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Nothing is Impossible! All you need to do is take that first step

Anurag on the move

Anurag on the move…..

It’s been few weeks since we started featuring GOQii Users success stories. These are stories of players who have reached their goals both in terms of clocking the required and more no. of steps, reaching their health goals, inspiring others to get healthy as well as doing well by donating their Karma Points. Anurag Bisen, 48, has conquered all of these aspects! Here is his success story, in his own words.

I am Anurag Bisen, a serving naval officer. Not that I was not active. I was active as I used to play Squash, go Yachting etc but, it was not a regulated regime for exercising. I did it all in spurts. Then I took to running sometime in March 2014 thinking every day running will become regular. But, yet again I was not happy about the way I was going about it. Then one day I was relaxing reading a tech magazine. I follow technology very closely and I came across an article about GOQii.

I found it extremely interesting to read about this new wearable from an Indian company and decided to find out more. Once, I got to know about GOQii I decided to go in for the band and became one of the beta players of GOQii on April 25, 2014. Since then I have had a fantastic experience with GOQii and my coach Shimpli Patil.

We initially discussed by issues and my goals. My coach in her own way kept me motivated to regulate my daily routine. My health goal initially was to reduce my weight. I was 98 kgs. Back then. I was very active and fit in my 20s and then somewhere I was unable to maintain a regulated regime. But, after getting on to the GOQii ecosystem I was determined to make a change. I was clear I had to do much more in a more disciplined manner. I made it a point to run regularly five days a week and on weekends played Golf as that was my rest day. But I clocked more steps on weekends as well. And because I do not run on weekends I run double the amount on Monday.

The change for me seemed like I have resurfaced again and all thanks to my coach for that.

Here is what I do daily…

I clock 10 km Monday to Friday –

Monday I walk 4 km in the morning and run double the amount (12 km)

Tuesday to Friday- I walk 4 km in the morning and run 6 km in the evenings. Monday I run double the amount as I do not run over the weekends.

On an average I run 70 km a week.

My weight reduced from 98 to 83 in just 11 months and I have been maintaining that.

Once my activity routine was regulated and I had started running enough, in 2014, GOQii put together teams to do the 100 km Oxfam Trailwalker. I have been interested in hiking and trekking and also indulged in these activities quite a bit. But, I had never walked 100 kms. And the best part we had to finish this 100 km Trailwalk within 48 hours.

GOQii interestingly also has a Karma initiative wherein based on your daily step count you earn karma points. These points can then be donated to charity that GOQii has partnered. Currently, it has a partnership with Oxfam and the points I earned I have donated part of those points to an Oxfam cause. This is a great initiative as one gets healthy and also does good for the society to make a difference in others life.

My experience in the first year of Oxfam Trailwalker was good. As a team though we could not finish. But, I was determined to complete the walk. All the steps that I’d accumulated up to this point clearly paid off. My training plan worked perfectly; I felt strong. So I took off on my own after my 3 teammates backed out. Technically our team was out but, I wanted to finish the 100 kms for my own self. GOQii team was there to motivate and that was good. I completed the 100 kms and I was in cloud 9.

Second year that is Nov 2105, I participated again in the trailwaker and this time we were four school mates who came together to walk 100 kms for charity. It was a sort of reunion for us. We had a memorable time walking together. It was completely overwhelming.

Overall, I can say that GOQii has made me extremely active and fit. I do not have any particular restrictions on food. I pretty much eat everything I want to. But, I am controlled. Sometimes I have my cheat days over the weekends when I indulge a bit. But, then I make sure I burn all those calories with a good run.

GOQii is a great concept and I am sure it can make a big change in people. Another fact I like about GOQii is the connect it has with its consumers.

Final Score:

In 23 months of being on GOQii platform

I have clocked a grand total of 10005k steps

Covered a distance of 7876 kms

Donated: 1417 Karma points towards one cause

In my mind I have set a target to earn a set amount of Karma points. Once I have earned those many points I shall donate them to charity.

To anyone who thinks they cannot or do not have it in them what it takes to do something like walking a 100 km or just about waking every morning and going for a 4 km walk or a 6 km run, just remember: all you need to do is take that first step. Put, one foot in front of the other. Keep it up. Before you know it, you’ll arrive.

Anurag with his 3 schoolmates after completing the 100 km Oxfam Trailwalk in Nov 2015.

Anurag with his 3 schoolmates after completing the 100 km Oxfam Trailwalk in Nov 2015.

What does his coach Shimpli have to say?

Anurag has been on the GOQii platform right since the beta phase. Being from the Indian Navy, he has always had a disciplined lifestyle. But, he felt there was something amiss. His aim was to make his workouts more regular and lose some weight (fat) and we kick started the GOQii journey with these ambitious goals.

During the course of Coaching, I was extremely astounded to see the way Anurag was progressing towards his goals. There were hardly any days where Anurag’s step count did not hit the target that we had set for him. It was very clear that this was easily achievable only because of Anurag’s infinite dedication, super strong willpower and the staggering amount of energy that he possesses. Anurag was so driven towards his goals that he could not resist going out for a run even when he was travelling or felt under the weather. One thing that just kept him going was his deep-rooted PASSION! With a passion like his, Anurag not only completed a couple of Marathons but also successfully completed the 100 km Oxfam Mumbai Trailwalker twice in the two consecutive years!

Anurag is indeed an inspiration to many! With his dedicated endeavor, he has managed to put his workouts in place and has come down from 98 kg to 83 kg today, with a very prominent reduction in the belly fat!

As a Coach, I motivate people to achieve their goals, but this is a rare instance where a GOQii Player reciprocates and motivates his Coach too! 🙂

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Stay Healthy and Save Money

budget-health

Today’s Union Budget presented by Union Minister for Finance Arun Jaitley provides for new health protection scheme that will provide health cover up to Rs One lakh per family. And for senior citizens an additional top-up package up to Rs 30,000 will be provided. This is good but, how about staying healthy and reducing health costs once for all.

Lifestyle plays an important role in heart ailments but, perhaps many have not taken this to heart. Getting angioplasties and stents that cost thousands of rupees do not prolong life or prevent heart attacks in stable patients. Similarly, lowering blood sugar with drugs does not fully prevent the economic and human costs of diabetes (including heart attacks, strokes, amputations, impotence, kidney failure, and blindness), but lowering blood sugar with diet and lifestyle prevents all of these human and economic costs.

Bringing about lifestyle changes is easier said than done. Simple lifestyle changes like walking or cycling instead of driving, climbing stairs instead of taking an elevator, eating nutritious food or making dietary changes, exercising on a daily basis and incorporating some behavior modification technique can have a big impact on you and your pocket for the better. And rather than buy a pricey gym membership to get in shape, there are ways to work out on the cheap or choose a fitness tracker with a coach to guide you.

Her are 6 healthy habits that can keep you fit.

  • Portion Control and Mindful Eating: Watching how much you eat is one of the best ways to maintain your weight. Have smaller portions of food instead of filling your plate in one go and have 5 small meals a day that is healthy and nutritious. This will help you manage your weight, keep your cool, maintain your focus and avoid cravings.
  • Exercise Daily: The best way to start your day is with some good physical activity. We all know the importance of physical activity, but still only a less percentage of the population in the world follow the same. Exercise has been found to decrease your chances of depression, anxiety, and stress. It is also related to higher success in your career. If you don’t care about your body, every other aspect of your life will suffer. Take care of your body. It is the only place you live.
  • Have Enough Water: Staying well hydrated is one of our body’s basic needs. Water is needed to enable the body to keep eliminating the toxins generated, to produce digestive enzymes, maintain healthy skin, hair, organs and to help your body absorb essential vitamins, minerals and natural sugars. Water also regulates the body temperature, cooling one down by evaporating through the skin. Drinking at least 3 litres of water a day is a must.
  • Get A Healthy 7+ Hours of Sleep: Sleep plays a vital role in good health and well-being throughout your life. Getting enough quality sleep at the right time can help protect your mental and physical health, quality of life, and safety. Sleep is just as important as eating and drinking water. Despite this, millions of people do not sleep enough and experience insane problems as a result. The way you feel while you’re awake depends partly on how you have slept or what kind of sleep you have had. During sleep, your body is working to support healthy brain function and maintain your physical health.
  • Think Positive and have a sense of Gratitude: Being positive and thinking positive builds a healthier immune system and boosts overall health. Body believes what you think so think positive. Gratitude is good for our bodies, our minds, and our relationships. Showing gratitude also keeps one happy. Gratitude also blocks toxic and negative emotions and
  • Avoid Stress: The human body is designed to experience stress and react to it. Here are few things you can do to avoid stress. Namely meditate, deep breathing, be alert, relax, laugh out loud, listen to music, and chase your hobbies.

So let’s stay healthy and save money and rather use that money for things we love to do.

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“I stopped making excuses and took efforts to change my lifestyle… you can do it too” Says Gaurav Shangari

Gaurav working out in the Gym - Copy

I am a 31-year-old  self- employed individual based in New Delhi. I was never very active throughout my life. I largely led a sedentary lifestyle and was not involved in any kind of physical activity. I would drive to work, would keep sitting in the office, and did not follow a proper diet although I was aware that I was not eating right and the importance of good nutrition in staying healthy.

About the time I turned 18, I started eating a lot of junk food. Outings with friends would always mean consuming junk food and sweetened beverages. It was excessive now that I look back and that led to tremendous weight gain even though I had been naturally skinny all my life.

Over the next 12 years of living, such a lifestyle meant that I was heavier by 30 kgs and this excess weight came with other issues such as high cholesterol, breathing difficulties and reduced mobility of the joints.

It had got to a point where I was fed up of seeing doctors and swallowing pills day in day out which provided only temporary relief from the effects of a self-destructive lifestyle. It’s then that I decided to put my foot down and take back control of my health.

In March 2015, on the strong insistence of my wife and my mother’s support, I went to a nutritionist to try and figure what to do. I was on the path to recovery but a major turning point came in May 2015 when I got introduced to GOQii. One of my friends had already tried GOQii and she strongly recommended it to me. So I decided to give it a shot as well and ordered the GOQii band. And I can say with confidence that I’m glad I made that decision.

I strapped the GOQii band to my wrist, got a personal coach in Anushree Ashtekar, and started on my journey to make a permanent shift to a healthier lifestyle. With the guidance of my coach, I started becoming physically more active. Initially, things were tough but my coach helped me in making gradual changes and today I am at the point that I work out at least 4-5 times a week.

My body composition has changed drastically and so many other annoying issues have completely disappeared. It’s been close to 10 months now and I have lost 20 kgs – going down from an unhealthy 90.5 kgs to the current 70 kg which led to my cholesterol levels also reducing significantly. It’s all about making a commitment to yourself.

My goal was to increase my activity levels and improve fitness, and the weight loss came naturally.

GOQii has done a lot of good to me. Personal coaching has been the key factor in my journey. The coach is a great motivator who helps you to make gradual changes for the better with each passing day.

My coach, Anushree, gives me practical advice and answers all the queries promptly, which is critical in being able to make immediate decisions towards better health as you go about your daily life.

Thanks to Anushree my eating habits have improved. It’s no more junk food for me but a diet full of nutritious food. Fruits and salads have become a part of my lifestyle these were missing earlier. I have gotten rid of my long standing issue of frequent muscle soreness. Digestive issues too are no longer a concern and the bottom line is that my energy levels have gone up considerably.

Currently, I am well on my way to becoming a physically active person. What I love most about GOQii is that it holds me accountable on a daily basis and my coach keeps me on my toes. When I glance at it and see that I’m short on steps today, for example, I know I have to take a few extra flights of stairs or go for a jog or a walk before the day is over. The last thing I want to do is go to bed without having reached my daily targets.

What does Anushree Ashtekar have to say about her Player?

Before coming on the GOQii program, Gaurav had quite a history of health issues. Sedentary lifestyle, high cholesterol, vitamin B12 and vitamin D3 deficiencies, fatty liver etc.. His wife forced him towards Naturopathy and that was a turning point in his life. He got many of his health issues in control and then wished to try out the GOQii coaching program for further guidance from a personal coach. We clicked instantly, as a coach, I understood his needs and started working towards them. We started working on reducing his muscle soreness, building a healthy physique and immunity and bought many of these issues in control.Today, I can say, he has come a very long way. The health issues that he had to suffer have made him very self-driven now regarding his health. And what made our association successful on the GOQii program was his own dedication, determination, open-mindedness and trust in me as his coach.

He has changed for good and he will be getting only better!

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We Can I Can

WCD-messages

“We can I Can” is the theme for this year’s World Cancer Day and this theme will continue through 2018. The idea of ‘We Can I Can’ is to explore how everyone –together and individually- can do their part to reduce the global burden of Cancer.

Today is World Cancer Day and experts say that one of the best ways to reduce the risk of Cancer is by adopting a healthy lifestyle. It is said that you can reduce the risk of many common cancers such as bowel, breast, uterine, ovarian, Oesophagus, kidney and liver by maintaining a healthy weight, eating right and making physical activity part of your daily routine.

As individuals ‘I Can’:

  • Make healthy lifestyle choices that include avoiding tobacco, getting plenty of physical activity, eating a healthy diet
  • Learn to detect signs and symptoms of cancer it only makes it easier to treat
  • Support Cancer patients and survivors with physical and emotional impacts of cancer after treatment
  • Share stories of own cancer experiences, communicate with decision makers and join support groups to help make positive changes for all people affected by cancer
  • When possible return to work after cancer treatment to restore normality, routine, stability, social contact and income.

As community ‘We can’:

  • Educate people about the link between lifestyle behaviors – including smoking, poor diet, and lack of physical activity – and cancer risk.
  • Dispel myths that lead to stigma and discrimination against people with cancer in some communities.
  • Encourage schools and workplaces to implement nutrition and physical activity policies that can help people to adopt healthy habits for life.
  • Improve access to affordable cancer health care for all populations.

(source cancer.org)

We all can do our bit. I remember there is an organization in Mumbai called Ugam, a voluntary support group formed by Childhood Cancer survivors. UGAM means “To Rise” underscoring their determination to rise above all obstacles in life & be VICTORS. UGAM, based in Mumbai is the youngest unit of the oldest & most prominent NGO, The Indian Cancer Society( ICS) under its survivorship programme.

Ugam’s vision is to ensure that every childhood cancer survivor finds his/ her way to celebrate life after winning the battle with cancer. Ugam helps in self-empowerment of the survivors. It helps in fulfilling their dreams that were put on hold while they were battling this tormenting disease and the hardships of the treatments. Helping in overcoming social fears and hindrances, overcoming their physical and mental disabilities and moving ahead despite them, Educational and career related assistance and guidance.

Ugam provides a platform for them to talk about their experience and problems and help in building their confidence and self-esteem. Ugam tries and gives them a reason to lead a social and personal life in the future.

We at GOQii are advocates of a healthy lifestyle and doing Karma. So let make a beginning…..

Here is another interesting read….

http://goqii.com/blog/foods-for-breast-cancer-prevention/

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 […]