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From Terminal Illness To Complete Wellness! Ananda Mukherjee Health Story

Ananda Mukherjee Health Story

We’ve always advocated that lifestyle diseases can be managed with a balanced, healthy and holistic lifestyle but can they also help you manage a terminal condition? Our Player Ananda Mukherjee, with help from his GOQii Coach, was able to battle such a condition. Here’s how his inspirational Health Story unfolded.

Going From Slender To Overweight 

Ananda Mukherjee had a very poor work-life balance. This coupled with bad eating habits such as drinking several cups of coffee, eating unhealthy and sleeping less really took a toll on his body. “I could never sleep, so I was on sleeping pills,” says Ananda. 

Not being able to sustain such a lifestyle, Ananda Mukherjee quit his job in 2018 but didn’t do much for his health. When COVID struck, he couldn’t exercise or go out – which made his life pretty sedentary. The only positive outcome he says was that he was able to add certificates to the hobbies he indulged in such as Interior Design and Gardening & Landscaping.

In the course of time, before he realized, his weight had increased from 56kg to 83kg. “I was asked by people, what has happened to you?” Ananda says that he was slender from the age of 15 till 45 and his weight had remained the same. So when he gained weight, it was noticed by everyone. 

More Bad News…

In 2021, he was diagnosed with a terminal medical condition that affected his intestine  (Adenocarcinoma in the small intestine i.e. Cancer of the Intestine). The first thing his doctor told him was to quit smoking and get active. His food habits also needed to change. He had to bring some discipline in his life. 

As his medication and radiation treatment began, the side-effects such as weight loss, loss of appetite, digestion issues like gas, bloating, etc. began to show. All of this also affected him mentally and emotionally. He was on antidepressant pills for his anxiety issues as well. 

During this time, he was introduced to GOQii by a friend and from social media. When he did his research, he realized that it’s not just a fitness tracker but a service that offers personalized health coaching as well. He says, “Without any hesitation I decided to get a GOQii and try it”. 

Getting Back On Track With GOQii 

Ananda Mukherjee joined GOQii in September 2021. At the time he joined, he weighed 70kg, his HRA was 43 and his BMI was 25.71. His health goal was to lose fat, gain muscle, improve sleep, get rid of stress and anxiety and control his BP. 

Since he was under radiation therapy, after each radiation session, his health goal would change as per the side effects he faced. He had lost 5kg due to the radiation therapy. His health goals fluctuated between improving oxygen levels, heart rate, getting rid of GI issues like gas, bloating, indigestion, nausea as well as respiratory problems like cough, cold, chest congestion, etc. Along with help from his GOQii Coach Vaishali, he had to manage lifestyle changes accordingly.

Coach Vaishali suggested simple healthy changes in his lifestyle which included eating fruits, drinking lukewarm lemon water in the morning, including lemon zest, and having wheatgrass and aloe vera juice to boost immunity. For protein and omega 3, she suggested dry fruits.

During the course of their journey, she got him away from sugar and smoking. Ananda was asked to engage in his hobbies and meditation to improve his mental and emotional wellbeing as well as remain stress-free. 

Ananda also shared his journey with us in detail as he spoke to our Founder & CEO Vishal Gondal

What Changes Did Ananda Mukherjee Experience? 

When asked about his journey so far, Ananda said, “GOQii has played a huge role. It brought about positivity in my life. My Coach Vaishali just created new habits based on my health goals and helped me follow those habits.” 

His radiation treatment is now complete and he is happy that he is able to sleep without taking any pills. His neighbors and friends are surprised at how fresh and healthy he looks now and his wife has also complimented him.

“I blindly follow what my coach suggests and that has given me results. She has been a mom at times, an elder sister at times and has been able to get me to do things. I am totally off smoking and alcohol and my diet is simple,” he says. 

Ananda has been getting all his exercise lessons and nutrition tidbits from GOQii Play classes. He loves the recipe classes on GOQii Play and has been able to make quite a few dishes at home to avoid eating out.

He jokes with his friends saying, I am just chilling and losing weight and has been advocating GOQii to all of them. He says, “This current life is a tectonic shift in my life.” He is able to get back to his medium sized clothes from having gone upto XL size. 

He says, “A coach is necessary to achieve your goals especially when it is about health. There has to be someone to motivate you to do the right things. I have always believed in mentors and with a coach or a mentor your journey only becomes that much more interesting and easier”. 

Ever since being on GOQii, in almost 9 months’ time, Ananda has been able to get into the Elite category. He is following a healthy lifestyle, enjoying his life and is now a landscape designer and also loves gardening. He walks daily for physical fitness and meditates for mental and emotional wellbeing.

Currently his HRA is 81. He has stopped taking antidepressant and sleeping pills as well. His current weight stands at 67kg.

What Does Coach Vaishali Vibhute Have To Say About Her Player?

Ananda started his journey on Sept 20, 2021. The day he joined as a player, he was very depressed, stressed, feeling low both mentally and physically, emotionally disturbed and overweight. He smoked a lot. When I started coaching, he weighed 70kg, HRA was 43 and BMI was 25.71.

Despite being a fitness freak and having a gym at home, he had stopped exercising when he had quit his banking job, which led to a lot of weight gain. To get him back on track, I gave him a target of completing 3k steps and gradually increased it to 5k. I also gave him a few challenges like doing light weight exercises, and following pre and post workout meals. He completed all these tasks diligently. 

When GOQii launched the SAFE (Sedentary, Active, Fit and Elite) model, I told him I would like to see him in the ELITE category, as he was in the sedentary category. He accepted the challenge as he had a burning desire to achieve his health goals.

It is never easy to achieve a health goal. It requires some sacrifices, discipline, consistency and determination. If you are able to handle these 4 aspects well, nothing can stop you and Ananda has proven this fact! Though it was challenging for him to maintain his weight due to his medical condition, his endless efforts and discipline helped him achieve what he aimed for.

We’re wishing Ananda Mukherjee well on his journey of being healthy and fit! Does his Health Story inspire you? Do you want to make a radical lifestyle shift as well? Subscribe for GOQii’s personalized health coaching and start now: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

For more inspiring Health Stories, check out Healthy Reads.

#BeTheForce  

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The Right Guidance With Gradual Change – Rishikesh Ayre User Journey

Rishikesh Ayre

Do you want to make a positive lifestyle change but don’t know how? Does it take every ounce of motivation for you to move? Do you need a nudge in the right direction? These are all valid questions and you’re not alone. Sometimes, we want to begin something new but don’t know where to start. Our player Rishikesh Ayre, faced the same situation and found the answer with GOQii! 

Life Before GOQii  

Rishikesh Ayre is a 28 year old software developer working in Coimbatore for the past 3 years. After college, when he began work, he had put on a lot of weight. He purchased a bicycle but couldn’t find the motivation to ride it. He says that he wanted someone who would question him, push and prod him to get active and reprimand him if he indulged in unhealthy habits too much. In short, what he needed was a person to monitor his health in a timely manner and tell him what to do and what not to do. What he needed was a coach. 

Rishikesh Ayre Discovers GOQii 

As a part of his work, he was involved in a marketing research project on fitness gadgets and apps when he chanced upon GOQii. The personalized coaching service grabbed his attention. The human element and personal touch of a health coach intrigued him the most as such a service-based model was literally unheard of back then. He joined GOQii in November 2017 and has continued his journey since then. 

Introduction to a Healthy Lifestyle 

For the first 3-4 months, he was not very keen on interacting with his GOQii Coach. He had no definitive goals and no idea where to start. Then he got a new coach, Mubasheera in early 2018 and that changed everything. Coach Mubasheera was more proactive and gave him a clear roadmap on how to proceed. 

His GOQii Coach noticed that his meals were heavy with bread as he consumed 5-6 slices every day in the morning coupled with evening snacks at the office cafeteria. He was asked to cut down on his bread intake. The second change was to take short walks after lunch, avoid the elevator and use stairs whenever possible. 

He finally began riding his bicycle for 4km a few days during the week. Now, he rides 17-25km every day. He calls this his “Me Time”. It helps him clear his mind and uplift his mood. He also joined swimming classes which he attends during the weekends. Coach Mubasheera has asked him to keep varying his routine so it doesn’t get monotonous. 

Staying Fit During the Lockdown 

The lockdown, though painful for other reasons, helped him lose another 5 kgs. Before the lockdown, he used to go for a lot of outings and weekend parties with friends. All that had to stop and he was restricted to home-cooked, healthy meals. Also work from home meant he had the flexibility to do workouts suggested by his GOQii Coach whenever time permitted. He continued cycling near his home. Now he has almost got himself accustomed to the routine of morning workout and evening cycling throughout the week.

What Were The Results?

Thanks to all the efforts put in by him with the guidance of his GOQii Coach, Rishikesh Ayre went from 104kg in 2017 to 78kg now. He says that it wasn’t a painful journey at all. It has been so smooth and informative. He is now better informed and aware of what is good to eat and what needs to be avoided. He has learned about portion size and hunger control. 

What Does Rishikesh Ayre Have To Say About His Coach? 

Due to the long association, Coach Mubasheera has become like a friend to him. He says they have their fair share of fights and arguments especially over what he can order and what he cannot during weekends. He says, “Sometimes I have to literally click a picture of the menu card and send it to her so she can tell me what I can order. She has instilled healthy eating habits in me gradually and cleverly. For instance, she made me switch from bread-butter to chocos to muesli and now plain corn flakes + banana +boiled egg.”  He also commends her on how she made him give up on his ice cream after meals habit gradually. From ice cream once every 2 days, she switched to flavored yogurt to plain curd nowadays. He says the best part is he didn’t even realize he was giving up on these things. He is thankful to her for being patient and hand holding him gradually through this entire journey towards an active and healthy lifestyle. She has met all his expectations of daily motivation, support and information. 

What Does Coach Mubasheera Have To Say? 

Rishikesh Ayre is very determined and passionate now, but when he had started his journey, he was very fussy and lacked the willpower. We have been together in this weight loss journey for 2 years now. When we began, Rishikesh’s weight was around 103kg, and he has lost 16+ kg in 2 years (current weight is 81kg). The major problem with Rishikesh was hunger control, irregular timings, lots of cravings and binge eating on junk food + lack of physical activity and low stamina. We have successfully managed to include more than 1 hour of proper daily intense workout along with reducing processed food and managing hunger. His endurance and stamina has improved and he can do 20 push ups now (initially he struggled with 11-12). He cycles non step for 2 hours as well.

Rishikesh is a fussy eater (hates milk and is a coffee addict) but after lots of interesting challenges, such as the no sugar challenge, made him reduce 2 tsp of sugar to 1/2 tsp and has begun to include milk to his diet now as well. During the initial part of the lockdown, he suffered from disturbed sleep but that was taken care of with a few sleep hygiene practices. Our long term goal now is to maintain healthy weight and continue with an active lifestyle! 

Does the journey of Rishikesh Ayre inspire you to begin yours? Speak to a GOQii Coach by subscribing to Personalised Health Coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

For more inspiring stories, check out Healthy Reads.

#BeTheForce 

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Venkatrao Alaparthi Loses 20kg With Guidance From His GOQii Coach

Venkatrao Alaparthi Loses 20kg With Guidance From His GOQii Coach

While earning a good livelihood is important, is it taking more life out of living? Long working hours, being seated most of the time with no physical activity and bad eating habits can take a toll on your health over a period of time. If this sounds relatable, you might have a lot in common with our Player Venkatrao Alaparthi.

Successful But Sedentary

Venkatrao Alaparthi, 46, is a Food Science Specialist having studied Dairy Science, and is currently working with Amul in Gujarat. Due to the nature of his work, he remains seated before his desk for long hours. For most of his work life, he has been sedentary without any exercise regime or proper eating habits.

As he wasn’t doing any regular exercise, the bare minimum being when he walked from his home to the factory, it led to severe weight gain. “I was consistently inconsistent in pursuing a health regime. I had no medical condition or medical issues but, I was obese due to a sedentary lifestyle and irregular patterns of eating,” says Venkatrao. As he is from South India, 90% of his diet consisted of carbs.

His work also involved touring. On one of his tours with his colleagues, Venkatrao Alaparthi realised how unfit he was as he couldn’t walk much. “I was sad that I was obese,” he says. As he was tired all the time, he couldn’t enjoy the visit as much. His 8 year old daughter pointed out saying, “you have a huge stomach” and his wife also told him how inconsistent he was while trying to lose weight on his own. 

“My wife has been getting me to take care of my health for the last 10 years, and I have been inconsistent in being able to maintain a good lifestyle and my health,” says Venkatrao. 

Due to all these factors, he decided that he would have to do something about his health. While researching the best way to lead a healthy lifestyle, he came across a GOQii Ad on social media. “GOQii & Fit India were my motivation to lead a healthy life. I decided to get the band and try it out,” he said.

Making Healthier Choices To Lose Weight

Venkatrao Alaparthi joined GOQii on Jan 30, 2022. He set his goal to lose weight. At the time, he weighed 91kg. After their initial conversation, GOQii Coach Parul Massey realised that he didn’t have any severe medical conditions and was only obese. She deemed that they had to work on weight loss slowly, in a healthier manner. 

“I asked him to start with 30 minutes of normal morning walk, reduce portions of rice from his daily diet and replace it with a protein-rich diet, jeera and lemon water on an empty stomach. He started following these habits daily,” says Coach Parul Massey

During the first week, Venkatrao Alaparthi found it difficult to walk for 30 minutes even at normal pace. But, he did not lose hope and continued doing it by slowly increasing his time to 45 mins after 10 days. In a month’s time, he began noticing some difference.

His diet had changed to include lots of proteins and vegetables for fibre. He also began including eggs, sprouts, and flax seeds, etc to his breakfast. In the second month of coaching, Coach Parul added a few more habits such as having nuts and seeds. 

Did These Changes Pay Off? 

After 2 months of following these minor tweaks in habits and changing his lifestyle, he lost 5kg. After months of making changes and following the course set by his GOQii Coach Parul Massey, Venkatrao Alaparthi lost 20kg. He is quite fit and active now. He even had to change his wardrobe due to his successful weight loss journey.

Currently, he clocks in over 20k steps daily. “I could not walk 3km and today, I can easily do 10km,” says Venkatrao Alaparthi. Apart from walking, he also plays badminton 3 times a week. For yoga and strength training, he subscribes to GOQii PRO classes within the GOQii App. 

His wife and his daughter are quite happy with the change he has made to his lifestyle and the weight he has lost. His wife says, “I am happy that you are more consistent now”. Venkatrao Alaparthi has been an Elite GOQii Player for 272 days and is among the top 6% of active players. He is still going strong with an active subscription, consistent changes, and guidance from his coach, Parul Massey. 

Do you want to make a lifestyle change and reduce weight too? Speak to a GOQii Coach by subscribing to Personalised Health Coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

For more inspiring stories, check out Healthy Reads.

#BeTheForce 

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Poulomi Bhattacharya Loses Weight, Gets Active & Fit With GOQii

Poulomi BhattacharyaImagine having a good work-life balance and then a sudden change at work derails your otherwise active lifestyle. You begin gaining weight and that invites a host of other complications you would have not imagined! Our Player Poulomi Bhattacharya faced something similar. Here’s how her Health Story unfolded.

All Work and No Play

Based in Delhi, Poulomi Bhattacharya is a high flying senior hospitality professional. For the longest time she worked in the operations side of the Hotels business where she had a hectic but active life. Then, around 2005, she moved to the HR front in the Learning & Development side. This took a toll on her health in terms of gaining weight. “In Learning & Development, there is not much scope to be active,” she said. She led an inactive lifestyle and to further add to the already inactive lifestyle, was a slip disc that she suffered from.

This kind of inactive lifestyle was coupled with bad eating habits. Due to her hectic schedule, she was eating 3 meals a day at odd hours. During these years, she also traveled a lot and moved between different locations such as Goa and Bengaluru. In 2014, she began gaining weight and also developed Blood Pressure issues. She was on medication to control her BP. She suffered from menstrual issues.

In 2019, she moved back to Delhi for a new job and here, she used to travel approximately 20 days. This kind of fast-paced, on-the-go work environment gave her little scope to rectify her health issues or even be active. Her stress levels were high and thanks to the lack of a work-life balance, she decided to introduce some changes and lead a healthy lifestyle.

In Feb 2020, when she checked her weight, she weighed 71kg. She said that it’s the highest she’s hit in her life. “I realised that I had to find time to do something about it,” she said. Initially she started going to the gym and walking on the treadmill but in March 2020 when COVID struck, she was homebound. 

While she indulged in all household chores, she had developed a terrible pain in her arms. The pain was due to lack of calcium. She says her calcium absorption was less and hence, she had to take injections. Her BP was also  low and her doctor suggested that she walk for 20 minutes daily. 

Making A Lifestyle Change With GOQii

After going through all these issues, her husband began looking for a fitness tracker that could also measure BP on a continuous basis. He came across GOQii and Poulomi decided to try it out. When subscribing for personalised health coaching, her goals were simple – to lose weight, be fit and active.

Initially, she was assigned Dr Naina Sudharshan. Poulomi Bhattarcharya says, “She guided me so well that she became my best friend.” Slowly and steadily, Poulomi started following all the habits set by the coach. Getting active was one of those habits coupled with a nutritarian diet that places emphasis on fruits, vegetables, grains and nuts. Poulomi was also asked not to skip any meals.

She didn’t have a regular exercise routine but she began following live coaches on GOQii Play and GOQii Pro, and now, it has become a part of her daily life. She follows Coach Neha and Coach Anushka’s Yoga classes and they have helped her improve her mental health and strength. She also follows Coach Arooshi’s classes for tips on Nutrition.

For her pre-workout nutrition, she consumes lemon juice with chia seeds in it – as this has the ability to promote a feeling of fullness and also has great antioxidant properties. For the remainder of the day, she consumes a balanced diet that provides energy and nutrients to her body.

Meditation is something that she has introduced to her routine as well. This has helped her with her anger issues as well as helped her normalise her sleep. For meditation, she follows Coach Rounak on GOQii Play.

Some Changes Poulomi Bhattarcharya Experienced…

Since joining GOQii, Poulomi has reduced her weight to 56.4kg and her target weight now is 55kg. She said that she feels much lighter, has more energy and is more positive than she was before. She has completely stopped her Blood Pressure medication as well.

She recently spoke to our Founder & CEO Vishal Gondal on an episode of GOQii Health Stories. You can hear her speak about her entire journey in detail here: 

Her current Coach Sheena Nambiar says, “Poulomi Bhattacharya is a very committed person who really wanted to develop her health and fitness levels day by day!” 

Did this story inspire you? Do you want to manage a medical condition or simply lose weight? Let our Coaches and Experts help you make a lifestyle change. To write your own Health Story, subscribe for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

For more inspiring Health Stories, check out Healthy Reads and let us know your thoughts in the comments below! 

#BeTheForce 

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The Right Guidance With Gradual Change – Rishikesh Ayre User Journey

Do you want to make a positive lifestyle change but don’t know how? Does it take every ounce of motivation for you to move? Do you need a nudge in the right direction? These are all valid questions and you’re not alone. Sometimes, we want to begin something new but don’t know where to start. […]