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Should You Wear A Mask While Exercising Outdoors?

Exercising OutdoorsThe pandemic is far from over but it hasn’t stopped people from stepping out to get in a quick run or an outdoor exercise. If you’ve been vaccinated, chances of contracting the illness is slim but not negligible. So, the question remains, if you’re heading out, should you wear a mask while exercising outdoors? 

Should You Wear A Mask While Exercising Outdoors? 

Wearing a face mask while exercising outdoors helps prevent the spread of the virus, but it can also lead to breathing difficulties. When you are running, jogging, doing any activity which increases your respiratory rate, the oxygen requirement goes up several times and you need to inhale that much more air to deliver the required oxygen to the body. 

A mask can restrict airflow in and out of the mouth and nose, creating a situation where oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange are compromised. There’s a possibility that you may not be able to fulfil the increased oxygen requirement when exercising with a mask on. There are chances of inhaling the exhaled carbon dioxide. This can create health complications, especially in people with weaker lungs, chronic bronchitis, asthma and other health complications.

Symptoms You Might Experience While Wearing a Mask and Exercising Include: 

  • Anxiety
  • Fatigue
  • Headaches
  • Breathlessness
  • Dizziness
  • Loss of consciousness

Precautions To Be Taken While Exercising Outdoors 

Though it is important to wear a face mask in an enclosed space where social distancing may not be possible – like when going out for work, when using public transport or at grocery stores, restaurants, malls, etc. but when it comes to exercising with a mask on, be cautious. 

  • Listen to your body: You may feel fatigue faster due to a mask, so do not push your exercise limits.
  • Don’t ignore any of the symptoms mentioned above or any other difficulties and put a  break on your exercise immediately.
  • Wearing a face mask or not is a matter of social distancing. For someone walking/running and alone outside where social distancing is maintained, a mask isn’t required.
  • Try exercises where you use the same spot. For instance, stationary cardio workout – you can pick a location where there aren’t any people around. 
  • Keep your distance and be mindful of others. Keep as much space between yourself and others as possible or bring a mask with you and put it on when needed. You can also put a face covering down around the neck and pull it up over your face if you encounter someone.
  • Opt for a breathable, well-fitting face mask. Too tight can make you feel uneasy. 
  • Masks become wet when you wear them and can lead to skin infections. If you’re using a reusable mask, wash it regularly to prevent the build-up of bacteria.

Ideally, it would be best to not rush out. Prefer indoor workouts. You can learn a few of them from Healthy Reads or join our fitness experts LIVE on GOQii Play every day! More so, you can get some good exercise routines directly from your GOQii Coach via personalized coaching. You can subscribe here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/wssu

We hope this article helps you. Do share your thoughts in the comments below! 

Stay home, stay safe, get active and #BeTheForce  

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Fun Ways To Stay Fit At Home

stay fit at homeWhile we’re again in a lockdown due to the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, what most of us are overlooking is the impact of this period on our health. “Sitting is the new smoking” and quite rightly so! Watch your favorite shows, movie marathons, staying glued to the cellphone can all keep you occupied but can also make you mentally and physically unfit! So here are some simple and fun ways to stay fit at home! You can try these fun workouts with your entire family, including your kids! 

6 Fun Ways to Stay Fit at Home

1. Plyometrics at Home
Yes! You read it right; Plyometric Exercise can be fun with all the family members. You can place 6 water bottles in a straight line with a gap of 2 feet between them. Ask all the members to form a line begin the workouts:

  • Do the snake walk without touching the bottles
  • Jump over the bottles
  • Jumping over the bottles again but this time turn to your right and jump and then turn to your left and jump.
  • Jump over the bottles and clap your hands in the air above your shoulders.
  • Come in the plank position such that you are in between two bottles and your body is completely on your toes and palms. Reach till the last bottle.

2. Partner Workouts

  • Both the partners are facing back (touching each other’s back); one partner has a bottle of water and will pass it to the other partner by just turning his waist. At the end of 60 seconds the one who has a bottle of water in their hands is the winner.
  • Both the partners are facing back but this time feet are shoulder distance apart and the box of popcorns will pass by bending the back and the receiving partner too has to bend down to take it.
  • Lie down on the floor such that both the partners are touching each other’s feet sole. Now do cycling 20 times clockwise and anti-clockwise.

3. Hula Hoop
This is favourite among children. Besides just twisting and rotating your waist, you can also do variations like a cross over the loops without touching any body part.

4. Skipping
Skipping is a great way to keep kids and grown-ups happy and engaged. You can do partner skipping, cross skipping and reverse skipping.

5. Dancing
Dancing is also a great form of workout. We live in a land of vast dance forms, so choose your pick from Bangra to Garba to Bollywood! You can have a small dance competition amongst the family members. Encourage the use of props like sticks or chairs which will need more effort.

6. Spell your name
Just spell your name and do these workouts. You can also spell days of the week.

Image courtesy @ Brightside

Hope you enjoy these fun ways to stay fit at home with your family during quarantine. Let us know your experience or your mantra to staying fit indoors, in the comments below. For more exciting and fun home workouts, tune in to GOQii Play. For more on fitness, check out Healthy Reads.

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

Stay indoors, stay safe and #BeTheForce  

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Small Changes For Big Rewards – Officer Susant Dash User Journey

Susant DashIt’s no surprise that the heavy burden of managing this COVID-19 crisis has fallen heavily on our frontline heroes. The members of our police force have faced the worst of it. During this time, it is very important to keep oneself healthy in order to protect others. While this is expected, it is no easy task. Managing health, along with duty, was becoming increasingly difficult for Police Officer Susant Dash. 

As an officer of the police force, his days were always hectic with no timely meals or sleep. He used to eat his lunch at 4pm and dinner around 12:30 or 1am after returning home. He had no control over what he would eat in between his meals – as it mostly consisted of a samosa or some street food from a vendor. The high levels of stress during these precarious times only contributed to his weight gain. He didn’t even have time to think about health or fitness till he stumbled upon an advertisement of our brand ambassador Akshay Kumar on a newspaper which changed his life! 

Making a Lifestyle Change 

The advertisement that Susant Dash saw was that of the GOQii Smart Vital. Being out on the field all day during a pandemic, he figured he could use a device which helped him track vitals such as body temperature, blood oxygen, heart rate and blood pressure. He purchased the GOQii Smart Vital which came with a 3 month subscription to personal coaching. Once he subscribed, he was introduced to his Coach, Yogita Sharma and his journey to a healthier lifestyle began. 

Habits Introduced By His Coach 

The changes that Coach Yogita Sharma introduced were quite basic. This included maintaining a 3 hour gap between his dinner and sleep time, timely meals and no oily food. She gave him a fitness regime to follow for a week which included 4 days of cardio, 2 days of strength training and 1 day of rest. 

Now, his day starts at 6 in the morning with a glass of lemon water or methi seeds soaked overnight with water. He starts his workout at 7 and goes on for an hour. He tries his best to eat his breakfast, lunch and dinner on time. He has completely stopped snacking from vendors – fried foods being a major weakness. Along with this, he does 10 minutes of guided meditation every day before sleeping. 

What Changes Did Officer Susant Dash Notice? 

Thanks to making these minimal changes to his lifestyle, his weight has reduced from 103kg in September 2020 to 87kg now. He feels more energetic and active despite being out all day. He understood from his coach that exercise alone does not lead to fat loss. It has to be coupled with calorie restriction, proper diet and sleep – something that he was unaware about before being coached by Yogita Sharma, who guided him about what to eat, what to avoid, and most importantly, how to structure his meals. 

With visible changes in his physique and appearance, he says he has grown more confident and feels good when he is appreciated by his superiors and his juniors at the station. He feels pleased that he has become a role model for his colleagues and has inspired many among them to take fitness seriously. He says, “I never imagined I could lose 16 kgs in 5 months. Thanks to GOQii this came true!” 

Apart from engaging with his GOQii Coach, Officer Susant Dash also follows GOQii Play Coaches Mukesh, Heena, Dr. Paramjeet and Urvashi and finds their videos interesting. He also purchases products such as honey, teas, etc. from the GOQii Health Store. 

What Does Coach Yogita Sharma Have To Say About Officer Susant Dash? 

Officer Susant Dash joined GOQii on 13th September, 2020. When he joined our team, his weight was 99kg and he struggled with borderline high sugar levels, uric acid and high blood pressure, but was not taking any medication for the same. After our first discussion, we decided that we will try lifestyle modifications to correct these parameters before starting medication. 

Over a period of 4 months, he has lost 10kg of weight and as per his latest reports, his blood sugar, blood pressure and uric acid levels are all well within normal range. Overall, his energy levels have improved and he feels fresh throughout the day. 

Does the story of Officer Susant Dash inspire you to make a lifestyle change? Then download the GOQii App and subscribe now! To read more inspirational stories, check out Healthy Reads. 

#BeTheForce

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Chandan Tiwari Makes A Positive Lifestyle Shift!

chandan tiwari

Life is full of unexpected twists and turns and as you age those twists and turns keep getting narrower. But as long as you are determined to pull through, nothing can stop you. And sometimes all you need is a helping hand. The story of our player Chandan Tiwari is one such example. 

Life Before GOQii 

Now 28 years of age, Chandan Tiwari used to be quite active in sports during his youth. He represented his school and college in cricket. He was lean, fit and weighed 74kg. However, once he began working in 2016, his life got caught up in the twists and turns of a working individual and he found himself working for 14-15 hours a day backed by lack of sleep, unhealthy eating habits and lack of physical activity. In 3 years, he gained 22kg and also suffered bouts of depression with his confidence being at an all time low. He says he is not sure whether depression led to all the unhealthy eating and weight gain or was it the other way round. He faced frequent health issues like cold and fever, stomach issues and skin allergy. He was diagnosed with fatty liver too during one of the medical tests conducted in 2018. 

Enter GOQii 

Chandan was introduced to GOQii by his brother who is also an active user and had undergone a transformation due to lifestyle changes introduced by the coach. He joined GOQii in August 2019 and his life took another turn – this time for the better. 

The first thing his GOQii Coach did was explain the importance of a slow and consistent approach to fat loss rather than changing his lifestyle completely. So he started slowly. The changes introduced by his coach included: 

  • No outside food on weekdays 
  • Lemon water early in the morning on an empty stomach’
  • ACV before lunch
  • 30 min of walking everyday
  • Reduce consumption of sweets

Later, his GOQii Coach also introduced habits such as: 

  • Focusing on eating and chewing food slowly as he was used to finishing his meals quickly
  • Eating fruits and raw vegetables
  • Less oil in cooking and more boiled food
  • Start with a run for 1 or 2 km and then slowly increase it to 5 km

Chandan Tiwari Takes The Positive Turn! 

In 2 months flat, Chandan was able to lose 10kg. This motivated him to be more dedicated. He says it was initially difficult to abstain from his normal eating habits as all the sweet cravings were hard to control but he pulled through. He proudly says he has not touched sweets in the last 5 months. 

The other changes he experienced include: 

  • 2-3 days of run and 3-4 days of bodyweight exercises at home by following YouTube or GOQii Play Coaches. The bodyweight training has helped him achieve lean muscle. 
  • He participated in a 10k run last year and now wants to do a 21 km marathon. 
  • His sleep has improved as he avoids late night TV or his phone. Goes to bed at 11PM as compared to 2-3AM before. 
  • Has incorporated meditation and breathing exercises to his routine which keep him calm although work pressure has not reduced, he is able to manage his work and prioritize fitness. 

Thanks to all these changes, he now weighs 74.5kg. His fatty liver condition is completely cured. His thyroid is under control although he is still on medication. Right now, he feels more positive, confident and energetic even after 11 hours of work. Apart from interacting with his coach on a regular basis, he has been regularly buying products from the GOQii Health Store. 

In his words, he was almost obsessed with his transformation and wanted to get back in shape at any cost. He said, “It’s not just the physical transformation but my mental transformation which I am happy about. I now feel totally in control of myself and stronger to handle everything.” His family is overwhelmed with his transformation and wish to thank GOQii for their support and help.

Do you want to make a positive shift too? Well, download the GOQii app and subscribe now! To read more inspiring stories, check out Healthy Reads. 

#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 […]