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January 9, 2025 By Palak Mittal Leave a Comment

Why Do We Feel Hungrier During Winter?

It’s normal to find a nice thick blanket, cozy up to a pillow and snack away on something warm to quell those hunger pangs that don’t seem to end during winter. This is often complemented with sudden weight gain and you’re left wondering where that excess weight came from. Well, there are several reasons for feeling hungrier during winter and we’re about to explore them.

Reasons for Feeling Hungrier During Winter

High metabolism: During winter, our metabolism is quite high as the body tries to keep itself warm due to those teeth sputtering chill. The body produces more heat in order to combat the chill outside which is known as thermogenesis. To carry out this function, it requires extra calories which get burnt during the process, hence need extra food.
Food Produces Heat: In cold weather, our body needs more calories to keep itself warm with the help of some involuntary activities like shivering. Hence, the body craves more food. When these extra calories start burning, it makes the body warm. Here, we need to remember not to satisfy the cravings with high sugar or high-fat foods as they raise blood sugar levels causing weight gain.
Winter Comes With Multiple Choices: It’s the best time of the year for multiple reasons. One of those being food! Vegetables and fruits flood the markets. Plus, a lot of winter recipes are prepared with rich ingredients which induce weight gain. One can’t help but indulge in sweets this season brings. Not feeling hungry is definitely not an option
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): As the days are shorter, we generally prefer staying indoors which can lead to Vitamin D deficiency and also lower levels of serotonin (happy hormone which generates because of exposure to daylight). These deficiencies typically causes Seasonal Emotional Disturbance or Seasonal Affective Disorder – SAD : a sort of depression related to the shorter days of winter, which affects many of us. It is seen that individuals stricken from SAD crave more carbohydrates, as these facilitate the body’s use of tryptophan (amino acid) which can be converted into serotonin to spike up lower levels in the blood.
Lazy Mornings: It becomes really difficult to get out of your cozy bed during winter mornings to go out for a walk, workout or even work. People prefer lying comfortably in bed, watching a TV show while binging on snacks endlessly. This increase in snacking and lack of physical activity make us gain extra kilos.

Tips to Avoid Eating More

Whenever you crave for food, try choosing some healthy options like salads, soups, sautéed veggies combined with proteins as these are high in fibre and gives a feeling of fullness.
Go out during the day to expose your body to the sun for some vitamin D and to boost your serotonin levels.
Perform your regular exercises as it helps in boosting your mood and avoids indulgence in unnecessary snacking.
Go out with friends or play with a pet if you are stressed. Don’t look at food as an alternative coping mechanism.

The bottom line is – eat mindfully and enjoy winters! We hope this article helps you make healthier choices. For more winter tips, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce

June 10, 2023 By GOQii Leave a Comment

How Nitya Kishore Upadhyay Lost 12kg In 6 Months With GOQii

Are morning walks by themselves a miracle cure for health issues? Can they help manage and lower cholesterol levels or help you lose weight? Managing lifestyle diseases requires a combination of lifestyle changes, and there’s no room for guesswork. This is what our player, Nitya Kishore Upadhyay, figured out when he joined GOQii. Let’s take a look at how his health story unfolded.

Managing Weight & Cholesterol Issues With Morning Walks

As an employee for a pharmaceutical company, Nitya Kishore Upadhyay was always surrounded by doctors and healthcare professionals. He used to do a blood test every six months. Being in sales and marketing, he was on-field most of the time and used to eat out. As a result, he was overweight and also had a history of high cholesterol and vitamin B12 deficiency.

To manage these conditions, he used to take morning walks, but they barely helped. He was using another company’s fitness tracker but didn’t find much use for it because, apart from the data on the device, there was no one there to guide him.

He wanted a device that did more than just track steps. So he began searching for a solution online and came across GOQii. After some research, he purchased a tracker and subscribed to GOQii’s personalized health coaching plan.

Interacting With A Coach & Making Lifestyle Changes

After activating his coaching subscription and speaking with Coach Anukriti, he had no doubt that GOQii was the right choice for him. He says that he was impressed with the in depth guidance he received from his coach. His initial goal was to lose 8-10kg, manage his cholesterol and vitamin B12 deficiency.

Keeping that in mind, GOQii Coach Anukriti suggested that he increase the intensity of his morning walks. He asked him to clock in at least 10,000 steps a day. Along with walks, he was also asked to jog at intervals. Before, we would go for morning walks on an empty stomach, but Coach Anukriti suggested that he eat sabja seeds and begin his morning with lemon water.

She set up a morning breakfast routine, midmorning fruits, and also guided him on what to eat and avoid. Along his health journey, they used to make frequent calls and change his routine as per his schedule. Slowly, he was asked to add more salads to his meals. Later, the sabja seeds were replaced with jeera water – which helped him greatly, he says.

He was also introduced to intermittent fasting, which he says benefited him a lot. Apart from this, based on his schedule, he was also suggested exercises he could perform and was asked to meditate as well.

Right from the beginning of his journey with GOQii, Nitya Kishore says that everyone in the GOQii ecosystem was helpful. Even the classes he attended on GOQii PRO were detailed, and the coaches guided him well. He said that the coach was very understanding and introduced changes slowly as per his schedule and lifestyle, so it wasn’t too overwhelming for him to make changes suddenly.

How did these changes help Nitya Kishore Upadhyay?

Due to all these changes, Nitya Kishore managed to lose 12kg in 6 months. His cholesterol levels and Vitamin B12 levels are also normal. “Nityaji is a very good player and follows all my suggestions and habits regularly,” says Coach Anukriti. She further added that, “He is feeling more healthy and energetic than before.”

His friends and family say that he looks younger and more dynamic than before. He has also been actively advocating GOQii to his friends and family members. He says, “I want to thank Mr. Vishal Gondal for keeping such good people who guide and motivate others”.

He is impressed with GOQii and always appreciates how GOQii is working for people. Like Mr. Nitya Kishore Upadhyay, would you like GOQii to work for you as well? Know someone who needs help managing lifestyle conditions?

Well, visit the GOQii Store and subscribe to Personalised Health Coaching here to make a positive lifestyle change today!

You can also read more inspiring Health Stories here.

Stay healthy and #BeTheForce

July 30, 2022 By GOQii 1 Comment

How Lolita Lasrado Overcame Gastric Issues & Lost Weight With Help From Her GOQii Coach

Do you avoid eating certain kinds of food because they trigger issues like acidity, bloating, gas or some sort of discomfort? You’re not alone! Our Player Lolita Lasrado suffered from similar issues but was able to overcome them with some lifestyle modifications suggested by her GOQii Coach. Here’s how her health story unfolded.

Dealing With Stomach Issues and Weight Gain

Lolita Lasrado is a 38 year old housewife based in Mangalore. For the longest time, she suffered from gastric issues such as acidity, gas and bloating. She couldn’t eat nuts, potatoes and vegetables such as cabbage due to her gas issues. She only stuck to eating fish curry and rice.

“I had gas and bloating issues for a very very long time. I could hardly eat anything. I had to be careful of what I ate so that it does not create gas issues,” says Lolita.

Lolita was quite athletic and had been a Shot Put thrower but couldn’t continue after marriage. Later, she gave birth to 3 boys, which kept her too busy and occupied to think about herself or her health issues. She says, “ I am a busy mom. My time is spent looking after them.”

Taking The First Step Towards Change

Owing to 3 pregnancies and her gut issues, she gained a lot of weight. She weighed 93kg a year ago and had also developed a large tummy which she wanted to reduce, but had no solution for, till one day, her brother-in-law gifted her a GOQii Device.

Initially, she had no idea what the smart tracker and the integrated GOQii App could do but she liked the device because it helped her track her steps daily. She finally subscribed to GOQii’s personalised health coaching in October 2021.

When she realised that there was actually a personal coach who would guide her, she decided to set a health goal – which was to reduce belly fat and get over her gastric issues.

Her Coach Bhawna Garg understood her issues and slowly began making changes to her lifestyle. At first, small habits such as eating soaked nuts in the morning, healthy snacks in the evening and roasted jeera with a pinch of hing at bed time, were introduced. Later, ginger, turmeric and lemon tea was also added to her routine.

“Once I started taking these I started feeling better,” says Lolita.

Gradually, Coach Bhawna Garg introduced Lolita to portion control in her meals. Rice and wheat was cut down from meals and instead Jowar/Ragi (millet) rotis were introduced. And there was an increase in her protein intake.

In terms of exercise, her coach asked her to perform plank exercises, starting with 10 seconds to gradually holding it for a longer time. Lolita also began walking on a daily basis, covering approximately 15k steps.

However, despite all these dietary changes, at one point her weight did not budge but she didn’t lose hope. Her Coach started her off on a detox as well as a new workout plan which consisted of strengthening exercises and avoiding rice and wheat for 15 days. This worked and her body began responding.

What Were The Changes That Lolita Lasrado Experienced?

“When she came on board, she weighed 93kg and her waist size was 38”. She also suffered from gastric issues. The few changes in diet and a few daily habits that I created for her and ensured she followed, helped a lot. Now, her weight has reduced to 78kg and her waist is at 36”. Her acidity and bloating issues are gone for good. She has often told me she feels more energetic and healthy. Working with her has been very easy for me because she is consistent and follows each and every habit I set for her diligently,” says Coach Bhawna Garg.

This goes to prove that despite issues and hurdles, if guided well and if one follows that guidance and sticks to their health goal, nothing is impossible! Lolita Lasrado continues to write her health story with help from her GOQii Coach and is looking forward to achieving all the health goals she has set for herself.

Do you relate to this story? Do you want to make a positive lifestyle change too? Then subscribe for GOQii’s personalised health coaching service here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

For more inspiring health stories, check out Healthy Reads.

#BeTheForce

July 20, 2022 By Komal Mehta 9 Comments

What You Can Eat To Beat High Blood Sugar Levels

Moderation is key – this holds true for everybody and everything, especially if you are suffering from or trying to manage diabetes. There is no specific diet plan or pattern for Diabetes. It’s the small changes that you make with foods which help you manage your blood sugar better.

The Right Eating Habits To Beat High Blood Sugar Levels

Have small but frequent meals: Having small meals will control the sugar spikes. Long gaps between meals can increase as well as drop blood sugar levels. Long gaps also leach out energy and makes you feel tired. Having 4-5 small meals with balanced carbohydrates helps managing blood sugar well.
Choose the right carbs: All the grains have carb, be it potato or oats, it’s the quality which matters. Opting for carbs allowing slow release of sugar are best to choose. Carbs with high fiber content like whole wheat flour, Sorghum (Jowar), Finger Millet (Ragi), and Oats can help control blood sugar as it will release the sugar slowly and help you control those spikes.
Avoid processed foods: We all know refined foods and packaged foods are not that great for our health. With diabetes, it affects blood sugar directly. Refined foods get absorbed very easily as they lack fiber – which can easily increase sugar. Always add lots of vegetables if packaged food is the only option. Rely on portion control for best results!
Add more proteins: Protein-rich foods are not readily available to raise blood sugar. You will see the positive impact on blood sugar once you add protein foods with every meal. Having more sprouts salad, cottage cheese (paneer) bites, or curd raita fills you up as well as stabilizes sugar.
Include Fiber: Fiber plays an important role in the digestion of food. Fiber not only delays sugar absorption but also binds cholesterol and reduces the risk of obesity as well as heart ailments. Don’t think twice before adding some raw salads or veggie soups to major meals.
Cut down fat: There is nothing wrong if the fat is coming from right sources. All vegetable fats from avocado, seeds, nuts like peanuts, almonds, home-made clarified butter (ghee), etc. are good to go. Just make sure it is in moderation. Good fat helps you manage weight, which has a direct relation with sugar control and in a way, also helps release sugar slowly as fat takes time to digest.
Exercise: Even if you control your food habits well, if your muscles aren’t moving, you might not get to see the results you want. Just a 40-minute brisk walk can help increase blood circulation, manage weight and fat metabolism. Every 5% reduction in weight can provide a positive result with diabetes, heart health and overall well being.
Cut out the refined sugar: Aim to have as little sugar as possible. Direct form of sugar results in major spikes. Refined sugar, candies, cakes, and pastries, etc. stay for 3 months as the blood RBC is made every 3 months. High HbA1c is associated with long term complication. It is best to try and keep your HbA1c in control by having a good portion control with right choice of food. Cut out on these sweets and go for healthier alternatives like jaggery.

Don’t fall for “diabetes friendly, sugar free products”. Just choose from the natural food to beat high blood sugar levels. It’s not too difficult! Just follow the tips above and you will feel better!

We hope this article helps you beat high blood sugar levels and manage Diabetes effectively. For more articles on managing diabetes, check out Healthy Reads.

For further guidance and motivation by certified experts, join the GOQii Diabetes Care program. It’s India’s only diabetes program that is driven by Smart Science and Personal Coaching to improve Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS), Postprandial Blood Sugar (PP), reduce HbA1c levels and let you win gold! You can subscribe here: https://store.goqii.com/diabetescare.

Let’s #DefeatDiabetes and #BeTheForce