Category: Healthier Lifestyle

I wasn’t expecting my last post to get such an emotional reaction. I knew it would spark a respons but I expected more debate and less outrage. About 99.9% of the comments strongly disagreed with the gym’s explanation for why women’s prices were higher than men’s. That was made very clear.

One thing that stood out to me, since it was mentioned multiple times by different people, was the claim that women pay three times more than men for the same gym. So I decided to contact 16 gyms in Kuwait, basically every gym I could find that offered facilities for both men and women, to see which one was charging three times more for women. Here’s what I found:

Men pay more at 6 gyms
Women pay more at 4 gyms
6 gyms have the same price for men and women.

When men pay more, it’s by 18.8% on average.
When women pay more, it’s by 25.6% on average.

I couldn’t find a gym where the women’s membership was three times more than the men’s. Maybe that comparison is being made between different gyms, like a one-year subscription at Oxygen in Mangaf for men (KD 200) versus a one year subscription for women at Platinum Sabah Al-Salem (KD 720). In this specific case, women would be paying three times more, but it’s not a fair comparison.

There were comments about Platinum’s Sabah Al-Salem branch specifically. The membership there is KD 390 a year for men and KD 720 a year for women. Oxygen has a men’s gym in Sabah Al-Salem that charges KD 440 a year, so Platinum is likely keeping the men’s price lower to compete is my guess.

In any case, if you don’t like that your gym charges a pink tax, leave the gym. If a gym charges a pink tax and women are still paying it, the gym has little incentive to reduce their prices.

Check out the list below of gyms in Kuwait that offer membership to both men and women. These are the yearly membership prices:

ARGAN Albida’a Club
Men KD 1,250
Women KD 825

C Club
Men KD 1,750
Women KD 1,350

Circuit+
Men KD 670
Women KD 828

Elite Fitness
Men KD 1,100
Women KD 1,100

ERA Members Club
Men KD 650
Women KD 650

Flare Fitness
Men KD 595
Women KD 720

Edge Fitness (Holiday Inn)
Men KD 479
Women KD 445

Inspire
Men KD 1150
Women KD 1150

Platinum
Men KD 750 (all branches)
Women KD 870 (all branches)

Privus Health Club
Men KD 1,400
Women KD 1,200

Rafa Nadal Academy
Men KD 800
Women KD 800

Spark
Men KD 670 (single branch)
Women KD 950 (single branch)

SVN
Men KD3,000
Women KD2,600

The Burrow
Men KD 1,100
Women KD 1,100

The Champion
Men KD 250
Women KD 250

Viking Club (Radisson Blu)
Men KD 1050
Women KD 825

Note: When checking the prices, keep in mind that some gyms have offers or include additional services with the membership. For more details, DM the gym or call them.

Orion Strom, one of Europe’s fastest-growing mattress brands, has officially opened its first standalone showroom in Kuwait.

The journey that brought the Greek brand here wasn’t led by a marketing push or franchise expansion, but by a personal connection and a shared belief in doing things right. The local owner, a longtime friend of the family behind Orion Strom, had long admired their commitment to craft. When his friend visited Kuwait and toured local mattress stores, they were both struck by the same thing: high prices, low standards, and a market flooded with outdated or gimmicky mattresses that fell short compared to the offerings in the European market.

That moment was the spark. They launched with just one model in Kuwait, selling it without a showroom or proper display. It quickly sold out, reaffirming their belief in the product. That early success led to a carefully developed range of ten models, each tailored to different sleep preferences. Now, with the showroom open, customers can finally see, feel, and experience the difference firsthand.

Founded in 1998, Orion Strom isn’t just another mattress brand, it’s a company built on substance and experience. Their mattresses are made in Greece using certified European components like springs from Portugal, foam from Italy, latex from Belgium, and Kevlar from Bulgaria. If you’re someone who cares about certifications, the factory is TÜV Nord certified and holds four ISO standards. All the materials used in the mattresses are also certified with CertiPUR, OEKO-TEX, and SGS.

Orion Strom focuses on real materials and proper craftsmanship. The mattresses are dense, built to last, and nearly twice the weight of most mattresses in their price range.

This isn’t a mass-market chain, it’s a product-first company, driven by people who believe sleep is serious. If you’re looking for a proper mattress that is designed to give you better sleep and built to last, check them out orion-kw.com or visit them at Waves Mall (Google Maps).

Provin is a local brand that sells high-quality supplements and herbal remedies. They carry around 100 brands, including some really popular ones like NOW, Goli, Thorne, Health Nag, Optimum Nutrition, Sundown, and many more.

A lot of people don’t realize that our extreme heat can actually degrade or spoil supplements if they’re exposed to high temperatures for too long. That’s why Provin is running a “cool” campaign right now.

Every order from Provin comes with a small ice pack in the box. If the ice pack is melted by the time it arrives, just take a photo and send it to Provin, they’ll sort it out for you.

It’s a simple but important initiative, especially in this heat. Getting your supplements delivered cooled means you don’t have to worry about them losing potency or going bad before they even reach you. Provin’s extra step gives you peace of mind that what you’re taking is as fresh and effective as it should be.

If you’ve never ordered from Provin or want to find out more, check them out at provin.me

Spa Time and Men Time were the first specialized luxury spas to open in Kuwait. Known for focusing on traditional healing techniques and body care, they’ve recently introduced two new treatments: a healing massage designed for Office Syndrome and another for tension in the lower legs and feet.

Office Syndrome is a growing health issue caused by poor posture, repetitive movements, and extended periods of inactivity, usually from long hours spent working at a desk or in front of a computer.

Some common symptoms of Office Syndrome include:

• Muscle stiffness and body pain
• Headaches or migraines
• Numbness, tingling, or pain in the limbs
• Eye strain
• Poor circulation and fatigue

I relate to all of the above since I spend so much time sitting in front of a computer. This specialized treatment is actually recommended for people like me, as well as office workers, students, and even gamers.

The second treatment they’ve introduced, which you might also find interesting, is called Tired Leg & Foot Massage. This targeted therapy is designed to relieve fatigue, heaviness, and tension in the lower legs and feet. It’s ideal for people who stand or walk for long periods, travel frequently, or experience poor circulation and swelling in their legs. Sounds like the perfect treatment after a trip that involved a lot of walking.

I’m actually considering trying the Office Syndrome treatment myself, so if any of them also sound like something you’d be into, check them out. They have 7 branches around Kuwait, including in Al Muhallab, Avenues, Al Kout Mall, and Kipco Tower, so chances are there’s one near you. You can find out more on their website here.

Last week I passed by SLO, the new spa at SVN. SLO is a grounding spa sanctuary designed to restore mind, body, and spirit. Until now, SLO had been reserved exclusively for SVN members, but starting last week, they officially opened its doors to the public (Ladies only).

SVN is already a calm and serene place, and SLO builds on that feeling even further. From the moment you step inside, you’re met with a space designed for tranquility. Warm tones, soft lines, and rock-like surfaces inspired by the Mediterranean come together to create an atmosphere of instant peace.

The entire experience is guided by mindfulness, intentional design, and a curated selection of premium treatments rooted in holistic wellness. Their offerings include lymphatic drainage, wood therapy, sculpting massages, and rejuvenating facials, all designed to support long-term wellbeing over short-term fixes.

To further elevate the experience, SLO partnered with Seed to Skin, a luxury skincare brand from Tuscany, Italy. Known for blending ancient herbal wisdom with cutting-edge biotechnology, their products deliver deep, lasting results through a molecular delivery system that transforms skin from within. For more on the brand, visit @seedtoskintuscany on Instagram.

SLO is located inside SVN but has its own access from the side. For bookings and inquiries, you can contact SLO Spa at 97369304 or visit @svn_kw for more information.

This weekend, Kuwait will be hosting the Nawi Wellness Summit 2025, a three-day event focused on health, fitness, and wellness. The event will run from January 9th to 11th and take place at The Arena in 360 Mall. It will be open daily from 10:00 AM  to 10:00 PM and is free to attend.

The summit won’t be a typical event; instead, it will feature engaging and immersive experiences, including:

Exhibition Hall: Explore top companies and brands showing their newest health and wellness products and services.

Interactive Workshops, Seminars, and Panels: Join activities for adults and families, including hands-on workshops, educational talks, and inspiring discussions.

Nawi Museum: Discover Kuwait’s sports history through a unique and immersive installation that takes you on a journey from Kuwait’s pearl diving days, to modern sports achievements.

Entry is free to the exhibition hall which has all the participating booths, retail area as well as food and drinks.

If you’d like access to the workshops, panel discussions, and NAWI Museum, then you need to purchase a VIP ticket. The VIP ticket costs KD25 and gives you 3-days access to the summit and allows you to register in any workshop or panel discussion. The workshops and panels will be held in English or Arabic, with translation provided in English for Arabic discussions and in Arabic for English discussions.

Nawi aims to inspire healthier living, bring people together, and highlight Kuwait’s role in wellness. If you want to register for the event or find out more, head over to yallanawi.com or check out @yalla.nawi

AB Wellness is proud to be Kuwait’s first medical center dedicated to optimizing your health through cutting-edge solutions and holistic treatments. As a medical center, AB Wellness ensures you have access to a dedicated team of doctors and nurses, providing expert care at every step. With global partnerships, the center also brings top visiting doctors from around the world across various fields, offering a truly comprehensive approach to holistic health and the latest in wellness innovations.

With a focus on new and innovative wellness, AB Wellness offers three key categories: Recover, Renew, and Rejuvenate, each designed to enhance your well-being.

Recover emphasizes on healing and restoring the body through advanced therapies designed to alleviate pain, reduce inflammation, and improve overall well-being. With treatments like Cryotherapy, Oxygen Chamber, Infrared Sauna, and Physiotherapy, it’s all about recovery and revitalization.

Renew on the other hand offers rejuvenating experiences aimed at boosting energy levels, detoxifying, and enhancing mental clarity. IV Drips, Sound Healing, and Lymphatic Drainage work to recharge your body and mind, leaving you feeling refreshed.

Finally, Rejuvenate is about indulgence and self-care, offering a range of luxurious treatments to enhance your beauty and well-being. From massages and facials to hair and body treatments, this category is designed to revitalize your appearance and provide a sense of relaxation.

To find out more, head over to @abwellnesskw or albannaywellness.net

I just got an email letting me know that Alive Yoga is reopening again. Alive Yoga used to be my favorite yoga spot before they closed down a few years ago so pretty excited that they’re reopening again.

According to the email initially it will be invite only and then later opened to the public. I think the invitation for now is for previous members hence why I got invited.

The opening date is December 15th. Their instagram isn’t updated but if you want to check it out it’s @aliveyoga

I recently found out the price of Ozempic in the US and it’s over 8x more expensive than Kuwait which is crazy. So I decided to check the prices around the world and Kuwait seems to be pretty good when compared to places like the US or the UAE. Oddly, I think Kuwait is the only country where you don’t need a prescription for it.

Here is a list comparing the price of Ozempic in Kuwait vs other countries:

Australia: KD 26
Bahrain: KD 33
Canada: KD 45
Denmark: KD 37
Egypt: KD 76
France: KD 25
Germany: KD 32
Japan: KD 52
Kuwait: KD 35
Netherlands: KD 32
Qatar: KD 67
Saudi Arabia: KD 31
Sweden: KD 30
Switzerland: KD 44
UAE: KD 95
UK: KD 28
USA: KD 295 (yup, not a typo)

I’ve never signed up to a meal plan because I really disliked the idea of pre-planning meals ahead of time. I never know what I want to eat until I actually want to eat. I also don’t like the idea of getting all my food in the morning, and then having to reheat them whenever it’s time to eat. Forevermore is a meal plan that solved both those issues for me.
 

Instead of having to pre-plan your meals, with Forevermore you just order the food you want when you want it, and you’ll get it within 45 minutes, just like ordering from a restaurant. But, their app is what makes them really special.

Imagine if the MyFitnessPal app also had a built-in restaurant, that’s basically what Forevermore is. When you first create a Forevermore account, the app will ask you a few questions about yourself,  like how much you weigh, how much you’d like to lose, and how quickly. Based on your answers, the app will calculate an optimum daily calorie intake for you which then becomes your daily target. Whenever you order anything from Forevermore, the app deducts the calories from your daily intake and lets you keep track of how much more you have left. It’s all visually displayed and updated throughout the day, and it can even connect to your phone’s health info to know if you worked out and how many calories you burned.

I’ve actually been enjoying the experience so much that after I finished consuming the one month trial package they had hooked me up with, I signed myself up for another month so I could continue ordering. I already have a lot of favorite items including their murabyan, mushroom steak bowl, butter chicken, fish & chips, katsu curry and their short ribs & mash.

If you’re looking for a new meal plan and want to try Forevermore out, they have a new summer package that goes live today called FM Bite where you can sign up for their meal plan at just 75KD. But, they also have a special trial package for my readers right now. Contact their call center on 22909427 and let them you heard about them through 248AM and they’ll give you a 25KD trial package that is valid for 1 week. Check them out on @forevermore.fm or download the app from this link.

SVN, the new wellness luxury resort opening in place of Corniche Club is officially opening on January 1st.

The resort is really really beautiful I can’t emphasize that enough, everything about it from the color palette to the material choices and furniture was well thought out with no expense spared.

The resort is split up into various sections, the top floor has the main gym which includes all the best equipment from Technogym and a 270-degree view of the sea and resort. The top floor also has a women-only gym and separate PT training areas. It’s a very chill vibe but if you’re into heavy lifting or Crossfit, there is a second gym on the lower floor which they’ve nicknamed the dungeon.

The lower floor gym has a completely different look and feel from the rest of the resort with an all-black color scheme and flashing LED lights. This is where you’ll find all the free weights as well as a separate spinning room and a Les Mills studio. On the opposite end of the resort also on the lower floor are the yoga and pilates studios which once inside feels very calming with green grass outside and the tall LA-like palm trees lined up outside the windows.

You also have indoor and outdoor racket courts, a one-hoop basketball court, an indoor pool, two outdoor swimming pools, and various other facilities. The main pool is the one near the main building and allows children but the second pool is an adults-only infinity pool located at the far end of the resort and surrounded by cabanas.

So what are the prices?

Single Male: KD3,000 per year
Single Female: KD2,600 per year
Married Couple: KD4,000 per year
Family (Couple + 2 kids): KD4,900 per year

There really isn’t any place like this in Kuwait. The price puts it out of the reach of a lot of people, but for those who can afford it, they’re going to love the fact a place this nice exists now. If you’re interested in signing up or getting a tour of the resort you can apply through their website svnkw.com

A couple of months back, Fitbit sent me their latest fitness tracker to review, the Alta HR. I’m a mechanical watch kind of guy and so don’t own an Apple Watch so figured this would be a good alternative. I’d be able to keep wearing my mechanical watches on one wrist, and a fitness tracker on the other.

The Fitbit Alta HR is a pretty great looking tracker, it’s slim and looks like a regular rubber bracelet and so can be worn on the opposite wrist of your watch and not look like you’re wearing two watches. The biggest selling point for me with the Fitbit was the fact it had a heart rate monitor. I’ve been going to spinning quite a bit and was curious to know how many calories I was burning exactly. Since the Fitbit could monitor my heart rate, I assumed it would be great at that one job… it wasn’t. But I’ll get to that in a minute.

The Alta HR has a pretty simple and straight forward screen that can display the time, your heart rate, how many steps you’ve done, how many calories you’ve burned and a bunch of other information. You flip through the screens by tapping the screen and using the Fitbit app on your phone, you can even customize what information you want to show on the screen and in what order. So in my case the first screen would show me my heart rate, second screen the calories burned, followed by my active minutes and finally the battery life.

I like the screen because of its simplicity but I hate the responsiveness of it. I have quick view turned off since I don’t want the screen to turn on randomly when I raise or flick my wrist, so to turn the screen on I need to tap it. Problem is, 99% of the time it doesn’t turn on with the first tap, 70% of the time it doesn’t turn on with the second tap, 30% of the time it doesn’t turn on with the 3rd tap either. I have to tap the screen a few times to get it to wake up and thats very frustrating. The other major issue I have with the Alta HR is that the heart rate monitor doesn’t seem to work when I’m sweaty which is when I need it to work the most since thats when I’m working out. During spinning when I’m curious to see my heart rate, I need to tap a few times on the screen to turn it on and when it finally would come on I’d get “–” which means it can’t read my heart rate. Then the screen shuts off again and I tap it a few times to wake it up and I get “–” again. Then the screen shuts off and I tap it again a few times and suddenly its reading my heart rate and showing “148” or whatever my heart rate is at that moment. So much work and in the middle of spinning its really unpractical.

The worst part is it doesn’t seem to be accurate at all. Saturday I ditched my gym and didn’t do any exercise other than binge watch season 2 of “F is for Family” and my Fitbit says I burned 2,995 calories that day. Yesterday on the other hand I had 45 minutes of spinning and my Fitbit says I burned 3,084 calories all day. It won’t do the one thing I wanted the Fitbit to do which is let me know how many calories I’m burning during spinning. It doesn’t make any sense.

On the bright side, it does seem to be good at doing one thing really well, monitoring my sleep. The Fitbit is pretty accurate in knowing when you fall asleep and when you wake up. It also uses your heart rate to monitor how much deep sleep you’re getting, if you’re waking up in the middle of the night and how much light sleep you’re getting. So if you want to monitor your sleeping patterns this is actually a pretty great tracker for that. Another great feature is the ability to vibrate when you get a phone call or message. My phone is always on silent and I tend to not notice it vibrating sometimes. Now my wrist vibrates as well and so I haven’t missed a call ever since I started wearing the Fitbit. Battery life on this thing is also fantastic, it lasts around a week of constant use which means you don’t have to constantly be charging it.

Overall though I’m pretty disappointed with the Alta HR. The biggest selling point for me was the ability to monitor my heart rate and let me know how many calories I was burning but that didn’t work out as planned. The FitBit Alta HR is selling for around KD54 on [Xcite] and KD59 on [Blink]. Here is a link to the official Fitbit Alta HR product page [Link]

Seven years ago I decided to get off the couch and join a gym. I was overweight, I was eating extremely unhealthy and I wasn’t involved in any sort of physical activity. Through my blog I ended up meeting Fahad (aka Trying to be Fahad / @thedietninja) who invited me to come by and try out his gym called Core Fitness, and ever since I haven’t stopped going.

Lots of gyms have popped in the past seven years, a lot of beautiful looking gyms but I kept going to Core mostly because I was comfortable there and because I had my routine and didn’t want to break it. It was a small personal training gym, maximum three people at once (each with their own PT) and it was an all guys gym which I’m always more comfortable in. But the place really didn’t change much over the years and although I didn’t mind it, when I recommended it to friends they always found it visually underwhelming.

But recently, things changed drastically. First thing that happened was we moved to a new location, the 10th floor of the new Crystal Tower in Kuwait City. The second change was that the gym changed its name from Core Fitness to XAthletic and with that, a complete revamp of the brand and interior look (which now resembles a traditional gentlemen’s club). They also brought in a bunch of new trainers and replaced all the previous gym equipment with beautiful new ones. And my favorite part? They installed four huge ass speakers in the gym that pump out a ton of bass. Pretty dramatic overnight changes and I’m loving it so far and there are supposedly more things coming.

The gym is currently in its soft launch phase but is officially opening on May 1st. If you’re interested in finding out more you could check out their instagram account @x.athletic

Last week I found out there was a new yoga studio at Hamra Tower called Project 5 Miles (P5M). P5M is a social health initiative aiming to make healthy lifestyle everyone’s commodity. I had heard of them before because they used to hold fitness sessions at Al Shaheed Park, and the new P5M studio in Hamra Tower is a new addition to their activities.

I have an Alive Yoga membership but a friend of mine wanted to do yoga with me this weekend so we decided to try out P5M since the cost per session is just KD5. The P5M studio is located on the 55th floor lobby of Hamra Tower in Kuwait City. It’s not easy to find since it’s kinda hidden but when you come out of the elevator, the entrance to the studio is located behind the large pillar on the right side.

The studio is a beautiful space with a really high ceiling and a beautiful view. They have a bunch of classes with different trainers. We went to the 11AM class yesterday that was being taught by Nawaf Al Ali whom I’ve taken classes with before. It was a very chill and small class and I really enjoyed it. The class I went to was mixed but they also have ladies only classes as well.

The P5M studio is a pop-up studio meaning its not there permanently but only on a temporary basis. Like I mentioned above, their classes are just KD5, so if you’re interested in taking a yoga class there, make sure you check out their instagram page @project5miles and also their website project5miles.com

Tip: Bring your own water bottle and towel, they provide mats, blocks and straps.

Let’s face it. We’ve all been on vacation. We all know what it’s like to gain a pound or two or five. I have been a victim of really good food in foreign places. Yes, I ate the pizza. Yes, I ate the pasta. And, yes the fried things were delicious. I was a victim of not caring about the consequences of weight gain. Because, I was the one at the table ordering dessert. I was the one ordering the ‘Lava Fudge’ chocolate thing, when everyone else was full. I was a victim of really good food. If this sounds familiar, if this sounds like you, then maybe we can be friends.
I was like, sure, I’ll just go back to Kuwait and I’ll eat like a human being again, that’s easy. It wasn’t and I didn’t. Getting back into the groove was the single hardest thing I ever had to do. At work, when people ordered from ‘X’ I ordered the carbs. I ordered the hummus with the bread. It was me. It was pretty sad to lose so much self-control. It was sad when I realized I lost the battle to ‘batata hara’. I am not proud, but such things happen.

After gaining an inordinate amount of weight, I realized maybe I should opt for one of those diet delivery services. Having a preset menu each day, means I can limit myself from gorging when the only option was left-over machboos when I got home from work.

There were many, as you may already know. Most of these delivery services focused on low calorie and horrible carb intake. They would serve you mrabyan and baryani things. Their nutritions were off. They had lasagna Thursdays, pasta Tuesdays, macbhoos Mondays. But no fiber Saturdays, or low carb Sundays. They were just low calorie empty carbs that did nothing but slow down your metabolism. Basically, their “diet” plans could have been planned by Qamar Al-Din (our driver) and none would be the wiser.

I recently discovered that there are crazy Eastern European specialist who decided to start a diet service, there are at last count 4 that I could find on Instagram. It was interesting and I immediately subscribed. They had paleo options, low carb options…etc, I went with the simple low carb one. Chicken, fish and veggie main dishes. I lasted about a week, right before the problems started to happen. The problem was, they weren’t chefs, and it showed. They did things to passion fruit and chocolate pudding, that they probably shouldn’t have. Not to get into a lot of detail, but I ended up referring to them at work to ‘allah iykarm al ni3ma’ box that I gave to the cleaning crew.

What was even more absurd was the 220 and 240 kd they were asking for a 3 meal plan and a snack for 26 days. Being the fat person that I was post my Mykonos trip, I thought “yes, that was the price to pay for not having a six pack.” but it wasn’t. These people are crazy, Eastern European trainers who wouldn’t know any better. And the less said about the bigger “diet” companies the better. Those were a complete joke. Fun fact number 1: Did you know some of them charge 40 kd to do a blood test to determine your “diet meal plan” but end up giving you the same meal plan as everyone else? Because your blood type has nothing to do with what ever food you should be shoving down your mouth.

Skip here for tldr;

So to summarize: Diet food delivery services tend not to taste so good (at least for me, if you love it, all the power to you), they’re not constantly nutritious (also debatable, but bare with me) and those that were nutritious were just inedible (I have yet to find a service that would break this rule). Worst of all, I’ve come to learn that they take a really big margin.

I did the math, basically it costs 200-240kd for a full 26 day program (breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack) depending on who you talk to.

But, I came to a much more interesting conclusion. If you are as lazy as I am, and you want to have your meals delivered to you without thinking about the consequences, there are options. Options much better than the ones mentioned above.

If this post gets some traction, I’d like to update this with a different restaurant every other month. But, for this month I am going to make a ‘weight lose’ plan for Pick Yo. The focus here is on a low carb and aggressively low calorie diet (1200-1300 calories).

Below is a link to a schedule of meals that you can get from Pick that will give you the daily recommended dosage of protein and carbs all for the super low cost of 188 kd a month. Also, it’s not disgusting. I’ve also attached an excel sheet (and Apple Numbers for all you Mac fans) to change the plan around to your desired outcome. Let me know what you think!

Link to [PDF]
Link to [Excel]
Link to [Numbers]

Please note, that I am not a trained dietitian, or an expert on anything. You might die if you follow this diet, but probably not. Basically, the advice you’re getting here is the same one you’ll be getting from any/most/all diet services available in the country today. Only with less BS.

Happy weight loss.

Post by Saud Alkhateib, an amateur Photographer/Videographer who also really loves food. Founder of Saudk.com.