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“I thought I knew all about fitness until my GOQii Coach broke all myths”

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He has been a fitness freak for the last 15 years. But, he was always under the impression that he knew it all until one day when all his myths about fitness and nutrition were busted. Now along with his regular fitness regime and better eating habits, Samir Dedhia is aiming for four pack abs and take his fitness to the next level…..let us hear from him what changes has he personally brought within himself after so many years of fitness training and how he took his fitness to the next level…..

I have been working out in the gym for the last 15 yrs. I have been on supplements and done lots of R&D on fitness and health. For the longest time, I thought I knew everything about diets, health, and supplements. In fact, my friends used to take advice from me on how to work out what to eat. I was their default go-to man for all their queries on fitness and nutrition. I had reached the stage in fitness where I was now looking for a fitness tracker or some device that could take my fitness to the next level.

What attracted me to GOQii is the product itself. I found it very different from the rest of the fitness products in the market that were there. It was different in the sense that, you have gyms, you have dieticians and you have things like the pedometer and they are three different things. And this was like two things combined i.e. an activity tracker and a coach who is a nutritionist. I became a part of GOQii since the beginning of its start in 2014.

GOQii was a total game changer for me. It has been a fantastic eye opener. The way my coach Vrushali dealt with me, the tips that she gave me on a real time basis was actually required by me at that point in time when I came on board to be able to take my fitness to the next level. Also, she broke all the myths I had on fitness and nutrition.

Broke myths in the sense that I had my own assumptions and presumptions about how fitness should be, diet etc. The myths I had around the combination of foods that you take, what to eat when, how much of carbs should you eat, and not mixing fruits with meals, water intake, what helps you to reach fitness goals etc.

For the last 15 years, my daily routine has been to work out for 45 minutes 6 times a week. Also, following a heavy diet has been a part of my routine, but everything was built on my myth. And then when I interacted with my coach all these concepts I had, were broken instantly and I am clear now on all concepts of fitness and nutrition.

Vrushali gave me the ideal nutritional tips for the kind of workouts I did. There were no major changes brought about to accommodate these tips. I always used to eat good healthy food but never realized I over ate or I mixed wrong food combinations like eating double carbs source in 1 meal etc. ( use to have Rice and Roti together in my meal). Then, by just altering my style of eating, I saw drastic changes which I never came across earlier when I was working out on my own.

Another major eye opener for me was that my water intake was very poor and I just realized when my coach noticed that it was poor. Now, I have at least 2.5 litres per day for the last 6 months.

What also helped me was that I was training alone for so many years and there was a certain level of boredom setting in. That was when my coach took over and kept me motivated all the time and that kept me going. Coaching has definitely added more value since I was already into all this, I was already fit and this was an add-on. After a point coaching helps as it makes you accountable.

On a real-time basis, there are a lot of ups and downs that a player has and you need someone to constantly monitor you and keep your focus. Vrushali used to tell me Samir you are diverting from your goals. You need someone at all times.

Overall fantastic change in my life to the extent that I picked bands for wife- cousins – business partner- gym buddy- office staff etc. etc.

What does Coach VrushaliAthavale have to say about Samir Dedhia?

Samir is a disciplined, dedicated person who works religiously on things once he is convinced about. There were very few visible things which needed to be changed in his routine like the correct combination of foods, increasing his protein intake which was not matching his hardcore workouts and improve water intake. We started with one habit at a time wherein the first habit was to reduce his carbohydrate intake at a time in a meal i.e instead of having rice and roti both at a time, we changed to consume either of them. This made a lot of difference in body fat%. We then moved to make sure his protein intake is sufficient enough to help him reach his goal of getting a lean body and along with this proper intake of fiber and increased intake of water.

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“Making a lifestyle change is easy but, requires determination to make it happen”

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Many people prefer to work out alone in the gym or find other ways to exercise in isolation. But, best of the fitness success stories are inspired by friends, loved ones and dedicated personal trainers pushing the individual along every step of the way to fitness.  Basant Chaturvedi also got inspired by his fellow CIO friend Kamal  Karnatak and got on the path to fitness. Thanks to him, Basant has improved his fitness a great deal. Let’s hear Basant’s story in his own words.

I work as an Associate Director-IT” with a confectionary MNC based in Delhi. My job is quite strenuous and my stamina levels were low. Due to this, I would get tired very soon and easily. I used to do yoga but, I realized Yoga only improves flexibility. Increasing my stamina levels was a challenge and the other aspect was that my sugar levels started rising.

I was totally clueless about what to do. I surely needed some advice from experts who could tell me what I am exactly supposed to do. Something clicked in my brain, I wanted to overall improve my health for my own good.  I started looking for options to better my health. This is when my friend Kamal Karnatak suggested GOQii to me.

He came as a god sent angel at a time when I most needed advice on what to do regarding improving my health. Kamal told me about the step count feature, about water intake, sleep and everything that came with GOQii and above all, the fact that the band comes with a Coach who will guide and help you achieve your health goals.

He then narrated his story of change to me and how a lifestyle change helped him lose weight and also take to running. I found it fascinating and coach aspect interested me a great deal. I decided to go for a GOQii band. I not only bought one for myself also got one for my wife.

I made a commitment to myself that I wanted to get fit and healthy. GOQii states that you have to be active all the time, increase step count, taking the right portion of food and not over eat. Following these rules helped me achieve the daily target.

Prior to GOQii on my hand, there was no expert guidance about what to eat and what not to eat and also when to eat what. And I learned about water too that it is a very good natural supplement. I never was aware of that. And, about the step count too, I was unaware that every day one should clock at least 10,000 steps to be healthy. I used to travel small distance also by car but, now I walk as much as possible , thanks to GOQii. I have stopped using the elevator. I stay on the 7th floor and walk up the flight of stairs. Initially, it was tough as I am also 42 years old but, now I have got used to it.

My eating habits have also changed. I was eating more fried food than healthy foods. Even during fasts I would eat fried foods like Poori (fried bread). Now all that has stopped and I follow a proper healthy diet even during fasts. I have also cut down on my sweets intake. My intake of fresh fruits has also increased. Initially salads and fruits never part of the diet. It was once in a way kind of foods to be eaten.

My activity levels have also regularized. The lethargic feeling has vanished. My day starts early in the morning with a run or a game of badminton and then I remain active through the day. I easily clock about 10K to 12K steps daily. Considering I am doing regular running and playing a sport my water intake has also improved.

I never used to track water how much water I was drinking daily, but now I try to hit my water goal of 2.5 to 3 liters every single day.

Deciding to make that big lifestyle change is often the easy part. If you’re not happy about something in your life, it’s easy to acknowledge it and say you’re going to change. However, to actually follow through and make that change happen you’ll need a ton of determination. It’s no secret that your body can often be inclined to take it easy—that’s why you need to bring a strong, determined attitude to every workout in order to get the most out of it, and don’t get discouraged by the long road ahead. It’s a simple concept, but it’s proven effective time and again.

GOQii concept and my coach have been extremely motivating. It is because of my coach that I have been able to do so much and not get exhausted. Motivation is the key factor for people like me and GOQii coaches are the best  very good as a motivator.

What does Coach Aditi Save have to say about Basant Chaturvedi? 

From the day I have got an opportunity to be Basant’s Coach, I am super proud of him and his disciplined lifestyle.

He is inclined towards fitness and wants to have an active life in a healthy way, he is a “no short-cut” kind of person and always achieves his targets with hard work and dedication. He is a fast learner and willing to take up my suggestions wholeheartedly and ready to experiment with different challenges and natural food options.

We have worked successfully so far and will continue working towards normalizing his blood sugar levels and to get relief from chronic back pain. It is his intrinsic motivation that in-spite of having these health issues he is one who will not give up easily and this super commitment towards health is what inspires him to consistently deliver an awesome performance.

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“Being physically active is not enough, it has to be balanced with good nutrition”

anand krishnamurthy

From 1000k steps to 15000 steps daily is no mean task for someone who has had a very inactive lifestyle both at home and at work. He was overweight and realised it’s becoming a cause for concern. He, therefore, took efforts to implement a lifestyle change. And, soon realised how much of a significant difference it has had on his life. His outlook towards life has changed for the better and he has started looking at Life more positively.Let’s here Anand’s story in his own words.

I have a typical corporate job and as with all corporate guys, my life was pretty inactive. All I would do is sit on the chair through the day when in office and not travelling. I was quite aware of my problem and therefore was looking for something to get an active lifestyle. I was looking for something that came with an expert advice.

I went through the reviews of various fitness trackers that were available in the market such as the likes of Fitbit. Then I came across GOQii and what I really like about the GOQii device is that there is someone with whom we can chat or share our concerns to figure if we are on the right track or not.

Earlier, whenever I approached a fitness expert all I got was a list of things to do and then you are on your own. I had no clue whether I was doing the exercises right, whether I was eating right etc. As compared to this, I found GOQii to be significantly different from other fitness trackers. At GOQii, you have a coach who will help decipher the date that is clocked on the device and explain what it means.

The coach helps you to change few habits to bring about a lifestyle change, the food habits get regularised etc., and all these make a difference.

Initially, when I came on board GOQii in October 2015, my goal was to lose weight (I was around 109kgs) and get slimmer and fitter but, in the last 3-4 months, I would say my entire lifestyle has changed from what it used. I was looking at reducing slowly but, ended up reducing a lot more than what I had targeted. I actually have reduced around 9 and a half kilos. I am at around 99 KGs currently.

I am also super active now. From barely being able to walk 1000 steps a day that too with great difficulty, currently, I hit about 12,000 to 15,000 steps a day. And most of that is clocked through the first few hours of my run or walk in the morning.

What I have learnt from my experience is that just being physically active is not enough, it has to be balanced with good food intake. I am more conscious of what I eat. I am consuming fruits as well  and there is also more focus on proteins. I have started consuming a lot more vegetables and lots more chapattis and fruits during the week.

All those small changes that I have made has had a positive impact on me. And, at the same time, I didn’t give up on anything that I was enjoying. Once in a while, I am allowed to indulge and I can confess to my coach that I did not follow her rule. She motivates me quite a bit. She gives me lots of chances to get back on track which has really helped me.

More than the weight loss, it’s about how active I have got. The food that I eat keeps me energetic through the day unlike earlier when I used to feel sluggish and was unproductive at work. Now it’s no more like that. My outlook towards life has changed because of my lifestyle change.

I have realised, you can run 15 km and also lose 15 kilos of weight but, all of this does not matter if you don’t follow a good lifestyle. Now, I also take enough rest, sleep well and I am able to do a lot more work. And on weekends, I used to kind of slow down but now not so much. I compensate with more running and more activities on a weekend which kind of helped me bring in the balance. It is kind of mix of a lot of things.

If I have to rate GOQii, I would rate the coaching piece 10 out of 10 because the coach actually helps you change your lifestyle which is one of the toughest things to do. We talk about lifestyle change but, it’s only when you implement it do you realise how much of a significant difference it has had on your life. For me, my outlook towards life has changed for the better and I have started looking at life more positively. I am also more energetic through the day and that has helped me in my relationships both at home and at work.

My coach Priya has really helped me a lot. She has been a good listener and has been able to understand my routine, my schedule when I travel and has accordingly helped me to adapt change.  I believe that ‘One size fits all does not work’.

People around me have been surprised with the changes they see in me. They find me lighter and positive. Personally, too positive outlook towards life is really helping me in terms of being more productive at work and overall it has made me happy in life. 

What does Coach Priya Goel have to say about her player Anand Krishnamurthy?

Anand was excited and determined when he joined Goqii. His main goal was to shed his extra kilos and become fit and active. He wants to run in marathons but, did not know how to go about his diet and activity pattern. Because of his hectic work schedule and foreign trips he was not able to continue with his workout regime.

So we have decided some health goals that will be convenient for him to achieve.

Goals were-

  1. Time interval training for 1 hour
  2. Pre and post workout snacks
  3. Water intake should be more than 3 litres.
  4. Include more protein in the diet.

Anand followed every goal very precisely and diligently and the result was there for everyone to see. Today, he runs 5 km in 30 minutes and has progressed to running 10 km in one hour. He has lost 9.5 kg weight and inches too.  It was his sheer determination that helped him reach his goals.

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“Little changes in lifestyle will help you live smart “

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He is part of the senior management in an automotive company. He travels 14 days a month and his works long hours that sometimes stretches into late nights. He tried to manage and fit into a workout regime twice or three a week but could not be regular. At 52, he wanted to change his lifestyle but ,was unable to do it on his own. He needed an external stimuli……and guess what he found it and today he is active and has learnt to eat and live smart……let us hear Bharatendu Kapoor’s story in his own words….

I head the spare parts business of a Mumbai-based automotive company and my job involves procurement of spare parts for all our projects and supply spare parts to all the auto divisions including truck and buses division. My work also involves travel for about 12 to 14 days in a month and long hours on a daily basis.

This daily routine and constant travel led him to adopt irregular food habits. I would never have food at the right time. However, I would try and work out twice or thrice a week for about half hour to 40 minutes. I was not regular though with the workouts and the days were not fixed.Sometimes I would go for walks but again it was not very regular.

Such was my irregular routine for several years. Then one day in November 2015, through an engagement program my company bought 200 GOQii bands. I was one among the 200 employees who got the band and my journey with GOQii started.

GOQii was a boon in disguise. I am 52 years old and I was going through this thought process of wanting to change my lifestyle, considering the job I do. Given my age and lack of understanding about exercise and nutrition, I sure needed an external stimulus to help me through this. And, GOQii was the answer.

The best part of GOQii is the coach who you can interact with on a daily basis. The coach is the external stimuli that helped me. The coach guided me on my lifestyle, nutrition, sleep etc. Sheetal, helped me make small changes and disciplined me in my eating habits. I am very conscious now of what I eat, how much I eat. It has been a wonderful experience for me in the last 5 months .

Lots of other improvements also came within me. My water intake that was very less has increased considerably. I have an alarm system that reminds me to drink water every hour.

Initially, when I started, the first month was tough and tiring for me to adjust to the new kind of fitness regime and making lifestyle changes. Eventually, as days passed I got used to it, I diligently started following the routine. I went for my regular daily walks, met my daily step target, slept well and hydrated well.

The most interesting aspect is that the results are evident and the changes were visible. I lost 6 kgs and about 3 inches. Such positive results keep you motivated. The result prompted me to refrain from using the elevator and instead take the flight of steps in Office and this has become a daily habit for me.

Believe me, when I say this that I have never been happier with myself. My main health goal when I started on GOQii was to lose 8 kgs and after 5 months I lost 6 kgs which are a great achievement for me and my coach.

If I reflect back into the 6 months prior to GOQii, the changes are very little. I have not done anything drastic. But, I have learnt how to live smart and eat smart and become more energetic. Instead of sitting on the chair throughout the day like I used to do earlier while in Office, I started walking after every two hours. So just change a little and that’s the trick.

Before using GOQii band I was barely walking 2500 to 3000 steps after I got the band I set for myself a goal of 10000 steps daily and in the last three months, I have been easily crossing 15K steps on a daily basis.  Walking and exercises have become part of daily routine. People around me are noticing the change in me and that makes me feel good.

What does coach Sheetal Shah have to say about Bharatendu?

Bharatendu’s job involves a lot of travelling at least 10 – 15 days a month. Due to his work schedules, he was unable to dedicate time daily for workouts etc .  When he joined GOQii in November 2015, his long-term goal set is to lose weight. His smart goal was a brisk walk of 45 minutes initially and 30 minutes normal walk in the evening.   In the second month, I shared some strength training workout videos with him. Now he does Brisk and Strength training workout regularly. His water intake was pretty low..but that has also improved now and has increased to approx 2.5 liters in a day.

Bharatendu does not have any medical conditions nor he is on any medication. He is very much dedicated to the planned goals and follows them consistently.He logs the food data and syncs the band religiously. He has lost 6 kgs in the last 5 months. In Nov 2015, he weighed 78 kgs and as of April 2016, he weighs 72.1 Kg. His target is to reach 68 Kg. He has lost inches around his waist. We are now concentrating on fat loss rather than weight Loss. I monitor his meals and other data on a regular basis and suggest him dos and don’ts about healthy meal pattern.

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