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Venkatrao Alaparthi Loses 20kg With Guidance From His GOQii Coach

Venkatrao Alaparthi Loses 20kg With Guidance From His GOQii Coach

While earning a good livelihood is important, is it taking more life out of living? Long working hours, being seated most of the time with no physical activity and bad eating habits can take a toll on your health over a period of time. If this sounds relatable, you might have a lot in common with our Player Venkatrao Alaparthi.

Successful But Sedentary

Venkatrao Alaparthi, 46, is a Food Science Specialist having studied Dairy Science, and is currently working with Amul in Gujarat. Due to the nature of his work, he remains seated before his desk for long hours. For most of his work life, he has been sedentary without any exercise regime or proper eating habits.

As he wasn’t doing any regular exercise, the bare minimum being when he walked from his home to the factory, it led to severe weight gain. “I was consistently inconsistent in pursuing a health regime. I had no medical condition or medical issues but, I was obese due to a sedentary lifestyle and irregular patterns of eating,” says Venkatrao. As he is from South India, 90% of his diet consisted of carbs.

His work also involved touring. On one of his tours with his colleagues, Venkatrao Alaparthi realised how unfit he was as he couldn’t walk much. “I was sad that I was obese,” he says. As he was tired all the time, he couldn’t enjoy the visit as much. His 8 year old daughter pointed out saying, “you have a huge stomach” and his wife also told him how inconsistent he was while trying to lose weight on his own. 

“My wife has been getting me to take care of my health for the last 10 years, and I have been inconsistent in being able to maintain a good lifestyle and my health,” says Venkatrao. 

Due to all these factors, he decided that he would have to do something about his health. While researching the best way to lead a healthy lifestyle, he came across a GOQii Ad on social media. “GOQii & Fit India were my motivation to lead a healthy life. I decided to get the band and try it out,” he said.

Making Healthier Choices To Lose Weight

Venkatrao Alaparthi joined GOQii on Jan 30, 2022. He set his goal to lose weight. At the time, he weighed 91kg. After their initial conversation, GOQii Coach Parul Massey realised that he didn’t have any severe medical conditions and was only obese. She deemed that they had to work on weight loss slowly, in a healthier manner. 

“I asked him to start with 30 minutes of normal morning walk, reduce portions of rice from his daily diet and replace it with a protein-rich diet, jeera and lemon water on an empty stomach. He started following these habits daily,” says Coach Parul Massey

During the first week, Venkatrao Alaparthi found it difficult to walk for 30 minutes even at normal pace. But, he did not lose hope and continued doing it by slowly increasing his time to 45 mins after 10 days. In a month’s time, he began noticing some difference.

His diet had changed to include lots of proteins and vegetables for fibre. He also began including eggs, sprouts, and flax seeds, etc to his breakfast. In the second month of coaching, Coach Parul added a few more habits such as having nuts and seeds. 

Did These Changes Pay Off? 

After 2 months of following these minor tweaks in habits and changing his lifestyle, he lost 5kg. After months of making changes and following the course set by his GOQii Coach Parul Massey, Venkatrao Alaparthi lost 20kg. He is quite fit and active now. He even had to change his wardrobe due to his successful weight loss journey.

Currently, he clocks in over 20k steps daily. “I could not walk 3km and today, I can easily do 10km,” says Venkatrao Alaparthi. Apart from walking, he also plays badminton 3 times a week. For yoga and strength training, he subscribes to GOQii PRO classes within the GOQii App. 

His wife and his daughter are quite happy with the change he has made to his lifestyle and the weight he has lost. His wife says, “I am happy that you are more consistent now”. Venkatrao Alaparthi has been an Elite GOQii Player for 272 days and is among the top 6% of active players. He is still going strong with an active subscription, consistent changes, and guidance from his coach, Parul Massey. 

Do you want to make a lifestyle change and reduce weight too? Speak to a GOQii Coach by subscribing to Personalised Health Coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

For more inspiring stories, check out Healthy Reads.

#BeTheForce 

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What’s Healthier: Coconut, Wheat or Almond Flour?

coconut, wheat or almond flourIf you’ve been taking a closer look at your pantry, then we’re sure you’re reconsidering your flour choices. When we talk about flour, most of us think about “wheat flour” as it is a kitchen staple. It is the flour that we have been having since ages to make chapatis. But, there could be plenty of other reasons why you’re considering switching from wheat flour to coconut or almond flour. Maybe you have celiac disease or gluten intolerance or just want to switch to a healthier alternative. So, we have listed a few differences between these three flours to make it easier for you to choose between coconut, wheat or almond flour!  

Nutritional Take On Coconut, Wheat & Almond Flour

Nutrition Coconut Almond Wheat
Calories 480 580 366
Carbs 59g 20g 76g
Protein 18g 21g 9.7g
Fat 15g 12g 1.5g
Fiber 38g 12g 12g

Coconut Flour

  • Health benefits of coconut flour: Coconut flour is gluten-free. It has a good moisture absorbing capacity and helps to give a good crumbly and dry texture to the baked goods. But, it has a higher content of phytic acid which leads to low nutrient absorption. Also, it has antioxidants and antimicrobial properties that support a healthy metabolism.
  • Cooking with coconut flour: Coconut flour is a versatile flour used in gluten-free and paleo baking. It can be used to prepare bread, muffins, cookies and cake. As it has a drying effect, it can be counteracted by using eggs while baking. The egg yolk provides moisture, whereas egg white offers structure to the baked goods.

Almond Flour

  • Health benefits of almond flour: Almond flour is incredibly healthy but contains more fat and calories. This makes this nutrient dense flour the best choice for a keto diet. It provides good vitamin E content which is a powerful antioxidant and magnesium that helps improve blood sugar levels.
  • Cooking with almond flour: Almond flour is commonly used in the preparation of pancakes, cakes, muffins and cookies. Other than baking, this flour combined with egg can be used to coat vegetables or meat and thereafter, bake or fry them. As it is free of gluten, it can be mixed with wheat flour to make pizza dough, pasta or bread.

Wheat Flour

  • Health benefits of wheat flour: Wheat flour is rich in fiber, minerals and protein. But it has gluten that makes it inappropriate for people who have gluten intolerance or celiac disease. Phytic acid in wheat flour is higher which reduces the nutrient absorption.
  • Cooking with wheat flour: Wheat flour can be used in making rotis, puris, ladoos and even quick breads, cookies and cakes.

Summing It Up 

Although as Indians, wheat flour is functional in our regular diet, we can definitely opt for almond and coconut flour as well. All the above-mentioned flours are healthy in their own ways and can be used together to reap nutritional benefits. So the choice between coconut, wheat or almond flour is solely based on what you want to prepare and what you’re looking for. 

If you’re still unable to come to a decision on whether you should opt for coconut, wheat or almond flour, you can speak to an expert for further guidance by subscribing for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr. Your GOQii Coach can take a look at your habits, goals and let you know what would work best for you!

For more articles on nutrition, check out Healthy Reads! 

#BeTheForce! 

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Do Your Muscles Turn Into Fat When You Stop Weight Training?

musclesBeing indoors for this long has given people a lot of time to do some research. If you have been researching fitness, weight training and muscles, I’m sure the thought of  – “will my muscles turn into fat if I stop weight training” has crossed your mind. While you might watch your fitness levels, maintain a healthy weight and improve strength, etc, it is equally important to understand what happens once you stop weight training in order to preserve muscle mass. 

What Do Muscles Mean? 

Muscle is a tissue in animal bodies. Their main purpose is to help us move our body parts. When a muscle is activated via exercise, it contracts, making itself shorter and thicker i.e. it grows in size.

  • When you exercise, your body does not create new muscles. Instead, your existing muscles grow larger and stronger.
  • With regular exercise, muscles also develop more mitochondria (this is where biochemical processes of respiration and energy production occur in the cell). The result is larger and more muscle mass.
  • When you stop weight training/adopt a sedentary lifestyle, then the increased blood flow previously needed to fuel your cells during exercise is no longer required, so your body begins to contract and reduce the size of your capillaries. As a consequence, muscles shrink and decrease in mass.

Points To Consider 

Muscle cells and fat cells are different structures and are not interchangeable at all. They will become smaller and weaker if you stop weight training because they lose muscle mass. Although, it will not happen in a short period of time as the process of losing muscle mass is slow and gradual which may take  4-6 weeks. Fat may be produced if your diet provides your body with more calories than required based on the activity levels you maintain.

You can preserve and maintain your muscle mass by keeping yourself active. By active I do not mean hitting the gym everyday but by just walking in between breaks, using the staircase instead of the lift, stretching your body every 2 hours, walking while being on a call instead of just sitting at one place, walking after every meal whether it’s your main meal or just snacks in between and obviously by eating a well- balanced healthy diet.

Keep an eye on your protein intake because the protein requirement of your body is directly associated with building and losing muscle mass as well. Don’t overtrain as this can also lead to decreased muscle. Leaving weight training alone should not be blamed for decreased muscle mass. 40-45 minutes of exercise 5-6 days a week is recommended and 1 day should be dedicated for rest and recovery.

We hope this article helps you. For more useful information on muscles, strength training, etc. check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE, interactive workout classes by experts on GOQii PRO within the GOQii App. 

To get these tips directly from your GOQii Coach, subscribe for Personalised Health Coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce

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Nature’s Gift – Raw Honey & Its Benefits

Raw honey and its benefitsHoney is one of nature’s purest foods and is much more than just a natural sweetener. It’s a “functional food,” which means it’s a natural food with health benefits. Raw honey nutrition is impressive. Raw honey contains 22 amino acids, 27 minerals and 5,000 enzymes. This opaque liquid is not only rich in antioxidants but a plethora of vitamins such as B6, thiamine, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and niacin and minerals such as iron, zinc, potassium, phosphorous, magnesium and selenium.

Health Benefits of Raw Honey

The health benefits of raw honey are not just restricted to weight loss but it can help in prevention and cure of many symptomatic diseases.

  1. Immunity Booster: Raw honey contains bee pollen, which is known to ward off infections, provide natural allergy relief and boost overall immunity. “One study fed 25 subjects about four tablespoons of honey per day for 29 days in addition to their regular diets. When blood samples were taken at the start and end of the study, researchers found a clear, direct link between honey consumption and an increased level of disease-fighting polyphenols in the blood”
  2. Pre and post workout: Raw honey contains natural sugars (80%), water (18%), and minerals, vitamins, pollen and protein (2%). It provides an easily absorbed supply of energy in the form of liver glycogen, making it ideal for energetic morning starts and as a pre and post exercise energy source.
  3. Promotes sleep: Raw honey promotes restorative sleep in two ways. By consuming honey before bedtime, it restocks the liver’s glycogen supply and prevents the brain from triggering a crisis search for fuel, which can wake you up. Secondly, eating raw honey fosters the release of melatonin in the brain by creating a small spike in insulin levels, which stimulates the release of tryptophan in the brain. Tryptophan converts to serotonin which is then converted to melatonin.
  4. Heal Ulcers: Honey reacts with the body’s fluids to make hydrogen peroxide, creating an inhospitable environment for bacteria. Honey may reduce the size, pain and odour of problematic skin ulcers.
  5. Diabetes Management: The combination of raw honey and cinnamon can be especially beneficial to healthy diabetes management.
  6. Increases Haemoglobin: One of the most natural ways to increase haemoglobin is by consuming raw honey. The mineral richness of its opaque cells help increase the iron content of the blood, thereby treating anaemia.

4 Ways To Spot Artificial Honey

Raw honey is a crude form of honey immediately taken out of the cells of the honeycombs within a bee hive. This form of honey is quite pure. It commonly contains bee pollen and propolis which are both two very positive health additions. But, how do you spot pure, organic or raw honey from artificial or adulterated honey? Here are 4 ways you can do that –

  1. The Thumb Test: Put a drop of the honey on your thumb. If it spreads around right away or spills, it’s not pure. If it stays intact, it’s pure.
  2. The Water Test: Fill a glass of water and add one tablespoon of honey in the water. Pure honey will lump and settle at the bottom of the glass. Adulterated and artificial honey will start dissolving in water.
  3. The Shelf Life Test: Pure honey will crystallise over time. Artificial or adulterated honey will remain looking like syrup, no matter how long it is stored.
  4. Light a Fire: Dip the tip of a matchstick in “honey”, and then strike it to light. Natural honey will light the match easily and the flame will burn off the honey. Artificial or adulterated honey will not light because of the moisture it contains.

Honey available off the shelf is the pasteurised form which may not be entirely pure. Artificial honey is a food with many shortcomings, representing a solution of inverted sugar syrup, that comes from refined sugar, which often has other ingredients added.

Such a synthetic preparation can be achieved in domestic conditions, but it is not healthy. Artificial honey contains a physical mixture of glucose and fructose focused elements that have separated from the previous combination of sugar. Hence, your best bet is to procure honey directly from the beekeepers.

We hope this article helps you pick the best form of honey! For more on nutrition, check out Healthy Reads or get this information directly from an expert by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce

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 […]