SERENITY AT THE SEASHORE

After months of ignoring fitness, FACT’s Asad Khan headed to the Sheraton Grand Doha Resort & Convention Hotel to get back on track, re-energise and de-stress.

Staying fit is of the essence in order to keep healthy. One of my New Year’s resolutions is to focus on well-being and fitness. For the last few months eating out and no gym have been a kind of a thing. With so many events happening round the clock, I have barely had time for some physical activity to keep myself energetic, refreshed and refuelled. And so, when I got some time off for the festive season — there’s nothing I wanted more than to head to Sheraton Grand Doha Resort & Convention Hotel and be part of their fitness regimen. The Sheraton Fitness Center offers fitness classes, an outdoor pool, beach access and on-site spa services. An unusually hot day during this time of the year turned out to be favorable for me to get in the pool and enjoy the waters to the max.The outdoor pool featured loungers, a shaded children’s pool, which was absolutely bliss for anyone doing hardcore swimming without the fear of someone coming in between and disrupting the flow, and a Jacuzzi overlooking the Arabian Gulf. I’ve never been great at swimming but the attempt to get better takes extra energy owing to the constant clumsy movements of arms and legs. The co-ordination has always been the hard part for me. But lifeguards at the pool really guided me in terms of the technique. Apart from professional trainers in the pool, since Sheraton is family centric hotel, I also spotted many dads teaching their kids to swim and helping them cope with the water.

 

After an hour-and-a-half at the pool, I headed to the beach to enjoy some nature as I breathed in the fresh air with picturesque Doha’s skyline in the background. The water was cold but the sun quite complemented the contrasting effect. This had to be one of the cleanest beaches in Doha. If you think I just rested on the lounger for brief tanning — you’re wrong. I went all in, trying to float and swim in the salty water before it was time for my massage appointment at the Fitness Center.Between gyms with luxe amenities and instructors, Sheraton Fitness offers something for everyone aiming for a healthy lifestyle. Whether you’re training for a race or trying to incorporate more cardio into your regimen, the friendly and knowledgeable instructors are there to help in the gym. The membership gives the benefits of accessing the fitness centre, resort, and fitness classes along with complimentary non-motorised watersports rental. There are also certain discounts available on food and beverage, massage treatments, salon services and laundry.

 

After a day of swimming, especially after a long break from physical activity, massage was really important to release stress from my muscles and relax the body. I was advised to take Swedish Massage with lavender oil to help reduce stress and ‘to improve sleep’ and I can happily say that the massage was deep enough (I love deep tissue massages), and left me feeling so much more relaxed. My masseuse, Ganga, not only managed to strike the perfect balance between intensity and comfort, but her rolls, kneads and strokes lulled me into an extremely Zen state. Post firm-yet-delicate, enjoyable-yet-probing massage, I headed to Hatha Yoga, The Transformation by Vishnu.

Physical postures are just one aspect of it. Many people confuse it with exercise but Vishnu explained the class before delving deep into its benefits and the innumerable postures the body can take and the meaning of hatha — balancing the sun and moon in you. Starting with deep breathing exercises (pranayama) followed by asana (yoga postures), mudra (hand gestures) and finally cleansing techniques to de-stress the mind and body.

If you’re looking for a fitness escape, Sheraton Fitness Center is a great place to go. You’ll feel energised and mentally and physically fit. ✤

GO: CALL 4485 4600 FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO MAKE A RESERVATION.