Visitors to Al Khor Mall getting themselves registered for the ‘Mall Walk’.
DOHA: Many families gathered at the Al Khor Mall and Hyatt Plaza yesterday to take part in Aspire Zone Foundation’s (AZF) ‘Walk More: Walk’ the Mall initiative.
The two shopping centres, dubbed the ‘healthy malls’ which was created under AZF’s step into health initiative, aims to encourage people to stay fit this summer by walking in malls. Fouad Madhahka, a sports physiology specialist at Aspetar and a representative of step into health, said: “We are absolutely delighted with the overwhelming response we’ve received. Through this initiative, we aim to encourage people to be more active during the summer and to provide them with innovative initiatives which help them overcome the laziness associated with the summer heat.”
He continued, “The Hyatt Plaza route includes an estimated 1,200 steps and is designed to take approximately 12 minutes to complete, burning 70 calories along the way. Meanwhile, the Al Khor circuit involves an estimated 2,000 steps over 20 minutes, accounting for around 100 calories.”
The simultaneous launches featured activities for the whole family, including raffles, health checks and a range of free gifts for participants. In addition, pedometers were given to the first 100 people to finish the route.
The raffle prizes contributed by Commercialbank, Ooredoo, Hyatt Plaza and Al Khor Mall, included iPhones, Samsung Galaxies, iPad Minis and vouchers.
The four winners at Al Khor Mall were Kulthum Madeen, Rajesh Patter, Aneesha and Mohamed Ali, while Rania Abdel Haleem, Sarah Abdel Rahman, Sejleh Manhaz Aptehdi and Sarah Fananag were the winners at Hyatt Plaza.
The step into health team was on hand to help participants identify the circuit, as well as distribute flyers containing additional information about the initiative and how best to benefit from the programme.
General Manager of Hyatt Plaza, Feroz Moideen, said: “This is an excellent idea, especially in the Middle East. With the summer kicking in there is nowhere for people to exercise. Being able to work out in malls is going to motivate members of the community to walk.”
Al Khor Mall and Hyatt Plaza are open daily from 8am to 12 midnight. People are encouraged to use the facilities as walking venues before shops open, between 8am and 10am, or after they close between 10pm and 12am.
Aysha Hassan, a Qatari citizen, praised AZF for its commitment to promoting healthy lifestyles.
“This is a fantastic initiative,” she said. “Aspire Zone Foundation consistently provides the community with events and activities for the whole family. The timing is perfect as outside temperatures have begun to rise, limiting our ability to exercise. This initiative has provided the community with the opportunity to exercise in a comfortable and air-conditioned environment,” Hassan said. The Peninsula
