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April 11, 2016 By Anusha Subramanian Leave a Comment

GOQii supports International Wheelchair Fencer Vibhas Sen

Vibhas Sen seen here wearing the GOQii band and competing with the Malaysian wheelchair Fencer at the Asian Championship in Hong Kong

Living with a disability is not always easy – there are physical constraints, sometimes even in performing day to day chores. And our country does not provide for all those facilities that can make the life of a differently abled easy. It is often a challenge to find something to do, leave alone performing well in it. However, the human spirit is known to overcome physical and mental barriers to achieve their dreams. Vibhas Sen is a fine example of the above and has excelled both as a Paralympic swimmer and an International Wheelchair Fencer.

GOQii, the Health and Lifestyle company are proud to support Vibhas with coaching and nutrition guidelines to help him get fitter in his run up to the 2016 Paralympics in Brazil.

Vibhas, who is now in his early 30s and works with a digital advertising firm has a very tough daily routine. He goes to work in the morning and after work heads straight for his practice and finishes his day by 10.30 pm. He says, “I was looking for a fitness tracker to measure my fitness and also get some guidance on nutrition. Fencing is a tough and tiring sport and requires a great deal of physical strength”. GOQii has provided Vibhas with the wearable and personalized coaching who will track his fitness and advise him on his nutrition and other aspects. Luke Coutinho, the Master Coach at GOQii will be personally overlooking his progress.

“I am glad I have a coach who will monitor my progress daily and advise me on what to eat and what not to, how much to work out etc. Technology will bridge the gap for me,” says Vibhas.

Vibhas was born normal to his parents. But, at the age of 3 he was detected with Polio and since then he has been wheelchair bound. He was always interested in sports and wanted to play a sport. When he was in class 6, he aimed to learn swimming but, he only faced rejection from all the pools and coaches who refrained from taking me him on board. They told him he cannot learn swimming. So he dropped the idea and continued with his studies and led an extremely monotonous life. Although nothing deterred him from dreaming big.

It was at the age of 26 that he came across an article on swimming and he says, “After reading that article about a paraplegic swimming, I said to myself there is certainly light and the end of the tunnel. All is not so grim and dark.” He found a coach for swimming in Rajaram Garg who is the first paraplegic to swim the English Channel. “Under his guidance, I started swimming. Initially, it was more for recreation and the best part I liked was that the others in the pool were also differently abled. So I wasn’t alone.”

Vibhas was a regular at swimming for the sheer joy of it. Then one day his coach asked him to participate in a swimming competition in Pune and he won a Silver medal. That was the beginning of Vibhas taking up swimming seriously and at a professional level. He participated in many competitions and won two national level para-swimming events and several other state and district level awards within a year of taking up professional swimming.

“After swimming for a year, I wanted to try out another sport which was more challenging and something that I could pursue for a longer time. A sport where age factor will not be a constraint. And I found fencing interesting,” says Vibhas.

There are only 3 coaches in entire Mumbai for Fencing. Vibhas found a coach in Santosh Shejwal who is a National Institute of Sports Certified coach and was only coaching able-bodied persons. When Vibhas approached him he was not sure if he could coach him. Nevertheless, Shejwal said let’s give it a try. Within a year, Vibhas was quickly spotted by the National selectors of Wheelchair Fencing Federation of India to represent India. He then went on to get selected for the Wheelchair Fencing world Cup in Hungary in November 2014 and the grand Prix in Dec 2014 in Hong Kong.

Wheelchair fencing is a version of fencing for athletes with a disability. The sport is governed by the International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation that is a federation of the International Paralympic Committee. Currently, Vibhas is in Hong Kong competing in the Asian Wheelchair Fencing championship. This is in a run up to qualify for the 2016 Paralympics in Brazil.

Vibhas needs to participate in at least five international wheelchair fencing events in order to be eligible for the 2016 Rio Paralympics. Due to lack of support from the National federation, Vibhas, has been funding his international competition participation through some corporate sponsorships and through crowd funding. He says, “It’s been difficult to raise funds. Last international competition I raised funds through crowd funding. If I am able to raise funds I will go for these events”. His current Asian championship has been sponsored by Essar Foundation.

Vibhas Sen seated in the Centre with his India team

Despite so many constraints, Vibhas is confident of making it to the Paralympics. In his own words, “When someone says you can’t do it, you have got to secretly thank them. Let’s face it, proving them wrong is a huge motivator”. Vibhas’ larger goal is to win a gold in the Olympics.

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April 8, 2016 By Anusha Subramanian 1 Comment

“If I am fit, my family is fit”

He had bordered close to being overweight due to an inactive and erratic lifestyle. He blamed it on his job in the real estate sector. Secondly, he has been an asthmatic since his kinder days and has been on medication for the same. The medication has created problems in his eyes so much so that it was on the verge of leading to Glaucoma. He wanted to rectify his state of health. Moreover, his wife was into regular fitness but, he never heeded her advice. Although he was always aware he had to get better for himself and his family. Riteish’s story in his own words.

I am in the real estate business and I have been in this industry for the last 20 years. My lifestyle has been extremely erratic and I used to binge a lot especially at night. My job is such that I never had my meals on time. As a result used to eat anything anytime. When I was younger it was fine I could cope with it. But, as age catches up this kind of erratic lifestyle brings with it several medical issues. I already am an asthmatic since my kinder days.

But, the one good thing that I have learned from my parents is to get an annual medical check-up done. This annual check-up gives you a clear indication of where you stand in terms of your health statistics. I wasn’t in good shape as per the reports. I was 95 kilos, sugar was borderline, hypertension could have become a concern and due to my asthmatic medication, the pressure in my eye was high which could eventually lead to Glaucoma I was told by my doctor. The net result of all these issues was that I was not in good shape. I wanted to change but, I was not able to do anything on my own.

My wife is very regular with her fitness and even runs marathons. She was running the marathon early this Jan and I had gone with her to the expo to collect her BIB. On my way out, I stopped by at the GOQii stall. I started chatting with one of the GOQii personnel who was explaining GOQii and its concept to me. I found it appealing.

I immediately chose GOQii for its comfort, ease of use, design, tracking features and above all the coaching factor and Karma points – all of which I loved. My physical activity will appear on my wrist using one button which makes it super easy to use. Having all my stats linked, recorded, and easily accessible on my phone and be monitored regularly by my coach who would be able to easily check-in on my progress seemed fantastic to me.

I spoke to my coach Dr. Amrita Saghu and discussed my problems with her in detail. My health goal was to lose 10 kilos within 3-4 months. She brought about a few changes in my lifestyle. I started to go for brisk walks, playing Tennis, made changes in food with the inclusion of fruits.

She also gave me weekly challenges such a sugar-free week, increasing AB exercises, stair climbing –first slow and then increased the intensity. Over the last three months since I have got the band I have been doing a whole lot. On a daily basis, I have been clocking an average of 12-13K steps. I have also started playing Tennis seriously.

Sometimes when I think about myself and how I went in for GOQii program, I find it funny. Funny because my wife is into fitness and a trainer herself but, never once did I bother to listen to her and her warnings. Every time she would ask me to get back on track I would make excuses. But, when I realized I had gone overboard with being unhealthy and decided to go in for a fitness band. It is after I got on the GOQii platform that I realized I had to remove time for myself and my health. If I do not make an effort then nobody can help me.

The lifestyle change has done well for me. I work out regularly, I am conscious about what I am eating and my meals are more wholesome now. My asthma is also under control. As per my health goal that I had set for myself I have part reached my goal. In 3 months I have lost about 7 kilos. My target is to get to 78 kilos. Proper nutrition and exercise tips helped him to get back on track. I have attended one or two GOQii active Sundays and also attended Luke Coutinho’s webinar on how to get the best out of your coach.

Tracking my physical activity through GOQii inspires me to keep moving. With so much on I can overcome time challenge by regularly monitoring my daily steps and pushing myself to make sure I reach my target if I feel I’m falling short. My coach and my own effort are helping me hit my target of 12k-13k steps walking and through other activities each day. ‘If I am fit my family is fit’.

How do I feel about myself? I feel great about myself. I am more confident and above all, I feel very positive. My happiness knew no bounds when I went to the store to buy myself a T-shirt and instead of an XXL I, this time around picked an XL T-shirt. My wife is also happy about the change I have undergone. People around me are all seeing this change in me and are amazed.

What does Coach Dr. Amrita Saghu have to say about RiteishParwani?

Riteish has been an active person right from the start. His goal was weight reduction. We started with regularizing his diet which was erratic prior to joining GOQii. There were large gaps between his main meals that were contributing to him eating unhealthy food on a regular basis. Apart from that, he would eat a heavy meal in one sitting. After getting on the GOQii platform he has become very conscious about what he eats. We added fruits and salads in his daily diet. The gap between his meals was reduced. Healthy snacks were introduced. His own efforts and dedication were enormous. He would share his exercise plans, diet plans with me daily. We would talk about the health benefits of the fruit or vegetable that he would be having later in the day. He also suffers from Asthma, with the exercise and the medicines he is experiencing a lot of improvement. His commitment towards his health is excellent. The two things that we work together on are Riteish’s effort and dedication and GOQii’s coaching which has helped him achieve his goals. I am sure that Riteish’s success story will inspire a lot of people who want to lead a healthy life.

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April 7, 2016 By Anusha Subramanian 3 Comments

“Changing my diet and developing a workout habit were two of the best things I did for myself”

Fitness has got the better of him

He would come up with all the possible excuses for not working out. At 36, he had developed health issues such as BP, hypertension, and bloating etc. He knew he had to change and decided to get active. From no exercise, he started exercising and soon the positive results were there to see. Here is Prasad Puranik’s story in his own words.

I work for a telecom infrastructure company. I was very inactive and had developed medical issues such as BP, hypertension, bloating in the tummy etc. I was well aware of my situation. My self-esteem was not at its best and I felt invisible. I then started with aerobic classes thrice a week. But, nothing much happened. There was no improvement. I needed a change in me for the better. I needed an expert to guide.

A friend of mine then gifted me a GOQii band. I read about GOQii and I realized it comes with expert advice/coach. Now that is exactly what I was looking for. When I came on board the GOQii platform, my health goal was weight reduction to 72 kg and to get healthy. I wanted to get over the bloating effect. I liked the motto shared by my coach –‘A healthy body is a symbol of healthy mind’. I very much believed in this and it’s not only about physical strength but, mentally too you have to be strong to be overall healthy and fit.

In the last four months that I have been on the GOQii program, I have witnessed tremendous changes. There is a 1-inch reduction in my waist, the bloating effect has gone because of the addition of curd to my diet and eating frequently and eating small meals. From less than a litre of water a day to now 2.5 litres a day has been quite a journey. This has been possible due to systematic guidance and monitoring from my coach. It led to improved digestion and body cleansing.

Changing my diet and developing a workout habit were two of the best things I did for myself. Now, I watch what I eat and I work out all days of the week. I have also moved from Aerobics to gym workouts daily.

Thanks to GOQii, I feel extremely motivated as I interact with my coach on a daily basis. GOQii helps me track my activity and keep a check on what I am eating. As I started using the band, I realized I am liking the stat tracking and goal-setting. It’s such a small device and very discreet. I love that I can see my calories burned throughout the day and know that I’m on track with my activity.

I also had terrible sleep issues and with my coach’s advice, I have overcome that issue too. My coach advised me to listen to soothing music and believe me that has helped me a great deal in getting good sleep.

As of now, I am feeling euphoric about myself. Since my bloating has disappeared now when I wake up early in the morning I feel very light and, therefore, I am able to run more. In just 4 months of tracking my food and exercise, I would say I have achieved a huge milestone. It’s hard to believe I had all those medical issues, and now I am back on track purely through exercise and proper diet. Consulting a health expert who is always available for any health issue and getting an instant and right solution is what really clicked.

What does Coach PriyankaDeshmukh have to say about Prasad Puranik?

Before we started working on his health goals Prasad was already focused on his health. We started with a long term goal of reaching 72 Kg weight with a muscular fit and agile body. It started with improving nutrition. He complained of bloating. So we included some pro-biotic like curd and buttermilk in his diet. The problem has disappeared since then. By practicing mindful eating he could reduce his portion size.

After achieving the first goal we moved to the second stage wherein we worked on his sleep pattern. He always had trouble sleeping. I suggested he listens to some soothing music before sleeping. That helped him a great deal. Now, he also has a cup of milk before bedtime, as he has an early dinner. So far we have been able to improve on nutrition by making healthy choices. Today, Prasad is also happy that his double chin has halved. His friends are complimenting him about his appearance too. After experiencing that music is helping him, Prasad started learning to play music on the keyboard. That has made him happier and he feels good about himself overall.

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April 5, 2016 By Anusha Subramanian Leave a Comment

“There are no substitutions for hard work and dedication”

feeling triumphant-successfully completed 1st 100 Kms Trailwalk

Feeling Triumphant: Successfully completed the 1st 100 km Trail walk.

He was all work and no play. Priority was work and that got the better of him always. So much so that it was affecting his personal life at work and at home. As a result eating habits were erratic with no control on what was being eaten, there was no physical activity or exercising for that matter. The net result of all this was an unhealthy lifestyle that he was leading. But, a discussion with his wife made him realize that he had to make an effort to improve and get on the brighter and healthier side of life. Here is Dhawal Desai’s story in his own words.

I work in the IT industry and my focus was always more on work, meeting project deadlines. Personal life was almost zilch as I would be so exhausted when I came back from work. I was only pushing my team towards working harder and almost forgot that “Team success is a perfect blend between hard work and fun”. I realized Element of hard work was already there but no fun.

I had a serious discussion with my wife what is to be done. How could I make a change she spoke about balancing my act between work and home? And it had to start with “ME” I had to change… focus on my health and change my lifestyle. What my wife told me made sense. It was no rocket science but, I had to make that effort. The problem however was I did not know where to start and what to do?

Then one day I happened to be watching NDTV and I came across their reviews on fitness bands and all the features and how these bands can help you improve your lifestyle. I thought it was great but somewhere felt it a missing element of motivation and guidance.

I could wear the band and get all the stats but, then what do I do with those stats was the big question playing on my mind.

How do I interpret those stats and convert it into a performance or lifestyle change? I am not a fitness trainer nor a health or nutrition expert. Just increasing my step counts is not going to help me towards a healthy lifestyle. So I dropped the idea of getting a fitness band.

Few days later, I once again was going through the same program on tech on NDTV and this time around I heard about GOQii. The concept of GOQii appealed to me because it was not just another fitness tracker. The idea of having a coach connected all the dots for me. I read more about GOQii and its features and I was convinced.

An App + A coach + great eating suggestions + gradual workout sessions + motivation all of these without any impact on my work schedule was the right push I needed. I did not think twice and immediately bought myself a GOQii band and Shimpli Patil was my coach.

My coach had a call with me and I explained my lifestyle to her. In fact, even before my band arrived we started working on my issues. It took a while for the band to reach as I work in the Middle East (ME). Till my band arrived I was interacting my coach on Skype.

Then finally, when I got the band. My health goal was to lose some pounds as I was on the borderline of obesity (I was 120 kgs) and I wanted to change my attitude towards life. I wanted to be more positive.I started my daily routine wherein I started tracking my steps as well. I had started my regular workout. My water intake had increased. Anyway, the climate here in ME makes you dehydrated.

Within a couple of weeks, I could see the difference in my personal life and professional life. I wanted to ensure I was eating a balanced diet to support my increase in physical activity, I had also noticed that I had started eating better and right. All my in between junk snacking had stopped.

My coach helped me make adjustments to my nutrition while simultaneously kept me motivated to keep moving. As a result, I started seeing consistent results and completely fell in love with what I was doing. I had started feeling better and my team also noticed this positive change in me. Work became more fun for my team. I was not exhausted when I came home so could spend fruitful time with my family.

As I was getting my fitness level on track, one day the something impossible happened. My coach asked me if I wanted to try out 100KM Oxfam Trail walk

100 KMs in 48 hrs… now that’s something I doubted. But, again she managed to give me the right push and motivation to register. I registered for my first 100 km trail walk to be held in Dec 2014. I was all charged up for the trail walk. My team was Skywalkers.

During the trail walk, I happened to meet Kuntal Joisher and Anusha both trained mountaineers. Kuntal was going to be climbing Mount Everest in April 2015 and Anusha was doing the trek to Everest Base Camp (EBC). I was always in love with mountains and green forests. Meeting them was my second motivation that I needed.

While on the trail walk, the thought of going to Everest Base Camp stuck with me. I thought if I manage to complete this 100KMs within 48 hrs I am going for the EBC trek. Well, Skywalkers completed the quest within 45 hrs and I said, there you go… Everest Base Camp here I come.

The trek was all planned and I registered for it for April 2015. I trained for 3 months to be fit to go to EBC. I had to bear in mind two things the weather conditions and altitude. I was asked to hydrate myself as much and also do some strength exercises or my legs, back and shoulder. I had to carry 3 liters of water and walk on the trek. The trail walker was a good initiation for trekking.

My second goal was to complete the EBC trek and guess what I did that as well without a hitch. My family initially was not sure or convinced that I would be able to do EBC trek but, after I completed it they could not believe their eyes.

Both, the successful completion of the 100 km Trail walk as well as the EBC trek was a great high and ego booster for me. I knew I could do a whole lot. Nothing was impossible.

Dhwal at 5190 mts ( 17,127 ft) -Enroute to EBC

Now I plan to take this further. I plan to do one Himalayan trek every year. And, I hope to keep the same spirit.

I am fit now and feeling fit as well. I am ranging around 94 kgs and my routine in the ME is to go to the gym once a day. On an average, I manage to clock 10k steps daily. My eating has improved drastically. Now I eat everything and I eat small meals. I eat salads and fruits regularly.

If you ask what GOQii has done for me…from ‘All play and no work that made Dhawal a dull boy’, ‘Its lots of work along with play for Dhawal now.’ My life is more balanced and I want to be an example for my 2-year-old daughter.

Through my journey, I have discovered one thing and that there are no substitutions for hard work and dedication. However, there are tools that make them a little easier. My GOQii coach made my hard work fun and the all the dedication seem possible. My GOQii band has made me accountable to myself.

What does Coach Shimpli Patil have to say about Dhawal Desai?

Dhawal has been on the GOQii ecosystem right from the time when I started my journey as a GOQii Coach. He was aiming at optimum fitness and feeling overall good about his health. We started off with some simple goals of increasing his daily water intake, having small frequent meals and hitting a good number of steps daily. We started working towards these goals and within no time, Dhawal picked these habits and embedded into his routine quite seamlessly. Later, we began with a good workout routine starting with cardio and then alternating cardio with strengthening exercises.

I could sense tremendous willingness and determination in him to achieve what he was supposed to. He got into a habit of surprising me each day with his magnificent performances. Little did we know that we would be heading towards massive goals in the coming days? Soon, in a few months, Dhawal geared himself for a 100 km trail walk and completed it victoriously! It was like a kick start to his phenomenal journey wherein he then enrolled himself for the incredible Everest Base Camp trek. And that wasn’t enough, he aspired to walk the 100 km trail again in 2015 and he triumphantly completed it again!

To achieve such great heights, good fitness is a must, but way beyond fitness, what one needs is the zeal and ginormous willpower, and Dhawal is a perfect illustration of it!