of our GOQii coaches, players around the world who previously led sedentary lifestyles are now active GOQii champions. Everybody has the power to bring change within themselves and we try our best to help you conquer it. With proper guidance, the potential to achieve is endless.

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