Search Results for: pranayama

August 17, 2019 By GOQii 2 Comments

Climbing the Peak of Good Health | Abhay Chaudhary User Journey

“Every mountain top is within your reach if you just keep climbing” – Barry Finlay

If you know what being a Software Engineer is like, then you’re definitely familiar with the erratic work hours, the long spans of time for which you’re glued to the desk and the body pains that come along with it. If you know what this feels like, you might have a few things in common with our Player Abhay Chaudhary.

All Work. All Stress. No Play

When he began working, Abhay Chaudhary rode a bike to work every day. This coupled with spending nearly 7-8 hours on his seat created a lot of back pain problems. He had also suffered a shoulder injury in 2012.

His physiotherapist advised him to stop carrying a heavy bag while travelling on his motorbike. He was also asked to exercise regularly. To top this off, he was a workaholic who never took a vacation. Couple this up with irregular eating habits, low water intake, lack of sleep and you know you’re heading for disaster.

In 2015, after he changed his workplace for which he would have to travel 15km daily. This prompted him to take his health and fitness a little more seriously. It was not until the following year that he decided to take time out for himself every year without fail and increase his stamina and fitness levels as well.

Climbing to the Next Level

In 2016, a friend gifted him a GOQii. That year, he set his health goals as wanting to improve his stamina and endurance for running, playing badminton and wanting to go on Himalayan treks. His GOQii Coach guided him on his nutritional intake and the physical activities he’d have to perform.

He was asked to drink warm water with lemon or jeera to flush out toxins. His coach advised him to eat mid-meal snacks which usually consisted of fruits. He had to consume fruit or dry fruits before his workout. Junk food intake was reduced to twice a week at the most.

To increase his protein intake, he was asked to include a boiled egg, grilled chicken and protein bars which were purchased from the GOQii Health Store within the GOQii App.

On the exercise front, he began with core and leg strengthening exercises. Tabata Workout in the morning for 20 minutes became a ritual to rev his metabolism and cardiovascular fitness. He had to perform Pranayama every day for 10 minutes to increase his lung capacity.

On weekends he started with running, initially without weights and then gradually he moved up to using a weighted backpack – 8kg, then 10kg and finally 15kg. He also practised yoga to strengthen his back and core. As Abhay didn’t prefer going to a gym, he used bands and dumbbells for resistance and weight training.

To the Peak of Good Health and Beyond

Thanks to all his efforts and the changes in his lifestyle, Abhay Chaudhary ran his first 10k run within an hour in 2016. After this experience, he felt more positive. He felt like everything was possible and within his reach. He kept this momentum going by completing another 3 half marathons. Currently, he is a part of a group that does 10k charity runs on the last Sunday of every month.

All the weekend training that he did with 8-10 kg backpack eventually paid off with him starting to go on Himalayan Treks.

His first trek to Saurkundi Pass in Manali at an altitude of 12,900ft. Though he didn’t find the trek very difficult, he said it was an enriching experience. On this trek he realized that he wanted to do more trips such as these where he was cut off from the world with no connectivity, laptop or mobile – just nature, his trekking buddies and himself! He says trekking is rejuvenating since he connects with new people, understands their lifestyle, and shares wonderful experiences.

His second trek was to Hamta Pass in Manali at an altitude of 14,000ft. During this trek, he got to know about the mountaineering course. His guide gave him information to some popular institutes offering this course.

In 2018, he did the Goechala Trek in Sikkim which is at an altitude of 15,000ft. A lot of his friends dissuaded him from doing this trek as it was considered dangerous and difficult. However, he was determined. He wanted to overcome this trek and successfully completed it.

Clicked by Abhay Chaudhary during a rock climbing session

Soon after, he signed up for the Nimas Basic Mountaineering Course, Arunachal Pradesh in April 2019. He completed the 28-day course which tested his physical endurance as well as theoretical knowledge with flying colours.

Abhay Chaudhary and GOQii

He attributes his increased awareness towards a healthy lifestyle, the right information on health, his improved stamina and positive attitude to his GOQii Coach. He appreciates his current GOQii Coach who rigorously follows up with him on his diet and exercise. His GOQii Coach stops him from indulging in unhealthy eating and keeps motivating him to push harder towards his goals.

Apart from his GOQii Coach, he religiously follows Coach Aliya Imran’s class on GOQii Play for cardio. He also follows Yoga Specialists Nishtha Bijlani and Bhumika Uniyal for yoga, Marathon Expert Parwage Alam for running and Coach Tufail Qureshi for Fitness related topics. He finds their classes to be informative and helpful.

For now, he believes himself and GOQii to be inseparable and we couldn’t be any more excited to have him with us on this journey towards a healthy India!

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Click here and our team will reach out to you!

#BeTheForce

June 22, 2019 By GOQii 1 Comment

Aspire! Achieve! Inspire! Harit Panchal User Journey

Being healthy is not a race, it is a marathon. As we all know, running a marathon is no easy task. If you’re not prepared or willing to learn, it can get extremely difficult. More often than not, when you want to push your game to the next level, you will need help. Harit Panchal knew this and decided to take a step on to the next level with GOQii.

Living Healthy From Day One

Weighing around 85 kg, Harit Panchal had always been mindful about his eating habits and fitness. Walking and/or jogging have been a part of his routine forever! His family is also mindful about their diet. They do not eat junk food or takeaways, use very little oil and sugar. Thanks to this habit, no one from his family suffers from health issues.

Taking It Up a Notch!

In March 2017, Harit Panchal was introduced to GOQii by a friend, since he was always interested in fitness. Harit wanted to run marathons as well and shared this determination with his new GOQii Coach.

His GOQii Coach introduced him to healthy habits that he had to follow. He woke up every morning and was asked to drink warm water with lemon, honey and turmeric powder. Before he began with Pranayama, he was asked to consume soaked nuts. He performs breathing exercises for around 40 minutes everyday.

His breakfast was a traditional one, consisting of upma, poha, idli and thepla, etc. Lunch was a traditional affair as well, consisting of Dal, Rice, Roti and Vegetables. He began including fruits as mid meal snacks. His dinner was similar to his lunch but was light.

Biscuits were his weakness earlier. He stopped consuming them completely. As of today, he completes more than 10k steps. Has begun with planks and can hold it for 1 minute, 20 seconds.

Thanks to the change in his habits, he was able to reduce 11kg in the past 2 years. How he weighs on 74kg and is quite healthier and fitter than before. He has also participated in 2 marathons since joining GOQii – a 21km and 10km in 2018. For his mental health and to maintain a hobby after his retirement last year, Harit Panchal took up watercolor painting – an activity he was passionate about since childhood.

Being the Change

Harit is quite regular with blood donations. On his 50th birthday, he had completed 50 blood donations. At the age of 59 today, he has donated blood for the 74th time. He did so on World Blood Donation Day.

Harit Panchal is a volunteer for an NGO which serves subsidised food to the relatives of patients admitted in KEM Hospital, Parel. He easily spends around 30-45 min every thursday distributing food. Apart from this, he also volunteers for a charitable cause for juvenile prisoners. Volunteering here involves inculcating good habits in juvenile prisoners, creating cultural awareness, prayers and other fun activities.

Earlier this year, he participated in the India Steps Challenge and claimed a backpack and shopping bags as gifts. He was among the top 1000 players of ISC.

When asked about GOQii, he said that he appreciates the contribution of his coaches towards his increased awareness about health and fitness, the guidance he received for marathon training as well as the constant follow up through calls and chats. His endeavour is to stay fit, participate in a marathon every year and live disease-free with the help and guidance from his GOQii Coach!

To know more about Harit Panchal’s story, join him LIVE on GOQii Play this Sunday at 11 AM!

#BeTheForce

March 8, 2019 By GOQii 3 Comments

Championing the Health & Fitness Space | International Women’s Day

What does it mean to be a champion? Is a champion someone who always wins? Is a champion someone who strives in the face of adversity? Does a champion believe in their self, perseveres and never gives up? There are many different parameters that can be used to define what a champion is or should be but there are some that stand out from the rest. On International Women’s Day, let’s read through the accomplishments of some of our Indian women who have redefined what it means to be a champion by being a daily source of inspiration and motivation to many!

Rujuta Diwekar

“When we go through nutrition transition and give up on our local, native, regional food and we begin to adopt a food system, which has no resonance to our region, culture, that’s when our waists start spilling out in a protest for you to go back to your more local diet.”

A nutrition and exercise science expert, Rujuta Diwekar is a vocal champion of using our common sense and un-complicating the act of eating. In a career spanning more than 15 years, Rujuta Diwekar has worked with clients from all walks of life – from businessmen to homemakers, students, celebrities and sportsmen including Kareena Kapoor and Anil Ambani. She emphasizes a blend of traditional food wisdom and modern nutritional science for a healthy body and mind, best reflected through the mantra – Eat local, think global. She is also the author of 5 best-selling nutrition books.

Sucheta Pal

TheHealthSite.com

Ranchi girl and ex-IT professional Sucheta Pal inspired an entire nation towards healthier living and fitness through Zumba. She is India’s first Zumba Education Specialist and the brand ambassador for Zumba in India. In 2018, she was felicitated by the Hon. President of India as the “First Lady” for women wellness. Over four and a half years, she has trained nearly 3,500 Zumba instructors and has represented Zumba and India in multiple international fitness conferences from FIBO Germany, IFEX Indonesia, AFAA Japan conference, Asia Fitness Convention, Bangkok and others across the world. She is also a fitness TV-show host of Zoom TV’s Zumba Dance Fitness Party and has featured in several fitness shows on NDTV, Mtunes and TLC. Definitely a champion of heath and fitness in our books!

Pooja Makhija

http://www.dssc.co/delhi/2018/02/08/nourish-eat-delete-celebrity-nutritionist-pooja-makhija/

Ace Nutritionist Pooja Makhija has successfully transformed the bodies and lives of thousands of people! She’s a nutritionist to celebrities like Deepika Padukone, Sonam Kapoor, Ranbir Kapoor and Sushmita Sen. Pooja believes in nourishment over weight loss – food is fuel, it is your friend and not your enemy. To date, she has published two books – Eat Delete and Eat Delete Junior. She feels that people are seeing food for its calories rather than its true value. According to her, eating the right food can prevent lifestyle diseases such as high cholesterol, blood pressure and diabetes.

Sonali Swami

https://naidunia.jagran.com

A mother of two, Sonali Swami is definitely a source of inspiration for every fit mom out there! An IBBF athlete, she has bagged a bronze at the WBBF Asian Championship 2016, won Fit Factor India 2014, won Muscle Mania India 2014 in Fitness and Model’s Physique Categorory, secured 6th place in Asian Body Building Championships 2017 and is among the country’s Top 10 bodybuilders – all this while starting her journey towards bodybuilding at the age of 37! She firmly believes that age is just a number and you can start training regardless of your age, it doesn’t matter if you’re a teenager or in your 60’s. She advises people to be patient, consistent and never give up.

Yasmin Karachiwala

The fitness guru that Bollywood swears by! Yasmin Karachiwala boasts of a clientele that includes the likes of Katrina Kaif, Deepika Padukone and Alia Bhat. She owns a gym called Body Image, she was the first BASI certified Pilates instructor in India and established the first Pilates studio in Mumbai. She often shares workout videos with her followers and fitness enthusiasts on social media. She has also co-authored a book on Pilates. Yasmin does not believe in a diet and prefers making smarter food choices. Her mantra is to strive to be the best version of yourself!

Deepika Mehta

http://deepikamehta.in/

After a near death rock climbing accident in 1997, doctors told Deepika Mehta that she wouldn’t walk again. This wasn’t acceptable to someone like her who possessed a great zeal for life. She sought alternative approaches and found yoga. Since then, she has been learning and practicing various forms such as Pranayama, Ashtanga Yoga and meditation. Deepika has had her own TV show called Yoga City. She has a vast clientele including celebrities, individuals and corporates all over the country. She has been a master trainer on the show “The Biggest Loser” in India. In 2014, she was featured as one of the three women redefining beauty ideals in India in Vogue Magazine and has been the face of Elle India’s 2015 fitness campaign. She has also given a dance/yoga presentation and talk at the TedX event at the UN Headquarters in NYC.

Namrata Purohit

https://twitter.com/namratapurohit

The youngest Stott Pilates instructor in the world at the age of 16, Namrata Purohit has trained celebrities such as Kangana Ranaut, Jacqueline Fernandez, Varun Dhawan, Arjun Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor, Elli Avram, Malaika Arora, Neha Dhupia and Lauren Gottlieb to name a few. When she was 19, she completed all the courses on Stott Pilates and is also a certified Barre Instructor. Along with her father Samir Purohit, she is the co-founder of The Pilates Studio, which is the first in the world to have pilates and a simulated altitude training room under one roof. At 21, she launched her first book titled The Lazy Girl’s Guide to Being Fit. She was the official fitness partner to Femina Miss India Organization since 2011, official Fitness Partner to Miss Diva (2013 & 2014) and along with her father, were official Pilates coaches to the 2014 Mumbai City FC team. She was also a national level squash player and a state level football player.

Shilpa Shetty Kundra

http://www.priyaadivarekar.com/2018/06/shilpa-shetty-kundra-interview-international-yoga-day.html

Apart from being a successful Bollywood Diva, Shilpa Shetty Kundra also follows an active and healthy lifestyle by practicing yoga, healthy eating and exercise. According to her, Yoga inculcates a sense of discipline and self-control. On days when she isn’t able to workout, she practices Pranayama. Being a health enthusiast, she decided to foray into the health and wellness space with the simple aim of spreading awareness. Shilpa’s Yoga DVD was a huge success. Her YouTube channel is a one-stop-shop for all fitness enthusiasts across the globe. Her first book ‘The Great Indian Diet’ went on to be an award-winning one and still remains one of the bestsellers in the health segment. Her second book, The Diary of a Domestic Diva, aims to share quick and hassle-free methods that lead to cooking healthy, nutritious and delicious meals.

P V Sindhu

https://www.deccanchronicle.com/sports/cricket/251216/2016-pv-sindhus-olympic-silver-marks-a-glorious-year-for-badminton.html

Picking up badminton at the age of 7, P V Sindhu became the first Indian woman to win an Olympic Silver Medal. Fitness definitely plays an important role in her overall game which includes 8 hours of training. Her daily schedule includes Yoga, Pranayama, Running and Swimming, along with push-ups and sit-ups. In nutrition, she eats a zero sugar and high protein diet. She won a silver medal in Women’s Singles at Commonwealth 2018. She was also a silver medalist at the 2017 BWF World Championships and 2018 BWF World Championships consecutively. In the Asian Games 2018, held in Indonesia, she grabbed another silver medal. Sindhu came into international attention when she broke into the top 20 of the BWF World Ranking and was the first ever Indian women’s singles player to win a medal at the Badminton World Championships. In 2015, she was awarded the Padma Shri. In 2018, she became the first Indian to have clinched the BWF World Tour title defeating Nozomi Okuhara in the finals.

June 29, 2018 By Trupti Hingad 3 Comments

Four pillars to lead a healthy and happy life

Recently, I had published a blog on how certain yoga asana, if followed with some attitude, can tune your behaviour and imbibe good qualities in you. If you have not read that blog here is the link to the same https://goqii.com/blog/best-yoga-poses-with-attitudes/

Having said that yoga is not about asana alone and pranayama, yoga is a way of life. Good health depends on the long-term commitment and the foundation for that needs to be built on four important pillars. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), health is state of physical, mental and social well being.

The Four Pillars of a healthy lifestyle is AHAR (Food), VIHAR (Recreation), ACHAR (Routines), VICHAR (Thoughts)

The first Pillar is AHAAR

AHAR means food. “Annam Brahma—means the food is Brahman (Lord of creation). There is an old adage which says, “As the food so the mind, As the mind so the Man”. This saying depends on what you eat, how you eat and when you eat. Every bite you put in your mouth counts for your well being and lifespan, but this does not mean you start binge eating. Eating in moderation is key to maintain a healthy life.

According to Ayurveda, our food is categorized into three segments: Sattvik, Rajasic, Tamasic,

Satvik food is very simple food and gives loads of energy and keeps the mind stable. This food type includes Milk and milk products fresh fruits, dry fruits, seasonal veggies, unrefined cereals, pulses, spices like ginger, pepper, turmeric, cumin, honey, jaggery, Ghee, and oil

Rajasic food creates a restless state of mind. These foods are difficult to digest like non-veg, non-sprouted beans and pulses, garlic, onion, unseasonal veggies and salt.

Tamasic food creates a lethargic state of mind. This includes food which is stale or cooked over a long period. All refined, processed, artificial flavoured foods, deep-frozen foods, pickles, jams, beverages, deep-fried foods, liquor, tobacco, drugs.

The ancient literature says, “One should break one’s night long fast at the time of sunrise and end ones last meal at the time of sunset”. Going by what our ancient literature says, we all know BREAKFAST should be our first meal and that should be king sized. Whatever, we eat in the morning is absorbed and assimilated to the maximum. Food taken during the lunch should be easily digestible and dinner should be the lightest meal of the day.

When you eat food. Your state of mind will decide how food is going to be utilised by the body. Eat your meals with full concentration. Chew your food well and enjoy the subtle taste of each food items. Most important avoid using mobile or watch TV while eating food.

The second pillar is VIHAR

Vihar means recreation. The literal meaning is moving or walking. Stress is a common factor these days. Everybody is stressed on a day to day basis and the reasons for stress can vary and spend time with oneself is a big task. Recreation, relaxation and enjoying family time rejuvenates the body and mind. It’s a kind of anti-depressant for us.

Spending some time in activities which you enjoy clears off mind, relieves depression and anxiety, elevates your mood and gives a feeling of well being.

Active creative hobbies like gardening, painting, playing musical instruments engage all sensory organs and releases pent-up emotions and recharges the mind. Playing sports is another way of relaxing body and mind.

Relaxation is the cornerstone of well-balanced personality. Maintain the relaxed attitude throughout the day. Relaxation is an art which needs to be cultivated. It is important for our body, emotions and our nervous system. Regular exercise or relaxation keeps you fit and keeps disorders at bay.

The Third pillar is ACHAR—(Routine)

How often is it that your day goes unplanned and you get hassled with too much work in the day? Our mental health and being are dependent on better routines (achaar). Regularity and sincerity are two major components of a good routine. The best example of following a routine is the SUN-It rises and sets daily without any excuse.

Plan your day in advance. Incorporate all necessary task for self, work, food, recreation and sleep. The solutions to many of our difficulties in life lie in setting out right habits and right routines. Dr Abdul Kalam had said, “You cannot change your future but you can change your habits and your habits will surely change your future”

The fourth pillar is VICHAAR (Thoughts)

Our intellectual health is rightly dependent on how we think. Our thoughts are food for our mind. Buddha says, “Based on your thinking you become the person you are”. If you think you are weak, you will be weak. If you think you are strong, you will be strong. Manage your thought process correctly. Always develop a good attitude and enlarge your vision.

Good thoughts process can be added in daily life by reading good books, scriptures, attending Satsang (religious discourses), reciting holy mantras, observing rituals, recollecting good experiences and thinking positive in all situations.

So let me share a quick small recipe for happiness with you. If you add this in your life this might add spark to your life.

Recipe for Happiness:

Ingredients:

2 heaped cup of patience

1 heart full of love

2 hands full of generosity

1 hand full of understanding

Method:

Mix all the ingredients, sprinkle generosity and kindness

Add faith and mix well.

Add a dash of laughter. Spread over a period of time

Serve smilingly to everyone you meet to spread happiness.

Have a healthy, Happy life ahead!