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May 23, 2017 By Azra Faizan 22 Comments

Why you need to strengthen your core?

‘You need to work on strengthening the core’

‘Why not start with some core strengthening exercises’

How often have you heard this line from a fitness trainer/doctor/health coach??

Now, how many of you know exactly what the core is?? My guess would be ‘we have a general idea, though not sure’

So let me try and explain first, what ‘the core’ is…

I do not want to bore you with the scientific names of the muscles consisting of the core, which I’m sure nobody would understand and everybody would just scroll over.

So to make it simple, the core of the body is broadly considered to be the torso.

It is a complex series of muscles, extending far beyond your abs, including everything besides your arms and legs. The major muscles of the core reside in the area of the belly and the mid and lower back, and peripherally include the hips, the shoulders and the neck.

It is incorporated in almost every movement of the human body. Functional movements are highly dependent on this part of the body, and lack of core muscular development can result in a predisposition to injury.

The core forms a sturdy central link between your upper and lower body. Much like the trunk of a tree, core muscles need to be strong yet flexible. A weak or inflexible core drains power from many movements and can make it downright difficult to do some.

Functions:

Contains and protects the internal organs –You will notice that this part of your body (core) doesn’t have many bones, except for the spine and some floating ribs, yet it contains many important internal organs that need to be kept safe and sound. Without the bony structure to rely on, the entire area needs to be wrapped up tightly to maintain the integrity of its contents. So I like to think of our core musculature as a tightly wrapped package protecting the internal organs.

Ensures greater mobility of the spine and trunk –Because of the way our core musculature is organized, it allows a great range of movement in the trunk. It allows us to bend forward, backwards, sideways, twist and do combinations of those.

Stabilizes the top part of the body over the bottom part- the core determines to a large part a person’s posture. In all, the human anatomy is built to take force upon the bones and direct autonomic force, through various joints, in the desired direction. The core muscles align the spine, ribs, and pelvis of a person to resist a specific force, whether static or dynamic.

Controls the pelvic-lumbar relationship – The core is used to stabilize the thorax and the pelvis during dynamic movement and it also provides internal pressure to expel substances such as urine (continence),feces, air, vomit and also for labor and childbirth in women,

Core Stability:

In essence, core stability means ‘stability of the spine’, ‘core strength’ is the ability to support your spine and keep your body stable and balanced. It is the strength that allows you to perform manual tasks safely and effectively in everyday life.

There are “five different components of core stability: strength, endurance, flexibility, motor control, and function”. Without motor control and function, the other three components are useless, like a fish flopping out of water no matter how strong you are or how much endurance you have.

I like to believe that core strength is as vital as most of the major organs in the body, let me tell you why –

Muscular tone helps blood circulate more effectively once it’s pumped from your heart. Core muscles are no exception, and when your core is strong you can notice an improvement in blood circulation.
Core stability promotes healthierdigestion. The digestive system contains a lot of blood vessels and when the core area is stagnant, the whole digestive system may feel more sluggish too. You may see increased bloating, discomfort, and indigestion associated with meals. The digestive system also contains a large and essential part of the immune system. Core strength can help support your body’s immunity too as it rounds out healthy digestion and circulation.

Because the diaphragm is located near the core, core strength promotes deeper and higher quality breathing.
Because the pelvis is located near the core, women may find relief from cramps and PMS around the menstrual cycle after strengthening core muscles. Women use their core muscles during labor and delivery too, and having a strong core, help in an easier labor.
Finally, the physical balance that comes from supporting your core can extend to yourmental-emotional health as well. Physical balance promotes a sense of calm, steadiness, and support.

How to Measure your core strength –

Let’s end with a fun activity!!

Let’s all of us measure our core strength, this way even people with regular exercise (including me) will know where we stand and how much further we need to work for a strong core..

Core Muscle Strength & Stability Test was designed by Brian Mackenzie, a senior athletics coach with UK Athletics, the United Kingdom’s National Governing body for Track and Field Athletics.

Preferably use a mat for performing this test, to get accurate results.

Position a stop watch where you can easily see it
Start in the Plank Exercise Position (elbows on the ground)
Hold for 60 seconds
Lift your right arm off the ground, Hold for 15 seconds
Return your right arm to the ground and lift the left arm off the ground, Hold for 15 seconds
Return your left arm to the ground and lift the right leg off the ground, Hold for 15 seconds
Return your right leg to the ground and lift the left leg off the ground, Hold for 15 seconds
Lift your left leg and right arm off the ground. Hold for 15 seconds
Return you left leg and right arm to the ground
Lift your right leg and left arm off the ground, Hold for 15 seconds
Return to the Plank Exercise Position (elbows on the ground), Hold this position for 30 seconds

Results

Good Core Strength
If you can complete the test fully, you have good core strength.

Poor Core Strength
if you cannot complete the test fully, your core strength needs improvement.
Poor core strength results in unnecessary torso movement and swaying during all other athletic movements. People with poor core strength are more likely to suffer from back injuries, and the likelihood of other peripheral injuries also increases in those with a weak core

This results in wasted energy and poor biomechanics.

If you are unable to complete the test practice the routine three or four times each week until you improve.

By comparing your results over time, you will note improvements or declines in core strength.

April 17, 2017 By GOQii Editor Leave a Comment

GOQii Sanjeevani : Our Village Experience

It was a big day for all of us at GOQii as the company was kick-starting its new project GOQiiSanjeevani in the village of Waghadi in Palghar district on April 7^th-World Health day. 10 of us expert coaches along with our two in-house doctors and 5 tech team personnel and other senior members from GOQii including our CEO Vishal Gondal travelled on the morning of April 7^th to Waghadi for the launch. We were going there with a purpose to consult the villagers and guide and educate them on their health issues.

For the last 3 years that most of us have been here at GOQii, we have been dealing with urbanites who have a hectic, stressful and majorly sedentary lifestyle. GOQiiSanjeevani gave us a fresh new opportunity to Coach the villagers who have totally different concerns when it comes to health.

50 villagers with smartphones were shortlisted. They were given the band and also asked to install the app in their phones. Once that was done they were sent to the expert coaches for an interaction. Initially, the villagers were a little apprehensive to share information but when we explained to them how the band, the app along with the coaching is going to help and prevent them from falling ill they got interested.

We found that the villagers are active in their own ways as they walk quite a distance due to lack of frequent public transportation.Women here take care of farming while men are involved in different occupations like teaching, driving etc. However, on talking to them we realized that they do not have major health issues as of now but are almost on the brink of developing disorders like diabetes, thyroid, acidity, UTI due to poor diet habits and hygiene etc. It was hard to believe that many are indulging in regularly eating processed food and junk foods like Chinese, VadaPav (Indianised burger), Samosa etc.

Issues Seen in them:

Acidity due to skipping Breakfast and large meal gaps through the day
Lack of Fibre in terms of Veggies & Fruits in regular daily diet
Joint Pain and Anemia in Women
Sleep Issues

As for now, GOQii Expert Coaches have majorly started working on

Regular meals
Inclusion of fruits and vegetables in their daily food
Have Breakfast
Add Iron & Calcium food sources for women

Once we finished interacting with the 50 villagers there was a bit of an apprehension from our side. Most of us were not sure if the villagers would keep in touch and interact with us

But, we are pleasantly surprised with theresponse we are getting from the villagers. On a dailybasis, they are informing us how much they are eating and what they are eating, if they’re sleeping well etc.They are following our instructions and that is overwhelming for us.

Our overall experience was enriching. It was a new learning on how to communicate with the villagers.

January 23, 2017 By Farida Gohil Leave a Comment

Late Lunching can slow Weight Loss…

A new study suggests if you are trying to lose weight, then you should not just keep an eye on the calories you consume, but also when you consume them. If lunch is your big meal of the day and if you have a tendency to eat it later means you will lose weight more slowly and lose less of it.

In other words, the later you eat your main meal of the day, the harder it is to lose weight, say researchers from Brigham and Women’s hospital (BWH) and Tufts University in Boston in the US, and the University of Murcia in Spain, who write about their findings in the 29 January online issue of the International Journal of Obesity.

Senior author Frank Scheer, director of the medical Chronobiology Program and associate neuroscientist at BWH, says in a statement: “This is the first large-scale prospective study to demonstrate that the timing of meals predicts weight-loss effectiveness.”

“Our results indicate that late eaters displayed a slower weight-loss rate and lost significantly less weight than early eaters , suggesting that the timing of large meals could be an important factor in a weight loss program,” adds Scheer, who is also assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

The Researchers were interested in doing the study because while there is lots of evidence from animal research of a link between timing of food intake and weight regulation, there is scarcely any to show whether this is true of humans.

For their investigation, Scheer and colleagues looked at the data on 420 overweight people who took part in a 20-week weight loss program in Murcia, Spain, where the main meal of the day in this Mediterranean region is lunch. For this population, lunch also accounts for about 40% of daily calorie intake.

About half the participants were female, their average age was 42, and around half ate lunch early (up to 3 pm) and half ate it late (after 3 pm).

The researchers found those who ate lunch early lost significantly more weight than those who ate it late. The late-eaters also showed a much slower rate of weight loss, and a lower estimated rate of insulin sensitivity, which is known risk factor for DIABETES.

The study also looked at other factors that can influence weight loss, for example total calories consumed, energy burnt , levels of appetite hormones(leptin and ghrelin), amount of sleep, and presence of clock gene(which has been linked to difficulty in losing weight).

The researchers found no significant differences between the two groups when they look these factors into account.

The timing of other meals, which were much smaller than lunch, also made little difference to the rate and quantity of weight loss, but the researchers noted that: “Nevertheless, late eaters were more evening types, had less energetic breakfasts and skipped breakfast more frequently that early eaters,”according to the Medical News Today 29 Jan 2013.

Lead author Marta Garaulet, professor of physiology at the University of Murcia, says their findings show that timing of food intake may play a significant role in humans, and weight loss programs should therefore take into account not only “the calorie intake and macronutrient distribution, as it is classically done, but also the timing of food”.

It is not clear, however, from these study results, how applicable the findings would be to populations where a significant proportion of calories is consumed outside mealtimes. For instance, in the US, snacking accounts for 25% of calorie intake.

May 4, 2016 By Anusha Subramanian 1 Comment

“Little changes in lifestyle will help you live smart “

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.