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Change Begins With a Single Step – Aniruddha Bhave User Journey

Motivation is always the key to achieving your health goals but what happens when you don’t have a health goal to begin with? What happens when there is nothing there to push you towards a healthier lifestyle? Where do you begin? For Aniruddha Bhave, the push came from the consequences of a sedentary lifestyle.

“It’s true that motivation has to come from within. However, you always need someone to lend a helping hand. This was fulfilled exceptionally well by GOQii,” says Aniruddha Bhave after his transformation with GOQii.

Sedentary Lifestyle and the Desire to Change 

Before joining GOQii, Aniruddha Bhave, a banker from Mumbai, led a very sedentary lifestyle. His day included long hours of sitting in the office and extensive travelling for work. He travelled by car wherever he went and his eating timings were quite off.

His weight had increased to 79kg, he had been smoking for almost 10 years and drank alcohol occasionally. All of these habits took a steep toll on his health. He had suffered from spondylitis at the age of 32 and was diagnosed as pre-diabetic at the age of 40.

Around this time, he had no idea of what constitutes a healthy lifestyle. He was oblivious about fitness, about what comprises of a healthy and an unhealthy diet. His doctor had asked him to either start with medication or healthy lifestyle modification. As exercise seemed liked a far cry to him back then, he chose medication.

He was on medication for 2 years before joining GOQii.

Making the Change! 

In September 2017, one of Anirudhha Bhave’s friends introduced him to GOQii. Initially, he was extremely sceptical whether it will help or not or if it was going to be worth the time and effort. He decided to go ahead because he was looking for a tracker to track his activities.

When Aniruddha Bhave began his journey with GOQii, his primary goal was weight loss. The initial habits that his GOQii Coach set was basic walking as exercise, mindful eating and better sleep – all of which were missing from his life. He was asked to consume raw garlic on an empty stomach in the morning along with a concoction made of lemon, honey and cinnamon with warm water.

As he progressed, Aniruddha slowly switched from walking to jogging and later, he began running. His GOQii Coach was very persistent and ensured that he followed all the habits given to him diligently. When he began running in December 2017, he knew there was no turning back now!

Complete Change, Weight Loss and More 

“Running has become my passion,” is what Aniruddha Bhave told GOQii. In fact, he had suffered muscle loss because he was running too much. His GOQii Coach then asked him to perform strength training and increase his protein intake. He began consuming Whey Protein and even tried protein bars, both of which he bought from the GOQii Health Store.

He stopped with medication 3 months after joining GOQii. Aniruddha Bhave even took the 21 Days Challenge and completed it. His current habits include running for two days – one for 15km and the other for 7-8km. On other days, he performs strength training. He has even set up a  mini gym at his home for weight training as suggested by his GOQii Coach.

Within 8 months of joining GOQii, Aniruddha lost 12kg. He further reduced his weight to 64.5kg. His HbA1c level has come down from 6.5 to a normal 5.5. Whereas walking even half a km used to be a task, he can now run 10km easily.

Aniruddha now is quite active on GOQii Play. He attributes his increased motivation to coach Aliya Imran. Apart from Aliya’s classes, he also attends Marathon Expert Parwage Alam’s classes for tips on running, Mayuri Dongre’s classes for reviews on products available in the GOQii Health Store as well as Fitness Expert Shweta Kariya’s classes functional training and fitness. He even attends Medical Classes conducted by doctors for medical awareness.

Being the Force 

Looking at his amazing transformation, a lot of his friends have taken a keen interest in health and fitness. His wife has also lost weight and brought her thyroid under control with help from GOQii. Aniruddha Bhave is their source of constant motivation and inspiration.

Overall, he considers GOQii to be a blessing for him. He has proven that although the first step is often difficult, but once you take it, with the right guidance and motivation, it can transform your life in unimaginable ways. Any and all change begins with a single step and when you do, there’s no turning back!

#BeTheForce 

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Motivation and Determination go Hand-in-Hand | Kalpana Sharma User Journey

Kalpana Sharma

Household chores can be quite healthy for you as they help you stay active! But like any journey towards good health, you have to support your activity with proper nutrition, sleep and manage stress as well. In most cases, individuals find it difficult to do so. This may be due to fatigue, lack of motivation or proper guidance. So what happens when you get the motivation you need with proper guidance? Let’s look at how they helped Kalpana Sharma!

Lifestyle Before GOQii

Kalpana Sharma, a 36-year-old housewife residing in Pune is married with 2 children, aged 9 and 3 years respectively. Prior to joining GOQii, she had no time or inclination to workout or manage her diet. She was too occupied with household chores and taking care of her family.

Apart from being inactive, she suffered from high acidity for almost 4 years due to unhealthy eating habits. She also had breathing problems due to weight issues. The meals prepared in her household were cooked in ghee and oil. The consumption of sweets was high as well.

Determination to Start a Healthier Lifestyle

During her second pregnancy, Kalpana Sharma weighed around 96kg. This was a frightening experience for her as she did not want to cross the 100kg mark. She knew she needed a drastic change. After her delivery in 2018, her husband gave her a GOQii tracker with a 3 month subscription as an anniversary gift.

Her husband motivated her to lose weight and get fit. Her health goal was to lose weight and get rid of acidity. Her GOQii Coach suggested she eats Fenugreek seeds that were soaked overnight, first thing the next morning. She had to include salads before lunch in order to reduce the portion size of her meal.

For dinner, she avoided carbs and switched to paneer and salads. She was asked to avoid sugar in her tea and coffee and eat sweets occasionally. On the exercise front, Kalpana began cardio for 30 minutes for 5 days a week. She also began walking after dinner. Her GOQii Coach shared some workout videos with her which she used to follow.

Embracing the Change

Under her 3 month subscription, Kalpana Sharma lost 3kg. This motivated her to extend her membership to 12 months. She weighed 88kg then and further reduced her weight to 71kg. Seeing the speed of her results, she wishes to lose another 3-4kg.

As per her GOQii Coach, she has been as consistent as possible with her habits. She switched to healthier alternatives while cooking. For instance, she began using jaggery instead of sugar. Any cakes or cookies she baked were made of whole wheat flour and jaggery.

Due to her healthy cooking methods, Kalpana has been able to improve the health of her entire family! She has even begun innovating her own cooking methods by opting for low fat alternatives.

In addition to all of this, she has also started strength training as suggested by her GOQii Coach. She now does cardio, abs and weights on alternate days. Kalpana ensures that she sets aside time for exercise no matter how hectic her routine is. She is dedicated to the extent that sometimes she is called ‘crazy’ by her family members!

3 months back, she was diagnosed with varicose veins and her doctor advised her to not stand for long periods of time and to ensure that she doesn’t gain weight. Instead of being defeated, this has only strengthened her motivation to exercise and lose more weight!

For her daily dose of inspiration, she regularly watches Coach Tufail Qureshi’s LIVE videos on GOQii Play and follows his instructions religiously. She also follows Coach Arooshi Garg’s Cooking Show.

Kalpana is quite active on the GOQii App and has explored a few snacking options from the GOQii Health Store. She finds them very tasty and healthy. When asked what she felt about GOQii, she said that it has transformed her and she is completely satisfied with GOQii and wishes to continue for many more years!

We wish Kalpana Sharma the best in her ongoing journey towards a healthier life. Did you find Kalpana Sharma’s story of determination inspiring? Drop a comment below and let us know what you feel!

#BeTheForce

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Nothing Is Difficult If You Try Wholeheartedly! Lijo Paul User Journey

Lijo Paul User Journey

Do you remember your early childhood? All the fun times playing with your friends, running around during recess or participating in sports activities? Childhood, for most of us, is a memorable experience where we recall fun, carefreeness and other fond experiences. On the contrary, for a few of us, childhood might not be the fondest of places in our memory. It was the same for Lijo Paul.

If you’re active on GOQii Play, there is absolutely no way you’ve not come across our player Lijo Paul. A few of you might have interacted with him at some point as well. Recently, we had a chance to speak to him and we’re about to share his story with you!

Early Childhood and Facing the Odds

At the age of 2, Lijo Paul was affected by Seizures. Although he was cured through medication, it wasn’t an easy road ahead. At 6, he was diagnosed with Asthma due to dust and cold. Due to this issue, he was unable to have a normal childhood.

He was unable to walk or run a mile. Climbing stairs was difficult and participating in sports was out of the question. He couldn’t play any games that required physical activity and had to follow a strict diet. In his words, “No kid would love to lead a life where he is unable to play sports or eat the food he likes.” Lijo was affected by sleeplessness as well due to Asthma.

Every doctor and specialist that Lijo visited suggested that he exercise but for him, it meant experiencing breathlessness the next day. He had to spend his childhood with medicines and inhalers. He was also affected by Typhoid twice and vomited blood for which he was on medication again.

After college, he took up a job that consumed 16 hours of his day. Due to this sedentary lifestyle, he developed belly fat and back pain. To combat this, he finally joined a gym but quit within 6 months after not being able to see any results.

Enter GOQii

After much turmoil, Lijo Paul came across GOQii through Axis Bank. Although he was apprehensive at first, he decided to give it a go and subscribed to GOQii in September 2018.

Lijo believed in a myth that healthy food is bland and you need to raw fruits and veggies to stay healthy. This myth was broken by his GOQii Coach who made him realize that losing fat and body weight isn’t about eating boring food but it is about eating the right things at the right time.

In his own words, Lijo said that, “I always troubled my coach with lots of doubts and questions but she ensured that I received proper and adequate knowledge on the topics. She also made sure that I don’t waste money on useless products and kept a frequent track of my food intake.”

His GOQii Coach kept a track of his water intake and began including a lot of fruits and vegetables to his diet. He consumes Apple Cider Vinegar in the morning and gyms for an hour. Green gram sprouts are his post-workout meal.

Since he initially found healthy food boring, his GOQii Coach suggested recipes to make his food more interesting. His initial notion of healthy food has changed drastically. He performs a mix of cardio and weight training, hitting 1 muscle group twice a week and has increased his protein intake as well.

While on GOQii, he tuned in to GOQii Play and followed it diligently. He began following Coach Aliya Imran and her 25-day challenge to lose belly fat.

Witnessing the Change

Within a period of 7 months, he has reduced his weight from 65kg to 60kg. Lijo has seen a drop of body fats from 25% to 12-15%. He can now perform any workout he likes. There has been much improvement in his breathing problem as well.

His confidence levels have sky-rocketed! Due to his awareness about fitness, he guides his friends, colleagues and family as well. In fact, he helped a colleague with PCOS, regularizing her periods and reducing her weight from 85kg to 76kg.

Along with his GOQii Coach, Lijo Paul credits his transformation to our GOQii Play coaches like Aliya Imran, Vishakha Sodha, Tufail Qureshi, Heena Bhimani, Suparna Mukherjee and others. The changes he has experienced from being unfit to fit have made him curious. In the future, he plans on doing a certification course and build a career in fitness.

Lijo Paul believes that it is all about the mindset; nothing is difficult if you do it wholeheartedly. Has Lijo’s story inspired you? Let us know in the comments below!

#BeTheForce

 

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Patience is a Virtue Which Produces Excellence | Santosh Krishnan User Journey

Santosh Krishnan, a type 2 diabetic decided to rise above his excuses to lead by example. Santosh had an HBA1C reading of 8.4 which was alarming for a diabetic. In August 2017, Santosh with the help of a personal coach decided to turn his life around, setting a long-term goal of reversing diabetes which was holding him back from his desired quality of life. Initially his levels were (Fasting: 176, Post Prandial: 204, Weight: 77kgs ) and results didn’t come easy or instantly but with a great level of patience and determination tethered with a supervised diet and exercises, he brought down his levels to ( Fasting: 95, Post Prandial: 139, Weight: 69.8 kgs ). Today, he has an HBA1C reading of 6.8 which is completely normal. When asked, Santosh had much to say about his achievement and he was immensely proud of himself. Presenting his story in his own words.

Santosh Krishnan Before (Left) After (Right)

Santosh Krishnan
Before (Left)                                     After (Right)

“My journey with GOQii started in the month of April 2017. Being a follower of Luke Coutinho on Facebook, I wasn’t new to the world of health and fitness. One day I happened to come across a fitness band called GOQii on my friend’s wrist and immediately ordered one for myself.

Ever since I came on board the GOQii Platform, there has been no turning back. However, it was not a smooth journey. Later, I got to know that Luke was the Master Coach at GOQii. My journey with GOQii has had its ups and downs and I remember at one point I was corresponding directly with Vishal Gondal, the Founder, and CEO of GOQii because things didn’t go my way. I recall the time when I had changed three coaches in a span of four months, ultimately realizing that it was me who needed a makeover on my attitude, but as you will understand, it is easier to blame someone else than take it upon oneself.

My current coach has played a crucial rule in my health. I’m a type 2 diabetic and there was a time when my sugar readings were extremely high. Over the past 6 to 8 months we have made small changes to my lifestyle by introducing new elements like the consumption of ACV, actively keeping a track of all my required activities, which by the way has helped me immensely by giving me an understanding of where I stand and what I should do.

Regular workouts, optimum intake of water, cutting down on junk were the few steps I took combined with my coach’s presence and motivation which was irreplaceable. We know there’s a long way to go and my goal is to totally go off pills. It might be a farfetched goal but with self-belief and my coach’s constant presence, I definitely think it’s possible.”

What did his GOQii Coach have to say? 

Santosh’s GOQii Coach was very enthusiastic to talk about her client and was very proud of his achievements. Here is what she had to say: “Santosh’s goal was to reverse diabetes and become healthy again. After my initial call with him, I understood that he’s focused and knows what he wants for himself. We began with basic exercises gradually including cardio and body exercises to the regime. We worked on a schedule per his convenience, I also advised him about the importance of frequent meals, pre-workout and post work out meals, water etc, which he followed religiously. It was a pleasure to see his data on the dashboard, which motivated me to concentrate more on his progress”.

“He seems to have taken charge of his health and his recent reports show that his sugar levels have come down drastically. He lost around three kgs and reduced a few inches on the waist as well. Santosh is super happy with his progress and so am I. It feels great to be a part of his amazing journey,” she adds.

Santosh has left no space for self-doubt in his endeavours and has been patient, constantly pushing his limits to further improve his glittering morale and a healthier lifestyle.

From Terminal Illness To Complete Wellness! Ananda Mukherjee Health Story

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