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Discipline Is The Key To A Healthier Lifestyle – Birendra Verma User Journey

Birendra Verma

One of the key pillars to achieving your goals is discipline. You may have the best coach, the best nutritionist or even someone motivating you at every step but without discipline and consistency, reaching your health goal will be close to impossible. That’s the thing about setting goals and having plans, they never work unless you do. If you maintain discipline, no goal is out of reach at any given age. Don’t believe us? Here’s the journey of our player Birendra Verma who made a positive lifestyle change by maintaining a disciplined lifestyle! 

Life Before GOQii  

Birendra Verma is a 60 year old working professional from Mumbai. Before joining GOQii, he never indulged in any physical activity. He led what most of us consider a pretty normal life revolving around work and home. He suffered from Diabetes for the last 10 years and in 2016, he weighed around 103kg. It was in 2016 itself that one of his two daughters decided to gift him a GOQii for Father’s Day, changing his life and health forever!

Making The Shift With GOQii

Upon signing up, Birendra Verma didn’t get any specific diet plan but there were a few modifications made to his lifestyle. His GOQii Coach, who at the time was Coach Kusum introduced him to Zumba – something he follows regularly even today. Later, when his Coach changed to Coach Shraddha, she suggested he walk daily. His current step count ranges from 10k-15k daily. Later, his new GOQii Coach Naina Sudarshan introduced him to breathing exercises, surya namaskar and planks. He initially began with 30 seconds and can now hold a plank for up to 2 minutes.

He says that as a disciplined person, it wasn’t too difficult for him to follow the instructions given to him by his Coaches. They helped him with his diet, understood his enthusiasm, provided him with regular exercises and motivated him every step of the way. 

Thanks to the changes introduced by his coaches, within a year of joining GOQii, he had lost 20kgs and currently, as of 2021, he weighs 83kg. He credits this weight loss to his Coach’s suggestion to walk at least 10k steps a day and his own discipline in following through. 

What Does Birendra Verma Think About GOQii? 

He says that Coach Naina and Coach Shraddha helped him a lot in his journey with GOQii. Coach Naina pushed him a lot to achieve his goals and encouraged him with regular exercises as well as breathing exercises. Coach Shaddha reviewed his regular health checkups and took measures to help him maintain his health. 

What Does His GOQii Coach Have To Say About His Journey?

Coach Naina says, “Having a player who is well aware of his own health is always motivating for me as a coach. Birendra Verma is one such player who is very disciplined, dedicated, and maintains consistency with whatever habits that were suggested by me for his health. Going through health conditions like diabetes and hypertension can be challenging as a busy working professional. A person will be at higher risk of getting frequent infections and inflammation with diabetes. Birendra has learnt to manage how to handle such situations without too much dependency on medications these days. His balanced diet, regular physical activities, good sleep routine and mainly knowing how to manage stress have helped him a lot. He is one of the most active and energetic players in his age group that I have seen so far. I am glad to be working with him as a coach to motivate him and guide him every day to maintain his health.”

Are you looking for a Coach like Naina Sudarshan to guide and motivate you? Sign up for personalized coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr  

For more inspiring user journeys, check out Healthy Reads. 

#BeTheForce 

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Meditation: Why It Is Necessary Today!

meditationMany of us are worried about the impact of the ongoing pandemic on our elderly and physically vulnerable relatives. To top it off, the economic impact it has had around the world, right down to individuals being unable to work and ineligible for sick pay is huge. All this coupled with shortages in shops, cancellation of planned holidays and events have all caused some level of anxiety and distress. As these mental and emotional issues pile up, there’s a good chance that one might go over the edge. To avoid that, something must be done. During these trying times, there is something you can do to improve your mental and emotional wellbeing. That something is meditation! 

How Does Meditation Help? 

Taking out time to meditate can also help in so many ways:

  1. Improves Mental Health: At a time when people may be self-isolating, worrying about finances, socially distancing from loved ones, and feeling concerned about contracting the virus, meditation can help improve emotional health and can help manage depression which is exacerbated by stress.
  2. Boost Immunity: COVID-19 is highly infectious and boosting your immunity will help you fight against this pandemic. Several research studies suggest that meditation helps in positively impacting the genes involved in the infectious cycle and increases the immunity. Using regular self-hypnosis as a relaxation technique has had positive effects on Lymphocytes—a type of white blood cell which helps produce antibodies and destroy cells which could cause damage.
  3. Reduce Anxiety: Meditation involves staying in the present moment without dwelling on the past or the future and accepting your feelings and emotions as perfectly valid. This will help in reducing stress levels and thus, potentially manage the increased level of anxiety which comes from being in the middle of a pandemic like coronavirus.

How Can You Start? 

  • Use GOQii’s guided meditation feature: Click on the “+” and go to meditation. A good way to kick start if you are new to this.
  • At first, it will take effort: Do regular, short bursts and gradually build up the amount of time you spend during any one meditation session. So start slow and short.
  • Set a regular time of day: Meditation is a habit and you’re much more likely to implement it if you set a specific time of day and incorporate it into your routine.
  • Get very comfortable: Maybe light a candle or some relaxing music.
  • Have patience: It is okay. Your mind will wander and you will have all types of thoughts at first but do not stop practicing this.
  • Do it regularly: Make a habit which will stay with you always!

We hope this article helps you! For more articles on meditation, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to our yoga and meditation experts on GOQii Play. To get these tips directly from your GOQii Coach, subscribe to personalized coaching now: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr 

Stay home, stay safe, meditate and #BeTheForce

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9 Bad Habits That Are Affecting Your Immunity

immunityWith the second wave of the pandemic, it becomes increasingly important to take care of one’s health. While there is no cure for the virus, building immunity can be an effective preventive measure you can take along with the vaccine to ensure that you remain healthy. While we have discussed things we should do in order to improve immunity, today, let’s discuss bad habits that are destroying your immunity. 

9 Bad Habits That Destroy Immunity 

  1. Not Getting Enough Sleep: Adequate sleep helps the body rest and prepare to fight infections, bacteria, viruses, and other triggers. If you aren’t getting enough sleep, your body doesn’t have the chance to fight diseases as effectively,  Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep daily to keep the immune system at its prime.
  2. Lack of Exercise: Exercise plays a significant role as this is a very powerful stimulant of the immune system. It enhances the ability to create antibodies and T-cells, which are white blood cells that help the body fight disease. As little as 30 minutes of walking for 5 days a week can help your immune system perform at its best. You can also try these exercises: https://goqii.com/blog/5-simple-exercises-you-can-do-at-home/  
  3. Poor Nutrition: Quality of food is very important and often overlooked cause of immune depletion. Our food supply contains many unhealthy, toxic chemicals which can cause havoc in our bodies. Over time, this depletes the immune system, and if not corrected, will continue to get worse.  It can also cause you to be overweight, a condition that makes you more susceptible to disease. A healthy diet should include plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat milk. Try these foods to build your immunity: https://goqii.com/blog/7-foods-that-boost-immunity/ 
  4. Stress: High-stress levels can create a hormonal imbalance in our body, weakening the immune system and making us more susceptible to illness. Stress produces the hormone cortisol which impairs the function of infection-fighting T-cells. To de-stress and stay healthy, we must exercise for 30 minutes a day or practice deep breathing and meditation— all these can diminish the effects of stress.
  5. Excess Alcohol: Regularly overindulging in alcoholic drinks can have a negative effect on our immune system. Drinking too much can wear away the linings of our mouth and oesophagus. It also makes our white blood cells less effective at attacking harmful bacteria and lowers our body’s ability to produce cells that identify and kill bacteria and viruses.  
  6. Smoking: damages the first lines of defense, the linings of our mouth and our nose, which are actually part of our immune system. This makes us more susceptible to cold and flu. Our lungs can be very badly affected by smoking. Coughs, colds, wheezing and asthma are just the start. Smoking can cause fatal diseases such as pneumonia and lung cancer. Smoking causes 84% of deaths from lung cancer and 83% of deaths from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
  7. Not Drinking Enough Water: Our body needs water for every function it performs and so does our immune system. It needs proper hydration to function. Water flushes out harmful toxins and helps our body fight off infection. Plus, it affects our energy levels and even the quality of our sleep. Drinking 3l of water regularly helps one stay well hydrated and healthy. 
  8. High Sugar Intake: Sugary snacks are also bad for our immune system. The blood cells need vitamin C to fight off viruses and because glucose (from sugar) is so similar in structure to vitamin C, when we ingest too much sugar it actually starts competing with vitamin C for space in our immune cells. Thereby limiting our intake of sugar can help to keep our immune system fighting fit. To satisfy your sweet tooth, eat a piece of dark chocolate or dates or sweets made from jaggery. 
  9. Frequent Use of Supplements: A proper balanced diet provides us with all the essential nutrients. We should opt for supplements only when excessive deficiency is seen and it must be stopped after having a prescribed dosage. Too much of supplements may interfere with normal bodily functions, leading to side effects such as nausea, diarrhoea, stomach cramps, gastrointestinal issues, fatigue and probably mild nerve damage.

If the above-mentioned habits have been a part of your daily lifestyle, you need to stop indulging in them now! It’s time to make a complete lifestyle change, build immunity and focus more on preventive healthcare. 

We hope this article helps you! Do leave your thoughts in the comments below. For more topics and information on coronavirus, building immunity, home workouts and nutrition, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to sessions by experts on GOQii Play. 

To get these tips directly from your GOQii Coach, sign up for personalized coaching now: https://goqiiapp.page.link/wssu 

#BeTheForce 

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Recovering From An Infection? Try This Recovery Diet Routine

COVID Recovery DietThe rainy season is here and along with it, so are the seasonal viral infections. To top it off, we’re also amid the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Recovering from illness is a long and arduous journey. Along with medication, you also need to focus on a well balanced, nutritious diet for healthy recovery. According to the National Health Service (NHS) those recovering from COVID-19 need more proteins, vitamins and minerals to speed up the recovery process and rebuild their immunity. Keeping this in mind, here’s a recovery diet routine you can follow.

COVID-19 Recovery Diet Routine

  • Take Adequate Rest: Taking rest after the infection is very essential for your recovery. Good sleep of 7-8 hours improves the recovery rate. Try to avoid going back to your old routine just after recovery as stress or work anxiety might lead to weakness again
  • Eat Small Frequent Meals: Small quantities of food at intervals of 2-3 hours will permit adequate nutrition without overtaxing the digestive system. As the gut microbe gets affected, one needs to eat easily digestible foods so that the stomach can easily absorb nutrients and provide energy as well
  • Protein: It is the foremost concern as wear and tear of muscle, catabolism occurs at the time of infection. So an adequate amount of protein is needed. According to the Confederation of Medical Associations, Asia and Oceania about 75 grams is needed for the first few weeks. Good quality of protein builds up the immunity, it helps in muscle recovery as well for respiratory muscle strengthening. Include lentils, legumes, milk and milk products, soy, nuts, seeds, meat, chicken, fish and eggs in your diet
  • Probiotics: There is a change in healthy gut bacteria because of the treatment with antibiotics, which can lead to inflammation and loss of taste. Probiotics will enhance digestion and help in restoring immunity. Include curd, yogurt, kefir, kombucha or sauerkraut to your meals
  • Fluids: This is very essential as it will flush out toxins from the body. During fever, we are in a catabolism state, which leads to dehydration. Try to drink at least 2-3 litres of water every day. One can include other fluids like coconut water as it may help replace electrolytes that the body loses, lemon water which is rich in potassium, herbal concoction and fresh juices.  Avoid packaged juices, caffeine and fizzy drinks. For cardiac and kidney patients, the volume of fluid and sodium, along with other electrolytes may have to be restricted.
  • Foods high in Vitamin C: Vitamin C boosts our immune system. Most of the vitamin C rich foods are rich in flavonoids. According to The National Institutes of Health flavonoids might help in recovery of the upper respiratory tract infections. Include foods such as lemons, berries, grape, broccoli, raw, dark leafy greens, oranges, capsicum, Guava and amla daily
  • Omega 3 fatty acids: Studies have shown that Omega-3 fatty acids present an anti-inflammatory effect that also helps in recovery after viral infections, specifically eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) as this reduces inflammation. Sources of Omega 3 fatty acids include Salmon, cod liver oil, walnuts, flaxseeds, chia seeds and hemp seeds. Other green leafy vegetables and beans also contain small amounts.
  • Garlic: It has been used for centuries for medical ailment. Studies have shown garlic enhances immunity and reduces the severity of the symptoms of viral infections. Garlic can be crushed, sliced, chewed as it produces allicin which has immunity boosting properties

However, recovery also depends on the rate of infection as well. Take adequate bed rest with home cooked food and avoid alcohol, smoking, hard and processed foods which might lower the immunity system and delay recovery. 

We hope these recovery diet recommendations help you! Do let us know your thoughts in the comments below. For more on COVID-19 recovery, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to sessions by experts on GOQii Play. 

To get these nutritional tips or recipes directly from your GOQii Coach, subscribe to personalized coaching now: https://goqiiapp.page.link/wssu  

#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 […]