Motivation Archives - Page 5 of 7

January 28, 2022 By Parwage Alam 2 Comments

7 Positive Habits To Have An Incredible Day

How many times have you woken up wondering what your day is going to be like? Given the current scenario, your thoughts are clouded with the pandemic, infections and to top it off the pending office work, assignments, presentations and meetings you probably don’t want to attend. In the turmoil of these menacing thoughts, the thing you forget to focus on the most is being positive!

All the thoughts perceived as negative spike your cortisol (the hormone that leads to bad stress) levels. If your day starts on a negative note, it is certainly guaranteed that the rest of your day is going to be the same. What you do and think during the first few hours after waking up can impact your mood, routine and productivity.

It is important that your morning routine starts on a good note. Follow these simple strategies when you wake up and you’ll be all geared to be positive and happy!

1. Rest Well To Be Positive & Happy

Sleep plays a vital role in good health and well-being throughout your life. Getting enough quality sleep at the right time can help protect your mental and physical health, quality of life, and safety. Sleep is just as important as eating and drinking water. Despite this, millions of people do not sleep enough and experience insane problems as a result.

The way you feel while you’re awake depends partly on how you have slept or what kind of sleep you have had. During sleep, your body is working to support healthy brain functions and maintain your physical health.

2. Prayer & Meditation to Facilitate Clarity and Abundance

Once you wake up after a healthy 7+ hours of sleep, prayer and meditation are crucial for orienting yourself towards positive thinking.

Nothing can be better than meditating for 10 min in a day for a healthy mind. Meditation can transform the mind. It doesn’t mean that you have to sit in a particular posture and focus on any single point. The definition of meditation is different for different people. If you ask me, meditation is the art of focusing our attention (100%) in one area.

MRI brain scans of people who meditate has shown an increase in activity around areas that control metabolism and heart rate. Some studies on Buddhist Monks have shown that meditation produces long-lasting changes in the brain activity in areas involving attention, working memory, learning, and conscious perception.

3. Sniff Your Way Awake

Most of us start our day with a morning wash which helps us open our eyes properly. Similarly, the scent you wash with can have a big effect on your mood, says Art Markman, Ph.D., the author of Smart Change. Research suggests Lavender can help you relax, mint can stimulate your brain, and citrus can reduce stress. Scrub and sniff away.

Over and above, a cold shower is more beneficial. Cold water immersion radically facilitates physical and mental wellness. Regular use of Cold water for shower provides long-lasting changes to our body’s immune, lymphatic, circulatory and digestive systems that improve our quality of life.

4. Get Up & Move More!

Exercise is extremely important for a healthy lifestyle. If you’re healthy, you can devote a 100% to any task. Kickstart your day with some good physical activity. Exercise decreases your chances of depression, anxiety and stress as it helps your body release endorphins which are good for you!

5. Take 2 Mins to Thank Someone

There is no harm in thanking someone for their presence in your life. People are magnets. When you’re grateful for what you have, you will attract more positivity and good. Gratitude is contagious. Gratitude may be the most important key to success. It has been called the mother of all virtues. Begin your day by putting yourself in a position of gratitude, you will attract the best that the world has to offer.

6. Listen to Something Uplifting

Everyone loves music! It’s one of the best ways to boost your mood. Personally, I love listening to old Bollywood or Sufi music and whenever possible, I use an alarm that actually plays music.

Music helps you find some relief from stress and if you start your day with such a great medicine – think how the rest of your day will pan out. If you listen to inspirational/uplifting material right when you wake up, then you will eventually condition that message into your mind and connect it with waking up in the morning.

7. Lighten Up The News

I personally try to avoid news channels in the morning in order to avoid any negative content I may come across. If you start your day with negative news, you may think about it for the rest of the day. Try something more motivational or positive. If you read stories that inspire you or make you happy, you’re guaranteed to have a fabulous day. Try creating a bank of motivational videos and begin your day with them.

This has been my personal experience and it has never led me astray! Try these very simple routines and gear up for success. Most importantly, begin your day with a smile!

Hope this helps! Do share your thoughts in the comments below! For more on mental health and emotional wellness, check out Healthy Reads or get these tips directly from your coach by subscribing for personalized health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce

June 3, 2021 By Madhu Soni 4 Comments

Fun Ways To Stay Fit At Home

While we’re again in a lockdown due to the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, what most of us are overlooking is the impact of this period on our health. “Sitting is the new smoking” and quite rightly so! Watch your favorite shows, movie marathons, staying glued to the cellphone can all keep you occupied but can also make you mentally and physically unfit! So here are some simple and fun ways to stay fit at home! You can try these fun workouts with your entire family, including your kids!

6 Fun Ways to Stay Fit at Home

1. Plyometrics at Home
Yes! You read it right; Plyometric Exercise can be fun with all the family members. You can place 6 water bottles in a straight line with a gap of 2 feet between them. Ask all the members to form a line begin the workouts:

Do the snake walk without touching the bottles
Jump over the bottles
Jumping over the bottles again but this time turn to your right and jump and then turn to your left and jump.
Jump over the bottles and clap your hands in the air above your shoulders.
Come in the plank position such that you are in between two bottles and your body is completely on your toes and palms. Reach till the last bottle.

2. Partner Workouts

Both the partners are facing back (touching each other’s back); one partner has a bottle of water and will pass it to the other partner by just turning his waist. At the end of 60 seconds the one who has a bottle of water in their hands is the winner.
Both the partners are facing back but this time feet are shoulder distance apart and the box of popcorns will pass by bending the back and the receiving partner too has to bend down to take it.
Lie down on the floor such that both the partners are touching each other’s feet sole. Now do cycling 20 times clockwise and anti-clockwise.

3. Hula Hoop
This is favourite among children. Besides just twisting and rotating your waist, you can also do variations like a cross over the loops without touching any body part.

4. Skipping
Skipping is a great way to keep kids and grown-ups happy and engaged. You can do partner skipping, cross skipping and reverse skipping.

5. Dancing
Dancing is also a great form of workout. We live in a land of vast dance forms, so choose your pick from Bangra to Garba to Bollywood! You can have a small dance competition amongst the family members. Encourage the use of props like sticks or chairs which will need more effort.

6. Spell your name
Just spell your name and do these workouts. You can also spell days of the week.

Image courtesy @ Brightside

Hope you enjoy these fun ways to stay fit at home with your family during quarantine. Let us know your experience or your mantra to staying fit indoors, in the comments below. For more exciting and fun home workouts, tune in to GOQii Play. For more on fitness, check out Healthy Reads.

To get these tips and tricks directly from your GOQii Coach, subscribe to personalized coaching now: https://goqiiapp.page.link/wssu

Stay indoors, stay safe and #BeTheForce

April 3, 2021 By GOQii Leave a Comment

Shreyans Ravrani Shifts From Illness to Wellness!

At the age of 38, Shreyans Ravrani led a lifestyle which wasn’t very different from the working professionals of his age group. As a Gujarati, his diet involved regular consumption of oily food and sweets, something he never realized can be detrimental to his health. He didn’t maintain portion control nor eat a balanced meal. Physical activity was almost nil and to add to it, his stress and sleep were negatively impacted due to work pressure and traveling.

He had joined GOQii in 2017 as he found the personal coaching feature appealing but did not stick to his plans or take being healthy seriously. In June 2019, Shreyans Ravrani was diagnosed with high cholesterol and fatty liver disease. He was faced with 2 options – either live with the prospect of lifelong medication or adopt a healthier lifestyle. He chose the latter and his life changed since then.

Making Positive Changes

Shreyans Ravrani realized he had to reduce his weight. He weighed 77kg with a BMI of 29. In order to get healthy, he renewed his subscription with GOQii in July 2019 and got more serious about utilizing personal coaching. He already was consulting a dietitian and he started to validate all her suggestions and inputs with his GOQii coach.

These were the changes he incorporated:

Took sugar and fried food off his diet
His breakfast included oats or idli.
For lunch, he reduced his chapatti intake to 3 and included lots of salad and buttermilk
For dinner, he mostly had soup or a light khichdi.
He stopped snacking on processed foods and shifted to fruits, roasted chana or makhana along with green tea.
He began walking for 2km every day but that wasn’t enough to burn fat. So he began running in August. Initially he felt breathless after 350m. By November, he could run 5km a day. From a strenuous activity, his running time now became his “Me-Time”.

As a Jain, he was used to fasting which helped him control his hunger pangs even as he reduced his meal portion. He says, fasting gives you mental strength and distracts you from the thought of food, which he was able to do successfully.

Levelling Up The Game!

By November 2019, Shreyans Ravrani participated in and completed his first 10k run within 65 minutes. In December 2019, he did it again but completed it in 60 minutes. He was happy that he managed to beat his previous time so quickly.

Between July – November 2019, he had reduced 14kg. Seeing this, his coach had to ask him to cut down on his running and add some strength training routine to his workout. He ensures that he completes his quota of running by spot jogging at home even during lockdown!

He regularly participates in health challenges organized by GOQii with the GOQii App from time to time including the current 30 Day Quarantine Burn Challenge.

What Does Shreyans Ravrani Have to Say About His GOQii Coach?

Shreyans is extremely thankful to his GOQii Coach for her contribution towards his transformation. He thinks the best part is that he can ask questions as and when they arise in his mind and get them answered by an expert quickly. She is also a constant motivator, following up with his habits, progress as well as guiding him in the right direction. He feels it helps when you have someone monitoring your habits and giving you timely feedback.

What Changes Does He See in Himself?

Apart from weight loss and his vitals returning to normal, he says the complete change of mindset towards health and fitness is worth it! His entire family is now more aware and diet conscious. Every member makes sure to burn off extra calories as and when they indulge.

Do you want to make a lifestyle change as well? Download the GOQii App and subscribe now.

For more inspiring user journeys, read here: https://goqii.com/blog/category/user-stories/

#BeTheForce!

April 15, 2020 By Mamta Joshi 2 Comments

Practice Yoga Indoors For Good Health During The Lockdown

With gyms, parks and usual outdoor workout spots in lockdown, it is difficult for a person to even get as much as a morning walk. So how does one meet their daily physical requirement? The best way is to do whatever workout you can do indoors. Additionally, one of the best things you can do is practice yoga indoors! Let’s look at how you can start.

7 Basic Yoga Poses You Can Do Indoors

1. Tadasana or Mountain Pose

Stand tall with feet about 10cm apart and hands on the hips
Raise arms over head and interlock the fingers. Place hands on top of the head.
Look upwards and fix the eyes at one point.
Inhale, stretch the arms with palms facing upward.
Raise the heels coming up on the toes.
Hold the pose for a few seconds.
Exhale, lower the heels and bring the hands to the top of the head.
Practice six rounds.

2. Twisting Cobra Pose or Tiryaka Bhujangasana
Twisting cobra pose makes the spine flexible and strong. It improves lung capacity, tones the abdominal muscles and improves digestion.

Lie flat on the stomach with the legs straight and feet apart.
Place the palms flat on the floor slightly below the shoulder.
Rest the forehead on the floor.
Slowly raise the head, neck and shoulder.
Straightening the elbow, raise the trunk as high as possible.
Look over the left shoulder and gaze at the heel of the right foot.
Stay for a few seconds in this pose.
Face forward again and repeat the twist on the other side without lowering the trunk.
Repeat all steps six times

3. Fish Pose or Matsyasana
Fish pose opens up and stretches the chest and the diaphragm. It’s a great way to beat stress.

Lie down on your back with legs straight. Hands beside the body. Palm facing down on the floor.
Take the hands underneath the hip and press elbows on the floor.
Lift the back and head.
Bend the head down, arch back to bring the crown on floor.
Raise the chin as high as possible and push the chest upward.
Hold this position for a few seconds.
Repeat three times.

4. Seated Forward Bend Pose or Paschimottanasana
Seated forward bend pose helps to calm the brain and relieve stress. It also soothes headache, anxiety and relieves fatigue.

Sit down with legs stretched out straight.
Raise both the hands upwards and place the palms together.
Bend slowly and touch the feet.
Gently bend the head downwards with face resting on legs and breathe slowly.
Repeat this up to 3 times and maintain the bend position longer after each round.

5. Wind Relieving Pose or Pawanmuktasana
Wind relieving pose helps in aiding digestion. It also helps in reducing belly fat and enhances blood circulation.

Lie down on the back with feet together and hands by the side of the thighs. Inhale and raise both the legs.
Exhale, hold the knee joints and bring the knees towards the chest.
Press the thighs on the abdomen with clasped hands.
Breathe in again. On exhalation, lift the head and chest upwards. Touch the knees to the chin or forehead.
Maintain the posture as long as possible. Repeat this for at least 6 times and each time increase the span of holding this position.

6. Child’s Pose or Balasana

Sit on your knees. Place your hands on the thighs and palms down.
Exhale slowly and bend forward, stretching your hands
Breathe gently. Hold the posture for 2 to 3 minutes or less as possible.
Repeat this up to 3 times maintaining the bend position slightly longer.

7. Cat-Cow Stretch Pose

Take the position of cat pose.
Lower your head and raise your back towards the ceiling.
Gently exhale and contract your abdomen. Hold the breath for 3 seconds.
Inhale while raising the head and bring your abdomen downwards.
Expand the abdomen fully and fill the lungs with the maximum amount of air.
Hold your breath for 3 seconds.
Exhale and repeat step 2 to complete one round. Repeat 3-5 rounds.

Practising simple yoga indoors can help you stay fit and healthy during this lockdown and well after it too. Do yoga preferably on an empty stomach or 3 hours post a meal. Practice these regularly to see an improvement in your health. Before you begin, do consult your doctor, physiotherapist or health expert especially if you have any health issues.

For more guidance into yoga, tune in to LIVE sessions by yoga specialists on GOQii Play. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below!

Stay safe, stay indoors and #BeTheForce!