fitness Archives - Page 34 of 45

January 13, 2020 By GOQii Leave a Comment

GOQii Trail Challenge Heroes: Give Up on Shankar Sabadi Giving Up!

Through adversity, there is redemption! What would life be without challenges? How would you know your limits? It is because of challenges we learn our limits, how to push past them and reach our goals. Getting demotivated is natural but with a sound mind and a strong spirit, nothing is impossible! For everyone who was a part of the GOQii Trail Challenge 2019, this was one of the most heroic tales which unfolded before us! Shankar Sabadi didn’t just complete the challenge but served as a living, breathing example of what you do when faced with adversity.

How Was the Experience Compared to 2018?

Shankar Sabadi has been an active GOQii Player since 2017. Since undergoing a transformation and making a positive lifestyle change, he has always been looking for challenges to test his limits. This was the second time that Shankar Sabadi had participated in the GOQii Trail Challenge. Although he said it was painful, and you’re about to find out why, he said it was a refreshing experience when compared to last year.

As the trail challenge was a fairly fresh concept introduced in 2018, the participants, Shankar included, didn’t know what to expect other than the fact that they had to walk 50km. He didn’t expect the mix of hiking, trekking, inclines and declines. Despite not knowing what awaited him, he completed the Trail in 2018 within 12 hours.

This year, he trained himself well for the challenge ahead by climbing stairs every day, going for mountain walks and taking normal ones as well.

Shankar Sabadi at GOQii Trail Challenge 2019

The trail began and all our participants went on route. After a group of 8 people, including Shankar Sabadi and a pacer left the 1st checkpoint, they were following the ribbons used to mark the trail. However, they missed one and took a wrong route. The path was rocky, covered with dense bushes, which made Mr. Sabadi realize that they might have taken a different route. He suggested they should return to the last ribbon.

Few of them weren’t in favour of the decision as they had walked for at least half an hour. After much discussion, the pacer confirmed that they were on the wrong route and they all decided to retrace their steps. As Shankar Sabadi turned around, he tripped on some pebbles. He quickly realized that he won’t be able to avoid the fall and instead of taking the fall on his back and hurting it, he decided to fall on his hands.

He immediately realized that he had fractured his hand…

Never Back Down! Give Up On Giving Up!

He did experience pain and his fellow walkers helped him to his feet. They noticed his arm was swollen. He just kept his hand in his pocket and asked everyone to move ahead. He didn’t want anyone to be delayed on his account.

At the next checkpoint, he asked one of the support staff to spray some pain reliever on his arm. They said a doctor will be available only at the village and offered to take him there. Shankar Sabadi was not ready to give up. He was determined to complete the trail. He said that even though his hand is fractured and hurts, his legs are okay.

Seeing his unshakeable determination, the staff made a makeshift splint out of a tree branch. One of the crepe bandages was used to tie the arm and another as a sling to rest the arm. With this arrangement, he continued on the trail. The walk was painful and the injury slowed him down but didn’t by any means stop him. He had to tread very carefully as he couldn’t use his arm to balance. All the pressure was on his left foot.

He is extremely thankful to all the fellow walkers who carried his bag, offered him water, supplements and energizers along the way (you know who you are and you guys are awesome!) Thanks to this, he only had to focus on walking.

After a lot of trials and tribulations, fighting through the pain and overcoming all of it, Shankar Sabadi completed the trail in 14 hours, just 2 hours behind his last year’s finishing time. Once the challenge was over and we reached Mumbai, he left for home and visited his doctor, who diagnosed that his arm is not broken but curved due to the impact of the fall. His arm was plastered for 3 weeks. You’ll be glad to know that he is recuperating at home and taking physiotherapy sessions to increase blood circulation to that arm and strengthen it.

We often hear of heroes and it is true, not all heroes wear capes. Some heroes teach us to push forward no matter what! Shankar Sabadi exemplifies what it means to #BeTheForce! He says that since he joined GOQii, he has given up on giving up.

Where else could you have heard such a valiant tale? Where else could you feel this energy? If you’re still having doubts, let this story be your motivation to participate in the next GOQii Trail Challenge and complete it.

We’ll be sharing many more heroic stories of participants who made #LifeWorthWalking through Healthy Reads as well as GOQii Play. Do you have an awesome GTC story to share? Write to us here.

December 7, 2019 By GOQii 1 Comment

From Being Healthy to Being Healthier! Samridhi Kapoor User Journey

Have you always been health conscious? Do you measure each calorie and hit the gym regularly? In spite of your efforts, have you missed out on minute changes in your lifestyle that could have a big impact on your health? While, answers to all the above queries can be found in blogs and books, a personal touch of a coach can go a long way in keeping you on track with your goals.

Samridhi Kapoor, a 37 year old working professional from Gurgaon, has always been health conscious. In fact, conscious eating habits run in her family. Her weight has been more or less constant in the last decade and she even worked out regularly. However, Samridhi had a habit of indulging in unhealthy snacks and aerated drinks and was unable to shirk off that habit. That’s when GOQii helped her shed some old habits, acquire some new ones and get healthier!

Samridhi Kapoor was looking for a fitness tracker to help her track step counts, calories, etc. A colleague from her workplace referred GOQii. While other trackers only tracked steps, calories and distance, GOQii added a more human approach with personalized coaching. She was intrigued by the idea of having a coach who would talk to her everyday and motivate her.

How Did GOQii Help Samridhi Kapoor?

A few years back, she was eating unhealthy due to stressful conditions and was underweight. She gained her weight back around the time GOQii came into her life. Her goal was toning her body and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Her assigned coach started off with minute changes. Samridhi would eat biscuits in the evening which were replaced with healthy snacks. She would enjoy her milk with Bournvita but was advised against it as Bournvita is only sugar and was suggested a healthier alternative.

Samridhi wasn’t too fond of fruits but her coach guided her through the benefits of fruits as they boost immunity and have anti-oxidant properties. She is now regular with fruits. In terms of physical fitness, Samridhi visited the gym regularly. If short on time due to a late shift, she would walk before going to bed. She began practicing yoga as suggested by her coach and found it beneficial. Her coach also shared links to exercises she could try.

In the past 6 months, Samridhi experienced a lot of stress and issues with sleep. Her coach advised meditation which she wasn’t able to continue due to a hectic schedule. For her sleep issues, she was given remedies such as maintaining sleep routine, consuming turmeric milk and chamomile tea. The remedies were useful and she is sleeping better now.

When asked about GOQii, she said:

“The best thing about GOQii is that it has kept pace with the changes that are happening in the market right now. While there are so many other players and brands in the market but GOQii has been able to incorporate so many things that sets it a class apart. The customizations and different types of trackers offered for different type of people for various niche is really good. It has an edge over other players. All the other fitness trackers are the same and have nothing new coming up in terms of features, providing only the basic, standard features. As for GOQii Play, the kind of videos they come up with encompass everything. GOQii has videos for depression, yoga, zumba. It has different types of videos for everything. Whatever you like, you can choose. The customizations that GOQii offers aren’t found in any other device.”

Samridhi has been a GOQii Player for 4 years and is also a GOQii Champion who leads the Active Sunday Sessions in Gurgaon. We look forward to assisting Samridhi in being the force for a healthy and active lifestyle!

November 9, 2019 By Anusha Subramanian Leave a Comment

Do You Know #SuperRunner Samir Singh?

Running keeps you fit! It’s a tried, tested and approved fact. Now, whether you’re running to lose weight, catch a bus you’re obviously late for or running away from your problems, at the end of it there will be change. If you must run, can your goals be kicked up a notch? Can they mean something more? One man decided to push the envelope of what’s possibly the ultimate test of strength, endurance and mental fortitude. Have you heard of the Super Runner, yet?

In mid-October, ultra-runner Samir Singh, also known as the Faith Runner, took to challenge his mind and body by attempting to run 10,000km in over 100 days. He calls his run the “Fit India Mission 10000”, a humble dedication to the Fit India Movement. “I think this is the best movement that the Government has started. The movement is inspiring a lot of people to take up fitness as a way of life and I strongly believe in it,” he says in support of the Government initiative for a healthier, fitter India.

It has been around three weeks since he started and has completed approximately 1500km. “I believe in myself. I have dreamt of doing this for a long time and I believe it is possible! I can do it!” said Samir with confidence. For him, it is his self-motivation and passion that keeps him moving. But what drove him to take such a huge step?

Coming from a humble background where his family’s main occupation is farming, Samir managed to come to Mumbai from his hometown Kanaheda in Madhya Pradesh in 2000 in the hope of getting a decent job. He got one with a marketing agency where he was asked to do surveys by interviewing people. In one such survey related to marathons, he got interested in running. It led him to believe that running and winning marathons can not only help him get fit but also earn money.

Samir Singh gave up his sedentary lifestyle and took to running long distances at the age of 35. Prior to embarking on ultra-runs, he started running full marathons. Did a couple of them and even won some of them. His first ultra-race was the Mumbai Ultra (a 12-hour run) where he logged approximately 107 KM in 2015 and 120 Km in 2016 with a podium finish.

Having achieved these feat, he understood his body and how it reacted to stress. His urge to challenge himself further and do something extraordinary kept nudging him and he decided to push himself to do a 10,000km in 100 days. In his first attempt of 10,000km, he unfortunately fell short of just 36km and ran only 9,964.19km.

What is interesting to note is that he started his running career without any fancy gears. Sometimes barefoot and sometimes with make do shoes. His focus was only on running. He does not have any major nutrition plans and does not take any supplements. He believes in ‘Satvik’ food which is simple, nutritious and less spicy.

Upon hearing this man’s story and his determination to challenge his body, GOQii decided to extend their support to his mission. GOQii has been working with him to ensure that his nutritional needs are met during his journey to spread awareness for the Fit India Movement. GOQii has also helped him choose the right gear to ensure his run is a major success.

So far, the Faith Runner shows no signs of slowing down, steadily taking one step forward towards his goals. You can see Samir Singh begin as early as 4:30AM in the morning every day from Girgaum Chowpatty, opposite Wilson College and run all the way till Juhu Beach and back! If you feel motivated after reading this story, lace up your running shoes and join him in running towards a healthier India and a fitter you!

If 100km is too much, you can try joining us for the GOQii Trail Challenge 2019 in December. Get all the details about the beautiful, scenic trail here and gear up for a health retreat that will leave you breathless: www.goqii.com/gtc.

#BeTheForce

October 12, 2019 By GOQii 2 Comments

From Overweight to Overachieving! Vijayakrishna Iyengar User Story

At the age of 44, he was battling obesity and was also diagnosed with diabetes in May 2016. This was a wake up call for Vijayakrishna Iyengar to take control of his lifestyle and change it for good. A few concentrated and dedicated efforts by him, his doctor and his personal coach have helped him walk the path of good health. In about a year and a half, he lost 50kg and his blood sugar is in control with proper diet and exercise. Let’s hear his story in his own words!

Daily Life and Routine

My life was carrying along. Daily exercise was just walking on the treadmill in the gym for an hour although I followed a strict diet. I guess my biggest flaw was that I used to sleep only for 3-4 hours a day. Bad lifestyles have bad results. Mine was that I was obese, weighing around 138kg with a 48″ waist size and my shirt was 48″ as well. If that wasn’t enough, sometime around May 2016, I was diagnosed with diabetes (252) and that’s when the alarm in my head went off!

Suddenly, there was a need to rectify my habits in order to lead a medical-free and healthy life. I immediately started with some activities on my own. I started going to the gym and began walking on the treadmill. I was only resorting to cardio exercises and ignoring the other aspects of fitness. I had no guidance coming my way so I was not sure if I was doing the right thing.

Enter GOQii

I wanted to start doing the right things. I began by searching for a fitness band and came across many products. Then I came across GOQii! What I liked about GOQii is that it was not just a fitness band but a subscription for personal coaching which focused on holistic healthcare. The personal coach would guide you on fitness and nutrition.

GOQii went out of the way to ensure healthy habits are imbibed by the users. I found that very appealing and chose GOQii. I was very fortunate to get an excellent GOQii Coach who understood my goals which were weight reduction and to get fit, and my coach began advising very relevant habits which I could follow.

Earlier, when I had started going to the gym I only focused on the treadmill but my coach refined that and added strength exercises and core workouts. She also emphasized the importance of proper deep sleep and its advantages. Gradually, the habits set in. It’s not possible to change yourself in a day. With concentrated efforts and discipline, I am now able to sleep well for seven hours. Also, I do proper well-balanced cardio, strengthening and core workouts.

My water intake has improved and I regularly take at least 2L of water a day. All these positive habits helped me to sustain my efforts and make it a habit for a lifetime.

My strict diet (prescribed by my Doctor) followed with proper exercises helped me to reduce my weight (50kg and both trousers & shirts reduced by 10 inches) and the habits imbibed because of GOQii helps me sustain that. With these lifestyle changes for the better, I feel very good and positive about myself. My goal is now to reach a weight target of 75kg.

What Does Vijayakrishna Iyengar Have to Say About GOQii?

I cannot thank GOQii enough! The best part of having been on GOQii is that I can earn Karma Points for being healthy. These points I have been donating to charity. So I am doing my bit for the society as well, which otherwise, we seldom do. I have been maintaining a streak of 211 days (of walking more than 12,000 steps each day) and this helped me to earn a good amount of Karma Points.

Apart from being self-motivated and having a coach to further amplify that motivation, the other big motivating factor is earning Karma points. Whenever I walk, someone who may be underprivileged or having health issues gets the right treatment or support for food or education. What else is required to get motivated to move or to be healthy?

Among the other brands who just sell the band, GOQii focuses on mind, body and soul through physical fitness, meditation, and Karma points. Apart from that, having a dedicated GOQii Coach who understands the unique challenges of individuals and guides them properly to achieve their fitness goal makes it a unique product and service.

What Does His GOQii Coach Have to Say?

Vijayakrishna Iyengar was very determined and motivated when he came on board. I am really impressed by his sincerity. He always tried to do more than the target step count and never missed his workout. Along with cardio exercises, we also worked on doing core workouts and strength training. He has also started slow jogging. Sleep duration and quality improved by avoiding electronic gadgets before bedtime and going to bed by 10:30 pm. I am sure he will achieve his goal to be in normal BMI soon. Seeing him so motivated, motivates me too!

We hope you found this story about Vijayakrishna Iyengar to be motivating! Go on and make a positive lifestyle change today and #BeTheForce!

To share your journey or transformation with us, click here and our team will reach out to you!