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Making Fitness & Health His Grammar For Life – Kamal Nath Thakur’s Health Story

Kamal Nath Thakur

Engaging in physical activity is good. Sports do help us maintain our fitness but that’s not all when it comes to living a healthy, holistic lifestyle. You have to watch what you eat, your sleep timings and manage your stress well, to name a few. Our Player Kamal Nath Thakur was of the opinion that he was healthy until he met his GOQii Coach. Here’s how his Health Story unfolded! 

Joining GOQii & Not Opting For Coaching 

Kamal Nath Thakur is a 52 year old working professional from Ghaziabad. He is a badminton player and considers himself to be a fitness freak. He was introduced to GOQii in 2019 by his 14 year old daughter Kavya, who saw an advertisement in the newspaper. 

Initially when he enrolled, he was of the impression that he knew all about health and fitness, hence, he opted out of personal health coaching and decided he did not need a coach. His decision was also influenced by the fact that he felt it was very difficult for him to follow the habits suggested by a GOQii Coach. 

While he opted out of coaching, he participated in various challenges issued in the GOQii App such as the steps challenge, health quiz and even browsed through Healthy Reads. 

The Health Story Begins For Kamal Nath Thakur 

In April 2021, Kamal Nath Thakur had contracted COVID and was hospitalized for almost a week. He had lost 10kg and began experiencing regular pain in his right leg. During this time, he was contacted by a GOQii Coach for personalized health coaching. Considering his condition, he opted for the service and says that it was one of the best decisions he ever made! 

Initially, he was coached by GOQii Coach Prachi, who guided him regarding his food habits in terms of the timing of his meals, food content and mix and the benefits he would derive from it. He says, “I started feeling a change in my body. It was visible”. 

Since then, he has been extremely particular about his food intake, nutritional value and how and when he should eat, which foods to avoid and so on. Kamal Nath Thakur says, “She was wonderful in explaining everything in detail”. 

After a while, he was assigned Coach Pradnya. He discussed his persistent right leg pain with her. Coach Pradnya suggested some leg stretching and leg strengthening exercises he should follow. Kamal Nath Thakur found these exercises to be extremely helpful. He says, “It was a boon for me in the hour of need. With her guidance in almost all fronts, like healthy food habits, regular suggestive exercises, relating to healthy reads, I had become a completely fit man with working knowledge of how to keep myself healthy”.  

He says that his habits changed tremendously after joining GOQii. Where he would usually complete a target of 3,000-4,000 steps, he now clocks in 15,000 steps daily. Before, he wasn’t particular about his food habits but now he focuses on the time and composition of his meals. He also follows and attends classes on GOQii Play. 

Coach Pradnya has been in touch with him daily and guides him via chat or call. She advises him as per his requirement. He says that it has been a fun change for him. He is a health champion in his organization and has even recommended GOQii to two of his colleagues who are now using the wearable and the app. 

Our Founder & CEO Vishal Gondal recently spoke to Kamal Nath Thakur about his experience with GOQii on the latest episode of GOQii Health Stories where we feature players who have benefitted from personalized health coaching. You can view the whole conversation below:

What Does GOQii Coach Pradnya Have To Say About His Change? 

“Kamal was following a healthy lifestyle including healthy, timely meals and daily walking. He was having pain in his right thigh after recovering from COVID. Though it was unusual, we decided to try leg stretching first. I also suggested ginger detox water to reduce the pain naturally. Ginger being anti-inflammatory has pain reducing effects. He felt a lot of relief. 

As he spends a lot of time sitting in the office and the car while traveling, it might have led to stiff muscles. After a few days, we started leg strengthening exercises to strengthen his leg muscles. It helped him cure almost all the leg pain. Now, he is confidently working to improve his immunity further, doing full body exercises and eating healthy meals.’‘

Kamal Nath Thakur and his family are truly a GOQii Family with his wife Sangita, daughter Kavya and son Ketan – all being GOQii Players. From merely being fit to being in the Elite category within a year’s time shows his discipline, consistency and dedication to being fit and healthy! 

Do you relate with this story? Do you want to make a lifestyle change like the way Kamal Nath Thakur did? Then join GOQii’s personalized health coaching and begin writing your Healthy Story today! You can subscribe here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

For more inspiring Health Stories, check out Healthy Reads. 

#BeTheForce 

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Is Apple Cider Vinegar Panacea for All Diseases?

Apple Cider VinegarApple Cider Vinegar (ACV) is gaining popularity these days as a wonder cure for diabetes, weight loss, heart disease and much more. The question however is – Is there science behind these claims or is it a classic case of excellent marketing? Vinegar has been used as a medical therapy for thousands of years. Recorded vinegar history starts around 5000 BC when the Babylonians were using the fruit of the date palm to make wine and vinegar. Vinegar residues have been found in ancient Egyptian urns traced to 3000 BC. As well, recorded vinegar history in China starts from texts that date back to 1200 BC.

During biblical times, vinegar was used to flavor foods, as an energizing drink, and as a medicine, and it is mentioned in both the old and new testaments. In ancient Greece, around 400 BC, Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, prescribed apple cider vinegar mixed with honey for a variety of ills, including coughs and colds.

Scientific evidence adds to age old wisdom by inferring vinegar’s significant role in key biochemical metabolic pathways –

  1. Reduction in Postprandial Blood Sugar and Insulin Levels: When taken with or just before meals, Apple Cider Vinegar inhibits enzymes necessary for the digestion of starches and other complex carbohydrates, thus preventing them from being broken down into glucose and absorbed into the bloodstream. Vinegar also slows gastric emptying, so it delays the uptake of glucose and other nutrients. (Yusoff et al, Nutrients 2015, 7(8), 7012-7026 )
  2. Like Metformin, Stimulates AMPK: Vinegar stimulates an enzyme called AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) that is a key player in glucose and fat metabolism, insulin signalling, and energy balance. AMPK increases fat oxidation, improves glucose uptake and insulin sensitivity, and lowers gluconeogenesis, or glucose production in the liver. This is similar to how common diabetic drug Metformin works (Zhou et al, Role of AMP-activated protein kinase in mechanism of metformin action. J Clin Invest. 2001 Oct 15; 108(8): 1167–1174).
  3. Nitric Oxide Mediated Protection Against Heart Diseases: Vinegar-induced AMPK activation boosts Nitric Oxide (NO) release in the endothelial cells lining the blood vessels.NO relaxes the arteries, protects against an atherosclerosis-the usual cause of heart attacks, strokes, and peripheral vascular disease. (Sakakibara et al, BiosciBiotechnolBiochem. 2010;74(5):1055-61).
  4. Blood Pressure Regulation: Animal studies demonstrated vinegar decreases blood pressure by down‑regulating AT1R expression via the AMPK/PGC‑1α/PPARγ pathway (Na Lixin et al, Eur j Nutr, April 2016, Volume 55, Issue 3, pp 1245–1253).
  5. Protection Against Cancer: Vinegar is also a dietary source of polyphenols, compounds synthesised by plants to defend against oxidative stress. Ingestion of polyphenols in humans enhances in vivo antioxidant protection and reduces cancer risk.
  6. Reduces Belly Fat: Researches demonstrated vinegar (pomegranate) consumption resulted in marked reduction in visceral fat as confirmed by CT scan(Park et al, Journal of functional foods, Volume 8, May 2014, 274-281).

While the evidence behind Apple Cider Vinegar and other vinegar seem promising, there are a few things to keep in mind. Always take your vinegar diluted (1 tablespoon in 180 ml water). Undiluted shots have been known to wear away tooth enamel and damage the esophagus. Also, too much apple cider vinegar may lower potassium levels in the body. If you are on medications, discuss with your doctor before starting vinegar supplementation.

Lastly, and most importantly – Making vinegar a daily habit won’t cancel out the effects of unhealthy eating. Think of it as one piece of your wellness puzzle, and not a panacea.

We hope this article helps you. For more articles like this, you can check our Healthy Reads or reach out to a GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalized health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce 

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Sandeep Gupta Beats Acidity & Gets Healthier With GOQii

Sandeep Gupta

Sandeep Gupta is 55 years old and is a businessman who renders services to the Ministry of Defense. He was overweight at 86kg and suffered a lot from gastric and chest pain. This continued for 5 years and he was on medication as well. However, in the past 6 months, some positive changes have helped him lose 9kg and take control of his life and health. So what happened in the last months? 

Before Joining GOQii 

Before he came onboard GOQii, Sandeep Gupta used a smart watch which he says didn’t help much. There was no guidance and he would exercise a little. Since his work involved travel, he had no control of his diet, he used to eat out most of the time and that caused persistent acidity issues. He had to take an antacid daily. 

To add to this, he also suffered from allergy issues for which he had to take anti-allergy medication. He says he was at least 9-10kg overweight. 

Around May 2021, he came across GOQii on the internet and bought a tracker with a 3 month personal health coaching subscription. He got a coach to guide him on a daily basis. He says, “It was pleasant to have a coach guide me on my diet and exercise”. 

Making Lifestyle Changes With GOQii  

He had his first intro call with his GOQii Coach and explained his issues to her. He says, “My GOQii Coach understood my issues and slowly started making changes. First was to improve water intake from 1L to 2-2.5L. This was to better digestion, prevent toxin build up and stomach inflammation. Then the coach slowly brought about dietary changes.” 

Salads and fruits became a part of his regular diet and he started eating at proper intervals. These habits helped him a lot and he did not experience acidity issues anymore. His energy levels also improved. 

His antacid medication was reduced to once a week. Gradually, more healthy habits such as beginning the day with a fruit, lemon water post meals and Surya Namaskars were introduced. His acidity issues improved to 80%. For further improvement and to support fat loss, regular tea was replaced with ginger tea. 

He was also introduced to strengthening exercises along with daily walks and cycling on alternate days. 30 minutes of exercise either in the morning or evening became mandatory. Thanks to these changes, in the last 6 months he lost 9kg and his current weight stands at 77kg. 

He says that, “My GOQii Coach’s guidance has come as a boon to me. My wife was worried prior to me joining GOQii, as she was concerned about how I am going to deal and get over my gastric and acidity issues. But now, she finds that I am more relaxed and doing much better. My family has also started benefiting and they are taking health seriously as well. It’s a ripple positive effect that has trickled down to the family. As a head of the family I feel proud that I am able to set an example for my family to lead a healthy lifestyle. Simply eating right and exercising daily can make so much of a difference to one’s life. It’s just amazing!” 

What Does His GOQii Coach Have To Say About His Transformation? 

Sandeep Gupta joined GOQii in May 2021. Since his work involved lots of travelling, it led to eating the wrong foods at the wrong time, which caused persistent acidity issues for which he had to take antacid medication. 

To add to it, he also had allergy issues and was on medication for the same. Other medical issues involved low blood pressure and a history of epilepsy, for which he had stopped medication 4-5 years ago. He was also at least 9-10kg overweight.

After completing our Intro call, the first step was to gradually improve his water intake. Next was to replace the intake of packaged/processed food, which are harmful for managing acidity due to their sugar, trans fat and refined carb content. They were replaced with roasted snacks. 

To alkalinize the system, also for fat loss, I asked him to add salads to his diet. This intervention led to a 50% decrease in acidity and reduced frequency of antacid to once a week. His energy levels improved after 2-3 weeks. Currently, he has reached his ideal weight and is healthier and happy! 

We hope Sandeep Gupta’s journey inspires you to make a lifestyle change. Do you also suffer from acidity issues? Want to get healthier? Sign up for GOQii’s personal health coaching and speak to a certified GOQii Coach now: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr 

To read more inspiring stories about transformation and forming healthy habits, check out Healthy Reads. 

#BeTheForce 

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Increase Productivity At Work & Improve Health With This New Challenge

GOQii Corporate Challenge

How was your experience working from home? While it did seem like a good break, the unexpected shift of remote working presented some issues that were difficult to deal with. Along with maiming profits, delayed appraisals, curbed salaries, increase in time spent doing work and disrupting respective corporate cultures, COVID-19 also impacted employees in ways they didn’t bargain for. 

Problems Faced While Working From Home 

  1. Detachment & Isolation: Whichever industry you work in, a workplace gives you a sense of shared purpose and connection. With lesser opportunities of bonding and interaction while working from home, team members began to feel more isolated and disengaged from their workplace. No amount of video conferences can fix this feeling of detachment and isolation. 
  2. Loss of Focus: While some enjoyed an isolated space where they could concentrate on their work, most didn’t have a remote space they could comfortably work from. Distraction by family members, pets and other factors caused more stress and lack of focus. 
  3. Mental Health Issues: Given the state of affairs during the early onset of the pandemic and the subsequent lockdown, it was easy to get stressed about the future. Feelings of fear, anxiety, sadness and frustration were common across all age groups. Working from home made it difficult to reach out to colleagues and friends for support. In a study we conducted, we found that around 43% Indians were plagued with depression. A number that only saw an upward trend. “Anxiety is one of the symptoms of depression. Most people are anxious on various counts. For some it is about not having a regular routine as they did in normal times,” says Divya Thampi, an Emotional Wellness Coach on GOQii Play. To read more about the impact of COVID-19 on mental health, read the report here. 
  4. Overwhelmed With New Tech: We already use a significant amount of apps and softwares daily. In the business landscape, everything is driven by data and tech. Adaptability aside, the sudden onset of the pandemic and the subsequent remote working scene forced us to work with new tools for scheduling, conferencing, managing, etc. faster than before. 
  5. Feedback, Recognition & Guidance: During pre-lockdown times, it was easy for a manager to step up to your desk to share positive feedback or guide you. In a remote working environment, this form of interaction has suffered greatly. Lack of feedback, recognition and guidance can make one feel further isolated, doubt their skills or lose confidence in their work. 
  6. Health & Wellbeing: Disruption of routine also meant that people were tied down to their couches, beds or desks at home with little movement. Those walks after lunch, chasing trains and any little movement we had while we worked from the office were tossed out the window. Eating habits also suffered and with work hours extending for some, sleep suffered greatly – only adding to stress. 

At GOQii, we believe that a healthy employee is a happy employee and a happy employee is a productive employee. Sadly, that was not the case during the lockdown. In view of these issues which are quite persistent even now, what can corporations do to motivate their employees, build team spirit, foster bonding, improve health and increase productivity?

GOQii Corporate Challenge

What if we told you that there was a fun way to build team spirit, improve health and performance at work? The GOQii Corporate Challenge – an inter-corporate health challenge, can be the solution you’ve been looking for. 

It’s a 60 day engagement program, starting from 13th December to 10th February, where corporates can get their employees to participate on an individual, team and corporate level. The challenges will consist of a 30 day steps challenge and daily social media spot challenges (where you can win daily prizes) – all tracked by a live leaderboard. 

The program also consists of daily fitness sessions i.e. 150+ sessions in 60 days starting with Yoga, Mind and Body sessions at 7 AM, Health Talks at 3 PM and High Intensity Workout sessions at 7 PM. 

What’s more, at the end of the GOQii Corporate Challenge, 1 in every 4 players stands a chance to win exciting prizes such as hotel stays, luxury watches, smartphones, gadgets and exclusive merchandise. 

A little bit of healthy competition like this, can definitely ease the strain left by COVID-19 and build team spirit while most of us return to the office! 

If you’re keen on participating, sign up your corporation for the GOQii Corporate Challenge to take advantage of exciting rewards – the best one being good health! 

Sign up here: https://gcc.goqii.com/ 

#BeTheForce 

From Terminal Illness To Complete Wellness! Ananda Mukherjee Health Story

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