’This luxury wellness centre in Crete changed the way I work out forever’
There’s lots of things I want from a five-star holiday - crisp bedlinen, a bangin’ infinity pool, delicious spritzes on tap and a breakfast buffet my tastebuds will long for once I’m home.
This checklist was on my mind as I arrived at Crete’s Daios Cove, an exclusive resort tucked into a secluded cove (well, duh) on the east of the island. And yet, what I took from my four-day break - aside from a newfound appreciation for feta - was a geek-level understanding of how my body burns fuel, and how that can (and should) inform the way I exercise.
This new knowledge came via the Kepos by Goco wellness centre, the new jewel in Daios Cove’s crown. To mention all it offers would mean you’d still be reading this article well past your bedtime, but let’s at least nod to the spa treatment rooms, two indoor pools, a glass-walled yoga studio overlooking the bay, cryotherapy chamber, infrared sauna, indoor gym comprising of separate cardio and resistance areas an outdoor fitness space complete with rig, cardio kit and weights.
Suffice to say, there are myriad ways to get your sweat on, then recover and relax in ways your body will thank you for.
But the real goodies are the diagnostic tests run by Kepos’ medical team of doctors and nutritionists.
So what health metrics did you learn?
First, there was a 3D Styku body scan, where I stood on a low platform, which rotated 360* for 25 seconds, while the machinery scanned my body head to toe. The wellness summary includes body fat percentage, fat mass, fat-free mass and cm measurements of all areas of the body, such as bicep, calf, neck, hip, thigh and lower waist. Based on my body composition, the report then places me on a scale relative to the average stats of women my age; for fat percentage, waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio. From there, the team discussed health and weight maintenance goals in line with the findings.
But my biggest takeaway was from a Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) test, which involves lying down on a bed, as relaxed as possible, wearing a face mask over the nose and mouth and a heart rate band under the bust, while the kit monitors your breathing for 10-12 minutes.
By recording how much oxygen you take in, and how much carbon dioxide you breathe out, the clever kit works out how many calories your body burns at rest. From that, the metrics it delivers include metabolic rate, heart fitness and lung fitness - and how my body generates energy.
Apparently, my metabolism uses 10% fats and 90% carbohydrates to produce energy, which it turns out is a less than ideal ratio. For the body to burn fat to convert to energy, the process requires oxygen; the more oxygen your cells can absorb and use, the healthier they are - and we all know optimum cellular health is critical if your goal is living a long and healthful life. So the higher that fat burn percentage, the healthier the ratio.
As well as being told to bump up the healthy fats in my diet, which along with good sources of protein would mean I’m less likely to crave and fill up on high-sugar carbs (croissants, and the like), I was introduced to the concept of Zone 2 training. It means exercising at a light, conversational pace to maintain your heart rate between 60-70% of its maximum, because its at that point the body uses fat as fuel - kickstarting your fat-burning efficiency generally.
Music to the ears of this HIIT-hating, Peloton-loving exerciser. Since coming home, I’ve switched up my workout routine - I do a 60-min spin ride (making sure my heart rate stays in Zone 2) four-five days a week, then add in strength sessions on the remaining days. A legitimate reason to avoid burpees, at least for the foreseeable? Best holiday experience ever.
Sounds fascinating. Now, how luxurious are we talking?
Daios Cove is five-star and damn, does it deserve every one of ‘em. From the moment you arrive, it feels like the staff (decked out impeccably in tailored neutrals) glide rather than walk around the elegant interiors.
The exclusive resort is surprisingly large but manages to create a vibe that just the lucky few, you included, are permitted to enjoy. Depending on which ‘road’ you’re staying, you’ll walk, take the funicular (a glass carriage that glides up and down the mountain) or hop on a golf buggy, to all of the amenities located centrally.
Are there any outdoor sports?
The crystal-clear waters of the Aegean Sea are there for the taking, whether you choose to gaze at them from your room’s private infinity pool, dip your toes in the surf of the resort’s exclusive beach or water sports like water-skiing, paddle-boarding and scuba-diving whet your appetite.
Speaking of appetites - how’s the food?
Oh, your tastebuds won’t know what hit them. Crete naturally boasts the heart-healthy antioxidant-aplenty Mediterranean diet and every plate at Daios Cove is packed with local, seasonal produce. There’s six eateries in all, which offer a mix of feast-for-the-eyes buffets and three restaurants serving delicious Med cuisine with an Asian and Latin-American twist.
Bursting with as much flavour as they do colour, the salads alone are enough to make you want to cast off your old life at home and stay, forever gorging on ceramic bowls piled with combinations of cherry tomatoes, cucumber, green beans, feta cheese, avocado, calamari, pickled peppers and EVOO.
Months later, I’m still dreaming about the creaminess of the feta cheese; the hard cubes on offer in my local supermarket are such a pathetic substitute, me and my tastebuds are planning our next trip as I write.
Sovereign Luxury Travel has a seven night stay at Daios Cove Luxury Resort and Villas priced from £2,099 per person including flights from Stansted, private transfers, and half board accommodation. Based on a deluxe sea view room travelling on 4 September.
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