January’s – ‘The Positivity Issue’ – Download Now
Asma Hilal Lootah is a woman of firsts and has paved the way in the wellness space in the UAE after opening the first fully certified health clinic and wellness centre – The Hundred Wellness Centre – in the country in 2008. With a truly entrepreneurial spirit, it was Lootah’s love for Pilates which sparked her to launch The Hundred nine years ago. The centre has now expanded into so many other avenues under the wellness umbrella including rehabilitation, homeopathy, chiropractic therapies, emotional therapies and life coaching.
Lootah sat down with to talk us through her journey in the wellness space, being a pioneer in the UAE, the challenges she’s faced as an entrepreneur, some key treatments at The Hundred and more.
What inspired you to open The Hundred Wellness Centre?
Following my studies in Washington DC, I moved back to the UAE and it was a bit of a shock to the system. I was trying to find myself when my sister invited me to a Pilates class, and it really changed my life. I loved the routine, movement, social connection and my teacher. It fueled a year of self-discovery and helped me feel more positive about life. When my brother suggested opening my own studio, I knew it was the right thing to do.
I opened the Hundred Pilates Studio in 2008, and in 2011 this evolved into The Hundred Wellness Centre. Pilates had such an incredible impact on my life, mental health and overall wellbeing, and I wanted to be able to help others achieve the same. The Wellness Centre provides rehabilitation, homeopathy, chiropractic therapies, emotional therapies and life coaching and a health-food café, which grew organically to serve and care for the people of the UAE.
You went for corporate to entrepreneur life – tell us about this?
Yes, of course, there is risk involved which is something I continuously strive to manage. I try to focus on my goals and avoid thinking about the obstacles or things that may get in the way. When you believe in yourself and your vision, as well as listen to your gut and intuition, we really can achieve anything.
It took a great deal of self-work before I set up the centre, I knew I wanted to start my own business and turn my hobbies into my career. I analysed myself, my wants, needs and passions; asked myself who I am, what I love, and how I could help serve my country, and gradually found the answers. Self-reflection is an ongoing process and so integral to becoming an entrepreneur.
What was the reaction of those who support you when you opened The Hundred?
I am so grateful for the support I have received from my whole family. When I first opened the Pilates studio in 2008, my parents were very sceptical, they didn’t really understand what I was doing or know what Pilates was. We were the second Pilates studio to open in the UAE, so there wasn’t a large understanding of it in the region and it must have looked risky to them.
After they saw how passionate I was, the energy in the studio and the community we built, my father kindly offered me his villa in Jumeirah for us to use. We completely rebuilt from the ground up it in 2011, and it gave us the space to be able to offer more services, therapies and a health food café, which was always a dream of mine.
Where did your love of Pilates originate?
I truly believe there is a connection woven throughout all of our lives, and when you look back you can join the dots together. It wasn’t until my sister told me I found out about a Pilates studio in Dubai, it was the only one in the Emirate at that time. My sister heard about the rehabilitation and benefits of the exercises and introduced me to it, sparking a new passion and hobby.
How has The Hundred evolved since you opened in 2008?
It really has been such a journey. Our first studio was located in Healthcare City, and I remember visualizing starting a wellness movement in Dubai. I have always tried to listen to our clients, find out what they need and how we can help them find happiness. A lot of the time, people want to feel loved, supported and cared for. I wanted to create a holistic safe space for clients to feel connected, whether they just want to visit the café, read a book in the garden or have a session with one of our therapists or instructors.
How does it feel to be a leading female entrepreneur in the region?
Thank you! Often, when I am in the process and working away, I get so caught up in my current focus that I don’t always recognize everything we have achieved. It can be hard sometimes, women can be stereotyped, and we do face challenges, but I try to focus on how my work can help others, and myself. It really warms my heart when I receive kind words, nice feedback and hearing about how the centre has impacted someone’s life. The small sentiments from our clients fill me with pride.
Talk us through the name ‘The Hundred’.
The name of the centre was inspired by a posture, The Hundred, a deeply meditative Pilates exercise that focuses the mind, warms the body deeply, gets the circulation going and the lungs working. Held for the duration of 100 breaths, it prepares the body and mind for transformation. This movement evokes fond memories with my first Pilates group.
What has your journey as an entrepreneur been like?
Exciting, rewarding and heartwarming, despite the hurdles that we have faced. I live by the motto, “If there is a will, there is a way”. I followed my gut instincts and had to believe in myself and my vision. It is not always easy, but I accept the challenges as a part of the journey and consider them as lessons that are here to teach me something. As a business owner, I think there is a constant need to self-reflect and pay attention to the small things. Once you are in tune with yourself, everything gets a lot easier.
How does the centre ensure it instils positivity in its clients?
Every detail throughout the centre has been designed and curated to positively impact the subconscious mind. Subtle detailing, such as the beautiful quotes written on the mirrors and in the bathroom, as well as the lyrics in the music that plays, are easily absorbed by our brains without us even really noticing.
Our team has an amazing collective energy, that fuels a kind and supportive environment for all who enter. As a team, we work really hard to harness the same values and visions, and this has such a positive impact for both us and our clients.
It’s incredible to see how much The Hundred has expanded into different realms of wellness. What treatment would you recommend for everyone to try?
My favourite thing about the centre, is that it can provide an entirely different experience in every visit. I see it as more of a journey; rather than choosing one treatment above another, I would recommend trying a mixture of different sessions depending on your current state and what is happening in your inner and outer worlds. If you are experiencing any physical challenges, the Chiropractor and Physiotherapist can help soothe symptoms and develop an effective treatment plan. Pilates, Yoga, Life Coaching and Sound Healing can ease stress and overwhelm. We also have an Infra-red Sauna and BCA Diagnostic Testing for optimal health, and a café that serves delightful health foods and cold-pressed juices.
The Hundred now also has a particular focus on mental wellness. Can you talk us through the treatments available?
We have recently introduced a range of one-to-one sessions and group classes, designed to improve mental and emotional health as well as provide a safe and welcoming sanctuary of care. The new treatments include Emotion and Relationship Coaching, Sound Massage, Pain Management, Yoga and Meditation, Rapid Transformational Therapy and a Child Empowerment Programme.
One particular note of interest is the rapid transformational therapy you have. Can you talk us through this treatment?
Rapid Transformational Therapy (RTT), was developed by award-winning therapist and speaker Marisa Peer, and combines the most beneficial principles of hypnotherapy, psychotherapy, NLP, CBT, and neuroscience to help people create powerful, positive and permanent changes. RTT at The Hundred Wellness Centre is led by Helen Pleic, a Rapid Transformational Coach that facilitates sessions where people free themselves from negative critical thoughts, feelings and self-sabotaging behaviours so that they are able to feel fulfilled in their journey through all of life’s experiences.
What are the benefits and what should customers expect from it?
RTT gives us the ability to reach the very core of the emotional aspect of every problem or challenge we face. This allows us to freely and effortlessly use our minds in a much more constructive manner. Benefits include the instant relief of negative beliefs and memories in the sub-conscious mind and the rapid rewiring of the neural pathways of the brain, replacing our outdated rationalizations and negative patterns of behaviour with new life-affirming beliefs that are formed as the healing process begins.
How many sessions of rapid transformational therapy would you recommend?
RTT is conducted in one session that lasts approximately two hours, followed by 30-40 days of affirmations with an audio recording. Each treatment includes:
1. Clarity Coaching: This is a Talk Session where you get clear on how you want to feel and the outcomes you intend for yourself.
This could be to target a specific problem like anxiety, procrastination, trauma, self-sabotage, smoking or weight.
2. RTT: The process is done under light hypnosis and relaxation where you dialogue with your subconscious mind to reveal, eliminate and reprogram the situations in your life that are blocking you from achieving the goal in your clarity coaching session.
3. The Audio Recording: After the RTT session you will receive an Audio Recording to listen to on a daily basis. You can listen to it at any time and you must be in a relaxed state, sitting down, undisturbed. The recommended listening duration is 30 to 40 days.
As we are all different, some people change instantly, and other people change cumulatively. It is like going to the gym but for your mind. If you go to the gym once and do a massive work out versus going daily and seeing the impact on your body after 30 – 40 days. The mind is a muscle like the body. The body with a comprehensive program focusing on correct alignment, training and nutrition will respond. For people with a relatively fit body, they will see the results relatively instantly, for people who have never stepped in the gym, it takes time.
What do you hope your clients gain from coming to The Hundred?
I really hope that we give our clients happiness, kindness and goodness. Sometimes life gets a little hard, and we have created a safe space for people to come and unwind in those moments. I love that the centre provides support for people, to make them feel loved and cared for.
This is ‘The Positivity Issue’ – how do you plan to instil positivity in your life throughout 2021?
One of my teachers told me that “every day in every way, we get better and better.” Positivity is an ongoing process, and something that doesn’t happen by chance. By continuously working on myself, reprogramming my subconscious mind, removing limiting beliefs, and constantly checking in on myself, I feel so much more positive. Sometimes we just need to take a step back, absorb everything and feel grateful.
