Search Results for: nutrition

March 16, 2019 By GOQii 1 Comment

“I started a new life at 50 and I am thoroughly enjoying it” – Anitha Rao

100 Km accomplished. – Anitha with her team at Oxfam trailwalker

She is fun loving, friendly, extremely energetic and young at 52. Anitha Rao has been able to prove that small steps can have a big impact. She took to running at the age of 50 and says she is thoroughly enjoying it. In the last one year, she has been participating in a few runs in the city on a regular basis. She also completed her first Oxfam Trail Walk last November in 39 hours and shows no signs of slowing down. “Stay fit, Stay healthy”, is what she says. Now, she is championing the GOQii Active Sunday mission in Bengaluru. Let’s read about Anitha Rao and her journey to fitness in her own words.

I did my first half marathon (21 km) last year at the age of 50 when a friend suggested I should run. Just loved it! The atmosphere, people cheering for you, and crossing the finish line after 2 hrs and 52 minutes felt so great. I was tired after that run the next day, but loved the way I felt.

It all began when I turned 50, I decided I was ready for a new challenge. Since I have always been an outdoor person, I made it my goal to be fit and complete as many runs as possible. I have run so many runs such as the Standard Chartered Mumbai Half Marathon since Jan 2015. Thereafter, I have done a couple of runs such as the DNA I CAN, Pinkathon, ICT, Foot Steps 4 Good, Chembur Monsoon run and more recently Radio Mirchi Neon Run.

I was working in the Travel Industry but due to my husband’s transferable job, and after the birth of my sons, I decided to enjoy motherhood. I became a homemaker and travel consultant working from home. My sons are now 24 and 18. I also realized I wanted to get back to doing some activities and get fit as I have always been sporty. Yoga and Swimming are a part of my regular activities even today.

But, I wanted to be more healthy and fit. Last year, I took up running seriously thanks to my friend Vijay Pillai, in my apartment building. I was not tracking my fitness and did not know what I was doing right or wrong.

How Did She Find GOQii?

I met Bela Gupta through my dear friend Geeta Singh. She gave me the GOQii band and explained its benefits to me. She asked me to try it for three months. I got completely hooked on it. The one to one coaching aspect appealed to me. I would put my problems across to my coach and she would have a solution to work towards overcoming the issue.

Through GOQii, I also got to know a lot about diet and nutrition. There were many things I was not aware of. At my age, I certainly do not want to compromise on my diet. Being a South Indian who cannot keep away from sugary Filter Coffee, I have now given up sugar in my coffee. In November, I participated in the Oxfam 100 km Trail Walk, and my team Go Spirited, completed the challenge in 39 hours.We were 4 ladies – Bela, Lubaina, Suranjana and me. But, Bela, unfortunately had to drop out due to personal issues.

It’s amazing how just walking and running can keep one so fit. There are wonderful health benefits of putting one foot in front of the other. My family thinks that am going to the top (over doing it and asks me to slow down at times). But, I am comfortable doing as much as I am doing. I am happy with the change I have seen in myself. I have become healthier, fitter and my stamina has improved drastically. Today, I am confident to achieve what I set my goal on.

Daily, I clock 10,000 or more steps and weekends it easily goes up to 20,000 steps. I have been able to achieve all this because of the one to one coaching from GOQii. I have also benefited from the two webinars that GOQii’s master coach Luke Coutinho conducted. One of the webinars was on ‘How to Make The Most of Your Coach’. This gave me clarity on how I can interact with my coach to get the maximum benefit out of coaching.

Coaching has benefited me on the nutrition front too. Now my concepts on diet are clear and I am conscious about what I am eating. I am basically a foodie and I exercise to eat. Though I have always been a light sleeper, I sleep better now. You can say I have understood the importance of sleep. I get enough rest. Also, my concept of water is very clear. On an average I now drink 2 liters of water. I have no medical conditions, no cholesterol and no sugar.

I am a regular at GOQii Active Sunday and this has given me an opportunity to meet so many people and make so many new friends. My journey to fitness has also inspired a whole lot of my women friends. My friends in yoga are also keen on joining me for runs. I always feel that there are 100 reasons why you shouldn’t go for a walk or run but a 1,000 reasons why you should. If you let go of the excuses, you will get it done. I would say, have a goal and work towards it!

Without having something to work towards, you can’t plan or dream of what you’re going to accomplish. The goal doesn’t have to be huge. It can be to walk 10 km a week but you need one to stay focused.

For my next outdoor activity, I have just begun trekking. I got interested in trekking after I did two practice treks for Oxfam Trailwalk. Now I want to trek regularly as well!

Also, the concept of Karma has appealed to me a great deal. Everyday I try to donate about 30-40 points. By the end of the month, I have donated roughly 1000 points or so. I just want to continue to be healthy and fit to be able to continue with my runs, walks and other activities.

Crushing Finish lines Anitha with her Medals

Crushing Finish lines! Anitha’s medals

What does Anitha Rao’s Coach Have to Say About Her?

Anitha Rao is a true representation of an active and upbeat individual. An outdoor person who loves to workout every day. Her drive for fitness is her adrenaline. She has a set routine of walking, swimming and yoga. Always ready to participate in marathons that come across.

In her GOQii journey with me, she wanted to shed some extra kilos, increase water intake and replace her snacking with some healthy options. So we enacted goals accordingly. The first was to maintain a daily water intake of 2 liters and above. Secondly, I gave her some healthy snacking options. The GOQii concept of logging your water and food intake supported her in achieving these goals. It gave her a confrontation and magnitude daily of her efforts.

She was regular in doing that and took my suggestion and inputs very positively while putting them in to action. She would often contribute KARMA points for various causes. I am proud to have such an aware and dedicated individual as my player.

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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.

February 26, 2019 By Satish Kurapaty 9 Comments

Hair Loss & Foods To Prevent It

After a long and tiring day when I reached home late at night, I had this good idea to get a head massage to be able to sleep well. I started massaging my head gently with oil. After a while I was shocked to see a mop of hair in my hand. I was losing a lot of hair…

More often than not, we are unaware of hair loss. We are so busy with our daily routine and hectic work schedules that we do not pay attention to these matters. However, let me tell you that it is very important to be aware of everything that is happening within us. We need to understand the reason for hair loss. Anybody can experience hair loss. It is not peculiar to men alone. Women and children can also go through hair loss.

Everyone loses hair. It is normal to lose about 50-100 hair every day. But, if you see bald patches or lots of thinning, you may be experiencing hair loss. There are many causes of hair loss. Women may notice hair loss after giving birth. People under lot of stress can see noticeable hair loss. Some diseases and medical treatments can cause hair loss. Even how you style and care for your hair can cause hair loss.

It may be temporary or permanent, and the most common cause of hair loss is a medical condition called hereditary hair loss. Hair loss can happen in many different ways, depending on the problem that’s causing it. It can come suddenly or gradually and affect your scalp.

Let us take a detailed look at the some of the reasons that cause hair loss:

Hormonal Changes: The most common hair loss is a hereditary condition called male pattern baldness or female pattern baldness. Genetically susceptible people and certain sex hormones trigger a particular pattern of permanent hair loss. Most common in men, this type of hair thinning can begin as early as puberty. Hormonal changes and imbalance can also cause temporary hair loss. This could be found in women due to child birth or the onset of menopause.
Medical Conditions that can lead to hair loss are thyroid problems, skin infections or other skin disorders. Hair loss can also be caused by Alopecia Areata, which is a condition that starts suddenly and causes patchy hair loss in children and young adults. This condition may result in complete baldness (Alopecia Totalis) but in about 90% of people with the condition, the hair returns within a few years.
Medications can also cause hair loss. Drugs used to treat cancer, arthritis, depression, heart problems and blood pressure are some of them.
Physical or Mental Shock: Many people experience a general thinning of hair several months after a physical or emotional shock.
Hair Pulling Disorder: Mental illness causes people to have an irresistible urge to pull out their hair whether it’s from the scalp, eyebrows or other areas of the body. Hair pulling from scalp often leaves patchy bald spots on the head.
Certain Hair Styles: Traction hair loss can occur if the hair is pulled too tightly into hairstyles such as pigtails and cornrows.

For some types of hair loss, hair may grow without any treatment while for other types of hair loss treatment may help the hair grow back.

It is very important to understand the causes of hair loss. You should make a note of all the possible changes that happen in your day to day life. Understand the cause and work towards it. Few tips such as eating healthy, nutritional and balanced food may help. Avoid tight hairstyles and avoid compulsive twisting, rubbing or pulling of your hair.

Here are a few tips that I have chalked out that will help you maintain healthy hair. Certain foods in our diet will keep your scalp healthy. Foods that contain proteins, iron, silica and zinc help preventing hair loss.

Protein: Hair is primarily made of protein and therefore, it makes sense to eat a protein rich diet. Stick to leaner proteins such as fish, chicken, calf’s liver, low fat cheese, eggs, almonds, beans and yogurt. Soy milk and tofu are also smart options to add to your diet as they are high in protein and low in bad fats.
Iron: Iron plays a key role in manufacturing hemoglobin, the part of blood that carries oxygen to your body‘s organs and tissues. Adding more iron to your diet doesn’t mean you have to feast on liver, day in and day out, but when you are craving for something sweet, remember that dried fruits and cherry juice are packed with iron. Try eggs, dates, raisins, dark green leafy vegetables such as Kale and whole grain cereals. Vitamin C improves the absorption of iron, so fruits such as orange, strawberries and lemons should be in your grocery list of foods that prevent hair loss.
Silica: Add silica to your daily menu and see the difference because body uses silica to help it absorb vitamins and minerals. If you are not consuming silica, eating vitamins might not help much. Silica can be found in bean, sprouts and skin of cucumber. You will also find it in red and green peppers and potatoes.
Zinc: Many men who suffer from hair loss are found to have zinc deficiencies. Zinc plays a key role in many of the body’s functions, from cell reproduction to hormonal balance, which in turn affects hair growth. Zinc manages the glands that attach to your hair follicles. Eat Zinc-heavy foods such as red meats, poultry, mussels, shrimp, nuts, and oysters.

Just as your overall health will improve from eating a balanced diet, so should the health of your hair. Do not eat things that speed up hair loss. You may be experiencing a thinning on top already, but you can counteract this problem (or at least slow it down) by eating from every food group daily — concentrating on foods that are rich in protein, iron, silica, and zinc.

February 7, 2019 By GOQii Leave a Comment

Head in the Right Direction with GOQii RunGPS!

Wouldn’t it be great if there was a device that tracked your route during your daily run and provided comprehensive data that could be analyzed to help you bring out the best from each session? Now, you have the most affordable way to do just that with the all new GOQii RunGPS!

On 20th January, GOQii launched its first in line smart wearable for 2019, the GOQii RunGPS which comes with an integrated GPS tracker that tracks your walking, running, cycling and other activities. It also comes integrated with Marathon Coaching delivered by GOQii Play – an interactive video platform. RunGPS has the best in class features that no other competitor offers with the lowest price point in the market today that is INR 4,999 along with 3 months of coaching.

Targeted at the running community that trains and coaches for marathons, treks and other running heavy sports, GOQii RunGPS provides guidance with the best in the business. GOQii has signed ace runners and doctors as consultants that offer their expertise to the users. Apart from professional trainers and doctors, GOQii has on board ‘Ranveer Allahbadia, Jeet Salal, Gaurav Taneja, and Abhinav Mahajan” who are India’s biggest fitness stars on social media platforms like Youtube, Instagram & Facebook. Sardara Singh, former Captain of the Indian Hockey Team, is also on the GOQii Platform training and guiding users towards a healthier lifestyle.

GOQii RunGPS tracker has six screens that track steps, distance, pace, calories burnt, heart rate and duration. The device also tracks activities and sleep, comes with an integrated USB charger that can easily be connected to any power bank, adapter or laptop. The device can be connected wirelessly via Bluetooth to the GOQii iOS and Android app. You can also get details about your activity, be it running, cycling or a workout, once you sync your device with the app. The app will then provide you with all the necessary data you need to take your sessions to the next level. The device also comes with a GOQii family care plan that offers a personal coach and personalised doctor consultation for the subscription period of 3 months for one selected member. The purchase of the band also has tax benefits under section 80D. The subscription also offers access to GOQii Play, which is the premium video content service by GOQii that has videos across topics viz Exercise, Yoga, Nutrition, Mental & Emotional Wellbeing.

Launching the product, Mr. Vishal Gondal, our Founder and CEO says that GOQii has always aimed at looking at simple, affordable and adaptable options for preventive healthcare. According to our recent fifth edition of India Fit Report, running has increased from 22% in 2017 to 33% in 2018 among Indians, which is a gradual progression from walking. Therefore, launching the first-in-class wearable device for running was the next best step. GOQii RunGPS will greatly aid our players (users) to run better towards a healthier lifestyle. Running has been known to improve mental and health functions, lowering depression levels, increase stamina, boost immunity and maintain a healthy BMI. Our RunGPS will surely benefit all health enthusiasts.

GOQii RunGPS is available on the GOQii Store and on Amazon.in. Other services that GOQii RunGPS provides access to are: GOQii Play – a premium video channel for all health and fitness related content, GOQii Health Store – a curated market place to provide healthy, organic products that include food items, supplements, neutraceuticals, sportswear and exercise equipment and GOQii Arena – a platform that helps connect like-minded individuals focused on health and fitness.