GOQii

Blog

Search Results for: fitness

By 1 Comment

“The idea of having a fitness tracker with a personalized coach appealed to me”

700

He needed a little push and motivation to shape up. He lost weight in just about six months, overcoming a variety of obstacles along the way. All he did was exercise, ate right, and built right muscles within few months— after not having touched weights in nearly a year. He made time in his busy life, and committed to getting fit once and for all. Bottom line: If he can do it, so can you. Let us find out what finally caused Aditya Vikram to say goodbye to his extra kilos for good — and what actually worked for him in his own words.

I work as a manager in an IT firm in Hyderabad. Prior to moving to Hyderabad, India, I was in the US for 6 years from 2007-2013. I had a very active lifestyle in the US and had a regular exercise regime. I used to also play tennis. But, things were not the same when I returned back to India.My health and fitness took a toll due to my long working hours.

I hardly did any physical activity due to lack of time and gained a lot of weight and my lifestyle just changed in one year of coming back to India. Also, I didn’t want to take any regular gym membership or get a personal trainer because once you stop you tend to go back from where you began.

I was looking for a sustainable goal and plan that would help me stay myself and yet get healthy and fit. My work also includes lot of travelling. I started researching on wearablesand that is when I came across Jawbone but it wasn’t of much help because that wouldn’t keep me motivated. Then I came across GOQii on Amazon. The idea of having a personalized coach who would follow up with you and also that you would be answerable to someone will make you more conscious about yourself appealed to me.

I came on board GOQii in March 2015 and my coach is Pawan Sharma. I was then 89 kilos so my health goal was clear. Firstly, I wanted to reduce weight and secondly, I wanted to run a marathon

I started slow. I started with clocking 5k steps. Then we began gym training and added Yoga as well. My meals were altered. Where I used to have large meals, I started having small and frequent meals and that made a difference.

After a year with GOQii it’s been wonderful actually. I mean the amount I paid for it is pretty good. I wish the band had more features and it was more functional and most of all I think it’s a decent band and the best part undoubtedly is the coach. I had issues with the app where I couldn’t have monthly calls with the coach for almost three months. It’s not as good as you expect the first month is usually like that, you start off with full stream also you have your regular challenges etc. it’s like you can’t do it as expected etc. but because of the live feedback, you start the day thinking I am going to have so much protein, I am going to have a team outing and sometimes I miss lunch so the coach tells me that this is what you can do for dinner so that was really helpful.

I stopped eating sweets. Previously, I would manifest my time in a lot of binge eating which stopped with small frequent meals and that was a new learning for me. The result of all this was that I lost 10 kilos within 6 months and also became very active.

Gradually my coach increased by activity. From 5K steps I started doing a daily step count of 13k steps. In terms of physical activity, I got a very good advice from Pawan that not to keep any favourite exercises. It was mandatory for me to clock 10000 steps every day. I do not mange that on weekends so no matter where I am and what schedule I am on weekdays, I make sure I do a mandatory 10000 steps.

But, just as everything was going smoothly, a point came when in January 2016, I was posted in London for 3 months. Here I was going to have no access to gym. So my coach suggested I do walks and continue my Yoga on a daily basis and that helped me. He told me once you are back we can resume our training back.

But, in 6 months of getting on GOQii, I had managed to shed 10 kilos. I was at 79 kilos. I had lost weight in a healthy manner. However, while in London, I was not able to keep in touch with my coach. I was also not cooking and calling for food from out. So ended up eating high fat foods and put on weight again. I tried to keep myself active in London. I used to walk a lot. I walked from office to home and did Yoga at home.

I am back and continuing with my workout. Though, I don’t have a scheduled workout. I drink more water and I walk more at work, so I am integrating some form of physical activity in daily routine and apart from that I make sure I walk and also I do strengthening and now that it is summer I am also going swimming.

GOQii has been a fantastic motivator for me. One of the things that also attracted me towards GOQii was the price tag. Prior to GOQii I did take a look at other wearables like Fitbitt, Jawbone etc. which are water proof and all that but they rely on the fact that you will find out the motivation to work out and decipher the data on your own. People are seldom open to doing that. And for me being in the IT industry there is no time, something or the keeps coming up. With GOQii, there is someone whom you can chat with, someone who keeps a track of all your activities.

You are not necessarily being answerable but, being able to share what you want to do, have done and can do is the USP of GOQii which has been the most beneficial for me.I haverenewed my membership and now training for the marathon. 

What does Coach Pawan Sharma have to say about player Aditya Vikram? 

Aditya was in great physical shape a few years ago but after moving to India he couldn’t adjust his lifestyle. Thus, he ended up gaining a lot of weight, so our goal was to get him back in shape by losing those extra kilos and get him healthy and fit.

One of his main goals is to run a 10k but, we had limitations to work around due to his epileptic condition. We began with monitoring his meals getting his sleep back on track, controlling stress levels and resuming his yoga. Once we started with these, we then gradually moved on to gym training, treadmill running and intense weekend workouts.
We moved on from daily step target of 5k to a recent 13k a day.

On the nutrition and meal front, we cut out the processed and junk foods and divided his meals into smaller portions more frequently through the day. Our biggest challenge was when he moved to UK for 3 months where he had no access to gym workouts. So, we kept his yoga and walks going and kept a check on that and resumed the intense routine on his return. He has been a pleasure to work with as he is extremely proactive on chat and calls and is regular with his meal logs and daily step targets.

‘Want to get featured here? Click Here to tell us your story.’

By Leave a Comment

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

2

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.

‘Want to get featured here? Click Here to tell us your story.’

By Leave a Comment

“I have been able to improve my half marathon timing by improving my overall fitness”

Last year Thane Half Marathon clocked a timing of 2:43:45

Last year Thane Half Marathon clocked a timing of 2:43:45

For individuals working in corporate, the story is pretty much the same and the reasons for a sedentary lifestyle is also no different. Aasish Kumar’s story hence was no different. On and off he would try his hand at a physical activity like playing a sport, go for a jog but it was not consistent and there was no discipline maintained. But, one fine day he realized let’s try and make a change. Since that day and today, life has a come a full circle for Aasish. He has lost about 9 kgs from 83+kgs to about 75Kgs in just about 6 months and is much fitter and agile. Aasish’s story in his own words….

I work for a corporate and my job is a desk job. It does not require me to move too much. In other words, it’s predominantly sedentary work as far as my job is concerned. Given that work was stationary, my lifestyle was also inactive with no physical activity whatsoever. I tried playing a sport, go for a jog sometimes, and went to a gym but only for few days. Secondly, my food habits were also erratic. I never monitored or bothered much about what I ate. I was not consistent and disciplined in anything I was doing. And all of this was eventually affecting my health. I was aware of my problem but, did not know where to start and how to rectify the problem.

Sometime last year during the first half of the year, I attended a conference organized by my organization. At the conference, as a part of promoting healthy lifestyle we all were given a GOQii band. I did not use the band for quite some time. Then one day, I decided to pick the box and read about GOQii and its offerings. I decided to give it a try. I registered on the app and I got Amee Chandarana as my coach.

I started with setting 2-3 health goals to achieve. One of the most important health goals was to reduce my weight but the same time I wanted to do it in a healthy way. I wanted to improve my eating habits and get more disciplined. I was looking for professional guidance with respect to how to integrate various aspects of lifestyle i.e. food, water, exercise, various forms of physical activity that you can take on and start off gradually your path to health and fitness.

Starting month was difficult for me to suddenly make changes to my lifestyle and adjust to all the exercising etc. But, once I got used to it, I got hooked on to GOQii. I got into a rhythm of using the device and the coach. I wanted to ensure that I stick to my plans and bring about a positive change in me that will in return make a real difference to my lifestyle. Today, I have a regular workout regime wherein I train in the gym with my personal trainer with one day of rest. I supplement the gym training with the information that I get from my GOQii coach.

GOQii has helped me both on the app front as well as on the coaching front. On the app front, I am able to track my fitness, food, water, sleep progress on a daily basis. This is helping me to self-regulate myself and have a disciplined life. I started my coaching some 3 weeks after I started using the app.

With regard to coaching 2-3 things come to my mind. Firstly, there is someone who is keeping a track of what you are doing and equally interested in what you want to achieve as an individual with respect to lifestyle.

Secondly, you are getting important tips from your coach on how you can change your diet by reducing sugar, increasing the water intake, a mix of food that you can have and lastly, your coach also motivates you to clock your 10,000 steps daily. After being able to clock 10,000 steps easily on a daily basis you are motivated to go to the next level. For instance, I started with 10,000 steps initially today, I am easily able to clock 12,000 to 15,000 steps daily.

The coaching does not end with just this, you also get tips on various forms of exercises, yoga, food, etc. It’s a holistic approach with respect to all aspects of lifestyle. It focuses a lot on your health goals and how to achieve this is in a said period of time that you have set for yourself. Thanks to the coaching I have been able to shed about 9 kgs in the last 6 months. I was at 83+ kgs when I came on board the GOQii platform and now my weight is around 75 kgs. My target is to reach 70kgs and I am moving towards this target.

People around me have also seen the change in me. They find me energetic and positive now and are surprised with my change. They are surprised about the disciplined lifestyle that I follow. The time I got the GOQii band, a lot of my colleagues also got but nobody was using it the way I am and now they are surprised at the outcome.

The best part of the GOQii training is that I have been able to run half marathons without putting in any extra efforts to train. I have been able to do it with my regular workout regime. My overall fitness has improved drastically and that has helped me improve my half marathon time. I have cut down my time by half hour. I finished the half marathon in February in 2:12:50 seconds. That according to me is a super cool improvement.

This year's Thane Half Marathon improved timing of 2:12:50

This year Aasish completes half Marathon with an improved timing of 2:12:50

What does Coach Amee Chandrana have to say about

The journey from the start has been remarkable. With small healthy changes like improving water intake to eating in intervals have been finely adapted by Aasish. He is very enthusiastic and determined towards his goals. We also together worked towards running the half-marathon and he successfully completed in 2:12:50 as against his last year’s timing of 2:43:45. The next 10 km run for a cause he targeted to finish in1:10 but nailed it in 1:4 without any injuries. Overall, Aasish makes sure he follows the healthy routine to keep him fit and going.

‘Want to get featured here? Click Here to tell us your story.’

By Leave a Comment

“GOQii’s approach to fitness is very motivating,workable and enriching that I easily managed to trek to Everest Base Camp

Enroute to EBC_ Walking the long bridges

Enroute to EBC_ Walking the long bridges. Photo Courtesy – Roland Amon

He is a filmmaker and started his own production house. Since then Life has been hectic for this young lad. He does indulge in travelling and exploring. He realized that as he was not going to stay young, which needed him to be fitter both mentally and physically…..so here is what Ridhesh Sejpal did…… his story in his own words.

I am a filmmaker and the Co-founder of Wise Guy Ent, which is where I started my entrepreneurial journey. Having my own production company makes my schedules generally hectic. To add to that I also travel for work and otherwise. These aspects give me limited time to do any kind of workout.  Although, I would make it a point to wake up early and hit the gym as often as I can.

But, at times when I am shooting or travelling, I would miss out on my gym training. During work / shoots, my sleep pattern would go haywire. On the nutrition front, I had the My fitness pal app and I followed it religiously for 3 months and also lost about 9-10 kgs, but after that, I was just aware.

I realized that I am not going to stay younger and it was all the more important for me to get fitter both mentally and physically. I wanted to be active on a daily basis and hence started looking out for a fitness tracker that could track my fitness progress. I came across “GOQii”. I researched to find out it was an Indian brand. I liked the idea of a personalized coach, who would keep track of your fitness, nutrition and overall health. I decided to go for it and got my GOQii band in August 2015. My health goal when I got the GOQii band was fitness for Everest Base Camp (EBC). I wanted to be extremely fit for the EBC trek that I was doing in November 2015.

Ruksar, being my coach did not give me goals but habits to follow. Since I am a vegetarian, she gave me tips on how to increase my protein intake in my regular diet. Her suggestions were also all practically doable. Nothing was impossible.

I had never trekked earlier in my life, therefore, I did some research and there were 3 things I wanted to concentrate on – to increase lung capacity, concentrate on strengthening my leg muscles and build stamina. I also joined a Les Mills & Cross Fit training classes for 3 months and made it a point to go religiously. My trek to EBC was challenging, terrific and breathtaking all at the same time! No words or pictures can elucidate to what I saw, felt and experienced up there in the Khumbu valley in Nepal!

Mission Accompalished-Ridesh standing 2nd from right with his friends at EBC summit

Mission Accompalished – Ridesh standing 2nd from right with his friends at EBC summit. Photo Courtesy – Roland Amon

I want to sincerely thank my coach Ruksar with all one’s heart for being a superb coach throughout. Pushing me daily and sticking to the basics. She helped me complete the trek successfully. Thanks to her coaching and my efforts, my lungs could endure the lack of oxygen and my muscles could survive the physical torture pretty well.  We did it!

During the trek, I also kept her diet sheet in my mind. My Coach’s “GPRS” (G Stands for Grilled, P stands for Poached, R stands for Roasted and S stands for Steam) rule, stuck with me and. I consciously followed it while I ate and I still do.

My takeaway from this experience was the solutions and advice my coach gave me. They were all practical and something which I can follow routinely all throughout my life. I feel GOQii’s approach to fitness is very motivating and workable / enriching. I have been able to inspire my family and friends, to the extent that a few family members and friends have now got the band already. My next big goal for 2016 is to run the Marathon.

What does Coach Ruksar Nathani have to say about Ridesh?

His primary goal was to loose belly fat, be fit and stay healthy apart from fitness for EBC trek. He was doing well with his activities so we started working on his food habits, introduced mid-meals, warm lemon water and salads and also worked on stress by setting a goal for breathing exercise. Ridesh religiously followed all the short term goals and as a result, there was inch loss at belly and was happy about eating well and was fitter and healthier than before.

I was informed 15 days before his EBC so I did a little research and summarized everything for him which included:
1. Obstacles that he will be facing
2. Ways to tackle those
3. Daily food options to be eaten before the trek for proper nutrition as there was intense exercise going on for building stamina and strengthening.
4. Food sources high in chlorophyll and food to be avoided that will deplete oxygen.
5. Food to be carried during the trek.
6. Food options when and where to eat while on a trek.

‘Want to get featured here? Click Here to tell us your 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 […]