Melody Rowe has leveraged free time created by COVID-19 to turn her driveway into a gym where she trains with her boyfriend and two daughters. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

gain train

Creative driveway workouts leads to fitness & lifestyle gains for Nanaimo family

May 25, 2020 | 5:46 AM

NANAIMO — Getting dragged down by unhealthy habits isn’t hard during a health pandemic.

Melody Rowe, a 36-year-old a mother of two daughters who committed to a healthy lifestyle in late January with help from a fitness program, feared her gains would vanish.

COVID-19 restrictions hit swiftly in mid March, sending Rowe and boyfriend Mike Fulla home from their office jobs and out of their regular fitness routines.

“I personally felt like I was going to get derailed, I didn’t really know where to go from there,” Rowe told NanaimoNewsNOW during a recent visit to their makeshift gym.

Rowe used guidance from Driven Performance Fitness to not allow physical distancing and gym closures to get in her way.

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She turned to the driveway of their Pleasant Valley area home and pieced together workout gear featuring free weights, a medicine ball and resistance bands.

Rowe said their family has formed many healthy habits, which are fun and don’t cost any money.

“How can we plan our meals, how can we structure our days that can support a work-from-home schedule as well as fitting in this new fitness. We also wanted to make it fun for the kids by incorporating hikes and walks in the neighbourhood.”

Rowe has been active on social media, posting videos of her creative driveway workouts and swapping training ideas with friends.

She’s lost 50 pounds in the last three-and-a-half months, while Rowe said she’s gained strength and improved mental health.

Rowe said there is a lot of value in a 40 minute driveway workout while cooking dinner at the same time.

“For me it’s a huge gift in realizing that there’s more flexibility and ways to fit in my fitness and own personal goals into our family life that doesn’t involve me having to leave.”

Fulla said their new normal has brought their family closer together and will remain an “everyday life” way of doing things.

He said it’s amazing to see such a drastic turnaround for their family during an uncertain time.

“We’re going to go to the gym but we’ll also workout here, use the equipment that we have and also get the kids involved,” Fulla said. “Mel has started everything off, she’s a great model for not only myself, but our kids too. We’re going to continue on it.”

ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes