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August 28, 2019 By Pradnya Shinde Leave a Comment

Should You Go Grain-Free?

In the past few years, imperical evidence emerged, coaxing us to stay away from all the foods we enjoyed so much in order to live a strong, healthy and disease-free life. Now, along with sugar, fats and diary, you even have grains joining the list of dietary outcasts. How did this happen? Is it necessary? Let’s find out if you should go grain-free!

What is Grain-Free?

Have you ever thought about skipping rice, chapati or your favorite rotis for losing weight quickly? Ever skipped all grains which includes wheat and its products, corn, rice, jowar, ragi, and bajra? That is called going grain-free. It is when you eliminate all grains from your diet.

If you have followed a specific diet like Keto or Paleo, you know that they involve skipping grains. Another reason people avoid grains is the discomfort in digesting them. The specific known culprit is Wheat! But there is hardly any reason enough that suggests grains are unhealthy or promote weight gain.

Are There Any Benefits of Going Grain-Free?

The immediate benefit of going grain-free is that you will notice some weight loss and reduction in bloating. 80% of dry matter of grains is carbohydrates. Reduced intake of excess carbohydrates helps in reducing weight quickly as it also reduces water retention. Hence, skipping grains makes you feel light. It works for short-term weight loss.

However, if you want to go for long-term weight loss, skipping grains might not be such a great idea as it may lead to nutritional deficiency. Whole grains are a major source of Vitamin B in our diet. Restricting it for a long time may lead to deficiency and cause problems. Going grain-free is not for every person. You can get the same benefits by skipping sugar and processed foods. For long term weight loss, go for grains!

What to Watch Out For!

If you are insistent on going grain-free, then plan your diet in such a way that you can cope with the vitamin loss. For instasnce, include green vegetables in your diet. You can go grain-free for a specific period but avoid going long term. Remember that eating whole grains is good for your heart and it reduces the risk of cancer as well.

If you are skipping grains due to digestive discomfort, then take the IgA anti-gliadin antibodies test to see if you have gluten sensitivity followed by endoscopy to check for celiac disease.

Gluten is a protein present in wheat and it will cause you discomfort if you have gluten sensitivity or celiac disease. If you have either of these conditions, avoid wheat, rye and barley. You can safely eat other grains.

To sum it up, you can enjoy eating rice, idli and parathas in moderation. Avoid refined cereal!

We hope this article helps you come to a conclusion on whether you should go grain-free or not! Do let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

#BeTheForce

August 17, 2019 By GOQii 2 Comments

Climbing the Peak of Good Health | Abhay Chaudhary User Journey

“Every mountain top is within your reach if you just keep climbing” – Barry Finlay

If you know what being a Software Engineer is like, then you’re definitely familiar with the erratic work hours, the long spans of time for which you’re glued to the desk and the body pains that come along with it. If you know what this feels like, you might have a few things in common with our Player Abhay Chaudhary.

All Work. All Stress. No Play

When he began working, Abhay Chaudhary rode a bike to work every day. This coupled with spending nearly 7-8 hours on his seat created a lot of back pain problems. He had also suffered a shoulder injury in 2012.

His physiotherapist advised him to stop carrying a heavy bag while travelling on his motorbike. He was also asked to exercise regularly. To top this off, he was a workaholic who never took a vacation. Couple this up with irregular eating habits, low water intake, lack of sleep and you know you’re heading for disaster.

In 2015, after he changed his workplace for which he would have to travel 15km daily. This prompted him to take his health and fitness a little more seriously. It was not until the following year that he decided to take time out for himself every year without fail and increase his stamina and fitness levels as well.

Climbing to the Next Level

In 2016, a friend gifted him a GOQii. That year, he set his health goals as wanting to improve his stamina and endurance for running, playing badminton and wanting to go on Himalayan treks. His GOQii Coach guided him on his nutritional intake and the physical activities he’d have to perform.

He was asked to drink warm water with lemon or jeera to flush out toxins. His coach advised him to eat mid-meal snacks which usually consisted of fruits. He had to consume fruit or dry fruits before his workout. Junk food intake was reduced to twice a week at the most.

To increase his protein intake, he was asked to include a boiled egg, grilled chicken and protein bars which were purchased from the GOQii Health Store within the GOQii App.

On the exercise front, he began with core and leg strengthening exercises. Tabata Workout in the morning for 20 minutes became a ritual to rev his metabolism and cardiovascular fitness. He had to perform Pranayama every day for 10 minutes to increase his lung capacity.

On weekends he started with running, initially without weights and then gradually he moved up to using a weighted backpack – 8kg, then 10kg and finally 15kg. He also practised yoga to strengthen his back and core. As Abhay didn’t prefer going to a gym, he used bands and dumbbells for resistance and weight training.

To the Peak of Good Health and Beyond

Thanks to all his efforts and the changes in his lifestyle, Abhay Chaudhary ran his first 10k run within an hour in 2016. After this experience, he felt more positive. He felt like everything was possible and within his reach. He kept this momentum going by completing another 3 half marathons. Currently, he is a part of a group that does 10k charity runs on the last Sunday of every month.

All the weekend training that he did with 8-10 kg backpack eventually paid off with him starting to go on Himalayan Treks.

His first trek to Saurkundi Pass in Manali at an altitude of 12,900ft. Though he didn’t find the trek very difficult, he said it was an enriching experience. On this trek he realized that he wanted to do more trips such as these where he was cut off from the world with no connectivity, laptop or mobile – just nature, his trekking buddies and himself! He says trekking is rejuvenating since he connects with new people, understands their lifestyle, and shares wonderful experiences.

His second trek was to Hamta Pass in Manali at an altitude of 14,000ft. During this trek, he got to know about the mountaineering course. His guide gave him information to some popular institutes offering this course.

In 2018, he did the Goechala Trek in Sikkim which is at an altitude of 15,000ft. A lot of his friends dissuaded him from doing this trek as it was considered dangerous and difficult. However, he was determined. He wanted to overcome this trek and successfully completed it.

Clicked by Abhay Chaudhary during a rock climbing session

Soon after, he signed up for the Nimas Basic Mountaineering Course, Arunachal Pradesh in April 2019. He completed the 28-day course which tested his physical endurance as well as theoretical knowledge with flying colours.

Abhay Chaudhary and GOQii

He attributes his increased awareness towards a healthy lifestyle, the right information on health, his improved stamina and positive attitude to his GOQii Coach. He appreciates his current GOQii Coach who rigorously follows up with him on his diet and exercise. His GOQii Coach stops him from indulging in unhealthy eating and keeps motivating him to push harder towards his goals.

Apart from his GOQii Coach, he religiously follows Coach Aliya Imran’s class on GOQii Play for cardio. He also follows Yoga Specialists Nishtha Bijlani and Bhumika Uniyal for yoga, Marathon Expert Parwage Alam for running and Coach Tufail Qureshi for Fitness related topics. He finds their classes to be informative and helpful.

For now, he believes himself and GOQii to be inseparable and we couldn’t be any more excited to have him with us on this journey towards a healthy India!

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Click here and our team will reach out to you!

#BeTheForce

July 27, 2019 By GOQii Leave a Comment

Overcome! Achieve! Excel! Shivkumar Vishwanathan User Journey

There is definitely a lot of struggle in the process of getting healthy after being sedentary for too long. But what if you’ve been active and healthy your entire life? Do you keep pushing yourself to the limit, consistently improve or stagnate? Shivkumar Vishwanathan found himself in such a predicament and what did he do?

Before GOQii

Before joining GOQii, Shivkumar Vishwanathan was regular at the gym from 2007 to 2014. He stopped training once his trainer quit the gym. Due to the lack of motivation from a trainer, he didn’t hit the gym for almost a year. But Shivkumar Vishwanathan was not someone who could stay still. He wanted to continue being active and decided to look for a fitness tracker that would help him. It was purely by chance that he found GOQii in late 2015. What attracted him to GOQii was the personalized coaching feature, which at the time was not available with anybody else.

Passion for Cycling

Shivkumar Vishwanathan used to cycle to school back in the day. Later, when his family was aversive to him commuting to work on a motorcycle, he bought a bicycle on a whim! What began for purely commuting purposes soon became a passion.

Initially, cycling for even 5-10 km used to be tough. When he registered for BRM (Brevets de Randonneurs Mondiaux) chapters for long-distance endurance cycling, his GOQii Coach was able to help him improve his stamina and endurance.

His GOQii Coach used to give him targets to complete every week, progressively increasing distance and speed. The training strategy was charted out to gear up methodically for the ride. On the nutrition front, he was asked to consume complex carbs and proteins.

He was advised to begin carb-loading 3-4 days before the ride and his GOQii Coach also advised him on how to stay hydrated during the ride and what gels to use for quick energy. His Coach also suggested protein supplements, vitamin D and B12 supplements.

Thanks to all these inputs and support from his family, especially his wife who watched his diet, helped him cut on sugar and implement suggestions by his GOQii Coach, he can cycle for 100 km effortlessly.

He attempted the Mumbai – Pune and back 300 km ride in January, 2019 but, had to pull out midway. He, however, has two successful completion rides namely Mumbai – Charoti 200 km last November in 12 hours and the Mumbai – Kamshet 200 km night ride in April 2019.

Currently, he has cycled in every country he has been to. He did a 55km ride in North England, braving the rain and the extreme cold.

Completing the Kailash Parikrama

One of his close friends wanted him to go on the Kailash Parikrama along with him. They gathered 15 of their friends and decided to do it last December. When his GOQii Coach got to know of this, she immediately suggested that he do a lot of cardio to improve his cardiovascular fitness and to get his heart to pump at a higher rate. Resistance training also became a part of his routine to improve stamina and endurance. He began eating a diet that was rich in antioxidants. This consisted of more fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. He also ate iron-rich foods that improved his blood circulation.

The highlights of the expedition were that he did not suffer from any stomach issues or headaches which are common among people while acclimatizing to higher altitudes. He didn’t face any major issues thanks to his training and diet. He was happy that he didn’t have to pop a single pill during the entire expedition.

The first day they covered 15km at an altitude of 5000mtrs and 22km on the 2nd day which was a climb to 5620mtrs. This was extremely excruciating and painful due to the lack of oxygen. 7 out of 15 of his friends, including him, completed the Parikrama. The expedition was a success for him although it was physically and mentally challenging.

Although physically fit, Shivkumar Vishwanathan wanted to push past his limits and take up challenges to test himself. He says it was because of the guidance, motivation and inputs from his GOQii Coach that he could overcome his challenges and achieve everything he has so far!

He plans to visit Tokyo to watch the Olympics and cycle in Japan! We look forward to hearing more of his adventures!

Got a good story to share with us? Let us know by Clicking Here!

#BeTheForce!

July 16, 2019 By Navnee Garg Leave a Comment

Almond Milk! Cheers to Good Health!

In recent months, you must have come across the term Almond Milk either in some recipes or even cooking shows. Ever wondered what it is or how it is made? Surely, it isn’t the already famous “Badam Milk” that we’re used to but something totally different from that!

Almond Milk, in its essence, is an inexpensive, healthy alternative to conventional dairy that you can easily make at home. It is great for those who cannot or choose not to drink cow’s milk. It is made by grinding almonds, mixing them with water and filtering the mixture to create a product that looks a lot like milk and has a nutty flavour.

Homemade Almond Milk Recipe

Soak 1 cup of almonds for up to 2 days
Drain and rinse the almonds
Blend almonds with 2 cups of water
Line a glass measuring cup with cheesecloth or a nut bag
Pour the blended almonds in
Squeeze and press to extract about 2 cups of milk
Refrigerate and use within 2 days

Nutritional Value

Health Benefits of Almond Milk

Before trying any recipe, you should know the benefits it provides so we can consume it in the right portion size, at the right time and with the right meal.

Let’s have a closer look at the health benefits that almond milk provides.

Low-Calorie Drink: How can something made from almonds, which itself is high in calories, can be low in calories? Thanks to the processing used to make it, only a small portion of almonds is present in the finished product. This makes it great for people who want to cut on calories and lose weight without compromising taste. Unsweetened almond milk contains up to 80% fewer calories than regular dairy milk. Using it as a replacement for cow’s milk could be an effective weight loss strategy.
Low in Sugar: Homemade almond milk is low in sugar, which makes this nutty milk a guilt-free drink! Although commercially available ones might have sugar added to them, the homemade recipe above leaves the sugar content up to you. More so, since diabetics need to limit their carb intake, replacing dairy milk with almond milk may be a good way to achieve this.
Hello Vitamin E: Not only is Almond Milk low in calories, but it is also a good way to sip in some Vitamin E, providing 37% of the daily Vitamin E requirement in just 30ml. Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that combats inflammation and stress in the body.
Naturally, Lactose-Free: This is a boon for people with lactose intolerance and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as Almond Milk is naturally lactose-free, making it a good alternative to dairy.
Go Dairy Free and Vegan: Whether it is religious beliefs, health and environment or a lifestyle choice, veganism is the “in trend” right now and almond milk is nothing less than a blessing to Vegans. Albeit, it is low in protein and is not suitable as a full replacement for dairy in young children.
Recipe Rich: If you’re worried that consuming this product will be boring, you need not worry. It can be used in various recipes. Apart from a refreshing beverage, it can be used along with cereal, muesli or oats for breakfast, in tea, coffee or hot chocolate, smoothies, while baking muffins and pancakes, soups, dressing, homemade ice creams or almond yoghurt! There are plenty of options to keep you interested!

How excited are you to try this recipe at home? If you try it, do share your experience in the comments below!