GOQii

Blog

  • HOME
  • HEALTHY LIVING
  • FITNESS
  • HEALTHY RECIPES
  • USER STORIES
  • KARMA
  • BUY GOQii

Search Results for: breathing

February 8, 2016 By Gaurav Shangari Leave a Comment

“I stopped making excuses and took efforts to change my lifestyle… you can do it too” Says Gaurav Shangari

Gaurav working out in the Gym - Copy

I am a 31-year-old  self- employed individual based in New Delhi. I was never very active throughout my life. I largely led a sedentary lifestyle and was not involved in any kind of physical activity. I would drive to work, would keep sitting in the office, and did not follow a proper diet although I was aware that I was not eating right and the importance of good nutrition in staying healthy.

About the time I turned 18, I started eating a lot of junk food. Outings with friends would always mean consuming junk food and sweetened beverages. It was excessive now that I look back and that led to tremendous weight gain even though I had been naturally skinny all my life.

Over the next 12 years of living, such a lifestyle meant that I was heavier by 30 kgs and this excess weight came with other issues such as high cholesterol, breathing difficulties and reduced mobility of the joints.

It had got to a point where I was fed up of seeing doctors and swallowing pills day in day out which provided only temporary relief from the effects of a self-destructive lifestyle. It’s then that I decided to put my foot down and take back control of my health.

In March 2015, on the strong insistence of my wife and my mother’s support, I went to a nutritionist to try and figure what to do. I was on the path to recovery but a major turning point came in May 2015 when I got introduced to GOQii. One of my friends had already tried GOQii and she strongly recommended it to me. So I decided to give it a shot as well and ordered the GOQii band. And I can say with confidence that I’m glad I made that decision.

I strapped the GOQii band to my wrist, got a personal coach in Anushree Ashtekar, and started on my journey to make a permanent shift to a healthier lifestyle. With the guidance of my coach, I started becoming physically more active. Initially, things were tough but my coach helped me in making gradual changes and today I am at the point that I work out at least 4-5 times a week.

My body composition has changed drastically and so many other annoying issues have completely disappeared. It’s been close to 10 months now and I have lost 20 kgs – going down from an unhealthy 90.5 kgs to the current 70 kg which led to my cholesterol levels also reducing significantly. It’s all about making a commitment to yourself.

My goal was to increase my activity levels and improve fitness, and the weight loss came naturally.

GOQii has done a lot of good to me. Personal coaching has been the key factor in my journey. The coach is a great motivator who helps you to make gradual changes for the better with each passing day.

My coach, Anushree, gives me practical advice and answers all the queries promptly, which is critical in being able to make immediate decisions towards better health as you go about your daily life.

Thanks to Anushree my eating habits have improved. It’s no more junk food for me but a diet full of nutritious food. Fruits and salads have become a part of my lifestyle these were missing earlier. I have gotten rid of my long standing issue of frequent muscle soreness. Digestive issues too are no longer a concern and the bottom line is that my energy levels have gone up considerably.

Currently, I am well on my way to becoming a physically active person. What I love most about GOQii is that it holds me accountable on a daily basis and my coach keeps me on my toes. When I glance at it and see that I’m short on steps today, for example, I know I have to take a few extra flights of stairs or go for a jog or a walk before the day is over. The last thing I want to do is go to bed without having reached my daily targets.

What does Anushree Ashtekar have to say about her Player?

Before coming on the GOQii program, Gaurav had quite a history of health issues. Sedentary lifestyle, high cholesterol, vitamin B12 and vitamin D3 deficiencies, fatty liver etc.. His wife forced him towards Naturopathy and that was a turning point in his life. He got many of his health issues in control and then wished to try out the GOQii coaching program for further guidance from a personal coach. We clicked instantly, as a coach, I understood his needs and started working towards them. We started working on reducing his muscle soreness, building a healthy physique and immunity and bought many of these issues in control.Today, I can say, he has come a very long way. The health issues that he had to suffer have made him very self-driven now regarding his health. And what made our association successful on the GOQii program was his own dedication, determination, open-mindedness and trust in me as his coach.

He has changed for good and he will be getting only better!

October 8, 2015 By Rimjhim Chaturvedi 13 Comments

Yoga to reduce Uric acid levels and manage Gout

yogaa

Uric Acid is a chemical (waste product) produced by final oxidation (breakdown) of purines in the body, carried in the blood and excreted by the kidneys through urine. Formation of uric acid in the body is quite normal as it is a necessary substance in food metabolism. Uric acid is known to acts as an anti-oxidant and helps prevent damage to our blood vessels lining. But, higher levels of uric acid in the blood are harmful.

The level of uric acid in the blood rises mainly because either the kidneys are not working efficiently to excrete the excessive uric acid from the body or the uric acid level is too high for the normal kidneys to excrete the excess or due to both the conditions. Whatever the condition, the result is high level of uric acid in the blood.

High uric acid level may result in attacks of gout but it’s important to note that not everyone who has high uric acid gets gout and not everyone with gout has high uric acid. Uric acid levels can be reduced with the help of correct diet and exercise like walking, swimming and yoga.

Yoga can help in reducing uric acid levels in three ways:

  1. Helps in managing weight – Extra pounds add to the joint pain and you might suffer from a flare-up. Gradual weight loss is recommended because if you drop weight too quickly, purines can attack your joints. Yoga aids gradual weight loss. It also helps to maintain weight and prevent weight gain in people who are at their ideal weight.
  1. Yoga movements are gentle- on the joints, improves flexibility and circulation thus preventing uric acid crystals from depositing in the joints, removing crystals that are already deposited in the joints by mobilising and excreting them.
  1. Making you more aware of your body – This awareness can help you follow the recommended diet to prevent another painful attack.

There are quite a few Yoga Asanas which when practiced regularly can not only help in reducing uric acid but prevent uric acid crystals from depositing in the joints, removing it and help prevent a flare up. These asanas are:

  • Ardha Matsyendrasana (The Spinal Twist Pose)
  • Bhujangasana (The Cobra Pose)
  • Dhanurasana (The Bow Pose)
  • Halasana (The Plow Pose)
  • Hastashirasana (The Hand to Head Pose)
  • Januhastasana (The Hand to Knee Pose)
  • Makarasana (The Crocodile Pose)
  • Pavan mukhtasana (The Wind Relieving Pose)
  • Pranayama (Breathing technique)
  • Tadasana (The Mountain Pose)
  • Trikonasana (The Triangle Pose)
  • Uttana Padasana (The Extended leg Pose)
  • Veerasana (The Hero Pose)
  • Vriskshasana (The Tree Pose)

So, awaken the yogi in you and practice these asanas everyday and lead a pain free life by keeping your uric acid levels well within the normal range. Normal range varies from lab to lab based on the testing method used. Usually, the normal range is 3.5-7.2 mg% but some labs have up to 5.7 mg% as the upper limit.

 

 

September 3, 2015 By Mohammed Tufail Qureshi Leave a Comment

Deadlift and its benefits

deadlifting-form

If you go to the gym and are a regular workout person you would not be new to the term dead lift. Dead lift is a compound movement which recruits and involves multiple joints and muscles to perform them. It is also known as King of Exercise.

Deadlift can be done with your back workout or functional workout. Dead lift can be done with Kettle bels, dumbels and barbels. But, most people prefer to perform this exercise with barbels because it gives them better balance and is much heavier than dumbels.

How to perform Dead lift?

Take a shoulder width stance (have distance between your legs). Grip the bar with an overhand or an under/overhand (one hand over, one hand under) and fix spine in a neutral position. Keep your back arch and it should not be rounded. Shoulders should be held back, squeezed tightly, and positioned over the bar. The legs must power the weight up. Towards the top of the movement employ more upper body strength until the weight is at the midway position of the upper thigh. Lower the weight slowly until the bar touches the floor, knees should bend while lowering the weight down, pause and repeat until completion of a set.

Breathing is important when dead lifting. Before you start the movements take a long deep breath. Exhale when lifting the weight up.

Benefits of dead lift

  • Being a power/compound movement that involves multiple muscles it burns more fats.
  • More muscles are worked in a single exercise.
  • Improves posture
  • Improves core strength
  • Improves grip strength
  • Increases muscle mass

July 27, 2015 By ASHWINI PRAKASH CHAUDHARI 5 Comments

5 Easy Ways to Cut Down on the Fat

fat burning foods

During my college days, I was on the healthier side as compared to all my friends. And, I always felt I had to lose weight just to be like them. The first thing that crossed my mind was I should be skipping my meals. I did precisely that, started to skip my meals and lost weight. But, when is started back on my normal meals I realized I used to gain back the weight. After losing the weight, I also started feeling weak. Since I was into sports I needed to be fit too. I wondered why I am feeling weak. I have lost the extra weight but, yet not feeling energetic?

Slowly and gradually as time passed on, I started my dietetics studies and that’s when I realized the actual meaning of what is weight loss.

When we talk about losing weight, what does it actually mean? Does it mean losing weight or losing muscle weight??

I realized that, there is no shortcut or a magical pill for fat loss. There are several reasons and factors that are responsible for it. When I first lost weight, I started feeling weak because I lost muscle weight and not fat weight.

The key to real fat loss is combining the right foods together and eating right. When the right foods are combined there is a synergy affect resulting in double fat loss in almost half the time.

The way to successfully losing the fat weight is long-term healthy lifestyle change. I think this is a very clever way of informing people to stop trying to find a quick and easy way to lose fat. It just reaffirms that we need to mould ourselves in self created healthy environment and become a healthier individual naturally. Here, are some easy ways to cut down the fat weight rather than of yourself! So lets get started..

1)Healthy Eating Habits- When we talk about healthy eating habits what are the things that come to your mind?

Your major meals of the day which are breakfast, lunch and dinner. These meals are very important and we should not skip these meals. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Your body needs to know that it can start burning calories and breakfast is exactly that flag. One should have a king size breakfast. If you do not then you will end up eating unhealthy stuff. Lunch should be lighter than breakfast and well balanced with carbs and proteins. Same with dinner, it should be the lightest of the all meals, with more proteins and less carbohydrates.

Our meals should be load up on protein and fiber. To get rid of that stubborn fat, we need proteins. As proteins helps to repair and build muscles, intake should be up to the requirement. At the same time we should not forget fiber. Fiber helps to digest and lose weight by helping you feel full. So add beans, whole grains, brown rice, nuts, and berries on to the list which are awesome foods to get going.

Not only proteins and fibers but, also the fats are important to include in the daily diet. Not any sort of a no-fat or low-fat diet. Well, a low-fat diet is good but, only if you do it right. You need to stick to the good fats. The good kind (unsaturated; your omega-3s and 6s) can actually lead to fat burn, rising your metabolism.

To reduce calories, to get rid of body fat, you need not to cut out healthy fats completely.  Include avocados, fatty fish, olives, nuts and seeds, and oils such as olive, flaxseed and canola in your diet.

2) Eat often- Getting rid of body fat is all about the metabolism, and to keep up the metabolism, you got to be eating constantly.

As we are talking about the major meals same time small frequent meals are important too. When you eat small meals all the time, your metabolic rate increases and the increase in metabolism helps to lose fat. If you eat six meals a day versus just the three regular meals (breakfast , lunch , dinner) with the same total calories, you can lose more fat because more meals burn more calories by increasing thermogenesis, the production of heat, in the body.

Let’s not forget portion control, while going through proper meals you need to have look on portion control as well.

Try to take a less portion when you are serving your plate. Mindful eating works well such as chewing the food thoroughly, eating slowly. Eating slowly helps because it is known that once you cross 20 minutes of eating, the satiety center in the brain gets stimulated which sends you a signal that you are full and you stop eating. This is how portion control helps.

3) Water-The body fuel! Water is the medium in which most cellular activities take place, including the transport and burning of fat. In addition, drinking plenty of calorie-free water makes you feel full. Drink at least 3 litres of water a day. This is going to help you in washing away the toxins from your body and also to lessen the load of liver and thereby helping the liver to focus on metabolizing fat and the metabolizing rate related with fat loss.

Set yourself to accomplish this goal and you are on. Drink loads of water. It’s practically the easiest detoxifying tactic there in.

Two glasses of cold water can actually spike up your metabolism for about half an hour.

4) Exercise with proper breathing- To be on a healthy path you need a proper exercise along with the diet! Try to be more active, Daily 30-45 mins of Interval walking/ Running can be beneficial. Your main focus when you exercise should be losing body fat, and you can’t lose body fat just by burning calories. When we exercise, our bodies start burning calories, but the calories that are burned are the calories from carbohydrates in our system. In order to burn calories from your stored fat, your body requires the presence of oxygen. There is a certain amount of oxygen that your body needs in order to start burning fat and the only way for you to measure the amount needed for your own body is to keep up with your target heart rate during exercise.

Fat burns in the presence of oxygen. There’s a phrase which says (When you eat more, breathe more). It means oxygen burns the extra calories we eat, which is not required by the body and also reduces the overall fat percentage in the body. Oxygen thins the blood a little which helps lower your blood pressure and speed up the flow of blood. This increases your metabolism and burns more calories. The more oxygen you have in your blood the faster your metabolism will be. Cool air causes an additional increase in your metabolic rate because you need to expend more energy to keep the body at a comfortable temperature.

5 ) Rest– as focusing on all activities to stay healthy, along with all that your body needs a crucial ingredient-“rest”!

The culprits are leptin and ghrelin. Leptin tells your body it’s full and ghrelin stimulates appetite. When you don’t sleep, leptin levels decrease and ghrelin levels increases. The result? You eat more unconsciously which can lead to fat gain. To avoid this scenario, make sure you rest. Try to take proper 7-8 hours of sleep. Also your body requires it to reduce stress levels and rejuvenate once again with fresh energy for the next day. You are like a powerhouse that just can’t be stopped, but your body needs to rest. Especially if you’re lifting weights like it’s your job; your muscles need time to repair themselves. And the muscle repairs and recovery happens when your body is at rest. So, take a day to take it easy. You don’t have to sit on the couch all day, but do allow your body to heal itself.
These are some fat burning food- Berries, grape fruit, Green tea, Eggs, Olive oil, Enova oils (Soy or canola) Almonds and other nuts, chilli peppers, whey protein, peanut butter, oat meal, spinach and other green vegetables, whole grains, beans and legumes, lean meat, fatty fish (salmon, tuna, etc), dairy products (low or no fat) etc.

For fat burning exercise you can check the following blog links written by my co-colleagues

https://goqii.com/blog/interval-training-to-put-your-fat-on-flame/

https://goqii.com/blog/10-tips-for-fat-burn-exercise/

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • …
  • 51
  • 52
  • 53
  • 54
  • 55
  • …
  • 57
  • Next Page »

Search

Recent Posts

  • Why Good Nutrition Before Conception Is Crucial For Your Baby’s Health
  • 6 Tricks To Help You Make Exercise A Habit
  • World Parkinson’s Day 2026: Bridging the Care Gap & Supporting Caregivers
  • Inflammation: The Hidden Fire Behind Most Chronic Disease
  • The ROI of Preventive Health: A Guide for Modern Corporate Wellness

Stay Updated

Archives

  • April 2026 (10)
  • March 2026 (18)
  • February 2026 (14)
  • January 2026 (14)
  • December 2025 (19)
  • November 2025 (15)
  • October 2025 (20)
  • September 2025 (6)
  • August 2025 (6)
  • July 2025 (12)
  • June 2025 (18)
  • May 2025 (16)
  • April 2025 (22)
  • March 2025 (28)
  • February 2025 (22)
  • January 2025 (25)
  • December 2024 (22)
  • November 2024 (23)
  • October 2024 (21)
  • September 2024 (23)
  • August 2024 (30)
  • July 2024 (21)
  • June 2024 (25)
  • May 2024 (30)
  • April 2024 (27)
  • March 2024 (27)
  • February 2024 (24)
  • January 2024 (21)
  • December 2023 (14)
  • November 2023 (11)
  • October 2023 (19)
  • September 2023 (22)
  • August 2023 (18)
  • July 2023 (22)
  • June 2023 (23)
  • May 2023 (24)
  • April 2023 (22)
  • March 2023 (23)
  • February 2023 (19)
  • January 2023 (15)
  • December 2022 (11)
  • November 2022 (15)
  • October 2022 (15)
  • September 2022 (12)
  • August 2022 (10)
  • July 2022 (17)
  • June 2022 (11)
  • May 2022 (10)
  • April 2022 (6)
  • March 2022 (6)
  • February 2022 (13)
  • January 2022 (11)
  • December 2021 (7)
  • November 2021 (3)
  • October 2021 (6)
  • September 2021 (3)
  • August 2021 (8)
  • July 2021 (7)
  • June 2021 (15)
  • May 2021 (16)
  • April 2021 (10)
  • March 2021 (7)
  • February 2021 (4)
  • January 2021 (4)
  • December 2020 (3)
  • November 2020 (4)
  • October 2020 (10)
  • September 2020 (3)
  • August 2020 (3)
  • July 2020 (2)
  • June 2020 (4)
  • May 2020 (10)
  • April 2020 (12)
  • March 2020 (10)
  • February 2020 (4)
  • January 2020 (4)
  • December 2019 (3)
  • November 2019 (7)
  • October 2019 (5)
  • September 2019 (4)
  • August 2019 (9)
  • July 2019 (9)
  • June 2019 (11)
  • May 2019 (4)
  • April 2019 (8)
  • March 2019 (8)
  • February 2019 (9)
  • January 2019 (8)
  • December 2018 (9)
  • November 2018 (3)
  • October 2018 (3)
  • September 2018 (5)
  • August 2018 (10)
  • July 2018 (6)
  • June 2018 (13)
  • May 2018 (8)
  • April 2018 (18)
  • March 2018 (9)
  • February 2018 (8)
  • January 2018 (15)
  • December 2017 (12)
  • November 2017 (19)
  • October 2017 (13)
  • September 2017 (15)
  • August 2017 (4)
  • July 2017 (8)
  • June 2017 (7)
  • May 2017 (6)
  • April 2017 (8)
  • March 2017 (6)
  • February 2017 (7)
  • January 2017 (9)
  • December 2016 (10)
  • November 2016 (7)
  • October 2016 (7)
  • September 2016 (7)
  • August 2016 (11)
  • July 2016 (9)
  • June 2016 (9)
  • May 2016 (12)
  • April 2016 (17)
  • March 2016 (17)
  • February 2016 (8)
  • January 2016 (6)
  • December 2015 (2)
  • November 2015 (9)
  • October 2015 (7)
  • September 2015 (9)
  • August 2015 (11)
  • July 2015 (9)
  • June 2015 (11)
  • May 2015 (9)
  • April 2015 (13)
  • March 2015 (8)
  • February 2015 (5)
  • January 2015 (12)
  • December 2014 (14)
  • November 2014 (11)
  • October 2014 (6)
  • September 2014 (13)
  • August 2014 (12)
  • July 2014 (6)
  • June 2014 (2)
  • May 2014 (7)
  • April 2014 (4)

From “Laddu Nawin” to Fit and Fierce: How a 25-Year-Old Insurance Advisor Shed 20 Kilos and Gained His Life Back

When 25-year-old Nawin Yadav from Hyderabad walked into his office every morning, he carried more than just his files and policy papers. He had the weight of fatigue, sluggish energy, and an ever-growing belly that was becoming the butt of jokes. “People … [Read More...]

“I’ve Challenged Myself to Live 100 Years” – The Story of Chandubhai Savani’s Second Chance at Life

At 67, most people start slowing down. Not Chandubhai Savani. A resident of Surat, Chandubhai, thought life was on track. “My life was going well till I had my bypass surgery,” he says. That surgery, back in 2021, was a wake-up call.  Medication was routine, but exercise wasn’t. His diet? What he calls ‘normal.’ “I […]

From Shimla’s Slopes to Chandigarh’s Sidewalks: Surinder Kaur Bhalla’s Journey from Chaos to Control

Some journeys start with a plan. Others begin with a stumble literally. Surinder Bhalla, a government professional, born and raised in the scenic hill town of Shimla, had always lived a life of movement. “In Shimla, you walked everywhere,” she reflects. “Walking was never an exercise. It was just life.” But after shifting to Chandigarh, […]

Ananda Mukherjee Health Story

From Terminal Illness To Complete Wellness! Ananda Mukherjee Health Story

As we observe World Cancer Day under the powerful theme ‘United by Unique’ (2025-2027)**, we are reminded that every individual’s journey with cancer is distinct, yet united by shared resilience, hope, and the collective fight against this disease. This theme places people at the centre of care and their stories at the heart of the […]

  • HOME
  • HEALTHY LIVING
  • FITNESS
  • HEALTHY RECIPES
  • USER STORIES
  • KARMA
  • BUY GOQii

Copyright ©2016 GOQii