healthy reads Archives

September 21, 2021 By Soni Thakur 1 Comment

Reasons Why You Are Not Losing Weight!

Has your scale been stuck at the same number? And no matter how hard you try, it does not move an inch? During a time like this, it gets difficult to stay motivated to get rid of the weight we’ve been trying to lose, despite working out and eating healthy. There could be certain other factors at work here which are preventing you from losing weight. Let’s understand them!

Factors That Prevent You From Losing Weight

You Are Not Eating Enough: Our body requires fuel in order to keep working. It’s like a car – you can’t run it without enough fuel. The same goes for our body. You can’t expect your body to function efficiently or lose weight while you’re starving. Eat within a calorie budget as eating less or eating more can both be the reason why you aren’t losing weight.
Compromised Gut Health: Eating food is only half the story of good nutrition. How that food is absorbed and digested is the other half. If your gut is not healed and healthy, then it can be one of the strongest reasons for you not being able to lose weight.
Less Supply Of Fat To The Body: Fats are important for the absorption of certain vitamins and also for optimal functioning of our brain, heart and body cells. Choose plant based fats like walnuts, almonds, olives, avocados, flaxseeds, etc. as they contain the healthiest types of fatty acids.
You Are Stressed: Chronic stress releases cortisol, which in turn raises blood sugar levels and this again triggers the pancreas to release more insulin and more insulin means more sugar to the cells which gets stored as fat.
You Aren’t Sleeping Enough: When you sleep, your body is in the recovery stage with the help of certain hormones. If you are not sleeping enough, then your body’s first priority is to fight inflammation instead of helping you lose weight.
You Are Overtraining: Indulging yourself in rigorous workouts for more than an hour every day without rest creates inflammation in the body and the body goes into stress mode – which is again not in the favour of weight loss. Aim for only 45-60 minutes exercise for 6 days a week followed by 1 day for rest and recovery.
Your Vitamin D3 and B12 May Be Low: Studies have shown that deficiency of any of the vitamins can cause weight gain too. In fact, several studies investigating the effects of vitamin D on weight loss suggested that it could suppress the storage of fat cells and effectively reduce the fat accumulation in the body. So, make sure to keep your vitamin D3 at an adequate level. Vitamin B12 is often associated with weight loss because of its ability to boost metabolism and provide lasting energy.
Your Thyroid May Be Underactive: When a person’s thyroid is underactive, metabolism goes down very slow due to certain changes in the body. So losing weight will be slower as compared to a healthy individual.
You May Have Food Sensitivity: In several studies, it has been found that nearly 70% of people are dairy intolerant and 30% have gluten sensitivity. If a person with any of these consumes dairy and gluten-rich foods, it leads to inflammation and the body heals that first. This hinders weight loss.
Your Meals Are Not Balanced: Losing weight is all about eating a well-balanced diet by including complex carbohydrates, proteins, healthy fats, and fibres in order to nourish your body with all the essential nutrients. You may lose a good amount of weight by going low or high on one or the other food groups but that happens for just for a short duration of time and is going to hamper your metabolism in the long run.
Expecting Too Much or Being Unrealistic: Setting an unrealistic goal and bounding your body within a time frame will increase your stress levels. Set a goal which is not only for losing weight and going back into your desired shape, but is also a holistic approach which should have a time period which is more realistic and not a quick magical expectation. If you have not gained this weight in a month or two, how can you expect to lose it in such a short period of time?

We hope this article helps you understand why you are not losing weight. You can additionally consult with a GOQii Coach or a GOQii Doctor by opting for a personalized coaching subscription or sign up for GOQii Transform – a personalized weight management program. You can read more about it here: https://store.goqii.com/transform-weight-program

To read more articles on weight loss, check out Healthy Reads.

#BeTheForce

September 20, 2021 By Anushree Ashtekar 5 Comments

How Much Water Should You Consume Before, During & After A Workout?

Water is an indispensable part of our daily diet. It makes up about 70% of our total body weight. It is also a component that is very easily taken for granted. Staying well hydrated is one of our body’s basic needs. Thirst is a late indicator of dehydration. When thirsty, our body is already dehydrated at a cellular level. The color of the urine can also determine our hydration status. Dark yellow urine indicates dehydration whereas clear urine indicates a well hydrated body. Along with the diet, we must also pay attention to what and how much water we drink, especially before, during and after a workout.

Why Is Water Intake Important?

1. Pre-Workout Water Intake
If we start our workout in a dehydrated state, it will adversely affect our performance. We would feel low on energy, stiff muscles and also get cramps easily. That is essentially because water forms a major part of our muscles and also helps in keeping the joints well lubricated. Intake must start well 2-3 hours before a workout. The water intake also depends upon the intensity of activity and the individual’s own body condition.

If a person sweats too much, at least 500-600ml of water 2-3 hours prior to exercise is a must. This will ensure good hydration status. If the workout lasts for a longer time, like over an hour, then it would be advisable to consume a carbohydrate drink (up to 8% concentration). This will help to prevent fatigue and dehydration.

2. Water Intake During a Workout
The consumption here depends on the duration of the activity. If the exercise or sport event lasts for less than an hour, then there won’t be a chance to ingest too much fluid within the duration of the activity. Here, we can consume 1 small glass (180-200 ml) of plain cold water every 15-20 minutes. Cold water would make a better choice over water at room temperature because cold water has a faster gastric emptying time. Also, if the person has consumed enough dietary carbohydrates, the glycogen stores in his muscles and liver will suffice for providing energy to sustain the activity. In the case of a high intensity workout or sport event (marathon, game of football, etc), that goes for over 1 hour, the individual is at a risk of decreased performance due to dehydration, fatigue and hypoglycemia. Their fluid intake must include carbohydrates and electrolytes. Carbohydrate will prevent hypoglycemia. The electrolytes like sodium and chloride need to be replenished due to sweating. Also, sodium will help in water retention.

3. Post-Workout Intake
We need to pay good attention to eating and drinking right post any workout or exercise. There arises a need to replenish the carbohydrates, salts and water that are lost during the activity. Immediately after a workout, for the next few hours, work on improving your hydration levels. Do not start with any new activity without attaining good hydration levels. Replenishing the salt reserves must be your top priority as sodium has good fluid retention capacity which keeps up the urge to drink water. Fluid consumption, containing carbohydrates, salts and water, must continue up to 5-6 hours after the activity. The best way to ensure that you are hydrating yourself well is, to weigh yourself before and after the exercise/event and drink at least 400-500 ml of water for every 1 pound lost. Fluid intake needs to be planned and distributed at regular intervals.

It would always be better to carry a bottle of water with you wherever you go and sip on it regularly. Many a times, your performance during a workout can be improved only with optimum hydration. We hope this article helps you. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below.

For more tips on workouts, hydration and being fit, check out Healthy Reads or ask your GOQii Coach directly by subscribing for personalized coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce

September 19, 2021 By Yogita Agarwal 1 Comment

Healthy Eating: Sweet Potato Sprouts Tikki

If you’re all out of breakfast ideas or are tired of the repetitive choices you have, let’s take your breakfast or evening snacks up a notch with this Sweet Potato Sprouts Tikki recipe! This mouthwatering delight is rich in healthy carbs and protein – just the kind of kick you need to get your day started!

What You Will Need

Sweet potato – 1 cup (mashed)
Boiled sprouts – ½ cup
Broccoli – 1 cup (cut into florets)
Grated homemade Paneer (chenna) – 3 tablespoon
Sattu powder- 2 tbsp
Chat masala – ¾th tsp
Turmeric – ¼ tsp
Ajwain or carom seeds – ¼ tsp
Roasted cumin powder – ½ tsp
Black pepper powder – ½ tsp
Coriander – 2 tsp
Salt – as per taste
Olive oil – as needed.

How To Prepare

Place sweet potato in a pressure cooker and cook it for 3-4 whistles.
Meanwhile, boil water and add broccoli florets to it. Cook for 2 mins and drain the water completely (or you can steam it for 5-7 min).
Grind the broccoli in a blender coarsely (just for a few seconds. It should not be like a paste). Squeeze the excess water from the ground Broccoli.
Take one peeled potato in the mixing bowl and mash it well without any lumps.
Then, add the grounded broccoli, grated paneer (chena), sattu powder, turmeric, chat masala, boiled sprouts, cumin powder, black pepper, ajwain, coriander and salt.
Mix well into a dough and divide into equal portions. Make equal sized balls and flatten them into tikkis.
Heat a pan with a few drops of oil and place the tikkis over it. Cook it on medium to low flame from both the sides till it turns golden.
Serve hot with green chutney!

Highlight of the Sweet Potato Sprouts Tikki

The Sweet Potato Sprouts Tikki is rich in healthy carbs, protein, fiber and low in fat. It’s a complete meal.
Good choice for kids, pregnant & lactating mothers too.
It is made up of sweet potato, which has several health benefits. It is rich in Antioxidant called beta carotene, which helps increase Vit A .
It has a good amount of soluble and insoluble fiber along with vitamins and minerals like Vit C, Potassium, Manganese, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B5 and Vitamin E.
The added sprouts, homemade paneer (chenna) and sattu are good sources of protein.
The added broccoli and coriander adds a good amount of fiber content.

We hope you enjoy this recipe! Do share your thoughts in the comments below. For more Healthy Recipes, check out Healthy Reads or get them directly from your GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalized coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce

September 18, 2021 By GOQii 1 Comment

Recover and Reclaim Your Health – Yashas Ranganath User Journey

More often than not, we find ourselves moving passively through the world revelling in all it has to offer and more. Wading way beyond moderation in the beauty of excesses till the consequences of our actions pile up. Lifestyle diseases are caused because of indulgence in unhealthy habits, something that one of our players Yashas Ranganath found out first hand. How did he manage? How did he recover? Let’s find out!

Life Before GOQii

Yashas Ranganath, an IT professional from Bangalore led quite a normal life. He used to eat, drink and do whatever he pleased, paying no attention to health and fitness. His physical activity was almost nil and he paid no attention to his lifestyle to even make a change.

In 2016, he was diagnosed with hypertension and diabetes. He was also admitted to the hospital for a severe migraine attack and put under medication for both. His health only got worse with time. In September 2018, he was hit by a stroke due to a cyst in his left brain. This left the right side of his body completely paralyzed.

Enter GOQii

Initially, Yashas Ranganath had joined GOQii in 2015 when he was exploring the market for a good fitness tracker. He chose GOQii as he was intrigued by the personal coaching feature. However, he says he completely wasted that subscription and did not take it seriously at all.

In December 2018, after 50% recovery from the paralysis, he began thinking about making lifestyle changes. He turned to GOQii and renewed his subscription. He says that his life took a complete positive turn after that!

Making a Positive Lifestyle Change

Yashas’ goal was to get all his vitals under control and completely recover from paralysis. His GOQii Coach advised him to completely stop the consumption of oil, sweets, salt, junk food and all types of processed food. He was also asked to stop eating maida and consumed bottled beverages. From a foodie, he had turned into a monk – eating to live and not living to eat. But his sole focus was recovery and he was ready to give up on everything.

His daily routine became structured in terms of eating habits, activity and sleep:

He wakes up at 4 in the morning to leave for work at 6:30 AM. He eats his breakfast and lunch at work – both are customized to his requirement.
His breakfast consists of upma, poha or idli. For Lunch, he eats 2 cups of rice with salads and vegetable curry.
Dinner consists of chapatti with a curry.
His coffee intake is limited to 1 in the evening and he eat fruits as mid meal snacks.
Under the rare occasion when he eats out, he manages to customize his food.
He exercises for 2 hours a day, doing what his physiotherapist suggests along with numerous stretches recommended by his GOQii Coach. He concludes this with 15 minutes of meditation.
He has also started cycling and performs Yog Nidra at night.

After following this routine, Yashas says that he feels no cravings at all and doesn’t even get tempted after seeing other enjoy different delicacies. He enjoys his current lifestyle modifications.

What Changes Did Yashas Ranganath Experience?

When he joined GOQii in 2018, his weight was 75kg, HBA1C was above 8 and blood pressure was 200/170. He now weighs 63kg. His vitals improved drastically too with his HBA1C at 5.4, blood sugar – fasting at 80-90 mg/dl and postprandial at 80-100 mg/dl. Blood Pressure is 130/80. He is on minimal medication, feels more active physically and positive mentally. He has also made a 90% recovery from his stroke.

“You have to get hit before your eyes are opened and then you change in ways you never thought you could,” says Yashas.

His wife and parents are overwhelmed with his recovery. He attributes the change in his lifestyle to his GOQii Coach and says her contribution has been 100%, constantly guiding him on what to eat and what not to eat. Yashas has also explored the features on the app like Play and watches videos as and when he finds time.

Recently, Yashas Ranganath spoke to our Founder & CEO Vishal Gondal about his recovery and journey with GOQii. You can watch the entire episode of GOQii Health Talks here:

What Did His GOQii Coach Have to Say About Him?

“Yashas is one of the most disciplined player I have ever seen. He has been very regular in following
all the habits formulated for him. After the treatment of his stroke and during recovery, he used to suffer from episodes of hypoglycaemia in between. He used to feel dizzy and uncomfortable. Slowly, we started making him have small and frequent meals with portion control. We started millet based meals for better glycaemic index and on the side, he was doing his physiotherapy as well. All of which contributed to his lifestyle change.”

Yashas Ranganath made a positive lifestyle change, what about you? Subscribe to personalized coaching now to get healthier with GOQii: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

Do check out more inspiring stories on Healthy Reads and #BeTheForce