Abu Dhabi resident Daniel Hughes is no stranger to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but is gradually starting to see physical improvements himself thanks to the GOQii Life wristband device.
Having taken part in sports for the past 10 years, the (2002) Athens and Dubai marathons are just some of the hundreds of events Hughes has taken part in.
However challenging that has been, and keen to improve his overall physical and mentally abilities, Hughes tried the GOQii Life device last year and is beginning to see positive results.
Since launching in 2014, GOQii Life has proven to be a huge success worldwide and the UAE is no different with around 300 people using the device.
With plenty of impressive fitness tracking apps and devices in the market, the GOQii Life stands out from the rest.
While the number of steps, calories and distance is all counted – like many of the wristbands today – the GOQii Life comes with a personalised qualified coach, located around the world which will help you achieve your goals through text messages and video chat.
“There are a lot of apps out there that are very good in the market but none of them have a choice of having your own coach who you can keep in contact with and will help you monitor your progress,” said Hughes, who has been using the wristband for more than one year and is the Master Coach for GOQii Life in the UAE.
“And I think this is what makes the GOQii Life different from the other competitors on the market.”
Available online at www.souq.com from Dh349, you can subscribe for six or 12 months. Based on your answers in the compulsory questionnaire you must fill in before any activity, you have a range of coaches (with different expertise) to choose from, who will be able to offer you tips and advice to improve.
As the wristband is also synced to your smart phone, the coach will be able to monitor your progress as well as share pictures of what you eat and drink for their advice.
And having the qualified coach is an extra significance, according to Hughes.
He said: “I’ve got a coach based in India whom I chose based on their background and knowledge of nutrition which I was interested in improving. We hold regular Skype sessions to see how I’m doing and she gives me personal goals to achieve.
“The wristband linked to the app on my smart phone is a huge advantage as the coach can see my progress. I can also send pictures of the food I eat and she can analyse it and see if I’m getting enough nutrition in my diet or propose an alternative plan. Having that human element makes it so much better than those standard ones which is good because you can motivate yourself, but when someone is encouraging you, it completely changes the experience.”
With plenty of community sporting events in the UAE as well as people’s training regimes, Hughes insists the GOQii Life is an added bonus that will deliver results.
“Unless you have a perfect approach to being healthy there is something in it for everybody,” said Hughes, who is also the president of Abu Dhabi Triathlon Club. “It tackles everything from nutrition, fitness, exercise programmes to personal goals.
Whatever issue you got, there is an expert there for it and there are a number of coaches available globally.
“As much as we’d like to think, we’re not experts in everything.
“Myself for example, I only now drink three cups of coffee per day and drink more water after consulting with my coach. That has definitely improved my diet and I feel much better than I was a couple of months back.
“As well as the data of how many calories I’ve burned and distance I’ve travelled, I’m now finding my speed training sessions are much easier given that change in the diet.”
To spur you on, once your targets are met, you will earn ‘Karma’ points which can be donated to a charity of your choice.
