health tips Archives

January 1, 2021 By GOQii 2 Comments

How To Stick To Your New Year Resolutions!

A new year has begun and with it, its once again time to make new resolutions. We’re sure a lot of you have already penned down your new year resolutions but what are these new year resolutions? More often than not, it’s a promise that we make to ourselves or with our near and dear ones to kick one bad habit and imbibe a good change for a better future.

New Year Resolutions Could Be:

Weight loss
Get fit and regular exercise
Eating healthy
Joining yoga class
Giving up smoking
Quitting excessive alcohol consumption
Playing a sport

Largely, I have noticed that most resolutions are around health and lifestyle. What is difficult though is to stick to the resolution made. It’s not easy to keep the enthusiasm going week after week. Especially when you have never played a sport or been active in the past. It’s not easy to maintain the same motivation levels throughout the year. Discipline is hard to come by. Most people don’t feel motivated enough and they give up within few days. It takes focus, planning and determination to stick to resolutions made. It takes the same amount of time to change a particular habit.

Tips To Stick To Your New Year Resolutions

Golden Rule: Make your goal achievable and do not aim for goals which are too difficult to achieve

Once you have decided on your achievable resolution, write it down. Writing it down makes a greater connection between your thinking self and doing self. This makes the resolution more real than it is only in your head.
Change one behaviour at a time. Replacing unhealthy behaviours with healthier ones requires time.
Fitness cannot be your short-term goal.
If you want to eat junk food, think what are the benefits you will derive from it. It’s the same as thinking before making any financial investments. Occasionally you can include a piece of Pizza or a burger but not daily.
If you are looking to reduce 20kg then achieve the target by reducing 2-3kg a month. It is not practical to lose 20kg in 2 months because it took years to accumulate all that fat and it will only go away slowly.
If you want to quit smoking and you are smoking 20 sticks a day, then reduce it gradually. You cannot stop immediately because it will take some time for your body and mind to adapt to the change.
If you intend to start working out, yoga or any other activity in the morning then begin with 3 days a week instead of 7 days a week.
For working out, most have the issue of waking up early. Try to start at a time comfortable to you. If you wake up daily at 8am but plan to start working out at 5am then it will seldom happen because your circadian system will take time to adjust. Instead try to wake up at 7 am which is practical and you will continue for a long time.
Be positive while thinking about your achievable goal. Instead of saying I cannot do something, say I feel much better doing this.
Always tell your near and dear ones about your resolution and seek their support in order to successfully achieve your goal.
Review your progress and reward yourself on the first target achieved

Lastly, we would say do not wait for anything. Every day is a new day. Start working on your resolution immediately. There is the famous saying, “Whatever you want to do tomorrow, do it today and whatever you want to do today, do it now!”

Go right ahead and work on your New Year Resolutions.

#BeTheForce of 2021!

December 25, 2020 By Pritika Saraogi 4 Comments

12 Tips For a Healthy Christmas Week

Want to avoid looking like Santa this festive season? You’re sailing on eating right and exercising daily, then boom — the holidays are here, just waiting to put a kink in your routine! Food is everywhere. Spare time is nowhere. Add this to the emotions and stress of the season, and you’re sure to have a recipe for disastrous weight gain. Here are some tips to help you stay on course of your health goals and celebrate a Healthy Christmas Week!

Tips For a Healthy Christmas Week

Quality Over Quantity: Learn to avoid mindlessly accepting whatever is offered and instead hold out for the snack you value the most, and have just a few. If possible, opt for something baked instead of going for something that’s deep-friend.
Eat Slowly. Enjoy. Move away: If your weakness is salted nuts, you can easily eat double the prescribed quantity and not notice. While the fat in nuts is the healthy unsaturated type that doesn’t clog up your arteries, when it comes to your waistline, calories are calories. Solution? Have a taste, eat it slowly and really enjoy it. “Try to chew your food well, concentrate on the flavour you’re getting and appreciate the goodness”. Then, move away from the source so you can’t keep eating more than your fill.
Beware of the Buffet: People look at a buffet as though it’s their last meal on earth. The smartest thing to do when you’re surrounded by so much temptation is to just walk around and eye everything first. Then go back and take a bit of what you really like. Before doing so, ask yourself, “Do I really want this?” Avoid the trap of thinking you have to get your money’s worth. If you don’t let it go to waste, it will end up around your waist.
Watch Your Drinks: Alcohol plays a big part in Christmas weight gain. Sometimes, when surrounded by family and friends, you never know when 1 drink can lead to 10. Your best bet is to put a cap on the amount of drinks you’ll have. Set your limit to 3 drinks and space them out. In fact, if you can dilute your drink with water or ice, go for it! Opting to be the nominated driver might just give you the excuse to not drink at all!
Keep Up Some Activity: Did you know that dancing can help you burn off calories. Good way to shake a leg and shake off some extra calories as well. If dancing is not your thing, try brisk walking in the cool early morning breeze. Should work as a good start to the day. Don’t even miss out on a post-dinner stroll with family, friends or your loved one. It can be magical!
Make Sure You Log: Logging food, water intake and exercise can keep you accountable. Don’t look at it like a burden. This will help you stay on track and keep an account of what you’ve been eating and drinking. Be honest and log exactly what you eat!
Earn Your Treats Before You Indulge: Treats aren’t really enjoyable if they just leave you feeling guilty afterwards. Eat healthy the day before heading out to that holiday party or work up a sweat before sitting down for a big holiday meal. It will help you feel less guilty and have a good time as well.
Listen to Your Tummy: The human body has an amazing ability to regulate food intake… if we actually listen to it! If you overindulge at a holiday feast, hold off on eating until you truly feel hungry again. Don’t eat just because there’s only one slice of pie left on the table, or because your Christmas Brunch begins at 10 AM. If you’re not hungry, sip on some tea or coffee while everyone else digs in, and make yourself a small plate later. It’ll be there when your tummy grumbles!
Just Say NO to Food Pushers: Food pushers are the people who seem to believe that their holiday celebration isn’t complete until you give in to their food weaknesses. You know them — the co-worker with a jar of candies, mom and her apple pie, the friend who won’t let you leave without a plate of cookies. It’s OK to politely say, “No! Thank you!” It won’t hurt your relationship.
Just Do It: Schedule your exercise time. Not only will you feel better about the indulgences that come with the holidays, but exercise also will help relieve holiday stress. Take something out of your schedule if you need to, but not exercise. The endorphins from working out will only boost your holiday spirit!
Share the Love: When going to a holiday gathering, bring a healthy dish that everyone can enjoy without feeling guilty.
Snack before the party: Avoid going to holiday parties on an empty stomach. Eat a light and healthy snack, such as one with protein that will keep you feeling full, before heading out. This will help you avoid overindulging later. Try a protein bar or some nuts and seeds. You can browse an array of options from the GOQii Health Store within the app.

We hope you try these tips and tricks to Level Up your holidays! Here’s to a happy and healthier you!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

#BeTheForce

December 21, 2020 By Priyanka Mangla Leave a Comment

8 Diet and Lifestyle Tips For The Winter Season

This year’s winters are a little different than the rest. The usual chills of the season combined with the threat of COVID-19 can throw anyone into relentless panic. If you’re feeling a slight bit of anxiety every time you sneeze, cough or get a cold due to the change in weather, you’re not alone! All influenza like illnesses are not COVID-19 but some could be. So to prevent this situation, following all the necessary precautions such as wearing a mask, maintaining social distance and avoiding crowded spaces are paramount. To add to this, and further secure your immunity, here are some diet and lifestyle tips to help you keep the chills away!

Lifestyle Tips for a Healthier You

Healthy Diet: Sir Robert McCarrison, one of the best known nutritionists says, “The right kind of food is the most important single factor in the promotion of health; and the wrong kind of food is the most important single factor in the promotion of disease.” There is an elaborate healing mechanism within the body, but it can perform its function only if it is abundantly supplied with all the essential nutritional factors. There are certain dishes which are winter specific in our country. We all relish them and besides being delicious, they serve a special purpose to keep us warm. Let’s start with our favorite, Gajar ka halwa which we all love. It is winter specific because we get the best seasonal carrots during this time. Next comes sarson ka saag. The saag is not just a flavoursome package but also a whole bunch of nutrition. Then we have gond ka ladoo (made from gum resin). This contains nuts and seeds too. It will keep you super warm. We have our own snack this time with nuts and jaggery chikki. A chikki a day is sure to keep the winter chills away! While we enjoy these, let’s not forget portion size.
Regular exercise: will keep you warm with a good circulation of blood. During winter, due to contraction of muscles to preserve energy, which is a natural phenomenon, many elderly folks suffer from joint pains and stiffness. To avoid that, it is best to continue doing light exercises. One can start off with a brisk walk for 15-20 minutes. People with a heart ailment or high blood pressure should avoid going out very early in the morning because of low oxygen levels.
Water: We tend to forget drinking water in winters as we don’t feel thirsty. But you know, water is the carrier of nutrients in our body and helps in detoxification. So make sure you load up on at least 2-3liters of water a day.
Hygiene: Next comes the hygiene! Regular bathing is essential to keep the skin healthy and nourished. Wash your hands after coming back from somewhere, before cooking or eating food.
Skin: Most of us suffer from dry, cracked skin during winter and we get tired applying lotions and oils throughout the day. I have a very useful tip for you to avoid this. Apply coconut oil or any other moisturizer immediately after bathing as during this time your skin is moist enough to absorb the oil and you will feel the softness throughout the day. You can also try these simple winter skincare tips: https://goqii.com/blog/8-simple-and-effective-winter-skincare-tips/
Sleep: Good, restful, quality sleep helps in boosting our immunity by repairing the wear and tear of the body and mind. For an adult, 6-9 hours of sleep is required and for the aged ones, 5-7 hours.
Vitamin D: Vitamin D deficiency is on a rise in Indians despite the fact that we are blessed with the sunshine throughout the year. People prefer to stay indoors. Vitamin D not only keeps the bones healthy but also regulates our mood. You would have heard about Seasonal Affective Disorder, more prevalent in the western countries as they are devoid of sunlight. So, what are you waiting for? Go and get some sunshine!
Clothing: Wear warm, woollen clothing to protect yourself from the cold.

And that’s it! These lifestyle tips are simple to follow and will keep you warm during this cold season. We hope this article helps you. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below! For more winter tips, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play.

#BeTheForce

December 17, 2020 By Aruna Bhatia Leave a Comment

Natural Remedies For Gas and Bloating

Ever eaten something that made you feel uneasy? Did it turn your stomach into a balloon? Does this happen all the time? Well, you’re a victim to gas and bloating! It can be a terrible experience after you’ve thoroughly enjoyed your meals. There are several reasons for gas and bloating. So let’s understand them and look at a few remedies that will help you out.

What Is Gas and Bloating?

During digestion, a good amount of gas is released in the abdomen. This is because digestion involves acids secreted by the stomach cells to break food into smaller components. When your stomach bloats, it’s actually excess gas in the digestive tract. The entire gas and bloating issue is caused due to indigestion, eating at a fast pace, irregular meals or overeating. At times, conditions such as lactose intolerance, premenstrual syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome and some other medicinal after effects may also be the cause for gas and bloating.

Are There Any Easy Home Remedies?

Of course there are! You don’t need to rush to the hospital for gas and bloating. You can treat it easily with certain lifestyle or diet modifications which will surely work if followed with discipline and consistency. Some of these remedies are as follows:

Probiotics: The calcium components present in curds or yoghurt bind to the stomach acid and can relieve bloating. You can have a cup of curd or unflavoured yoghurt or a glass of buttermilk along with meals to avoid this issue.
Fennel Seeds: contain extra estragole, anethole, fenchone that can cure indigestion fairly quickly. Soak one tsp fennel seeds in 500 ml water and boil it till it reduces to 400 ml. Keep sipping on a cup of this water after meals or drink a glass on an empty stomach.
Lemon Water: Lemons are naturally diuretic when added to warm water which will push fluids out of the body, thus reducing all the salt retained in the body, helping you avoid gas and bloating. This is best when taken on an empty stomach.
Ginger: It stimulates the body’s digestive enzymes and helps relieve inflammation by protecting the lining of the stomach. It is best when taken by boiling shreds of ginger in water after meals.

The above suggestions not only relieve gas and bloating but can also help prevent stomach ulcers from forming in the future. We hope this article helps you. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below!

For more easy and effective home remedies, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play.

#BeTheForce