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Quick Indoor Workout To Keep You Active!

Indoor HIIT

With the onset of monsoon, it might be impossible to hit the gym or venture outdoors to get your daily active fix. While most of us don’t have a mini gym set up at home, what do we do?

We’ve got the perfect solution to help you raise your heartbeat, aid fat loss and keep you active indoors! You don’t need any equipment and we’re sure this quick indoor workout will help you sweat and get the burn you need!

You already know what HIIT is and the benefits it provides. Now is the time to try it out! We have shared 3 levels below, namely Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced. Choose the quick indoor workout that best suits you!

1. Beginner

  • 20 sec Jumping Jacks
  • 20 sec Marching
  • 20 sec Spot Jogging
  • 20 sec Wide Squat
  • 20 sec Jumping Jacks

This is one set. Do 3-4 sets and rest up to 1 minute after each set.

2. Intermediate

  • 20 sec Jumping Jacks
  • 20 sec Plank
  • 20 sec Jumping Jacks
  • 20 sec Plank
  • 20 sec High knees (spot running with knees at waist height)
  • 20 sec Plank
  • 20 sec Climbers
  • 20 sec Plank
  • 20 sec Climbers

This is one set. Do 2-3 sets and rest up to 2 minutes after each set

3. Advanced

  • 20 sec Jump Squats
  • 20 sec Punching
  • 20 sec Jump Squats
  • 20 sec Burpees
  • 20 sec Plank crunches
  • 20 sec Burpees
  • 20 sec High knees (spot running with knees at waist height)
  • 20 sec Punches
  • 20 sec High knees

This is one set. Do 2-3 sets and rest up to 2 minutes after each set.

Here you go! We hope this quick indoor workout helps you make the monsoons a healthier and more active affair. Always begin a workout routine after consulting your physician or under the supervision of your fitness expert to avoid injuries.

To get proper guidance from an expert in real-time, join our live, interactive GOQii PRO classes. You can book a class directly from the GOQii App.

Was this article helpful? Let us know in the comments below!

Get Active and #BeTheForce! 

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Light and White Skin Patches? All You Need to Know About Vitiligo!

World Vitiligo Day Have you ever come across someone with lighter or white skin patches? Ever wondered what was wrong with them? Ever been curious enough to research? What these individuals suffer from is called Vitiligo. As today is World Vitiligo Day, let us understand this skin disorder.

Vitiligo occurs when pigment-producing cells (melanocytes) die or stop producing melanin — the pigment that gives your skin, hair and eyes color. The involved patches or affected area of the skin become lighter or white.

Common Symptoms

  • Patchy loss of skin color
  • Premature whitening or graying of the hair on the scalp, eyelashes, eyebrows or beard
  • Loss of color in the tissues that line the inside of the mouth and nose (mucous membranes)
  • Loss of or change in color of the inner layer of the eyeball (retina)

Onset: Vitiligo can start at any age, but often appears before the age of 20.

Different Types of Vitiligo

  1. Generalized Vitiligo: This is the most common type. The patches appear on most parts of the skin. The discolored patches often progress similarly on corresponding body parts (symmetrically).
  2. Segmental Vitiligo: In this type, only one side or part of the body gets affected. It tends to occur at a younger age and progresses for a year or two, and then it stops.
  3. Localized (Focal) Vitiligo: In this type, one or only a few areas of your body get affected.

It is difficult to predict how the disease will progress. Sometimes the patches stop forming without treatment. In most cases, pigment loss spreads and eventually involves most of your skin. In this condition, the skin rarely gets its color back.

What Causes Vitiligo?

The most common causes of vitiligo may be related to:

  • A disorder in which your immune system attacks and destroys the melanocytes in the skin
  • Family history (heredity)
  • A trigger event, such as sunburn, stress or exposure to industrial chemicals

Diagnosis

  1. Medical History and Examination: If your doctor suspects you have vitiligo, he or she will ask about your medical history, examine you and try to rule out other medical problems, such as dermatitis or psoriasis. He or she may use a special lamp to shine ultraviolet light onto the skin to determine whether you have vitiligo.
  2. Skin Biopsy & Blood Draw: Take a small sample (biopsy) of the affected skin, draw blood for lab tests to look for underlying autoimmune conditions, such as anemia or diabetes

Treatment

Many treatments are available to help restore skin color or even out skin tone. Results vary and are unpredictable. Some treatments have serious side effects. Your doctor may suggest that you first try improving the appearance of your skin by applying self-tanning products or makeup.

If you and your doctor decide to treat your condition with a drug, surgery or therapy, the process may take many months to judge its effectiveness. And you may have to try more than one approach or a combination of approaches before you find the treatment that works best for you.

Even if treatment is successful for a while, the results may not last or new patches may appear.

Medications

No drug can stop the process of Vitiligo — the loss of pigment cells (melanocytes). But some drugs, used alone or with light therapy, can help restore some skin tone.

  1. Creams That Control Inflammation: Applying a corticosteroid cream to affected skin may help return color, particularly if you start using it early in the disease. You may not see a change in your skin’s color for several months. This type of cream is effective and easy to use. But it can cause side effects, such as skin thinning or the appearance of streaks or lines on your skin. Milder forms of the drug may be prescribed for children and for people who have large areas of discolored skin.
  2. Medications That Affect The Immune System: Ointments containing tacrolimus or pimecrolimus (calcineurin inhibitors) may be effective for people with small areas of depigmentation, especially on the face and neck. This treatment may have fewer side effects than corticosteroids and can be used with ultraviolet B (UVB) light. However, the Food and Drug Administration has warned about a possible link between these drugs and lymphoma as well as skin cancer.

Surgery

This may be an option if light therapy doesn’t work. Surgery can also be used with those therapies. The goal of the following techniques is to even out your skin tone by restoring color.

  1. Skin Grafting: In this procedure, your doctor removes very small sections of your normal, pigmented skin and attaches them to the areas that have lost pigment. This procedure is sometimes used if you have small patches of vitiligo. Possible risks include infection, scarring, a cobblestone appearance, spotty color and failure of the area to recolor.
  2. Blister Grafting: In this procedure, your doctor creates blisters on your pigmented skin, usually with suction. He or she then removes the tops of the blisters and transplants them to an area of discolored skin.
  3. Tattooing (micropigmentation): In this technique, your doctor uses a special surgical instrument to implant pigment into your skin. It’s most effective in and around the lips in people with darker complexions.

Lifestyle & Home Remedies

The following self-care tactics may help you care for your skin and improve its appearance:

  • Protect your skin from the sun and artificial sources of UV light. If you have vitiligo, particularly if you have light skin, use a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. Apply sunscreen generously and reapply every two hours — or more often if you’re swimming or sweating.
  • Seek shade and wear clothing that shields your skin from the sun. Don’t use tanning beds and sunlamps.

Protecting your skin from the sun helps prevent sunburn and long-term damage. A bad sunburn can make your condition worse. Sunscreen also minimizes tanning, which makes the contrast between normal and discolored skin less noticeable.

We hope this article helped you understand the symptoms, causes and treatment of Vitiligo. Do you have any doubts? Let us know in the comments below!

Find more articles on skincare and remedies here.  You can also reach out to an expert by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalized Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce

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5 Biggest Workout Mistakes You Need To Avoid

workout mistakes

The importance of good exercise is known to us all. Some of the benefits of regular exercise include improved heart health, bone and muscle strength, improved immunity, better digestion and sleep among others. But let’s also throw some light on five basic and common workout mistakes that most of us usually make while beginning on an exercise regime.

5 Workout Mistakes To Avoid

1. Ignoring Warm Up and Skipping Cool Down
A warm up routine increases blood flow to our muscles. It’s purpose is to prevent injuries by increasing core and muscle temperature. A good warm up also increases the range of motion. In its absence, we may place unnecessary strain on our heart and lungs, risking injury. It’s the same when we skip a post workout cool down. Cool down allows body temperature, blood pressure and heart rate to return to normal, reducing the chances of fainting and dizziness. Also, cool down stretches allow the muscles to stretch and relax.

2. Being Inconsistent
People are very enthusiastic at the beginning of a new workout regime and with this enthusiasm, they tend to go too fast and burn out. Instead, one should progress slowly and gradually, starting with exercises that are suitable and aligned to their current fitness level. It’s important to maintain consistency.

3. Not Getting Enough Sleep
Sleep is majorly underestimated. A good six to eight hours of sleep doesn’t just energize your body but also helps muscle growth, recovery, strengthening the immune system and virtually all aspects of health. It definitely is worth adjusting your schedule for.

4. Not Analysing Progress The Right Way
Not monitoring and listening to your body cues is probably the biggest workout mistake you can make. Always keep a tab on checking body part measurements as muscle growth may not be visible on a scale. Paying attention to how you feel throughout your workouts and checking results will make your workout more effective and meaningful.

5. Improper Hydration
In an hour of exercises, the body loses almost one fourth of its water content. This may lead to muscle fatigue due to lactic acid build up as well as cramps. One should be careful not to drop hydration levels and take small sips of water between workouts as well as pre and post workout. Drinking enough water (2.5-3 liters a day) helps in better absorption of protein, vitamins and minerals from food.

We hope this article helps you avoid these common workout mistakes. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below. For more on fitness and workouts, check out Healthy Reads or get personalized health advice from a GOQii Coach by subscribing here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce 

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Rise From Calorie Counting To Be Your Own Dietitian

food pyramidDo you know the long kept “Secret of Diet”? Have you heard about it? In this article I would like to share it with you. It is a mantra to facilitate weight loss, regulate diabetes, hypertension and many such diseases taking good care of your immune system as well as vital organs. I am sure you must be familiar with these idioms i.e. “Food Pyramid” and “My plate”. If you are, I will be representing it from a different perspective. These are our main tools to plan a daily diet.

The Importance of Food Pyramid & My plate

The main idea behind the design of the food pyramid is to make our healthy eating experience much easier. When starting a new healthy diet, people need to know if they are consuming the right amount of the basic nutrients such as protein, fat, and carbohydrate, which is where the importance of the food pyramid and my plate comes in.

The food pyramid contains several sections of foods which are usually grouped according to their nutrient’s similarity. This actually helps you with a larger option to choose from. This way, you are not stuck to one particular food when there’s a whole world of options out there.

How To Use It? 

  1. Keeping this picture in front of you can help in making healthier choices with the number of servings you should ideally take in a day.
  2. Now next step is to understand My Plate which makes things pretty clear.

My Plate

The beauty of My Plate is in using a plate icon to “measure” the relative portion sizes of what you’re eating.

  • My Plate is a food icon that serves as a powerful reminder to make healthy food choices and to build a healthy plate at mealtimes.
  • It is a visual cue that identifies the five basic food groups that are: Fruits-20%, Vegetables-30%, Protein group-20%, and grains 30% and a bowl of dairy products.

What to Put on Your Plate?

  • Eating the My Plate way means filling half your plate with vegetables and fruits, adding slightly more veggies than fruits (Due to sugar content).
  • Go for a colourful mix. You’ll get plenty of nutrients that way.
  • You should fill the other half of your plate with lean protein and grains, using slightly more grain than protein. For instance, lean cuts of chicken and other meat, fish, beans and peas, tofu, eggs, nuts and seeds (use sparingly).
  • Whole grains should make up at least half of your grains. That means choosing brown rice instead of white rice, whole wheat flour or multigrain or millets instead refined flours for instance. If weight loss is a goal make grains 20%.
  • The My Plate icon also shows a glass of milk/ buttermilk near your “plate.” It’s a reminder to include dairy (mostly fat-free or low-fat) in your diet. A2 or organic milk is essentially chemical-free and healthier as the cows are fed grass or organically cultivated fodder. Calcium-fortified soy milk also counts.

Dietary Guidelines of My Plate

Making food choices for a healthy lifestyle can be as simple as using these tips. Use the ideas in this list to balance your calories (energy coming from food), to choose foods to eat more often, and to cut back on foods to eat less often.

  1. Enjoy your food, but eat less: Take the time to fully enjoy your food as you eat it. Eating too fast or when your attention is elsewhere may lead to eating too many calories (overeating). Pay attention to hunger and fullness cues before, during, and after meals. Use them to recognize when to eat and when you’ve had enough.
  2. Avoid oversized portions: Use a smaller plate, bowl, and glass. Portion out foods before you eat. When eating out, choose a smaller size option, share a dish, or take a part of your meal home.
  3. Foods to eat more often: Eat more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and fat-free or 1% milk and dairy products. These foods have the nutrients you need for health – including potassium, calcium, vitamin D, and fiber. Make them the basis for meals and snacks.
  4. Make half your plate salad and vegetables: Choose red, orange, and dark-green vegetables like tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and broccoli, along with other vegetables for your meals. Add salad to meals.
  5. Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk: They have the same amount of calcium and other essential nutrients as whole milk, but fewer calories and less saturated fat.
  6. Make half your grains whole grains: To eat more whole grains, substitute a whole-grain product for a refined product-such as eating whole wheat bread instead of white bread or brown rice instead of white rice, whole wheat flour or millets instead refined ones.
  7. Foods to eat less often: Cut back on foods high in solid fats, added sugars, and salt. They include cakes, cookies, ice cream, candies, sweetened drinks, pizza, and fatty meats like ribs, sausages, bacon, and hot dogs. Use these foods as occasional treats, not everyday foods. Natural sugars like jaggery, honey, pure maple syrup are better choices.
  8. Compare sodium in foods: Use the Nutrition Facts label to choose lower sodium versions of foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals. Select canned foods labelled “low sodium,” ”reduced sodium,” or “no salt added.”
  9. Drink water instead of sugary drinks: Cut calories by drinking water or unsweetened beverages. Soda, energy drinks, and sports drinks are a major source of added sugar, and calories, in American diets.

Do give it a try and share your experience in the comments below. After getting familiar with this tool, we really don’t need any diet charts. Stick the pictures in your kitchen and plan any day meal without any hassle.

You can find more useful information on nutrition here. You can also get this information directly from an expert by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce 

From Terminal Illness To Complete Wellness! Ananda Mukherjee Health Story

As we observe World Cancer Day under the powerful theme ‘United by Unique’ (2025-2027)**, we are reminded that every individual’s journey with cancer is distinct, yet united by shared resilience, hope, and the collective fight against this disease. This theme places people at the centre of care and their stories at the heart of the […]