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August 5, 2016 By Divita Bhatt Leave a Comment

ADD “LIFE” TO YOUR “STYLE”

Health-and-Fitness

Yes you read it right…! When we talk about lifestyle we mostly forget the two basics of the entire concept, the “Life” & the “Style”. It’s not about flaunting or getting attention from others, it’s all about living your life the way you have been and making all things around you the way you like – that is what is ‘YOUR’ style. And that’s why it is more worth saying adding life to your style, rather than adding style to your life.

Small things in our daily routine, our home as well as workplace makes a lot of difference to our lifestyle. And, when we talk about a healthier life style, it’s all about our workout and eating habits that matters most to our fitness and in a broader way – wellness.

Wear your Attitude to Workout: Yes, more than your gym ware, it’s your face and your body language that makes you ready for workout. And, of course a great combination of vibrant colored gym ware and trendy sport shoes only adds to your energy. They give yourself a mental warm-up before your actual warm up. Assigning a space for all your workout accessories like gym bag, workout clothes, socks, shoes, towel etc. instead make a dedicated space in your life for workout. And, every morning or any time of day when you have to work out, just reach that place and you will feel the force within.

Sing-along your fitness: Music has that energy to help you run for your goal. And, when it comes to music for workout, select your favorite songs that are full of energy and that motivates you. Making that energetic playlist and playing it while you walk, run or work-out is something that will add to your energy and the force to work harder and push you to extremes. Make sure that the duration of the playlist is at least three to four times of your workout duration, so that you shuffle it and don’t get bored. Also update it every now and then with newer tracks of your choice.

Re-design – Re-arrange your surroundings: Your surroundings at home and workplace are the places where you spend most of the time and see the things around. Refurbishing or making it look good makes you feel good the whole day. Posters of anything you like – cars, celebrities, quotes or natural landscapes, miniature models, cartoon characters, soft toys, showpieces, smiley balls or tags, good luck plant or any other tiny indoor plant kept in your bed room, kitchen or work place gives you the positive vibe and keeps you up in anything you do in and around that place.

Eat right – prepare right: Eating right is very important but, equally important is to prepare and present it in the right way. If you are the one who carry meal to work, packing it in trendy and colorful lunch box makes you look forward for packing as well as having the meal at the right time. Also, you can pack it in different colored boxes when you take multiple meals in a day. The way you cut and serve the salad also makes difference in how it looks and how it feels while having. Instead of cutting it the same way every time, use different sizes and shapes in routine, like cutting salad in cubes, slices, splits, cross slices, grated and sometimes eat it uncut.

So that’s how small things make big differences in the way you live. At times routine makes our life so monotonous that we forget our own likes and dislikes and keep moving with the pace. That’s the time to pause, think for our own style, our own way of doing things and kick start towards a better and healthier lifestyle by adding “LIFE” to our “STYLE”.

March 23, 2016 By Anusha Subramanian Leave a Comment

“GOQii’s approach to fitness is very motivating,workable and enriching that I easily managed to trek to Everest Base Camp

Enroute to EBC_ Walking the long bridges

Enroute to EBC_ Walking the long bridges. Photo Courtesy – Roland Amon

He is a filmmaker and started his own production house. Since then Life has been hectic for this young lad. He does indulge in travelling and exploring. He realized that as he was not going to stay young, which needed him to be fitter both mentally and physically…..so here is what Ridhesh Sejpal did…… his story in his own words.

I am a filmmaker and the Co-founder of Wise Guy Ent, which is where I started my entrepreneurial journey. Having my own production company makes my schedules generally hectic. To add to that I also travel for work and otherwise. These aspects give me limited time to do any kind of workout.  Although, I would make it a point to wake up early and hit the gym as often as I can.

But, at times when I am shooting or travelling, I would miss out on my gym training. During work / shoots, my sleep pattern would go haywire. On the nutrition front, I had the My fitness pal app and I followed it religiously for 3 months and also lost about 9-10 kgs, but after that, I was just aware.

I realized that I am not going to stay younger and it was all the more important for me to get fitter both mentally and physically. I wanted to be active on a daily basis and hence started looking out for a fitness tracker that could track my fitness progress. I came across “GOQii”. I researched to find out it was an Indian brand. I liked the idea of a personalized coach, who would keep track of your fitness, nutrition and overall health. I decided to go for it and got my GOQii band in August 2015. My health goal when I got the GOQii band was fitness for Everest Base Camp (EBC). I wanted to be extremely fit for the EBC trek that I was doing in November 2015.

Ruksar, being my coach did not give me goals but habits to follow. Since I am a vegetarian, she gave me tips on how to increase my protein intake in my regular diet. Her suggestions were also all practically doable. Nothing was impossible.

I had never trekked earlier in my life, therefore, I did some research and there were 3 things I wanted to concentrate on – to increase lung capacity, concentrate on strengthening my leg muscles and build stamina. I also joined a Les Mills & Cross Fit training classes for 3 months and made it a point to go religiously. My trek to EBC was challenging, terrific and breathtaking all at the same time! No words or pictures can elucidate to what I saw, felt and experienced up there in the Khumbu valley in Nepal!

Mission Accompalished-Ridesh standing 2nd from right with his friends at EBC summit

Mission Accompalished – Ridesh standing 2nd from right with his friends at EBC summit. Photo Courtesy – Roland Amon

I want to sincerely thank my coach Ruksar with all one’s heart for being a superb coach throughout. Pushing me daily and sticking to the basics. She helped me complete the trek successfully. Thanks to her coaching and my efforts, my lungs could endure the lack of oxygen and my muscles could survive the physical torture pretty well.  We did it!

During the trek, I also kept her diet sheet in my mind. My Coach’s “GPRS” (G Stands for Grilled, P stands for Poached, R stands for Roasted and S stands for Steam) rule, stuck with me and. I consciously followed it while I ate and I still do.

My takeaway from this experience was the solutions and advice my coach gave me. They were all practical and something which I can follow routinely all throughout my life. I feel GOQii’s approach to fitness is very motivating and workable / enriching. I have been able to inspire my family and friends, to the extent that a few family members and friends have now got the band already. My next big goal for 2016 is to run the Marathon.

What does Coach Ruksar Nathani have to say about Ridesh?

His primary goal was to loose belly fat, be fit and stay healthy apart from fitness for EBC trek. He was doing well with his activities so we started working on his food habits, introduced mid-meals, warm lemon water and salads and also worked on stress by setting a goal for breathing exercise. Ridesh religiously followed all the short term goals and as a result, there was inch loss at belly and was happy about eating well and was fitter and healthier than before.

I was informed 15 days before his EBC so I did a little research and summarized everything for him which included:
1. Obstacles that he will be facing
2. Ways to tackle those
3. Daily food options to be eaten before the trek for proper nutrition as there was intense exercise going on for building stamina and strengthening.
4. Food sources high in chlorophyll and food to be avoided that will deplete oxygen.
5. Food to be carried during the trek.
6. Food options when and where to eat while on a trek.

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March 22, 2016 By Anusha Subramanian Leave a Comment

“It’s been a long, slow journey. And if you want to be successful, you need to change your lifestyle—that takes time”

Girish Narang

Running keeps you Healthy & Fit.

Who does not want to be healthy and fit? Everybody does. But, only a few can take the decision instantly to make the change and lead a healthier life. Girish Narang is one of those few guys who one fine day decided enough is enough and decided he needed to get fit and healthy and control his sugar levels. Here is how he did it. Let’s hear it from him…. 

I head Equities for a foreign bank. My office starts at 8.30 am and till 4 pm (when the market closes) it’s too much pressure to deal with. And after market hours, it’s time for client meetings. You invariably are clueless about when you day is likely to end.

These work hours over a period of time had taken a toll on my health. Over and above that, I have always been overweight and a foodie. 5 years ago I weighed 102 kgs. My fasting sugar levels had gone up to 330. The result of this was that I could not even walk for one Km (mile). I was so unfit and unhealthy.

I tried few dieticians and other things to reduce weight but, I got limited success. I also did go to the gym and managed to lose some weight. That was not enough, though. I was on medication. I will not say that GOQii was like eureka moment for me. But, then when I got into that momentum of losing weight and trying to exercise it helped me a lot and brought about a lot of clarity in my concepts regarding fitness, diet, sleep, water etc.

Prior to GOQii, I got introduced to the pedometer and its functions through Stepathlon that was conducted in our office. It’s during this time that I started tracking steps and consciously started thinking that every step counts. The pedometer was an awareness for me. Even though you were not working out in the gym you can make a difference by bringing about some small lifestyle changes. That’s how things started for me. I was seeing some success and my sugar was getting controlled and then I decided to go in for GOQii in 2014.

I was mentally prepared that every step counts and when I was told about the GOQii concept and what it does beyond just counting steps, I realized that it is a natural extension of what a pedometer does but, with a specialized coach who is in constant dialogue with you and telling you what is to be done and how it is to be done.

The coaching factor appealed to me as there was someone constantly going to be there to keep a check on you and make you feel guilty about not being sincere towards your health and fitness.

My health goal when I got on board GOQii was to lose weight and control my sugar levels. Just as I started working towards these goals, I resolved to pay attention to my food choices and started tracking my meals as well. The step count and other numbers helped me see how far I needed to go and having access to my data and seeing how that impacted my health helped me a great deal.

Then, one day I saw my colleagues preparing to run the marathon. I found it intriguing that people are running 10km, 21 km, and 42 km. Initially, I felt these guys are crazy running so much. But, that thought stemmed from my own inabilities to be able to do something like this. I decided to just try once to do a long run. Running a marathon became my subconscious goal.

My initial plan was very simple. It was a small start. But, as I slowly started enjoying running and noticed the increase in stamina and my ability to run, I realized I could push myself further. I started training for a 10km, and that really opened things up for me.

Now, I’m running longer distances like a half marathon. 2015, I ran my first Standard Chartered half marathon and in 2016, I ran for the second time the Standard Chartered Mumbai marathon. Now it’s been 2.5 years since I have started running seriously. And, this season I will do every run that I can.

From not being able to walk even a km (mile), I feel great now about being able to do long distance runs. After having run marathons, I also for the first time pushed my limits to do the 100 km Oxfam Trailwalk in November 2015 and I completed it. This was a big high. The 100 km walk was an eye opener for me. It was no mean task to walk the 100 km that went through tough and smooth terrains. My shoes also gave away. My feet were swollen from the top and had blisters beneath. I had learnt to treat my blisters and continue my walk. And, I managed to complete the walk with my team.

When I finished the trail walk, the first question I was asked by my shoe benefactor “how did you complete it in those shoes”. It seems he was sending messages to people to stop me since those shoes would really hurt my feet, thanks to the phones not working most of the times the messages got delayed and I had already moved ahead. It was such a great moment to see somebody happier than myself for having completed the challenge.

Thanks to GOQii I have been able to do all of this. The coaching factor has helped me a great deal. Today, I am free of all medication. I just take one tablet for Sugar control. For the last one and a half years my sugar is under control. It’s is around 95-108 down from 330. My Cholesterol is under control and my weight has come down to 83 from 102 kgs and I have been maintaining it. One thing I have realised over a period is that running does not help you lose weight. Weight training helps you lose weight.

Also, you don’t become overweight overnight, and you don’t lose weight overnight either. It’s a long, slow journey. And if you want to be successful, you need to change your lifestyle—that takes time.

Now, I make sure that I workout at least thrice a week. I have also managed to pick up newer activities like outdoor cycling and Golfing. I am feeling extremely good about myself and I have become some kind of a fitness guru to my colleagues as well. My family thinks I have become more arrogant. From being the least fit person in the family to being very fit now my confidence is soaring and I feel great. It’s not an easy journey, but I can do things now I never could have done 3 years ago, and that’s a great feeling. I am continuing with GOQii.

What does Coach Vrushali Athavale have to say about him?

Girish is a dedicated and self-motivated player. His health goal was clearly to reduce weight and bring down his sugar levels. He was very active but, his meal pattern, water intake and rest was not adequate for the amount of activity he was doing in a day. So we worked initially on the normal food guidelines like having a heavy breakfast, light lunch, dinner needs to be light as well. Also, I worked towards helping him eat smaller meals and more frequently. Water intake was not enough so got him to start drinking 3 liters of water daily. And lastly, a proper combination of cardio and weight training was a must for him. Girish worked on all these factors and we have been successful in achieving our goals.

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March 14, 2016 By Anurag Bisen 1 Comment

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! 🙂

‘Want to get featured here? Click Here to tell us your story.’

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