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10 health and diet tips for Women

eating-healthy-and-exercising

March 8th is considered International woman’s day but at GOQii we dedicate this whole month to focus on Women’s health. This month, I want you to sit back and relax and take some time out to focus on your health. I have carved out some easy-to-follow tips that will help you keep up with your health and fitness along with your diet habits.

Here are some of the health and diet tips every woman must follow to remain healthy and fit

  1. Do not cut out any food groups from your diet

If you are dieting, do not think of cutting down on any food groups, be it carbohydrate or fat. Include lean proteins, calcium and other nutritional foods that will help your body function better. All you need to do is to ensure portion control and not go overboard, especially with unhealthy foods. Moderation is the key to a healthy you!

  1. Load up on lots of water

Water is the one solution to all your health problems; it helps flush out the hazardous toxins produced in the body due to poor eating habits, sedentary lifestyle, et al. Drink lots of water or just add some lemon and honey to make it healthier. Not only will it help keep your body hydrated but also will leave your skin glowing.

  1. Kick-start your day with a healthy and heavy breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day; no matter how busy or caught up you are, take out some time to indulge in a good and healthy breakfast full of proteins to keep you energized through the day.

  1. Do not obsess over dieting

One must not obsess over dieting. It is okay to accept your body as it is; what is important is to ensure eating healthy and keeping yourself physically fit. Focus on building your stamina and engage in exercises.

  1. Feed your skin with healthy and natural ingredients

It shouldn’t be only your overall health but also your skin that needs some attention. For once, toss your chemical-laden commercial skincare products and use natural kitchen ingredients instead. They will help you get a gleaming skin.

  1. Do not forget to engage in at least 30 minutes of exercise

 It is not just your diet that will ensure a healthy body, but also some physical activity or exercise. It is not necessary to spend two hours at the gym, but just 30 minutes of your favourite outdoor sport, gaming, running, walking, et al can help you out.

  1. Get yourself checked every six months

In order to take care of others in the family, we neglect minute health problems we generally go through. Take some time out and get your body checked for any suspicious growth or anything that you think should be flagged before it gets too late. Go in for a comprehensive health check up once in a year.

  1. Do not stop yourself from indulging

Keeping yourself healthy does not mean you forget munching on your favourite foods. Indulge in these foods once in a while to make yourself and your tummy happy and going. Do make sure you don’t overeat only to ruin your diet.

  1. Stop stressing! Include bright coloured foods to up your mood and get going

Nowadays, stress has become synonymous with us humans and one cannot avoid considering the many pressures in personal and professional lives. Load up on de-stressing foods and include more bright coloured fruits and vegetables in your diet that will help liven up your mood instantly.

  1. Avoid smoking and alcohol

While occasional drinking is fine, making it a lifestyle habit is extremely dangerous. Not only do smoking and drinking cut short your lifespan, but also make you look a lot older and dull.

Follow these basic health and diet tips to lead a positive, fit and enduring life!

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How to select your running Shoes?

running shoes1

If you indulge in a kind of fitness, you will realize that almost all kinds of workouts require decent sports shoes. Based on what is your fitness regime? Whether you are a runner, or you play a racket sport, or any other sport, or just train in the gym, depending on the workout or the sport, you have to have appropriate shoes.

The injury caused by inappropriate shoes can needlessly derail your fitness routine. Strenuous outdoor workout or long distance running puts an increased amount of pressure on your feet and therefore wearing the right shoes are important to prevent injury.

The next most common question asked by people is what shoe do I buy? Whether you are a pro, intermediate or beginner in running, shoe shopping can be tricky. The technology is constantly changing and there is continuous research happening on this front due to which new products, foams, and materials are being invented every year. This is creating confusion among runners and they do not know what to believe and what not to believe.

Some common mistakes Runners make while buying Running Shoes.

  • Wrong foot measure leading to wrong shoe size impacts running.
  • Confusing volume with the width of the shoes. Should I buy with more cushioning or less? And, end up selecting the wrong one.
  • Buying one size bigger than your original size and they trying to adjust the size by wearing thicker socks, this hinders running practice.
  • Following your Runner Friends. If you are a beginner and you have a friend who is a good runner, you always end up buying the same shoes which your Friend is using.
  • Wrong reviews about shoes. Nowadays people start purchasing shoes online and their online seller can easily manipulate the reviews by giving fake reviews. Which misguide the people who buy their shoes on the basis of Reviews.
  • Cool dashing Shoes. Sometimes you end up buying the shoes only because it looks cool and enhances your personality.
  • Discount and Offers – Some stores trying to clear their stocks and run some attractive offers, please avoid such offers as all shoes have their life and these shoes under offer has already spent their life on a shelf.
  • Buying shoes during the day- Most are unaware of the fact that feet swell during the course of the day. Your feet tend to get bigger at night. Therefore, you need a footwear that fits well—not too tight—during all hours, so always prefer your shoe shopping later in the day.
  • Trying only one shoe– While buying shoes more often than not, most try out only one shoe. I am not sure if you are aware that both your feet are not the same size. Chances are that one shoe will be fit on your one feet but not the other one. Hence,  measure both your feet and then buy a pair of running shoes that fit the bigger foot.
  • Try shoes with the right socks: We always check the shoes by wearing the dress socks which is provided at the store for trial but let me point out here that dress socks are generally thinner than running socks (that has more cushioning), and this affects the fit of the shoes. Always take your running socks with you when you go to purchase running shoes.

Let me now give you some basic information about shoes and all that you need to keep in mind while shopping for your running shoes.

Here is the image of basic Shoe anatomy:

running shoe image 1

running shoe

 

running shoe-image 2

running shoe 2

Running Shoes are divided into 3 parts:

  1. Outsole
  2. Midsole
  3. Insole
  4. Upper

 

  1. Outsole: A rubber outsole is where the bottom of a shoe is made of rubber. The outsole is the part of the shoe that comes in contact with the ground. It’s made of carbon rubber, blown rubber or a combination of the two. It provides durability and traction. The outsole can have many designs, flex grooves, and a split heel

running shoe image 3
2. Midsole:

running shoe image 4

The midsole comprises the cushioning material, mostly a closed cell foam called EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate). Polyurethane may also be used. Proprietary cushioning devices like encapsulated air or gel can be inserted into the midsole foam. Posts are areas of firmer, harder to compress EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate). Plates stiffen the forefoot area of the shoe. Shank stiffens the shoe under the arch and the middle area of the shoe.

  1. Insole: It’s a removable insert that the foot sits on in the shoe

running shoe image 5

 

  1. Upper: This is the material that encases the foot. It’s made from a soft, breathable material. The upper determines how the shoe fits and it has all the fancy looks and design.

The Upper comprises several parts :

➢Vamp and quarter panel

➢Toe box

➢Laces, Tongue, Eyelets, Eyestay, Overlays

➢Heel counter and Heel tab

running shoe image 6

shoe diagram image 6

 

While Selecting a Running Shoe you have to focus on the following aspects:

  1. Road vs Trail vs Track: Road shoes should be more flexible and lightweight than the trail shoes which are sturdier and heavier. Track shoes are designed for traction and speed for various track surfaces.
  2. Women’s shoes tend to be lighter with a softer midsole.
  3. Foot Strike Pattern: How the foot initially contacts the ground – forefoot, midfoot or heel determines the area and level of cushioning that the runner may require.
  4. Speed Work: Performance shoes for speed work are built lighter, narrower and lower to the ground than most running shoes. They tend to wear out faster than normal running shoes.
  5. Injuries and Common Foot Problems: Injuries must be medically evaluated for shoe/orthotic prescription. Common foot problems like black toe, bunions, corns & calluses, ingrown toenails, etc. may find solutions in properly fitting shoes.
  6. The degree of Pronation:

➢ Normal Pronation: It is the inward roll of the foot (about 15%) on landing

➢ Overpronation: It is the excessive inward roll of the foot (over 15%) on landing

➢ Under pronation: It is the insufficient inward roll of the foot

(less than 15%) upon landing.

running shoe image 7

 

Shoes are broadly classified as neutral, motion-control and

Stability/ support on the basis of the degree of pronation.

Tips for Fitting a Shoe:

  1. Measure the size of the foot at the store as sizes differ between brands.
  2. Shoes must be tried on both the feet
  3. Feet swell after exercise or a run so it’s better to try on shoes when the feet are swollen.
  4. Try the shoe with socks and orthotics that will be used.
  5. The toe box should be roomy and shoes comfortable from the start.
  6. Walk or preferably run on a firm surface with the shoes.

Finally, I would like to finish with the great lines of Hal Higdon – Finish: Even if you run slower than expected time, you succeed in any Marathon when you finish.

So keep running !!

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“This is not a trail walk… it’s a life’s journey”

 

Walking a 100 Km is no mean task and we at GOQii have been doing this for the last three years.

Every year the excitement for the 100 KM Oxfam trail walk begins 2 months in advance. This year was no different with several teams from GOQii participating with close to 50% being first timers. First timers to the event included both our players as well as GOQii employees.

This adventure trail walk is no run of the mill trail walk, it comes with a purpose. 140 teams in total came together for a good cause-‘Walk for Equality’ and to physically challenge themselves to walk 100 kms within 48 hours on a route that included tar road, mud path, open fields, stones strewn roads and forest routes. Each team had to raise a minimum of Rs 80K for Oxfam.

Considered as the World’s 3 most difficult trail walks, the Mumbai trail walk is held every year amidst the lap of nature in the Western Ghats of Maharashtra. It starts from a place called Garudmachi in Tamhinighat and ends in Lonavala.

By now many would have realized that walking isn’t that taxing as much as it is to raise funds. Many come up with interesting and innovative ways to raise funds. Few teams in GOQii also came with innovative ways to raise funds such a selling lunch and snacks to their fellow colleagues at office. While some I know did some odd jobs for their friends in lieu for donation to Walk for Equality.

GOQii collectively with all its teams raised approximately Rs 16 lakh for Oxfam. That’s a great achievement for all of us at GOQii. It is not only about fund raising funds but, also all GOQii teams finished well within 48 hours the required time to complete the 100 km trailwalk.

 

If I have to describe what the trail walk is like, I would say it is a test of your endurance, physical fitness, mental strength, team spirit, leadership skills, crisis management and the power to make the right decisions. It is also a test of one’s own ability and confidence.

Manjot Singh from the business development team at GOQii and who was participating in the 100 km trail walk for the first time this year says, “I feel like a million bucks having completed the 100 km trail walk. I did this purely for myself and to test my own abilities. And, today I feel victorious and above all confident as an individual.”

Similarly, for Maaline D’Souza who is part of GOQii’s customer support team the 100 KM trail walk was a challenge that she took upon herself. She says, “I never thought, I could do it. But, yes with regular practice and the right kind of will power I completed it without much issues”.

She adds, “The 100 km journey cannot be stated as easy. It is a mind game where I truly needed my mind to be constantly pushing me than my body. In short, this was the best achievement of my life. It has made me more confident as a person”.

Clearly, most who I spoke to on the trail on why did they were doing the 100 km trail walk? 2 or 3 motives came out clear. For some veterans on the trail it was to overcome their fear and also a chance to get fit.  For people who were on the heavier side, it was to prove to themselves that they can do it. And, for some others who had already attempted this before once or twice, it was all about improving their timing.  Another observation I made on the trail was that older people pulled the feat much better than the younger individuals. Secondly, Women on the trail were more resilient than men.

For first timers it was a mental battle that they were trying to fight with themselves. For most their bodies are given away but, it was their mental strength that held them through the 100 km pushing them every inch to complete the race.  Some like Parth from the tech team of GOQii it was accountability. Accountability to his friends who had donated for the good cause that he was walking for.

At Check point 7 to 8 when Parth was almost on the verge of giving up due to pain, it’s his friends’ words that rang in his mind and pulled him through and of course the motivation that he got from Vishal Gondal, CEO, GOQii who walked with him a neat 10 km of the total 11.6 km trail. “A lot of my friends donated to the cause because I was walking. How could I let them down? I have to complete,” Parth said while on the trail and continued his journey. Like Vishal always says, “this is not a 100 km trail walk… it’s a life’s journey.”

Check point to 7-8 trail was also a grueling trail in the sun. The trail followed the old bullock cart path that village communities used earlier, up a gradual slope and down across a vast open pasture and scrub land. Some parts of the trail open up to spectacular valley views. And then ultimately getting on to tar road which was hot during the day.

For few other GOQii employees it was a great first time experience where most understood how to work in a team, take collective decisions and above all learn to heave patience.

None of this would have been possible without GOQii’s efficient support team led by Krishna Kumar aka KK who made sure that every participant was comfortable from the time we landed at Garudmachi on Dec 8, 2016.

Dr Ashwin Nanda, from GOQii’s team of doctors says, “It was quite gratifying for me to be of help to all GOQii participants”. It was Dr Nanda’s first trail walk experience. He says his biggest learning was do not ever give up on anyone. Help everyone get through.” For old timers   Sunny Rajani and RutaSatam, being support is always a pleasurable.

But, what had changed this year from last year, Rajani says, “This year we were more organized and prepared for all eventualities if any had to occur.” And honestly, the support crew plays the most important role in this entire 100 km journey.

Altitude Quest, on the trail support crew were a boon in disguise. The AQ team was there to provide massages and taping of the feet when required after a tired trail walk. .

Last but not the least kudos to three of our GOQii teams led by players performed wonderfully. ‘Go Spirited’- the team that comprised of all four women players- Bela Gupta, Anitha Rao, SuranjanaKumaresh and ReenaKansal was not only the fastest woman’s team completing 100 km in 34 hours but also the fastest veteran’s team. The two other GOQii teams that made it to top 10 was AnuragBiesn’sGOQii-Veer tum Badhechalo who completed in 24 hours and GOQii Alpha led by Kamal Karnatak with a completion time of 28 hours.

 

That’s GOQii #betheforce…..

Route Snapshot:

Over all 100 km within 48 hours that included tar road, mud path, open fields, stones strewn roads and forest routes.

 

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My First 100 km- The lessons I learnt

ranveer-trailwalk

A week ago, 100km was just a number in my head. A number that I had to overcome in 48 hours but a number that I WOULD overcome. I am a power lifter who enjoys the process of bodybuilding. I lift heavy barbells and dumbbells and I enjoy every bit of the big muscles I’ve created over the years.

I’d never taken part in marathons leave alone endurance walks. Hell, I never even took part in any 100m+ races in school.  I’m a fitness blogger and I believe that fitness should not be limited to a single domain. What I believe is that the ultimate goal of fitness is becoming ‘THE BEST VERSION OF YOURSELF’. And, if your endurance stats don’t match up to your strength levels, you are stopping yourself from reaching that ultimate goal.

So with no prior endurance training experience, I readily agreed to challenge myself and signed up for the Oxfam 100km trail walk.

A bit of a pre story – I didn’t practice much for the trail walk. Endurance training is known to deplete your muscles in terms of size. My muscles are my brand and I couldn’t let go of them. So I chose a midway path and decided to go for 10-15km jogs every week. These jogs may or may not have helped me, I don’t know for sure. 

In saying that, I do not recommend that you don’t practice for the walk. I have been a strength and fitness coach for 4-5 years. My body has reached a level of fitness where I was capable of executing the walk without much hassle. But, it may not be the same case for everyone.

After I completed the walk, I realized that practice IS crucial for an average person. Especially those for whom fitness isn’t the central theme of their life. Make sure you go for a few practice walks if you don’t want to end up injuring yourself!

ranveer-blisters

Coming to what I learnt. The lessons – 

Firstly, you need to understand the MAGNITUDE of a 100km. Most people who live in cities aren’t even used to walking 1km at a stretch.

The day before the walk, I had a word with a 53 year old lady who was participating with me. She told me that this was her 3rd trail walk and the biggest advice she gave me was “DO NOT GIVE UP”. I was told that the trail walk is entirely a mind game. And, as we progressed, I came to learn that exactly.

This was psychologically THE MOST testing activity I’ve ever done in my life. Most participants’  bodies break down at the 30 km mark. This largely happens due to non-practice and not realizing how your body reacts to an extreme strenuous activity.

Post 30km most end up having knee issues, ankle pain and blisters on their feet. Irrespective of your fitness levels, the game is to constantly fight off the pain you’re feeling, and move FORWARD. As I continued my walk, I realized that I’d never done something so grueling in my life.

There were some stretches in the trail walk that were SO intense, that I was almost sleepwalking. My mind had switched off entirely, it was the middle of the night, my hands were numb and frozen. But, my legs kept moving forward. My legs were the only entities active in my entire body.

And this was just ONE of the many testing moments.

Every trail had its own challenges. There was a trail that was an entirely upward climb. There was a trail conquered in lava-esque afternoon heat. There was a trail conquered on an open, ice-cold tar-road in the middle of the night. But, more than anything there were countless instances of pain and challenge. I can’t stress on how big the psychological aspect of the walk is. Training from an endurance standpoint will only get you so far. The real test was conquering the pain, the heat, the cold and your dead lower body.

What I honestly believe as a weight training coach is that weights do not only help you look good. Barbells and dumbbells are making you a STRONGER HUMAN BEING. Your muscles, your nervous system AND your grit is getting worked with every set you perform in the gym. My concern before the walk was “would I be too stiff or too bulky to complete the race.”

But, if anything, I believe that weight training played a role in helping me overcome the pain barrier. And, when we’re talking about a 100km trail walk, pain is your biggest enemy. There were countless fellow walkers with me who had to take breaks, had to rest at check points and had to get physiotherapy done on themselves. Of course I had instances like this. But, my instances were relatively fewer than my fellow conquerors.

This is where I feel like my elevated strength levels paid off. Despite not practicing much from an endurance standpoint, I was able to complete the entire walk in 36 hours. 12 short of the time limit. A great achievement for my first trail walk. But, this achievement was nowhere close to the REAL prize.

The trail walk showed me a new form of fitness. Yes, the endurance training is something new, from a physical perspective. Endurance walks like these make your mind and focus ROCK SOLID. 100km is not a number for me anymore. It’s a trophy.

When you actually overcome ONE HUNDRED kilometers, it is indeed a ‘Big Deal’. Your feet will be blistered up, your knees will be jammed solid, and your ankles will feel like they’re 150 years old, but your mind – Your mind will feel like its limits have been expanded.

The only way to expand your limits is to push yourself to their edges. And that was what this trail walk was for me. It was a test, a foe and most of all a teacher. Remember your biggest challenges are your biggest gurus. In my entire fitness-life, there hasn’t been a challenge of this magnitude. There hasn’t been an experience that has toughened me up so much.

This is the beauty of fitness. I am one step closer to being the BEST VERSION OF MYSELF – thank you for the opportunity GOQii and Oxfam India.

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