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Overcoming the Odds! Aliya Imran’s Journey to Fitness

overcoming the odds Aliya Imran

How many times have we come across movies or a television drama series where the protagonist defies all the odds, overcomes challenges and despite all the insurmountable hurdles, wins? We can’t ignore the obvious catharsis we feel and the emotional bonds we form with a protagonist’s journey. We can’t deny the overwhelming sense of joy we experience at their eventual success.

While we all love rooting for a beloved fictional character, we need to remember that there are real heroes out there who face their own struggles head on and emerge victorious. One such hero is none other than our GOQii Play Coach Aliya Imran.

Born in Mumbai, Aliya Imran spent some years in the city and then shifted to Vadodara. Although her schooling was normal, she did not experience a peaceful childhood. Despite her emotionally challenging circumstances, she was a healthy child. At the age of 13, Aliya was diagnosed with jaundice. It was so severe that no doctor was willing to admit her in their hospital. Stress coupled with a weak immune system triggered Vitiligo (A disease that causes the loss of skin colour in blotches) which became a permanent feature. Her Vitiligo increased and decreased with her stress levels.

She married at the age of 19, moved to Gurugram and completed her graduation. The trauma from a miscarriage at the age of 22 further aggravated her Vitiligo, causing it to spread all over her hands and face. She delivered her first child in 2009. Her weight had then increased to 79 kg. After being blessed with a second child in 2011, her weight further increased to 85 kg. Her Vitiligo issue hadn’t gotten any better.

She faced discrimination due to her Vitiligo issue. One such instance was during a pilgrimage with her family, a woman serving herself some food beside her threw the plate and walked away in disgust after looking at Aliya’s Vitiligo patches. By the end of 2013, she returned to Mumbai. At this point in time, Aliya felt completely hopeless about her weight gain issue as well as her skin condition. Something had to be done!

Becoming the Change

One fine day, she decided that she had enough! She thought to herself, “If I can’t fix Vitiligo, let me at least fix my weight!” She immediately joined a gym nearby. Not wasting a moment, she sat on the Spinning Bike and started spinning with vengeance! She didn’t have a clue about exercise or fitness and there was no one to guide her either. She just went with whatever caught her attention.

Soon enough, she began running along with working out. She performed high intensity cardio with a day’s rest, never skipped a single gym day for 3 months and managed to reduce 9 kg. Later, she returned to Gurugram, joined a college and completed an Interior Designing course. She joined a gym there as well. Obsessed with fitness, she used to do stair exercises before hitting the gym. Her family members and friends thought she had gone crazy but that didn’t stop her.

She slowly began weight training. She used to have only one meal a day without realizing that it was a fasting method. After attending one of GOQii Master Coach Luke Coutinho’s sessions, she found out that what she had been doing was Intermittent Fasting. This further encouraged her to fine tune her eating habits. She strictly avoided junk and outside foods and sought a high protein diet.

By the end of 2014, she weighed only 50 kg. She had lost 25 kg in a year without going on any crash diet. She achieved this through mindful eating and intense physical activity only. This gave a tremendous boost to her self-confidence, especially when her college and neighborhood acquaintances commented on her physique and unbelievable age.

One such instance of the boost in her confidence was when she was discriminated again for her skin condition. It was at a spa when an attendant refused to touch her. This was a similar situation as before but only this time, Aliya stood up for herself. Her confidence was sky high, never to be deterred again.

Passion, Determination and Success

Around this time, gym instructors suggested that she take up fitness as a profession. They were convinced that she would be a success considering her dedication and hunger for fitness. Taking their advice, she completed her Zumba certification in 2016 and also got a spinning license. Between 2015-2016, she achieved professional success, accolades and was sought by leading gyms in Gurugram to join them as an instructor.

Aliya Imran shifted to Mumbai in 2017. She completed a few more certifications which included Pilates Training License and Reebok Training. Aliya also completed a certification in Personal Training and Nutrition from Dubai. She opened a home studio and began taking in clients, both from India and abroad.

In 2018, she acquired a Master Functional Training certification by ACE. Later that year, in September, she came to GOQii. She identified with the GOQii ideology that thrives on guiding and motivating people to lead a healthier lifestyle. The rest is history! Since joining GOQii Play as a coach, Aliya has had 1,734.3k views, 1,231k likes and has 183,347 players who have enrolled for her class! If that’s not amazing, then what is?

It wasn’t an easy journey to have come this far. She had to constantly maintain her weight from 2014 to 2019, improvise on her own fitness and at the same time bring variety and content to her clients. Aliya Imran attributes her success to her persistent efforts, her never-say-die attitude and the will to change without getting bogged down by limitations. She also thanks God for the tremendous support she has received from her family and her husband for motivating her.

We all face hurdles from time to time. If you have faced similar issues, know that there is always a way you can beat your circumstances and emerge as the best version of yourself!

Does this story inspire you? Are you motivated to move? Join Aliya Imran’s fun-fueled, energy-driven classes exclusively on GOQii Play. Download the app now: www.goqii.com/app

#BeTheForce

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Decoding Autism and ADHD

 

You have probably seen movies such as Dustin Hoffman starred ‘Rainman’ and Shah Rukh Khan’s My Name is Khan. In both the films, the male lead protagonists play an autistic adult. Dyslexia, also an issue of learning disorder was beautifully talked about in ‘Amir Khan’s ‘Taare Zameer Par’.  Movies are the best way for common people to understand these medical conditions. Today, on World Autism day, we have tried to decode both Autism and ADHD. 

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can seem similar. Adults and children with these conditions have a problem focusing. They can be impulsive or have a hard time communicating. These individuals are intelligent and only different than the others and in many ways special.

Autism and ADHD are neurodevelopmental disorders that impact the same brain functions. Studies have shown that two-thirds of the total affected children with ADHD show autism symptoms too. There is a thin line of difference between their characteristic symptoms, let’s learn about them in detail.

AUTISM – The Isolated Self

The word Autism is derived from a Greek word, ‘autos’ which means ‘self’. Autism can be diagnosed in children as early as 2 years of age and as late as 6-7 years of age. Each autistic child may show different symptoms. You cannot really categorise them into one. It is one of the syndromes that fall under the range of autism spectrum disorders.

Here are some of the distinct characteristics to look out for in an autistic child:

  • They find difficulty in communicating with others
  • They prefer to sit alone or play alone. Finds difficult to make friends.
  • Sensory Dysfunction – cannot stand loud noises, strong smell or flavour.
  • Repetitive Behaviour- Doing or saying the same things over and over again. For example, constantly clap hands.

The cause of Autism is largely genetic. So if diagnosed from start and treated well then it effectively reduces the symptoms.

How Do You Treat Autism?

– Most diagnosis is by the age of 2. Hence, an overall approach therapy- occupational, behavioural, medical, dietary and physical would help them to cope with the environment and other children better.

– Being oversensitive to touch, taste and sight, they tend to become picky eaters. They prefer to eat only a particular food item over and over again making them nutritional deficit. These deficits need to be addressed through supplements under the guidance of a doctor.

– Expose them to different varieties of the same food item. For example, if they eat apple jam, then the child will be open to trying apple pie or apple as a whole fruit.

– Usually, they are sensitive to foods containing casein (milk, paneer, curd), gluten (wheat, barley, oats) or preservatives (packaged food items). Try to eliminate these items one at a time and observe how they respond.

– Once the sensitivity is known, use substitutes for it. For example, in the case of casein, substitute their milk/paneer requirements with soybean milk/ tofu respectively.

– Gut health is compromised with a condition known as Leaky Gut (i.e. Gut is permeable to toxins and bacteria as they get absorbed or “leak” into the bloodstream). Long term studies have shown that bacteria B. Fragilis aids recovery from leaky gut and reduces the autistic syndrome.

– Medical therapy is important. The drugs that are given will not cure autism but will reduce anxiety and depression in the child. This will improve their learning and communication skills and make them more friendly and open.

ADHD

ADHD is seen in both children and adults. It is usually difficult to identify in children before the age of 5. This is because being inattentive and hyperactive are normal traits shown by any toddler or child.

Its symptoms may or may not stand out clearly. Some of the symptoms include:

  • Cannot focus on one task for a long time
  • Difficulty in paying attention in class or in any given activity or discussion
  • Always needs to move around. Cannot sit at one place.
  • Usually responds or answers back without thinking much/ Impulsive behaviour

Along with behavioural therapy, diet also plays an important role in managing ADHD. Studies have shown that a diet high in sugar worsens the hyperactive trait in ADHD children. This is because sugars provide instant energy to the brain, so they tend to overthink, overreact more.

A well-balanced diet including veggies, fruits, complex carbs like high fibre cereals and more of proteins will slowly help in easing the symptoms.

Below is the list of foods to be avoided and included-

Foods to be AVOIDED Foods to be INCLUDED
High sugar-containing foods like candies, cakes, cookies, sweetened chocolates Dark chocolates loaded with berries,

Homemade date (Khajur) rolls or pieces of almonds, raisins. Homemade carrot halwa, sheera

Fried Chips, wafers, ready to eat noodles Roasted Indian snacks like Chivda, bhel.

Plain or less of butter made popcorn.

Roasted peanuts and yellow channa.

Finger foods like sautee paneer, ragi wafers
Flavoured cereals- cornflakes, milk powder mixes. Plain cornflakes – add In bananas, berries.

Dates milkshake, fruit smoothies, yoghurt
Tetra pack fruit juices, colas, soda beverages Cut fruits and make popsicles out of it
Refined products like maida based pasta, pizzas, burgers, junk items Choose whole wheat pizzas with more veggie toppings, make up a salad of the kids choice of veggies and fruits, present veggies inside a chapati roll.

There is no cure for autism and ADHD, but early intervention using skills-training and behaviour modification can yield excellent results.

To understand Autism better, tune into GOQii Play Coach Divya Thampi’s class on ‘Common Myths about Autism Spectrum Disorder‘ tonight at 8:30 PM on the GOQii App.

 

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GOQii to Introduce Reiki Booster Pills!

Reiki PillsThe Reiki Revolution has taken the world by a storm and everyone is turning to this form of alternative medicine. Although some people disagree and term it as pseudoscience, there is enough evidence to conclude that universal energy is real and can be harnessed to heal a person from emotional and physical ailments.

What is Reiki?

Developed by Mikao Usui in 1922, Reiki is etymologically derived from the Japanese words rei which means soul or spirit, and ki which means vital energy. Reiki practitioners use a technique called palm healing or hands-on healing through which the universal energy is transferred through the palms of a master to the patient in order to encourage physical, emotional or mental healing.

How Do Reiki Pills Work?

With no master or practitioner to guide or heal you without touch, how exactly do these pills help you harness energy from the universe? After thorough research on the effects of certain elements on the brain and a lot of trials and tribulations later, we found that when certain natural compounds are introduced in the human body, they create a reaction that enables your body to directly harness energy from the universe.

Since ancient times, well-known Rishis and Gurus from India have meditated in nature and have attained profound wisdom and nirvana. Why so? Why is it that in today’s times, with all our technology, we find it so difficult to find the peace or wisdom they did? We believe that the environment they were in had a crucial role to play in their enlightenment. The answer was in nature itself!

After much research, we were able to detect the elements and their effects on different brainwaves, namely, Delta, Theta, Alpha, Beta and Gamma. We found that certain elements can trigger a reaction and influence these brainwaves to form a higher connection with universal energy for a certain period of time. This led to improved motor skills, reflexes and a burst of energy that lasted throughout the day. Other changes included an increase in focus, attention to detail, and the ability to learn new skills quickly.

Apart from the aforementioned positive outcomes, there were no notable side-effects on brain function or the body. With all the universal energy pouring directly into you, the possibilities are endless! You could heal from all your physical ailments. By connecting with a higher conscience, you need not worry about mental or emotional illnesses. You might even be able to live longer!

Thanks to the positive results of our testing, we will be launching the one-of-a-kind, never-seen-before ‘Reiki Booster’ on the GOQii Health Store soon. You can purchase the same for a huge discount with GOQii Cash. Stay tuned to the app, use this miracle product and make yourself healthier with the power of Reiki!

#BeTheForce

PS: Remember that there are no shortcuts to good health and fitness. You’ve got to work and walk for it! Happy April Fools Day!

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Kartik Aggarwal’s Journey to Being Healthy

User Story

Has fitness ever taken a backseat with you? Have you ever been active in the early days of schooling but as life and work caught up, your lifestyle became more sedentary? Did junk food and aerated beverages replace delicious, home-cooked meals? While it is comforting to know that you’re not the only one, somewhere it has to stop. At some point, you need to stop and question your lifestyle choices. You need to make a lifestyle change just like our player Kartik Aggarwal did.

Life Before GOQii

Kartik Aggarwal was always into sports. Since school, he was quite active. He has even represented his school in rollerskating. After graduation, work consumed most of Kartik’s time. Fitness became an alien entity to him. Health became secondary. He began skipping meals, his water intake was low and he treated himself to carbonated drinks more than often.

How Did GOQii Help?

Kartik Aggarwal had initially joined GOQii to study the application. He wanted to understand how the interface and the fitness tracker works. As the case with all new players, Kartik was asked to set a goal. His goal was to lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

He began by regularizing his meal timings. Every morning, he drank a jug full of water. He completely cut off tea and coffee. If he craves for aerated drinks, he has buttermilk or lemonade. On the fitness front, he exercises 5-6 times a week. He works out either in the gym or takes a walk in a park nearby. Kartik has begun taking the stairs and avoids elevators or escalators.

Given his busy schedule, Kartik Aggarwal manages to take short walks every hour or so. He tunes in to Ronak Gajjar’s Meditation Class on GOQii Play as that’s the only show he can squeeze into his schedule.

GOQii Active Sunday Champion

After being active on the GOQii app, Kartik Aggarwal received an email from GOQii. The email was for an Active Sunday registration. He signed up and has never looked back. Since then, Kartik has been a one-man army who regularly champions the GOQii Active Sunday sessions in Ghaziabad.

What Did Kartik Aggarwal Have To Say About His GOQii Coach?

When asked about his coach, Kartik said that his GOQii Coach has been really helpful. She persistently follows up with him to complete his habits, despite the fact that he is not active on the app due to commitments from work. Although he doesn’t even get the time to check his phone, thanks to her dedication, he has been following his habits as much as possible.

Since joining GOQii, Kartik has lost about 7 kg. He says that his lifestyle has dramatically improved, especially his eating habits, thanks to inputs from his GOQii Coach!

Kartik will be live on GOQii Play soon. Tune in to his show to know more about his journey to a healthy and active lifestyle!

#BeTheForce

From Terminal Illness To Complete Wellness! Ananda Mukherjee Health Story

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