health Archives

August 24, 2020 By Navnee Garg 4 Comments

Tracking Your Fitness Progress

Your workout goals may vary greatly, from reducing a certain amount of weight and gaining muscles, to getting a toned body, a flat stomach and lot more. The point of measuring your progress during a workout is to take note of significant data that you can act upon and to decide the steps you should take to attain your goal. Tracking is really important not only for your progress but to keep you motivated as well. It helps you stay focused and decide the next steps of your fitness journey.

Body Composition

Body Composition measurement determines your overall body fat percentage. A healthy body composition is one that includes a lower percentage of body fat and a higher percentage of fat-free mass which includes muscles, bones and organs. Body composition can provide you with a clear idea about how much lean muscle and fat you have.

This test can be used to check whether you are gaining muscles and/or losing fat. This test can be an eye opening experience because it reveals the ratio of fat to lean muscle tissue, the percentage of fat in the body, the metabolic rate (BMR) and BMI. It can easily be done at gyms, health clinics and so on, at a nominal price.

How much Fat is OK?

	Women	Men
Essential Fat	10-12%	2-4%
Athletes	14-20%	6-13%
Fitness	21-24%	14-17%
Acceptable	25-31%	18-25%

Girth Measurement

This is a wonderful way to track fat loss! Reduction in body fat is usually represented by the inches you have lost. It is one of the easiest and home-based methods to assess your progress. You can use a standardized flexible, flat measuring tape to measure different parts of the body, including your chest (across your nipple line), neck, abdomen (at your belly button), hips (measure the widest part of your buttocks with your feet together) and your calves (widest/largest part), among others.

As per ICMR, Abdominal obesity (AO) was defined as a waist circumference (WC) ≥ 90 cm for men and ≥ 80 cm for women. Isolated generalized obesity (IGO) was defined as a BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 with a waist circumference of < 90 cm in men and < 80 cm in women.

Body Mass Index (BMI)

BMI is a person’s weight in kilograms (kg) divided by his or her height in meters squared. On a BMI calculator, the number you get may fall into one of these four ranges: obese, overweight, normal weight or underweight. However, this number does not consider your muscle mass vs fat mass, which means muscular individuals, can end up with a higher BMI that may place them in the obese category. So, you should use BMI just as a beginning point.

As per WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO):

Nutritional Status

BMI
18.5	Underweight
18.5–24.9	Normal weight
25.0–29.9	Pre-obesity
30.0–34.9	Obesity class I
35.0–39.9	Obesity class II
Above 40	Obesity class III

And 4^th is My Favorite…

Selfie Zone

A full body Mirror selfie is a perfect way to measure/compare your progress from a specific time period. Nothing can be better than a visual explanation. One gets to know his/her own progress by comparing the two selfies of BEFORE and AFTER.

Reasons to Track Your Fitness Progress:

It allows for modifications and indicates when and where you need to make changes
It lets you manage your workout regimen and time more effectively
Helps to drive direction and focus to your workout program
Makes it easier to attain your goal
It’s quite easy to go overboard when eating your meals. But, if you have clarity about your fitness progress, it will help you decide on the right portion size
Tracking your progress with regard to your workouts acts as a strong motivator that keeps reminding you of the fitness goals you wish to achieve

We hope this article helps you! Do leave your thoughts in the comments below! For more on health and fitness, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play.

#BeTheForce

March 10, 2020 By Harpreet Kaur 3 Comments

Hair and Skincare Tips For Holi!

Holi is a festival of fun and mirth with plenty of colors and zeal. The tradition is to wish a Happy Holi by smearing colors at each other. Few decades ago, the colors used in Holi were derived from dry flowers and leaves. Even sandalwood paste, saffron, turmeric, henna and fuller’s earth were used to play Holi.

However, with rapid change in times and instant solutions, came cheaper, easily available industrial colors that replaced the natural ones. These industrial colors contain a variety of harmful compounds like malachite green, auramine, methyl violet, copper sulphate, aluminium bromide, prussian blue and cobalt nitrate. They are often mixed with starch, wheat flour and micadust.

The colors are disastrous for the skin as they increase the chances of allergies and infections. The most commonly affected areas include the face, scalp, forearms, neck and hands. So, how exactly do you avoid being affected by these harmful chemicals? The answer is quite simple!

Pre-Holi Hair and Skincare Tips

Use Organic Colors: You can make skin-friendly, natural colors at home. For instance, you can use roasted chic peas powder to make gulal. If you have hypersensitive skin, it is best to avoid chemical colors
Oil Your Way to Safety: Apply coconut oil, mustard oil or olive oil on your hair and scalp before playing Holi to prevent the color from blocking the pores
Apply Aloe Vera gel and oil on your body to create a layer of protection on the skin. Don’t forget to cover the ear area
Blend Castor Oil with Coconut Carrier Oil and apply it half an hour before playing Holi. This will protect your skin from chemicals. It also helps the colors come off easily during bath
Use Vaseline on Your Lips to keep them moisturized. You can even apply it on your ears
Use Sunscreen on your exposed skin to avoid skin damage. Try keeping yourself as covered as possible
Apply Transparent Nail Paint on your nails to prevent the color from getting inside the skin
Stay Hydrated all the time by drinking water and juices regularly

Post-Holi Hair and Skincare Tips

Clean your skin with baby oil. Do not scrub the skin for at least 48 hours post Holi
Use natural ingredients like curd and chic peas flour to exfoliate the skin and cleanse it
After bathing, apply moisturizer liberally all over to seal the moisture in
Avoid using make up or anything harsh on your skin for a few days. Let your skin breathe and get back its natural moisture
Wrap a couple of ice cubes in a thin cotton cloth and use it to soothe your face and neck area. This will help protect your skin from dryness and sunburn
Mix 2 tablespoons of Olive oil with 4 tablespoons of honey and a few drops of lemon juice. Apply this nourishing pack to your hair and scalp. Leave it on for 30 minutes and rinse it off with warm water. Use a light herbal shampoo and a good quality conditioner as well

By Adopting these simple measure before and after the festival, you can make it an enjoyable experience!

Were these tips helpful? What do you do to protect your hair and skin during Holi? Let us know in the comments below!

Wish you all a Happy and Healthy Holi!

#BeTheForce

February 4, 2020 By Anusha Subramanian Leave a Comment

‘I Am And I Will’: World Cancer Day

‘Cancer’ is considered a stigma word. One forgets that Cancer is not contagious however, the human mindset for eons has believed that cancer spreads and hence, one with cancer is looked at differently or is ostracized. Believe me, Cancer is not the end of the road. There is hope for people with cancer, provided both, the patient as well as the people around the patient are willing to help each other.

This is precisely what the World Cancer Day theme ‘I Am And I Will’ addresses. The campaign which began in 2019 is an empowering call-to-action that urges personal commitment and represents the power of individual action taken now to impact the future. The campaign is built to resonate, inspire change and mobilize action long after the day has passed.

There are various ways to reduce the risk of cancer. Those with cancer need not worry as there is always hope at the end of the tunnel. Experts say that one of the best ways to reduce the risk of Cancer is by adopting a healthy lifestyle. It is said that you can reduce the risk of many common cancers such as bowel, breast, uterine, ovarian, esophagus, kidney and liver by maintaining healthy weight, eating right and making physical activity a part of your daily routine.

‘I Am And I Will’ theme indicates that as an individual or as an organization, get involved in any way you can. Because together, we can create change. What you can do is:

Get Personal: Create your own custom social media post with your own personal message of the commitment and share it with the world.
Light up the World: As an organisation or even at an Individual level, you can make a statement by lighting up a significant landmark, monument or building to be illuminated on World Cancer Day in the colours of orange and blue in your city.
Spread the word: By writing a blog or an article in a newspaper or a video message.
Join the action: Join by showing up at an event near you and volunteer.
Create your own Event: Inspire others by hosting your own World Cancer Day event. From flash mobs, free screenings, record breaking attempts, conferences, fundraisers to fun runs.
One and all can get Involved: Whoever you are- a cancer survivor, co-worker, a carer, a friend, a leader, a health worker, a teacher or a student- you have the power to take action for a cancer free world.

(Source: www.worldcancerday.org)

We all can do our bit. I remember there is an organization in Mumbai called Ugam, a voluntary support group formed by Childhood Cancer survivors. UGAM means “To Rise” underscoring their determination to rise above all obstacles in life & be VICTORS. UGAM, based in Mumbai is the youngest unit of the oldest & most prominent NGO, The Indian Cancer Society (ICS) under its survivorship programme.

Ugam’s vision is to ensure that every childhood cancer survivor finds his/ her way to celebrate life after winning the battle with cancer. Ugam helps in self-empowerment of the survivors. It helps in fulfilling their dreams that were put on hold while they were battling this tormenting disease and the hardships of the treatment. Helping in overcoming social fears and hindrances, overcoming their physical and mental disabilities and moving ahead despite them, as well as providing educational and career related assistance and guidance.

Ugam provides a platform for them to talk about their experience and problems and help in building their confidence and self-esteem. Ugam tries and gives them a reason to lead a social and personal life in the future.
We at GOQii are advocates of healthy lifestyle and doing Karma. So let’s make a beginning!

To know more about cancer, you can tune in to our experts on GOQii Play for topics on nutrition, exercise and any medical information you may need. How do you plan on contributing to fight cancer? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

#BeTheForce

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!