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Here’s Why You Should Eat Your Evening Snacks

Evening snacksWhile we are aware that breakfast, lunch and dinner are important meals, we overlook the fact that an evening snack is equally important. Why is that? You’ve probably heard the saying, “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper” – but how do you eat like a pauper if you’re feeling very hungry at dinner time? We should naturally feel less hungry at the dinner time and for that, we must have a small meal 2-4 hours before dinner. It is completely okay if you do not feel that hungry for dinner after having evening snacks. In fact, that is the main purpose of it – to cut down on the dinner portion size.

A common observation with our GOQii Players is that most have a long gap between lunch & dinner. It is as good as 7-8 hours. Having frequent meals is extremely crucial when it comes to maintaining weight. It has a series of health benefits. Yet, we somehow skip on evening snacks for some reason or another.

Reasons For Skipping Evening Snacks

  1. Lack of time
  2. Lack of Appetite
  3. Not habitual
  4. Unaware of its importance
  5. Running out of options

Out of these reasons, the 2nd point is the most valid. If you really do not feel hungry by evening time, you may skip it but if you don’t, then you must consider. It is better to keep a fixed time for it which can be 3-4 hours post lunch.

Why You Should Eat Evening Snacks 

  1. Lowers the gap between Lunch & Dinner
  2. Helps sustain energy and hunger levels till dinner time
  3. Controls acidity, bloating and other digestive problems
  4. Helps maintain blood sugar levels
  5. Helps control portion size for both lunch and dinner
  6. Keeps BMR high
  7. Helps you mentally relax at the end of your work day

Apart from the reasons above, if you exercise in the evening, having a snack is a must as it works as your pre-workout meal. Exercising on an empty stomach will not give you the desired results.

For an evening snack, you can choose options similar to your breakfast. It can consist of Poha, Upma,  Idli, Dosa, Uttapam, Vegetable or egg/ chicken sandwich, whole wheat roll, Sukha Bhel, or boiled sprouts, etc. If you aren’t that hungry, then try a mixture of fruits, dry fruits, nuts, roasted peanuts, corn cob, sprouts, or boiled eggs, etc.

If you aren’t consuming an evening snack, start now and let us know about the difference you feel in the comments below!

We hope this article helps you. For more articles like this, click here or speak to an expert by subscribing for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching.

#BeTheForce

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Triumphing Over My Mind, Body & Soul At The GOQii Trail Challenge | Kamal Chandran

GOQii Trail Challenge Kamal Chandran Imagine an event where each and every person has a unique tale to tell, despite having taken similar paths or adventures. Have you ever gone through it? We’re about to share the experience of Kamal Chandran, Group Head – HR at GOQii, who participated in the GOQii Trail Challenge, in her own words.  

Seeking A Challenge 

I recently took part in the GOQii Trail Challenge (GTC) Season 3 in December 2022. When I expressed my interest to participate in the trail challenge to my family,  their collective reaction was “Are you crazy to walk 50km in 18 hours?”

I was, however, excited to go for it. I was a new employee at GOQii and had heard so much about GTC that I wanted to experience it once. Restarted after a hiatus of two-years due to the pandemic, Season 3 of GTC attracted approx 200 participants. Everyone including the participants was excited. 

Since my husband Girish and I have been working very hard on our health objectives for the past two years and are constantly seeking new challenges, we decided to take part in the Trail, moreover, this was our first shot at a trekking challenge. 

The Challenge was to walk a distance of  50km within the 18 hour time limit. With absolutely no reference or clue of what was in store for me and how this would change my life, I went ahead with an open mind.

The Journey Begins 

The excitement started from the GOQii office on 9th December, a day prior to the challenge. A 6-hour fun bus ride got us talking with several other newbies and old-timers from whom we tried to gather courage and motivation. 

GOQii Trail Challenge Kamal 2On arrival at the basecamp (Blue Green Exotica) at Mandangad, the mood was festive and colourful. The atmosphere was chill with plenty of music & camaraderie accompanied by instructions, route maps, signs and the likes that spruced up my vibes to commit full-on. 

More often than not, our inhibitions come into play in such situations. It led me to think “I’ll be happy if I complete the 50K, but even if I don’t, I’ll still enjoy and cherish this unique experience”. After a good ‘Get to know the Trail’ instruction-led session, we retired early to bed only to wake up early and prepare to embark on our 50km trail challenge.

The following day, we started our trek 25 minutes late at 5.25 am as our preparations for the long day of walking had caught us unaware of the timings. This was despite us waking up as early as 3am. We had neatly taped our toes and heels to avoid any blisters, and applied all sorts of skin precautions as recommended by the GOQii team and co-walkers whom we met the previous eve. 

We also learnt a lot about the importance of hydration while walking for a long time. Our day packs were filled with all the necessary accompaniments like ORS ( Electrolytes) , dry fruits, various creams, band-aids etc.

GTC Kamal Chandran The entire route was meditative for me since I was fully present in my body, mind, and soul. We had forgotten to carry a stick that was advised to better navigate the terrain. However, on the way I picked up a suitable bamboo stick that came in handy. From one checkpoint to the next, we enjoyed the journey, terrain and the beautiful nature that surrounded us.  

We came across many pasture-like dry river beds, meadows, steep hillocks and scantily populated villages, all surrounded by the beautiful Sahyadri mountains that were visible at a distance, its ranges resembling concentric circles and reflecting the sunshine presenting the flora and fauna in vibrant colours.  

GOQii Trail Challenge KamalAfter encountering multiple challenges and enabling our various faculties and strategies to overcome them, we managed to cover a distance of 40km in 14 hours, quite slowly but successfully. 

Lessons Learned At the GOQii Trail Challenge 

We had to abandon the trek at Checkpoint 4 as the time required for the next steep climb was too much and the trail only seemed to incline further. 

Despite not having completed the trail, as I reflect back, I have the following thoughts which I would like to share with all of you. Here are my learnings from the GOQii Trail Challenge:   

  1. The entire walk was reflective and a repetition of life as an uphill and downhill path. Therefore, we need to be mindful and utilize every chance to enjoy it.
  2. Keep in mind that time is of the essence, enjoy the diversion but don’t get carried away or distracted
  3. Teamwork is crucial; we enjoyed supporting one another and getting to know new individuals. Savour the experience. Celebrate the collaborations.
  4. All obstacles are inside your thoughts, but if you don’t dwell on them and keep moving forward, you may perform extraordinary feats. For example, my friends and family were shocked that I could walk/trek  40km when they had anticipated that I would barely manage 10km
  5. Pay attention to your body! I was under the impression that I was living a healthy lifestyle until I discovered that I need to have enough rest and the correct nutrients to be successful in challenges of this sort.
  6. Spending time in nature will improve your physical and mental well-being. While meditating in Mandangad Fort, I felt the sun, wind, and soil coming together. (I spent almost 45 minutes just meditating – which probably explains the delay in reaching check point 3) 
  7. Every second or every step was different, therefore, we had to evolve according to how challenging the terrain and our bodies were. Stop overthinking, just be mindful of each and every step/moment.

The GOQii Trail Challenge will have a lasting impression on me. I’ve heard many tales and learned how people overcame numerous hurdles. We have witnessed the happiness of trekking 50km on one’s 50th birthday and heard tales of pain and mishaps. The trail profoundly affected our body, mind, and soul. The experience was so fantastic that it cannot be adequately described in words; it must be lived.

GTC Kamal Chandran Work can be worship for some people, while for others it means earning their daily bread. I have observed my transformation from a means to worship over the past 20 years. I have had the good fortune to collaborate with a number of outstanding organisations and executives as I develop into a powerful and ardent HR professional. 

Even though I’ve attended and participated in a lot of organisational events and programmes, the GOQii Trail Challenge event which was organised so well by the experts at GOQii stood out in numerous ways. Our commitment to our goal in everything we do, our ability to keep our stakeholders directly involved in it, and the experience we offer to all of our GOQii Players & GOQiites are some of our main differentiators.

I’m happy to be associated with GOQii, whose mission is to inspire people to live healthy lives for which we have developed an ecosystem for preventative healthcare that helps, teaches, and inspires them. I am all geared up for my next experience through GCC event ie. GOQii Corporate Challenge.

#BeTheForce

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Enter The Dragon Fruit: Uses & Nutritional Benefits

Dragon Fruit BenefitsThe Dragon Fruit is probably one of the most visually stunning fruits. Its skin looks like that of a mythical pink dragon. Did you know that it is actually harvested from a night-blooming cactus? A plant with a flower like an explosion of flame produces a beautiful fruit which is short-lived with the appearance of a brilliant pink rosebud. The phyto-nutrient dense fruit also known as “Pitaya” is grown in the tropical regions of Thailand, Vietnam, and South America. Its succulent stem provides the uniquely delicious fruit with moisture in the arid climates where it grows.

Multiple Uses of Dragon Fruit

It is important as a fruit as well as ornamental plant. Ripen fruits can be used directly to consume. Also it can be used for producing jam, ice cream, jelly, fruit juice as well as wine. Dragon fruit buds can be prepared as a curry. This tropical super fruit has a wonderful sweet flavour and unusual nutritional benefits including omega 3, protein, iron, fibre, vitamins, and minerals for hydrating all the cells in the body.

In addition to its nutritional value and health promoting effects, the dragon fruit is praised for its appetizing crunchy texture and refreshing, sweet flavour which is like a cross between kiwi and pear. To preserve most of its flavour and nutrients, the dragon fruit is usually eaten raw as a healthy snack or it is pureed into smoothies.

Nutritional Benefits

The nutritional value per 100g of Ripen Dragon fruit is as follows

Nutrition Amount
Water 82.5- 83 g
Protein 0.159- 0.229 g
Carbohydrates 8g
Sugar 9g
Fat 0.21- 0.61 g
Fibre 0.7- 0.9 g
Carotene 0.005- 0.012 mg
Calcium 6.3- 8.8 mg
Phosphorus 30.2- 36.1 mg
Iron 0.55- 0.65 mg
Vitamin B 1 0.28- 0.043 mg
Vitamin B 2 0.043- 0.045 mg
Vitamin B 3 0.297- 0.43 mg
Vitamin C 8.0- 9.0 mg
Thiamine 0.28- 0.30 mg
Riboflavin 0.043- 0.044 mg
Niacin 1.297- 1.30 mg
Ash 0.28 g
Other 0.54- 0.68 g

Health Benefits of Dragon Fruit

  1. The Dragon Fruit is high in polyunsaturated fats (omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids) that lower the risk of cardiovascular disorders. Its rich in flavonoids that are known to have favourable effects against cardio related disease
  2. It is low in calories and contains vitamin C, magnesium, protein, antioxidants and iron.
  3. The reddish colour of the Dragon Fruit is due to lycopene – which has anti-cancer properties.
  4. It clears the body of toxic heavy metals and improves eyesight. Better eye-sight to take in its exquisiteness and majestic beauty.
  5. For Type 2 Diabetics, it is recommended to eat dragon fruit frequently because of its fiber content that helps manage blood sugar.
  6. Because of the richness in fiber, it aids in better digestion of food as well.
  7. The benefits of Dragon Fruit is realized in a number of ways, from a strengthened immune system and faster healing of bruises and wounds to fewer respiratory problems.
  8. They have zero complex carbohydrates, so foods can be easily broken down in the body, helped by vitamin B1 (thiamine) and other B vitamins.

Dragon fruit has a very mild flavour. It blends well with mild flavoured fruits such as bananas, mangoes or papayas. Coconut also complements the flavour of dragon fruit nicely.

It could easily be called a “crazy” fruit, as its appearance is so improbable. The dragon fruit is an exotic fruit that is very beautiful on the outside and comes with a lot of health benefits. It may be intimidating to try because of its outer shape and texture but, it is very easy to prepare and comes with a number of nutritional benefits that your body will love you for.

Try it out and you might like it, maybe make it a part of your regular fruit rotation. Do let us know your experience with this delicious fruit in the comments below!

For more on nutrition, check out Healthy Reads or speak to an expert by subscribing for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

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5 Hacks To Help You Achieve Your Goals

Hacks to achieve your goals

Despite knowing the importance of persistence, most people have trouble focusing singlemindedly and putting in efforts consistently in the area that they want to succeed in. Our good intentions or brilliant ideas don’t see the light of day, because of some of the habits we possess that seem insignificant and mundane.

More often than not, we find ourselves doing not what we wish to do but what we are accustomed to doing. For example, I had been thinking for months that I must wake up earlier by an hour each morning. Easy enough, right? But each night, I would find myself spending time on trivial things that I had not planned to do, like reading random articles, or surfing through emails or reflecting about some things that may have happened during the day.

These unplanned non-events led to late nights and consequently each morning I woke up no earlier than usual. Some of you may relate to this situation. Just replace ‘want to wake up early’ with ‘want to go for a walk’, ‘want to read every night’, ‘want to eat healthy’, ‘want to meditate’, ‘want to spend more time with my team’, ‘want to get to the office before time’, ‘want to learn a new skill’… by now you get the drift.

Perseverance is a trait that people with high emotional intelligence possess. As Daniel Goleman says in his book ‘Emotional Intelligence’ – “Studies of Olympic athletes, world-class musicians and Chess grand masters find their unifying trait is the ability to motivate themselves to pursue relentless training routine”. One would think that these people are wired differently. But they are not. Perseverance is not something that you either have or you don’t, it’s something that can be developed. Following are 5 simple yet highly effective ways to build perseverance and pave your path to success:

1. Start Small & Take Breaks

‘Many drops make an ocean’ is definitely something to think about. If we straight away start thinking about all the effort and resources that would be required to achieve something, the thought could promptly dissuade our minds from giving it a try, hence begin small.

If you want to run 5 km each morning, start with one or even half a km. The initial few days of trying something new can be stressful. It takes our body and mind, time, to get used to things. If eating healthy is your goal, start with one healthy meal a day. It takes a little less effort and helps you get used to the change. If you are working on a report, work in half-hour chunks with a five-minute break between every half an hour ( check out the Pomodoro Technique)

2. Celebrate Small Wins

Even if you have run just a kilometer on two consecutive days, while your aim may be to run 5, give yourself a pat. Well begun is half done. Reward yourself with something small. It could be listening to your favourite music, reading your favourite book or spending time on a call with your friend. The choice is yours but the celebration is a must to keep you motivated.

3. Surround Yourself  With Cheerleaders

Share your goal and efforts with people who care for you. Those people who would be excited and happy to see you do well. Enrol their help, let them check on your progress and remind you how well you are doing. They will become your support system and give you the much-needed boost when you feel like giving up. All of us need cheerleaders to cheer us on.

4. Watch Your Self-Talk

What do you tell yourself when you set out to run a mile but are tired and end up walking half the distance instead? Do you cut yourself some slack or beat yourself up? Do you think that you will rest a little and try again or do you say, “There I did it again! Why am I sloppy, slow and incapable?” Watch out, the one person whose words have a significant impact on you is YOU! Pay attention to your self-talk. Reframe the negative lines with positive ones. So instead of saying “I couldn’t even run 2 km”, say “I did 1.5 km, an improvement from yesterday”

5. The Last Stretch

Many years ago, as a hotelier, I was once asked to make 100 cold calls, to inform people about the upcoming New Year event. It wasn’t a very pleasant task because often people would hang up even before I completed my first sentence. Every time I was tempted to stop and take a break, I’d tell myself,  “Just two more calls and then its break time”.

Consequently, I ended up doing those 2 calls more enthusiastically and I was done with all the 100, faster than expected. This strategy works really well. Stretch your limits, little at a time. If you have run a kilometer and want to stop, push yourself to run just another 100 meters more.

If you have written 600 words for the day, write just 50 more before you call it a day. Slowly but surely you will have a bigger appetite, higher capacity and things will get easier, not to mention that you will be getting closer to the win you have been looking forward to.

Little at a time, turn these pointers into habits and just like insignificant small habits can veer you away from your achievements, these small winning habits will steer you towards your big wins. Remember, nobody was born a winner or a loser, your thoughts and efforts make you so. Like Aristotle said “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit”.

We hope these tips help your form and achieve your goals for the coming year. Do let us know your thoughts in the comments below. For more articles like this, check out Healthy Reads. To get the right guidance and motivation from an expert, subscribe for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce

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