positivity Archives

May 21, 2021 By Geetika Patni Leave a Comment

COVID Care: Managing Stress

As COVID is raging all around us, I see a surge in stress levels on HRA scores, indicating that people are not managing stress effectively. I also receive messages like “This is too hard for me to cope with”, “What will happen in the future?” showing higher than usual levels of general anxiety and stress amongst us all. During a crisis like this, it is common for everyone to experience increased levels of anxiety and distress particularly due to social isolation, fear of the unknown and concern regarding the health of oneself and a loved one.

The tell tale sign of a spiraling high stress/anxiety levels are:

Feelings of fear, frustration, sadness, worry or anger that doesn’t go away with tried methods of managing stress
Changes in appetite levels, energy levels, desires and interests
Difficulty concentrating and making decisions
Overthinking, difficulty in sleeping or nightmares
Physical response, such as headaches, body pains, stomach problems, and skin rashes
Worsening of chronic health problems
Worsening of mental health conditions
Increased use of tobacco, alcohol, and other substances

Tips For Managing Stress Levels

Learning to cope with high stress levels in a healthy way is the need of the hour. I am listing some suggestions below that might help you or your dear ones in managing the current crisis on an emotional level.

Feel free to feel your feelings: Do not bottle up, share your thoughts with people you trust. If you are in isolation, find ways to talk to your loved ones using internet/telephonic services. Share your thoughts/feelings with your GOQii coach if need be.
Manage your expectations: Go easy on yourself. It’s okay if chores are pending, office work or a report is pending. Be realistic in what you can do in a day. Do not overwhelm yourself by your own thoughts of comparison with past productivity and your worries of the future.
Set a routine: Eat well, exercise well, sleep well, meditate once a day or unwind by doing something you enjoy like card games, painting, playing an instrument, reading a book or watching a comic series, you get the idea right? Just stay away from social media and constant news related to the virus, and follow a routine. A healthy routine is a human’s best friend.
Stay in the present: Manage uncertainty by staying in the present. Think about the next one hour at max. Over dwelling on thoughts of the future, even thoughts of tomorrow, can cause you more fear related to uncertainty. So stay in the present – use mindfulness meditation techniques which are proven to be very effective.
If health is your major reason for stress, please know that the human body is wonderfully capable of healing itself. Time is the best healer. So hang in there and give your body time to recover. Having said that, do not undermine the need for medical assistance when an emergency arises. If your symptoms warrant you to seek medical attention, please meet your treating doctor at the earliest. Remember, you have sailed through many health crises in the past (a bruised knee, a broken leg, a tooth extraction, a stye in the eye and so on), reassure yourself that you’ll sail through this as well.
Stay in the company of positive people OR be the positive influencer for people around you. Believe in the power of positive emotions such as kindness, honesty, contentment. These emotions improve our immunity, which as you know, is our main warrior when dealing with a virus. Give hope to anyone who you know is recovering from the viral infection. Just a few words of hope can do more good than you can imagine.
Accept and let go: When it becomes really tough, breathe deeply, use the mantra “this too shall pass” and learn to let go.

Not everything from the above might be applicable to you, so go as per your ability. I hope and sincerely do, you will not let yourself be vulnerable in these current times – physically nor emotionally! Wishing our world a quick recovery!

For more on managing stress or any COVID-related article, check out Healthy Reads of tune in to LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play. You can also get these tips directly from your GOQii Coach by subscribing to our personalized coaching services here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/wssu

Stay home, stay safe, manage your stress and #BeTheForce

February 6, 2021 By GOQii Leave a Comment

Chandan Tiwari Makes A Positive Lifestyle Shift!

Life is full of unexpected twists and turns and as you age those twists and turns keep getting narrower. But as long as you are determined to pull through, nothing can stop you. And sometimes all you need is a helping hand. The story of our player Chandan Tiwari is one such example.

Life Before GOQii

Now 28 years of age, Chandan Tiwari used to be quite active in sports during his youth. He represented his school and college in cricket. He was lean, fit and weighed 74kg. However, once he began working in 2016, his life got caught up in the twists and turns of a working individual and he found himself working for 14-15 hours a day backed by lack of sleep, unhealthy eating habits and lack of physical activity. In 3 years, he gained 22kg and also suffered bouts of depression with his confidence being at an all time low. He says he is not sure whether depression led to all the unhealthy eating and weight gain or was it the other way round. He faced frequent health issues like cold and fever, stomach issues and skin allergy. He was diagnosed with fatty liver too during one of the medical tests conducted in 2018.

Enter GOQii

Chandan was introduced to GOQii by his brother who is also an active user and had undergone a transformation due to lifestyle changes introduced by the coach. He joined GOQii in August 2019 and his life took another turn – this time for the better.

The first thing his GOQii Coach did was explain the importance of a slow and consistent approach to fat loss rather than changing his lifestyle completely. So he started slowly. The changes introduced by his coach included:

No outside food on weekdays
Lemon water early in the morning on an empty stomach’
ACV before lunch
30 min of walking everyday
Reduce consumption of sweets

Later, his GOQii Coach also introduced habits such as:

Focusing on eating and chewing food slowly as he was used to finishing his meals quickly
Eating fruits and raw vegetables
Less oil in cooking and more boiled food
Start with a run for 1 or 2 km and then slowly increase it to 5 km

Chandan Tiwari Takes The Positive Turn!

In 2 months flat, Chandan was able to lose 10kg. This motivated him to be more dedicated. He says it was initially difficult to abstain from his normal eating habits as all the sweet cravings were hard to control but he pulled through. He proudly says he has not touched sweets in the last 5 months.

The other changes he experienced include:

2-3 days of run and 3-4 days of bodyweight exercises at home by following YouTube or GOQii Play Coaches. The bodyweight training has helped him achieve lean muscle.
He participated in a 10k run last year and now wants to do a 21 km marathon.
His sleep has improved as he avoids late night TV or his phone. Goes to bed at 11PM as compared to 2-3AM before.
Has incorporated meditation and breathing exercises to his routine which keep him calm although work pressure has not reduced, he is able to manage his work and prioritize fitness.

Thanks to all these changes, he now weighs 74.5kg. His fatty liver condition is completely cured. His thyroid is under control although he is still on medication. Right now, he feels more positive, confident and energetic even after 11 hours of work. Apart from interacting with his coach on a regular basis, he has been regularly buying products from the GOQii Health Store.

In his words, he was almost obsessed with his transformation and wanted to get back in shape at any cost. He said, “It’s not just the physical transformation but my mental transformation which I am happy about. I now feel totally in control of myself and stronger to handle everything.” His family is overwhelmed with his transformation and wish to thank GOQii for their support and help.

Do you want to make a positive shift too? Well, download the GOQii app and subscribe now! To read more inspiring stories, check out Healthy Reads.

#BeTheForce

October 10, 2020 By GOQii Leave a Comment

Sugan Sabre of Nashik City Police Levels Up With Positivity!

There’s no denying that it takes bravery and guts to perform the tasks undertaken by our Police Force. It is also evident how this job can take a toll on your overall health, mental & emotional wellbeing if one is not mindful enough. Believe it or not, being an active member of the police force is a challenging affair and sometimes, you need a positive outlook to pull through. Let’s see how Office Sugan Sabre leveled up his positivity with GOQii.

Sugan Sabre has been posted at Nashik City for the past 29 years. He always had a lean and athletic body. He actively participated in various athletic events in school and college. He has also played cricket at the district level during his college days. However, an injury forced him to quit cricket and athletics completely around 25 years back.

Before joining GOQii, he used to visit the gym and go for frequent runs. On an average, he would cover 7km a day. He always preferred home-cooked meals and eating out was a rare affair.

Joining GOQii and Leveling Up!

A GOQii tracker along with a subscription was handed over to the Nashik Police Force by their Commissioner, Shri. Vishwas Nangare in May 2020. Since then, completing 30k steps and staying active throughout the day have been 2 key things that he has been doing. There is a healthy competition among all the police personnel at the station to complete as many steps as possible.

Nowadays, his routine is to wake up at 5:30 in the morning, go for a run and walk around 12km apart from some bodyweight exercises. In addition to this, he has added warm-ups and stretching to his routine which he never did before. His GOQii Coach explained to him why a warm-up is extremely important before any physical activity.

While his meals continue to be the same, the timings have changed. Earlier, he would skip breakfast and eat an early lunch around 10:30 AM. Now, he eats his breakfast after his morning workout. His coach has also advised him to limit his dinner intake to just 2 rotis along with any curry. Thanks to these minor changes, his weight has reduced from 83kg to 79kg since May. He is able to complete almost 25km a day by staying active throughout. He has added yoga and meditation to his routine to remain calm and relaxed.

What Does Officer Sugan Sabre Have To Say?

Officer Sugan Sabre says that being physically active has helped him stay more positive especially during these uncertain times. If you are physically and mentally active, your immunity is automatically higher and there is no illness that can attack you. People should not fear the coronavirus, rather be strong and confront it head-on.

Along with his police duties, he is also actively involved in training a group of people in a park nearby. He takes them through various exercises every day. In fact, he looks forward to this time of the day when he is able to motivate and help others get active. He says it’s important to pass onto others whatever you know.

His energy and positivity have rubbed off on his family members too as they’ve started waking up early in the morning to join him in his routine. He says GOQii has contributed a lot to his positivity and the band is a constant reminder that he needs to be on the move and not sit idle.

We salute the efforts of Officer Sugan Sabre from the Nashik City Police Force for his dedication to serve the country as well as remain active! To read more successful and inspiring user stories, check out Healthy Reads within the GOQii App.

#BeTheForce

April 8, 2019 By Divita Bhatt 2 Comments

7 Ways To Beat Stress

I was quite shocked to find that every 1 out of 5 of my clients was suffering from stress. After digging a little deeper, I found that the root of their problems, the most common factor causing stress was Expectation!

Any form of expectation that isn’t fulfilled turns into a negative thought process that can either cause stress or depression. Be it a job, a boss, colleagues, family or friends, any expectation can sometimes lead to disappointment. It isn’t necessary that we get all the symptoms of depression every time. If something constantly hurts you or stops you from thinking anything else, you are stressed!

If you feel like there is nothing you can do in a stressful situation, here are 7 surefire ways to beat stress!

7 Ways to Beat Stress

Breathe Deep & Let Go: Spiritual Masters often say – Forgive everyone and yourself, accept everyone and yourself, love everyone and yourself. Whenever you go through any bad experience, take a deep breath and tell this to yourself.
Set a Goal: Spend half an hour with yourself every day. Do any of your favorite activity in those 30 minutes. If I ask you what’s your hobby and nothing comes to your mind, you need to spend 60 minutes for yourself.
Bunk: Sounds immature? Once in 6 months, I strongly recommend that you bunk your routine. Go out with your loved ones, do what you love or explore new places. When you return to your routine, you will be recharged.
Make a Memory Box: It can either be your hard disk or a physical box. Store all the memories worth cherishing in the form of papers, photographs, videos or objects. Go through this memory box regularly to cherish positive memories and be happy!
Treat Yourself: You don’t need to prove anything to anyone as long as you are giving your best. When you feel exhausted, take a break. You should be the first one to reward yourself and value your work. It could be in the form of your favorite dish (don’t overdo it), a favorite activity or a pass time.
Say No to Negativity: Never entertain negative thoughts. Whenever you get negative thoughts, divert your mind with positivity. Meditation, singing, dancing, a conversation, or anything else – pick whatever is available and possible.
Smile: You look your best when you smile. Spread the charm everywhere!