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Poulomi Bhattacharya Loses Weight, Gets Active & Fit With GOQii

Poulomi BhattacharyaImagine having a good work-life balance and then a sudden change at work derails your otherwise active lifestyle. You begin gaining weight and that invites a host of other complications you would have not imagined! Our Player Poulomi Bhattacharya faced something similar. Here’s how her Health Story unfolded.

All Work and No Play

Based in Delhi, Poulomi Bhattacharya is a high flying senior hospitality professional. For the longest time she worked in the operations side of the Hotels business where she had a hectic but active life. Then, around 2005, she moved to the HR front in the Learning & Development side. This took a toll on her health in terms of gaining weight. “In Learning & Development, there is not much scope to be active,” she said. She led an inactive lifestyle and to further add to the already inactive lifestyle, was a slip disc that she suffered from.

This kind of inactive lifestyle was coupled with bad eating habits. Due to her hectic schedule, she was eating 3 meals a day at odd hours. During these years, she also traveled a lot and moved between different locations such as Goa and Bengaluru. In 2014, she began gaining weight and also developed Blood Pressure issues. She was on medication to control her BP. She suffered from menstrual issues.

In 2019, she moved back to Delhi for a new job and here, she used to travel approximately 20 days. This kind of fast-paced, on-the-go work environment gave her little scope to rectify her health issues or even be active. Her stress levels were high and thanks to the lack of a work-life balance, she decided to introduce some changes and lead a healthy lifestyle.

In Feb 2020, when she checked her weight, she weighed 71kg. She said that it’s the highest she’s hit in her life. “I realised that I had to find time to do something about it,” she said. Initially she started going to the gym and walking on the treadmill but in March 2020 when COVID struck, she was homebound. 

While she indulged in all household chores, she had developed a terrible pain in her arms. The pain was due to lack of calcium. She says her calcium absorption was less and hence, she had to take injections. Her BP was also  low and her doctor suggested that she walk for 20 minutes daily. 

Making A Lifestyle Change With GOQii

After going through all these issues, her husband began looking for a fitness tracker that could also measure BP on a continuous basis. He came across GOQii and Poulomi decided to try it out. When subscribing for personalised health coaching, her goals were simple – to lose weight, be fit and active.

Initially, she was assigned Dr Naina Sudharshan. Poulomi Bhattarcharya says, “She guided me so well that she became my best friend.” Slowly and steadily, Poulomi started following all the habits set by the coach. Getting active was one of those habits coupled with a nutritarian diet that places emphasis on fruits, vegetables, grains and nuts. Poulomi was also asked not to skip any meals.

She didn’t have a regular exercise routine but she began following live coaches on GOQii Play and GOQii Pro, and now, it has become a part of her daily life. She follows Coach Neha and Coach Anushka’s Yoga classes and they have helped her improve her mental health and strength. She also follows Coach Arooshi’s classes for tips on Nutrition.

For her pre-workout nutrition, she consumes lemon juice with chia seeds in it – as this has the ability to promote a feeling of fullness and also has great antioxidant properties. For the remainder of the day, she consumes a balanced diet that provides energy and nutrients to her body.

Meditation is something that she has introduced to her routine as well. This has helped her with her anger issues as well as helped her normalise her sleep. For meditation, she follows Coach Rounak on GOQii Play.

Some Changes Poulomi Bhattarcharya Experienced…

Since joining GOQii, Poulomi has reduced her weight to 56.4kg and her target weight now is 55kg. She said that she feels much lighter, has more energy and is more positive than she was before. She has completely stopped her Blood Pressure medication as well.

She recently spoke to our Founder & CEO Vishal Gondal on an episode of GOQii Health Stories. You can hear her speak about her entire journey in detail here: 

Her current Coach Sheena Nambiar says, “Poulomi Bhattacharya is a very committed person who really wanted to develop her health and fitness levels day by day!” 

Did this story inspire you? Do you want to manage a medical condition or simply lose weight? Let our Coaches and Experts help you make a lifestyle change. To write your own Health Story, subscribe for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

For more inspiring Health Stories, check out Healthy Reads and let us know your thoughts in the comments below! 

#BeTheForce 

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Healthy Snacks You Can Eat At Work

healthy eating at work

Does work keep you so engrossed that you forget to eat your meals on time? Have tight deadlines derailed your eating habits? Health and diet are our last priority while climbing the professional ladder. Is there a way to eat healthy at work? Do smaller meals work? Is it advisable to carry healthy snacks?

While it is a highly debatable topic whether one should eat smaller meals or 3 square meals a day, both have their share of pros and cons. I would advise you to choose the best of both worlds by opting for healthy snacks whenever possible.

Here is a List of a Few Healthy Snacks You Can Eat At Work:

  1. Nuts and Dry Fruits: You can carry a trail mix of Almonds, Walnuts, Cashew Nuts, Pistachios, Figs, Dried Apricot, Dates, Raisins, etc. Fox Nuts [makhana] is considered as a superfood that is loaded with fiber. You can also add some Roasted Grams and a handful of Peanuts to it. Try these protein packed flavored Makhana from the GOQii Health Store.
  2. Energy Bars: Protein Bars, Granola Bars, and Health Bars all provide a good amount of nutrition. The convenience of carrying and eating one during office hours is unparalleled. These bars are a great way to pump up your protein levels as well. Try these Choco Almond Protein Bars from the GOQii Health Store.
  3. Sprouts: help in reducing cholesterol and blood pressure. They prevent anaemia and aid digestion, making it a great choice for healthy snacking! Don’t just stick to Mung Sprouts, you can also add variations like Chickpeas, Black Gram, Red Kidney Beans, Soya Beans, etc. The chances of foodborne illnesses greatly diminish with homemade sprouts.
  4. Fruits: are often ignored and are not included in one’s daily diet. Having them as mid meals can do wonders for your health. Grab locally grown or seasonal fruits and welcome all those healthy vitamins and minerals into your body!
  5. Sweet Potato: Another healthy and delicious snack is eating boiled or roasted Sweet Potatoes. Being high in dietary fiber, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, it should be consumed more frequently. A dash of Date and Jaggery Chutney will make it super healthy and yummier!
  6. Sweet Corn: Have them boiled, steamed or roasted. Sweet Corn provides flavonoid and carotene which help fight free radicals. Besides this, it is rich in vitamin B, vitamin C and vitamin E.
  7. Smoothies: are an excellent way to incorporate fruits and nuts in one go. Whip up 2-3 fruits along with nuts and seeds. You can add some milk or coconut water to make it in a smooth consistency. Try making an Apple, Banana, Grape and Date Smoothie. It is absolutely delicious!
  8. Diet Snacks: The market is flooded with healthy diet food like Diet Puffed Rice, Diet Khakharas, high protein biscuits, etc. But choose wisely because Diet Puffed Rice with liberal amounts of Sev won’t serve the purpose.

While mid-meal snacks are important, you need to take care of the portions you eat. Although carrying nutritious mid-meal snacks require time and effort, having it ready with you helps avoid the other unhealthy alternatives and the guilt that accompanies them.

We hope this article helps you! Do leave your thoughts in the comments below. For more on healthy eating and nutrition, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalised health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce

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Are Superfoods Super Good or Super Fad?

superfoodsAnything that sounds fancy won’t necessarily benefit our health. Lately, the word “Superfoods” must have appealed to you all. Well, what exactly are Superfoods? Why do we call them Superfoods? Though there’s no scientific definition, as per the dictionary, the definition of superfoods is “a food considered exceptionally good for one’s health and for boosting the immune system owing to its naturally high content of vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, or omega-3 fatty acids”. So basically, superfoods offer a dense concentration of nutrients with small quantities of food. 

Are Superfoods a Fad? 

Superfoods are largely plant based and the high amount of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants found in them can prevent many chronic diseases, autoimmune diseases, ward off inflammation and have huge health benefits. It can be taken by everyone including children. However, there is no specific list of superfoods yet, it includes a wide variety of food and every now and then, there is a new addition to the list. Though Superfoods are coined by marketers, as they are all natural and incorporated just as a supplement to our daily balanced diet, they cannot be considered as a fad. But always and as with everything else, superfoods need to be consumed in moderation. Anything that’s healthy can work against our body if it is taken in large quantities. Do not over do with any one variety of superfoods. It is good to take in varieties for maximum benefits while getting a wide array of vitamins and minerals too. Researching or consulting a nutrition expert or health coach would be ideal before trying any new superfood you come across. 

What Are The Best Ones? 

  • Nuts and Seeds like almonds, walnuts, pistachios, flax seeds, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, watermelon seeds, etc. provide proteins, fibers and unsaturated fat
  • Quinoa: is an ancient grain, a very good alternative for animal protein especially for vegetarians and also good source of iron, zinc, vitamin E, and selenium
  • Avocados: are a rich source of monounsaturated fat (Good fat) with 20 different vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytonutrients too. They can be made as a healthy spread on sandwiches instead of mayonnaise. 
  • Olives and extra virgin olive oil: Both Olives and Olive oil are very high in vitamin E and other powerful antioxidants. They are also rich in monounsaturated healthy fats that can protect our heart, prevent cancer and osteoporosis
  • Moringa: Moringa leaves are rich in antioxidants and iron. Apart from these, they have 15 times more potassium than bananas and 7 times more Vitamin C than oranges! They are also packed with many vitamins and minerals and protect cell damage and boost immunity.  
  • Dark Leafy greens: Spinach, Amaranth, beet greens, Dill, Fenugreek, Kale, Mustard, etc. are excellent sources of minerals like iron, magnesium, calcium, folate, zinc. They are also rich in Vitamin A, C, K and folate with a lot of fiber
  • Broccoli: Having high calcium and collagen content, broccoli helps in making strong bones. 
  • Seafood especially salmon: provides Omega 3 fatty acids
  • Berries: All type of berries including strawberries, blueberry, black berries, cherries are robust in antioxidants along with vitamins and minerals
  • Beans and Legumes: are loaded with fibers, vitamins, minerals, including B-vitamins, iron, zinc, calcium and magnesium. 

How to Choose Superfoods? 

If you observe the list of superfoods, most of them are least processed and plant based. Keeping this point in mind, make sure you avoid food that is processed and marketed as superfoods. It is better to look at the food label before you buy and read the label for its nutritional facts, ingredients like sugar content, sodium and other chemicals which can do more harm than good. Choose something that is natural and least processed but remember, just adding superfoods to your diet may not make you healthy. Having them in the right quantity, with a balanced meal, right exercise and healthy lifestyle habits are equally important. 

Certain superfoods may not be suitable to everyone due to allergies, such as allergies towards nuts or seeds. People with any acute or chronic health conditions need to consult their dietitian before they try any new food. Healthy people can always include one or two superfoods daily to enjoy optimum health! 

We hope this article helps you. For more on nutrition, check out Healthy Reads. To get more information on superfoods, how to choose them and what to eat, speak to a GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalised health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr 

#BeTheForce 

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Yogesh Shah Manages Multiple Illnesses & Gets Healthy With GOQii

Yogesh Shah

Often, managing just one condition can be an insurmountable task. Imagine working your whole life, while your physical, mental and emotional health just spiral downward, while the number of pills you take keep increasing. Our Player Yogesh Shah was in such a predicament where he was dealing with multiple illnesses but managed to overcome them with help from his GOQii Coach Deepali Sharma. Here’s how Yogesh Shah wrote his own Health Story. 

Dealing With Multiple Illnesses 

Based in Ahmedabad’s Mani Nagar, Yogesh Shah is a 63 year old retired Government Employee. He said that he had a hectic schedule. “There were times when I would work from 7am to 11pm, never even having the sun’s rays hitting my body for years,” he said. 

Erratic work hours led to bad eating habits, disturbed sleep and high levels of acidity as he consumed a lot of tea. Yogesh Shah told us that this was his routine for 36 years of his work life. While he was extremely dedicated and diligent towards his work, it took a toll on his health. He suffered from multiple issues which included weight gain, diabetes, hypertension, disturbed lipid profile, chronic stress, bipolar disorder, gastric trouble, anxiety (8-10 attacks a month), palpitations and cervical pain due to a surgery he had 4 years back. 

Till 2021, he used to pop 18 tablets daily. Around Dec 2020, he was consuming 26 tablets which included medication for COVID. Despite the issues, he was positive and did not let his conditions damper his way of life.

“I realized I was not doing the right things and that this was taking a toll on my health but, I did not do anything about it,” says Yogesh Shah. The health issues started around 1992 and aggravated in 10 years. His family was worried and felt helpless about not knowing what they could do to help him.

Making A Positive Shift 

He wanted to get better, reduce weight and control his illnesses but was not sure how to go about it. Then, just before retirement, he got to know about GOQii from two young women in his office. They motivated him to go for it. Yogesh Shah purchased GOQII from Amazon in Oct 2021. Initially, he found it difficult to decipher and understand GOQii but, slowly and steadily he was able to understand how the platform works.  

He followed all the instructions given to him by his Coach Deepali Sharma. She introduced small changes which had a big impact. Over the course of time, he has been able to improve his health and control his illnesses. He says, “Initially I could not understand my coach but then slowly, I started understanding. Some of the changes she brought about made quite a difference.”  

His daily routine begins with praying, then gardening in his little kitchen garden. He follows this up with morning meditation for which he follows Coach Rounak Gajjar on GOQii Play. He also follows Coach Sheetal Tewari and Coack Bhumika Unniyal for yoga, meditation and pranayama. 

Currently, he walks about 15km on most days whereas before, he would feel breathless even after 1km. On the International Day of Yoga on June 21, he walked 21km. He says that he now wants to participate in the GOQii Trail Challenge 2022. 

“Coach Deepali has given me a lot of habits and I follow them religiously. Hence, I have been able to make a change!” he says.

What Are The Results Of Yogesh Shah’s Efforts? 

“Nothing will work unless you do. You need to work hard to achieve your goal. This is something which my Player Yogesh Shah has proven with flying colours,” says Coach Deepali Sharma. “Initially, he had multiple issues like weight gain, uncontrolled sugar levels, disturbed lipid profile, chronic stress, bipolar disorder, gastric trouble, anxiety and palpitations.

He used to feel tired after a kilometer walk and now, he is on 21km, which is equivalent to a half marathon. His HbA1c came down from 8% to 6% with almost controlled Fasting blood sugar. Episodes of anxiety dropped drastically from 10-12 episodes to almost nil now. Symptoms like shivering, headache, restlessness are completely out of our book, which were quite prominent before,” she says.

“It’s not stress that kills us but it is our reaction to it and Mr. Yogesh was outstanding in cultivating that positivity with intrinsic motivation. Stress was affecting his sleep a lot. With hard work and determination, he is now out of his anxiety medicines. We worked on setting a sleep-wake cycle as well and relaxation exercises also helped us a lot. I have seen an incredible improvement in his sleep from 2-3 hrs to an average of 5-6 hrs as of now. He is a person with a clear vision and that’s the reason we lost good weight. He is 71.25kg (latest) which was  82 kg when we started. This was achieved by keeping post sunset meals light, adding healthy snacks and carb control,” says Coach Deepali Sharma. 

As of now, Yogesh Shah’s medication has been reduced to 13 pills. You can view Yogesh’s entire journey as he speaks to our Founder & CEO Vishal Gondal on an episode of GOQii Health Stories.

Do you suffer from similar conditions? Did this story inspire you to make a lifestyle change? Then reach out to a GOQii Coach and subscribe for personalized health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

For more inspiring Health Stories, check out Healthy Reads. 

#BeTheForce  

From Terminal Illness To Complete Wellness! Ananda Mukherjee Health Story

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