get active Archives

August 8, 2022 By GOQii 10 Comments

Put Your Fat On Flame With Interval Training

Most of us have this desirable goal of losing fat but, when asked to act on it, we have a fixed set of excuses ready – No time! Too tough for me! Too boring to repeat the same pattern, etc. It’s time to ditch these excuses and rev up workouts which consume less time, can be done easily and are not monotonous. We suggest going for Interval Training!

What Is Interval Training?

Interval training is a workout in which we alternate the bursts of high-intensity exercises with intervals of lighter activity. All that we do here is, we repeatedly challenge our body and then give it shorter breaks to recover, for a massive cardio blast. It helps burn more calories in a short period of time, as compared to a steady-state exercise.

How Does It Work?

When we vary the intensity while working out, it leads to muscle confusion. Our body gets confused and wonders what’s happening! As a regulatory mechanism, our heart rate shoots up and it starts pumping more blood. More the blood, higher the Oxygen and to your surprise, fat combustion occurs more efficiently in the presence of Oxygen.

Ever wondered why a candle stops burning when we put a glass over it and block the Oxygen? That’s exactly the principle. Any burning process requires O2 which is a key to burning fat. And since interval training involves a lot of Oxygen, it’s been gaining fame in the fat loss/inch loss sector.

There are no hard and fast rules in interval training. We can have variations as we want, to make it most enjoyable and keep boredom at bay. We can:

Interval walk: Walking fast for 2 minutes, then walking slowly for a minute, again fast, then slow and go on this way as long as we can
Interval runs Alternating 2 minutes run with a 1-minute walk
Interval swim: Alternating fast-paced swimming moves with slow-paced moves

We can also try this with cycling, dancing, strengthening exercises (Tabata – being the most popular form of High Intensity Interval Training) and the list can go on.

It’s quite possible to take interval training to many levels. The length and speed of each high-intensity interval solely depend upon our strength and capacity. To get better with it, we need to make sure we push our body way past our comfort zone each time we do it. Remember, not to rush into strenuous exercise before our body is ready, to avoid injury. Ensure a good warm-up session before starting with it, and end it with stretches.

If you are a beginner to exercising, We’d say, don’t start with interval training directly. Give your body some time to build the stamina with steady cardio workouts for a few weeks to a month. You can then add interval training to your routine. In fact, you can also add these interval training plans to your gym routine once a week to enhance your speed and cardiovascular endurance.

So what are you waiting for? Jump into your workout shoes and jazz up your workout routine by adding interval training! If you have a chronic health condition (Hypertension or Cardiovascular illness), it’s better to keep away from interval training to avoid any aggravation. You can check with your trainer or coach to take the best course. For further guidance, you can subscribe for GOQii’s personalized health coaching and get the best exercises and habits to meet your weight loss goals.

Additionally, you can also join our online classes on GOQii PRO, where our certified fitness experts will guide you on the correct form and posture in real time, while making sure that you are well motivated! You can book a class now from the GOQii App.

For more on fitness and weight loss, check out Healthy Reads.

Get Active and #BeTheForce

January 24, 2022 By Pragati Godara 2 Comments

5 Tips To Stay Active During Winter

It’s tough to stay active in winter when you’re nice and cozy under a warm blanket. Binge eating and browsing through some series seems so much more appealing. It can be tough to get motivated when the weather blows in, but don’t give up all thoughts of staying active. A little planning can help you stay active during winter.

Tips To Stay Active During Winter

Team up with a partner: Sometimes, the hardest part of staying active is getting motivated. Consider exercising with a partner. It will keep you accountable and could give you the extra push you need. There’s the additional benefit of making friends and hanging out with like-minded people.
Exercise during your lunch break: It seems to be frustrating when it’s dark in the morning and dark when you come home from work. The solution is to workout in the middle of the day, during peak light hours. Take a long, brisk walk during lunch hours. This provides the additional benefit of getting Vitamin D from sunlight.
Indoor activities: Even if the weather is nasty, there are dozens of indoor activities to keep you moving during winter. Aside from taking stairs, we all can opt for dancing, mall walking, active housework like sweeping & vacuuming, bowling and yoga. Have some fun and stay active at the same time. Alternatively, you can join LIVE sessions by experts by subscribing for a GOQii PRO class within the GOQii App.
Take the stairs: Make small changes to your daily habits to stay active during winter. A perfect choice is taking the stairs instead of opting for an elevator or escalator. The extra movement will keep your muscles working and will help you burn fat.
Create a home gym: The moment when you don’t feel like going out for exercise, then you can easily set up a great workout area in your living room and basement. Buy some inexpensive equipment like stretch bands, stability balls and hand weights. You can also wear a heavy backpack to add intensity to your workout or do bodyweight exercises like push-ups, lunges and squats.

We hope this article helps and motivates you to stay active during winter! Do leave your thoughts in the comments below. For more on exercise and fitness, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalized health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

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October 4, 2021 By Dr Darshana Salve 2 Comments

Tired All The Time? Here’s What’s Causing It!

The alarm is set for 6 am to go for a morning walk, filled with determination to start on a routine walk from the next morning, she went to sleep early. But, like any other day, the alarm went off, but as usual, she couldn’t get out of bed. With each passing day, it got difficult to even get up for work. This happened almost for 2-3 months when Ananya realized this was not just laziness but something beyond and decided to see a doctor. Ananya described that she had no energy to wake up in the morning and felt tired and exhausted by the end of the day. Sounds familiar? Yes! This happens to many around us or even to us. This syndrome is called Fatigue.

What is Fatigue?

Fatigue is generally defined as a feeling of lack of energy and motivation that can be physical, mental or both. Fatigue is very common. Fatigue can be caused by Physical (around 60%) as well as Mental causes (40%). Unfortunately, it can also occur in normal individuals who experience intense physical or mental activity (or both).

However, in contrast to fatigue that occurs with some diseases and syndromes, normal fatigue in healthy individuals is quickly relieved in few hours to about a day when the physical or mental activity is reduced and adequate rest is taken.

What Causes It?

Sleep Problems: Sleep Apnea, insomnia, working in shifts or work shift changes, pregnancy, extra night hours at “work”, gadget time, etc. can cause fatigue. For such problems, including foods like nuts or milk that are rich in tryptophan (sleep inducing hormone) can help get better sleep.
Dysglycemia: Skipping breakfast, long gaps between meals is known to cause irregular fluctuations in sugar levels. To avoid such irregularities one must have a healthy breakfast every day preferably within one hour of waking up. Always plan for a mid-meal snack especially when the gap exceeds 5 hours.
Nutritional Deficiency: Eating a healthy, balanced diet (proteins, carbohydrates, fats and fiber) is an important part of maintaining good health. It can help you feel your best. Include fruits, whole grains, and protein rich foods and avoid junk food, processed/packaged food.
Gut Disturbances: An acidic body doesn’t allow oxygen to be absorbed and in turn causes fatigue. Gastric issues such as bloating, constipation, food sensitivity/allergy, leaky gut (gastric reflux) all create havoc in our body resulting in physical and mental fatigue. Including adequate quantity of fiber, probiotics like curd and a good intake of water keep your gut happy and healthy.
Caffeine Overload: Limit tea/coffee/green tea to 2 cups/day. Avoid having it post sunset and near bed time.
Dehydration: When dehydrated, the fluid loss causes a drop in blood volume, which makes the heart work harder to push oxygen and nutrients through the bloodstream to the brain, skin, and muscles. Maintaining a water intake to 2.5-3 litre is adequate for the majority of the population.
Metabolic/Endocrine causes: Vitamin D deficiency, Hypothyroidism, Diabetes, Electrolyte abnormalities, kidney disease, Liver disease can all cause varying degrees of fatigue.
Anemia (Iron deficiency, Vitamin B12 deficiency): It is one of the most common reasons of fatigue or tiredness in India and especially common among women.
Infectious Diseases: Viral infections, Hepatitis, Tuberculosis, cytomegalovirus (CMV), HIV infection, Influenza (flu), Malaria and many other infectious diseases can cause fatigue.
Medications: It might come as a surprise to you but many drugs like antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, sedatives, antihistamines, steroids and even some blood pressure medications can cause fatigue.
Mental Health: Stress, Depression, Anxiety, Drug abuse, Alcohol abuse, eating disorders, (for example bulimia/anorexia), Grief and Bereavement are all few of the most ignored causes of fatigue. Awareness and proactive management of mental disorders is a must for living healthy.

Depending on the above reasons, the right treatment must be decided as it is important that the root cause of fatigue be treated and not just the symptom.

In the case of Ananya, on taking a proper history and some blood tests, she was found to have nutritional and Vitamin D deficiency. Once these were corrected she felt strong and active enough to start with her healthy regime.

Fatigue is a natural part of our lives, because of which we tend to ignore it and instead learn to live with it. This causes more trouble in the long run. We must look out for tell-tale signs of things we could do earlier but can’t do anymore, unrelated aches and pains or headaches and if found positive we must seek the right help. Don’t let feeling tired today ruin your attempt to feel healthy tomorrow!

If you’re looking to relax, meditate or practice yoga to ward off fatigue, ask your GOQii Coach directly by subscribing for personalized coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce

August 30, 2021 By Swati Savla 1 Comment

Easy Home Workouts To Keep You Active!

While India is slowly unlocking from a close to 4 months of lockdown, it brings with it a little scare and susceptibility to contract the virus. In my case, I’ve made a point to stay physically active within the 4 walls of my apartment. Initially, it was difficult to balance it along with household chores but gradually, the importance of exercise to keep this COVID anxiety and depression at bay, dawned on me. I’ve managed to chalk out some easy home workouts to ensure that getting fit never gets boring.

Easy Home Workouts To Get Active Indoors

Virtual Workouts: We’re social animals and right about now, that’s what we miss the most. Here, you can kill two birds with one stone. Create virtual workout groups with friends or distant family members via Zoom or Meet. It will not only help you connect with your family and friends but will also keep you fit and active.
Dance Fitness: You don’t have to be a great dancer or know all the moves. All you need is music and your feet! Along with family members, this dance party can keep you healthy! It’s an excellent workout which helps burn extra calories.
Barre: This form is quite a different routine from the regular bodyweight exercises. It’s a form of workout inspired by movements from Ballet. Don’t worry, you don’t need Ballet classes to attempt Barre. You can do this at home without any special equipment. A simple dining chair for support and water bottles for weights will suffice. It’s a great blend of cardio, strength training, flexibility, balance and core conditioning.
Stair Circuit: In my society, as people were barred from going out, our staircase was unused for days. So I took it up as my next workout. As the name suggests, walking up and down the stairs as a warm up, followed by a circuit routine of stair pushups, squats to step, steps up, tricep dips with variations in each for the next set.

I hope these easy home workouts help you add some flavor to your routine. Before you begin, ensure that you’re doing some of these easy home workouts with the correct form and posture. If you’re stuck, you can tune in to GOQii Play and look for sessions on Dance Fitness, Barre Workouts and Stair Workouts as well as join LIVE classes by experts on GOQii Pro within the GOQii App! To read more on fitness, lifestyle and nutrition, you can check out Healthy Reads.

You can also check with your GOQii Coach for more variations on home workouts by subscribing to personalized coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

How are you keeping fit at home? Let us know in the comments below!

#BeTheForce