Above photo by Maridav/Adobe Photostock

April 5, 2021

The COVID-19 has pulled the proverbial rug out from under us in more ways than one. At first, I was hearing about how many people were spending the long hours at home eating much more than usual out of boredom or stress. And eventually this has led to altering the ways in which we keep fit and still adhere to social-distancing guidelines. As gyms began to close around the country, regular workouts had to take on a new spin for many of us.

KBB spoke to several industry pros – including designers, the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA), the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) and even yours truly at KBB magazine – to find out the creative ways in which we have all been trying to stay fit – and sane – during this global pandemic. And as we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel with the vaccine implementation, we were curious as to how the ways in which we are exercising will change – or not change – as we power forward.

Bellizaire on her daily neighborhood walk

Arianne Bellizaire, Principal Designer, Baton Rouge, La.-based Arianne Bellizaire Interiors

In the summer of 2020, I decided that I needed more fresh air and Vitamin D after being cooped up inside the house for months. I started taking daily walks around my neighborhood, averaging three to four miles a day. Though I loved these opportunities to get out and get moving while listening to podcast episodes and audiobooks, bad weather would sometimes derail my plans. So, in November, I purchased a NordicTrack Treadmill. This thing is huge, and it features an iFit software integration that allows me to take my daily walks all around the world! I’ve “traveled” to Turkey, London, Portugal and Hawaii just in the last few months!

Although I miss the interaction with my gym friends, I absolutely love the convenience of having a home gym. I can be much more flexible in my workout times, I don’t have to wait for my favorite machine, and I don’t worry about germs!

Bill Darcy, CEO, NKBA

I never really did outdoor biking for exercise, but after the gym closed, I started building my cardio endurance and distance, and I really got into it. I also purchased Bowflex 552 weights and a bench, and I had a used spin bike I purchased years ago from our local gym so I could ride during the winter months inside. I used the Peloton app for the spin rides and expect to go back to using that in December when the weather turns.

For Christmas, I got a bike trainer, which allows you to ride your outdoor bike inside. All this biking inspired me to invest in a nicer outdoor bike, but due to severe supply chain issues, it will take seven months to come in. I spent time getting to know the local bike shop as I did my research and placed my order. They are a great local business and have a program called bikesgiving.com. For every mile you ride – alone, with a friend, with your family or with a Genesis Bicycles organized ride – the bike shop makes a charitable donation to a designated charity. I’ve set a goal to ride 1,000 miles this year and will also make a personal donation to the charity.

At this point I do not plan to return to the gym. In the spring through the fall here in the Northeast, I will ride my bike outdoors as much as possible and focus on that.

Me with my Sworkit app

Chelsie Butler, Executive Editor, KBB magazine

Although my long-distance running days are over (completing three marathons eventually killed one knee), I still enjoy the flexibility of stepping outside to go on a more casual run without having to adhere to a schedule. I have not actually been inside a gym for several years and have been working out via a variety of instructional DVDs in my own home. That said, during COVID I did switch things up a bit.

In addition to following videos on the PopSugar workout channel, I got the Sworkit app on my phone, and I LOVE it! You can select the strength, cardio, yoga or stretching categories, and then there are a multitude of workouts to choose from under each. My Sworkit “instructor” has a pleasant British accent, and it never sounds like she is screaming at me. All I need is a small space in my living room, and I can even watch TV while exercising. Since they are all body-weight workouts, you don’t even need equipment!

As I haven’t been to a gym in probably 10 years, I definitely do not see myself ever going back after the pandemic. Maybe a one off with a friend who is a member if there is a really cool class to take, but I am finished with memberships.

Kennedy bundling up for outdoor activities

Paula Kennedy, CMKBD, CLIPP, Owner of Seattle-based Timeless Kitchen Design

For Christmas, I got a new stationary spin bike and a subscription to an online service for pre-recorded spin classes or live classes (Peloton on the cheap). I set the bike up in front of a window that opens so I have daylight and fresh air. I have also done Zoom yoga classes; some live some on YouTube. What I LOVE about the online classes is I can still be part of a community without the commute!

Pre-pandemic, I was a regular gym attendee for spin classes and sauna, as well as an outdoor cyclist during the dry months. I’m lucky to live in a fairly moderate climate here in the Pacific Northwest – except for the rain. So my task now is to gear up for outdoor all-weather activities. I tend to like afternoon or evening exercise, so with our dark months that means I have to LIGHT myself up as well!

I love how much money I’ve saved by not paying for the gym, and I think I’m too addicted to the fresh air now. It may be a really long time before I start going back into a gym regularly. And you know what? These days it’s not so much about the results or accomplishments with exercise. Today it’s more about trying to find balance and consistency – instead of all or nothing.

McClain enjoying an outdoor hike

John McClain, Associate ASID, Principal Designer, John McClain Design in Orlando & Los Angeles

Working out during the pandemic was not been as easy as I thought it would be. I ended up purchasing free weights and a small home gym, eventually. Prior to that, I searched out open-air areas such as parks and neighborhoods that allowed me to continue my workouts. For me, the mental shift of going to a location really helped. As a bonus, the vitamin D really lifted my spirits! Exploring my neighborhood on foot really allowed me to learn more about my own piece of the world. Now, my husband and I even walk and hike those areas again just because it reminds us of our peaceful walks during quarantine. I know that my efforts of working out without a gym at least kept me in decent physical shape and definitely helped my mental strength. I think a balance between my gym workouts and my home workouts will definitely continue.

Morgan posed next to his Sticky Note diet

John Morgan, CEO of Chesapeake, Va.-based Green Forest Cabinetry

Eating incessantly became way too easy during COVID, so last fall we fashioned the “Sticky Note Diet” at our firm. It is stupid simple and crazy effective. We turn in the note from the day before to our coworker, and if it’s not dated and doesn’t show record of every morsal of food/calories we partake in during that day, you will be called out (…literally)! We then receive a new blank sticky note to start fresh again. Fitness is now teamwork, not a solo gig. You are accountable to someone else, and you do not want to let them down. We are now looking at actual daily workout goals.

I personally have shed a lot of weight, and my mind and body have reconditioned themselves to not overindulge in foods. I actually think about the fact that I will have to write the calories down on the sticky note before I choose what I eat.

Corbett’s sons checking out her Mirror

Rebecca Corbett, Marketing Director, KBIS

In trying to counteract the COVID-19 weight gain and ease of eating out of my fridge, I have been exercising outside – biking, walking and running as a family. The pandemic has definitely forced out to get outside a bit more. I also got a Mirror – an interactive fitness product for the home – for my birthday last year and have utilized this a lot! I enjoy exercising outside, and if join anything, it would be a smaller, more specialized class setting like Barre, for instance.

Kimberly Kerl, Owner of Greenville, S.C.-based Kustom Home Design

Before the pandemic, I was working out at a kickboxing gym three days a week. When they closed the gym, they offered online classes to members so we could stream at home and work out without equipment. I tried this for a while, but it wasn’t the same; I didn’t work as hard and got lazy with my routine. Finally, a neighbor and I decided to walk three miles together every morning at 6 a.m. Having an accountability partner was key to helping get back into a routine. Eventually another friend joined us, and we have been really good at keeping it going. It serves not only as a form for exercise but also as a therapy session, and it’s a great way to start the day!

Banfield hopes to get back into running more soon.

Jamie Banfield, Principal Designer, British Columbia-based Jamie Banfield Design

My partner and I purchased a Peloton bike, and that platform has been worked into our daily routine. We have a spot dedicated for the bike, and we can stream the Peloton app to our television screen. We have been encouraged to head outside for walking, playing tennis with friends and even participating in a fun run once in a while. I am hoping to pick up where I stopped off with running over the next few months with my new running mate Polly – a Saluki dog we adopted from a local rescue facility.

Brian Chattin, Account Executive, KBIS

I have purchased more equipment than I probably should have and will probably continue buying more. I have a squat rack, pullup bars, specialty barbells, bumper plates, steel plates, dumbbells from five to 50 pounds, a dip station and am working on building a deadlift/squat platform.

My results have been great; it is much easier to focus without others around, and nobody jumps into my sets like when I used to go to Anytime Fitness. I can’t see myself ever going back to the gym now that I have a full home setup.

-By Chelsie Butler