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October 2, 2019 By GOQii Leave a Comment

Make a Difference with GOQii Karma

We often think of karma as an intangible entity, something that we can’t touch or predict. There’s a fair chance that our notions of karma might not be true at all but that doesn’t negate the fact that doing good creates personal happiness and paves the way for gratitude.

It has been scientifically proven that the selfless act of giving creates happiness and promotes overall wellbeing. The opportunity to do good is a quality present in all of us. Humans by nature are altruistic beings. It is in our nature to help. All we must do is recognize that part of us and walk together for the greater good. That’s what GOQii Karma is all about! A tangible way to see the impact you make on the world by being healthy.

How does it Work?

Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s iconic Dandi March of 390km, for every 390 steps you clock while using GOQii, you are awarded 1 Karma Point. Once you accumulate sufficient GOQii Karma Points, you can choose to donate these points to social causes listed in the GOQii App’s karma section. The points you donate are converted into monetary contributions by our Karma Partners and our Karma Partners help the underprivileged via these causes.

What Has GOQii Karma Achieved?

Since 2015, with the Karma Points donated by our players to our Karma Partners, we have helped and enabled many individuals throughout India. Some of our key highlights include:

1. Supporting Victims Affected by the Tamil Nadu Floods: The heavy rainfall that plagued Tamil Nadu in 2015 drove thousands of people out of their homes. 5479 GOQii Players walked and contributed a total of 3.9 million Karma Points to Oxfam India to support those affected by providing them hygiene kits, non-food items, dry food ration kits, soap and chlorine tablets and hygiene promotion activities.

2. Empowering Women against Violence: Through our Karma platform we were able to aid Oxfam India in their quest to end violence against women. Through this program, Oxfam India reached out to more than 42,000 women to end violence and established 23 support centres within formal and informal locations to provide psycho-social counselling and legal aid to women facing this issue.

3. Upcycling to Slippers for Children in Need: This cause enabled the collection of old shoes and Rs. 199/pair to upcycle them to slippers and donate them to children in need. Greensole’s vision is to contribute to social good, by creating a self-sustaining infrastructure that facilitates the provision of the basic necessity of footwear to everyone. This cause was completed with 1, 30, 00,000 Karma Points donation by our players.

4. Trees for Rural Communities, Chintamani, Karnataka: Still an on-going cause, Grow-Trees.com wants to allow users to satisfy a private purpose of greeting someone through an eTreeCertificate, while doing social good by planting trees. With Grow-Trees you can plant trees with just a few clicks and gift them to celebrate festivals, birthdays, anniversaries or other special occasions using their personalized e-certificate. The cost of each tree is INR 85.

You can browse through some of the causes on the Karma section in the GOQii App. Just like this, every step you take makes a difference. So clock in your daily steps, collect and donate karma points as you never know who you might be helping.

On the day of Gandhi Jayanti, pledge to walk daily so you can help someone else get on their feet!

#BeTheForce

August 3, 2019 By GOQii Leave a Comment

“Being Healthy & Fit is Lifelong Habit” – Prashant Pathak User Journey

His rant of just work and no play was similar to the other professionals. His quest for a healthy and fit life was often disrupted by the fact that he does not have the time nor the motivation to do anything. Prashant Pathak always had an excuse for leading an unhealthy life – he blamed his job and erratic work hours… until one day, when his wife stepped in to make him realize that he had to change. It’s been four years that he has taken to being physically active and Prashant Pathak is now running marathons and walking the healthy trail.

Prashant Pathak Tells His Story:

My typical day usually involved going to work in the morning, eating anything that was available with no proper regulation on diet. I would sometimes remain hungry for long hours. Once I got home, I would eat a heavy dinner. On days I was on travel, I would head out to work, and the rest of my day was filled with eating out and hanging out back at the hotel. As a result, I had become overweight and weighed 94kgs and was just few KGs from being obese. My BMI was 29.

I tried but could never get into a regular exercise regime. My challenge was to find time for a workout. I would look at my schedule and invariably come up with an excuse to not workout. Every time it would be a new excuse. There was an impetus and aspiration to workout but energy levels were very low with no motivation and hence, no action. One fine day back in 2015, my wife gifted me GOQii. I was surprised but it was a clear indication that I had to do something about myself.

Goal Setting, Achievement and Transformation

My first health goal when I got on the GOQii platform four years ago was weight reduction and to be energetic throughout the day. My first GOQii Coach and I set small monthly goals in the beginning that could be easily achievable. It was delivering results. My coach started me with only a 15-minute workout that was doable. I had absolutely no activity of any kind for so many years and suddenly to be able to do exercise was not an easy task. But 15 minutes I felt was good enough to begin with.

My Coach simultaneously fine-tuned my diet pattern as well. I started having pre and post workout meals. I was having 6 small meals instead of three bulky meals. Secondly, I also started eating fruits. I have stopped tea/coffee with snacks. My water intake also increased.

Clearly, in the last 6 years or so, I have not been so engaged with any kind of program for over a month. But, the GOQii program has been good. The very fact that somebody is monitoring you, makes you accountable.

My first step when I began my health journey was to form habits and build consistency, while trying to reduce weight. So, for the first two years I concentrated on these aspects. From 94kg I reduced to 87kg. I admit that it was pretty tough. Although I was committed and had focus, it was still tough sticking to working out on a regular basis and eating healthy. Slowly and steadily it started becoming easy to the point that being healthy indeed became a habit.

In the last two years, reducing further from 87kg to 73kg was not so tough. From walking 4-5 km daily, I have taken to running marathons regularly. My exercise routine currently, as guided by Coach Parwage via his class Bhaag Marathon Bhaag on GOQii Play, is 3-2-1 Configuration. Where in 3 alternate days I run 5-10 kms, 2 days I do core strengthening exercises and other exercises such as lunges, planks sit-ups etc. 1 day I alternate between cycling and swimming and 1 day, which is usually Monday, is my rest day.

As a result of this, I am positive and feel very energetic. My overall well-being has gone up. Mentally & physically, I am stronger now. The impetus and the consistency in being healthy comes from the GOQii App and the GOQii Coach. I will never forget what my coach has taught me. She helped me get over all my cravings such as junk food and sugar.

No more do I encourage samosa parties in office. Earlier we would gorge on samosa and all that is unhealthy. Now, even if it is a party in office and a cake is being cut, I politely say no

and people are amazed at me. What makes me happy is that I have become an inspiration to many who think that they will never be able to get back on track. After seeing the progress I made they see a ray of hope for themselves.

Giving It Back Like a Champion

This is one of the key reasons I chose to be a GOQii Champion and started the Palava Chapter in the outskirts of Mumbai. The champions programme is a first-hand experience for players. Only if you believe in being healthy will you be able to motivate others. I totally believe in this concept and even if I am able to improve one person’s health I will be happy. Giving back is what I learned from GOQii.

Giving back brings me to the concept of Karma on the GOQii Platform. The dimension of karma is an added advantage. Earlier you would sweat it out for yourself but here, you are not only sweating it out for yourself and your health but in the process are also helping somebody else who is in need, which is very enriching.

Did you find the story of Prashant Pathak to be inspiring? Would you like your story to be featured next? To write to us, please click here.

July 6, 2019 By GOQii Leave a Comment

“GOQii And I Are Inseparable For Life!” – Madela Bharathi

There’s a myth that you can’t be fit and healthy if you’re a homemaker. Some say that it is difficult to look after your own health as you’re so focused on those you want to take care of. But if you have the determination, dedication and drive, nothing can stop you! Well, once you’re already fit, it is all about levelling up, just like our GOQii Player Madela Bharathi.

Madela Bharathi is a homemaker who lives in Vizag. She is 43, married and has two children, 17 and 19 years of age. She had always been fitness conscious and she ate healthy as well. Even as a homemaker, her goal was to get fitter, push her limits and go beyond them!

Already Fit? Level Up!

In August 2018, she got introduced to GOQii through her husband who is an employee at HPCL. They both wanted to participate in the GOQii Corporate Steps Challenge at HPCL. As a part of the onboarding process, she set her long term goals – to stay fit, live disease-free and improve sleep.

When she joined GOQii, her sole motive was to win the Corporate Steps Challenge at HPCL. She used to clock in 50k steps everyday. Walking had become an obsession for her as she wanted to be among the top 10 participants. Her routine only revolved around household chores and walking.

Although her family wasn’t pleased with her walking all day for the challenge, it didn’t deter her motivation to be on top! She saw this as a challenge she wanted to complete, a challenge she wanted to ace without looking back!

As a result, between August 2018 to December 2018, she reduced her weight from 52kg to 49.5kg. Seeing that there was no stopping her, her GOQii Coach asked her to increase her protein intake. She was advised to eat 6 eggs and Sattu along with normal home cooked meals.

During this time, her D3 and B12 levels had dropped and she was asked to take supplements for the same for 6 months.

Crushing Goals and Being on Top!

In November 2018, Madela Bharathi stood 7th place among the HPCL employees who had participated in the challenge. By December 2018, she was the only woman in the top 10. She stood 1st in Vizag and 2nd in the state of Andhra Pradesh.

She had even participated in the India Steps Challenge but was asked to stop walking completely by her GOQii Coach. That did not stop her from claiming 2 GOQii Vitals for herself!

Current Regime and Habits

As of now, fitness continues to be an addiction for Madela Bharathi. She works out watching GOQii Play Coach Aliya Imran’s classes within the GOQii app in the morning and evening. She used to be regular on all classes, tuning in and working out but has limited herself to ensure that she doesn’t overtrain and hurt herself.

Madela can hold an elbow plank for 5 minutes and 40 seconds, although she has challenged herself to extend it to 8 minutes. She practices deep breathing techniques suggested by GOQii Play Coach and Yoga Specialist Ronak Gajjar. Thanks to this, her sleep quality has improved immensely.

Her current habits include eating Halim Seeds soaked in water overnight, as soon as she wakes up. She eats a fruit before a workout and a dry fruits milkshake after. She also consumes Whey Protein Isolate and Sattu every alternate day.

What Are Her Thoughts on GOQii?

Madela Bharathi thoroughly enjoys Coach Aliya’s classes. She says that Coach Aliya has been the guiding force behind her motivation to stay fit, accept challenges and constantly keep pushing her limits.

She is happy with her GOQii Coach’s suggestions on nutrition. Consulting with her GOQii Coach helped her regularize her workout regime, got her aware about the nuances of different exercises, form, posture and nutritional support, etc.

“GOQii and I are inseparable for life now,” she says. Even though her husband discontinued with GOQii after the HPCL challenge, she has chosen to stick with GOQii, further adding that, “GOQii has become a means for me to do what I love best. I get all the guidance and information from coaches and cannot ask for anything more!”

Her future plan is to run a marathon and wishes to train for the same.

What Did Her GOQii Coach Have to Say?

Madela Bharathi is a perfect example of the quote, “Don’t Limit your Challenges, Challenge your Limits!” An enthusiastic woman who joined GOQii to challenge her active lifestyle and work on gaining some muscle mass to take her fitness to the next level.

Madela is a very disciplined woman who is always motivated to try a new habit every time. Be it healthy eating, or level up for workouts, she has always done an excellent job and done justice to the habit, which has definitely helped her in reaching her milestones.

She has always been regular with updating logs and activities on app with all her honesty. She always took my suggestions seriously and made sure that every call done ends up being fruitful. Madela, you truly are an inspiration to today’s women. No matter what the age, it is all about dedication.

June 29, 2019 By GOQii Leave a Comment

Change Begins With a Single Step – Aniruddha Bhave User Journey

Motivation is always the key to achieving your health goals but what happens when you don’t have a health goal to begin with? What happens when there is nothing there to push you towards a healthier lifestyle? Where do you begin? For Aniruddha Bhave, the push came from the consequences of a sedentary lifestyle.

“It’s true that motivation has to come from within. However, you always need someone to lend a helping hand. This was fulfilled exceptionally well by GOQii,” says Aniruddha Bhave after his transformation with GOQii.

Sedentary Lifestyle and the Desire to Change

Before joining GOQii, Aniruddha Bhave, a banker from Mumbai, led a very sedentary lifestyle. His day included long hours of sitting in the office and extensive travelling for work. He travelled by car wherever he went and his eating timings were quite off.

His weight had increased to 79kg, he had been smoking for almost 10 years and drank alcohol occasionally. All of these habits took a steep toll on his health. He had suffered from spondylitis at the age of 32 and was diagnosed as pre-diabetic at the age of 40.

Around this time, he had no idea of what constitutes a healthy lifestyle. He was oblivious about fitness, about what comprises of a healthy and an unhealthy diet. His doctor had asked him to either start with medication or healthy lifestyle modification. As exercise seemed liked a far cry to him back then, he chose medication.

He was on medication for 2 years before joining GOQii.

Making the Change!

In September 2017, one of Anirudhha Bhave’s friends introduced him to GOQii. Initially, he was extremely sceptical whether it will help or not or if it was going to be worth the time and effort. He decided to go ahead because he was looking for a tracker to track his activities.

When Aniruddha Bhave began his journey with GOQii, his primary goal was weight loss. The initial habits that his GOQii Coach set was basic walking as exercise, mindful eating and better sleep – all of which were missing from his life. He was asked to consume raw garlic on an empty stomach in the morning along with a concoction made of lemon, honey and cinnamon with warm water.

As he progressed, Aniruddha slowly switched from walking to jogging and later, he began running. His GOQii Coach was very persistent and ensured that he followed all the habits given to him diligently. When he began running in December 2017, he knew there was no turning back now!

Complete Change, Weight Loss and More

“Running has become my passion,” is what Aniruddha Bhave told GOQii. In fact, he had suffered muscle loss because he was running too much. His GOQii Coach then asked him to perform strength training and increase his protein intake. He began consuming Whey Protein and even tried protein bars, both of which he bought from the GOQii Health Store.

He stopped with medication 3 months after joining GOQii. Aniruddha Bhave even took the 21 Days Challenge and completed it. His current habits include running for two days – one for 15km and the other for 7-8km. On other days, he performs strength training. He has even set up a mini gym at his home for weight training as suggested by his GOQii Coach.

Within 8 months of joining GOQii, Aniruddha lost 12kg. He further reduced his weight to 64.5kg. His HbA1c level has come down from 6.5 to a normal 5.5. Whereas walking even half a km used to be a task, he can now run 10km easily.

Aniruddha now is quite active on GOQii Play. He attributes his increased motivation to coach Aliya Imran. Apart from Aliya’s classes, he also attends Marathon Expert Parwage Alam’s classes for tips on running, Mayuri Dongre’s classes for reviews on products available in the GOQii Health Store as well as Fitness Expert Shweta Kariya’s classes functional training and fitness. He even attends Medical Classes conducted by doctors for medical awareness.

Being the Force

Looking at his amazing transformation, a lot of his friends have taken a keen interest in health and fitness. His wife has also lost weight and brought her thyroid under control with help from GOQii. Aniruddha Bhave is their source of constant motivation and inspiration.

Overall, he considers GOQii to be a blessing for him. He has proven that although the first step is often difficult, but once you take it, with the right guidance and motivation, it can transform your life in unimaginable ways. Any and all change begins with a single step and when you do, there’s no turning back!