SASKATOON -- Gary Banerd, owner of Fitness Solutions in Saskatoon, and his five staff have been going steady despite the store being closed to customers.
"Things have been quite busy here over the last couple weeks," he told CTV News.
Since people have been in self-isolation and physical distancing, he’s been filling more than 50 orders a day - from weights and mats to treadmills and home gyms.
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Gyms being ordered to close has led to a surge in sales, he said.
"What we're hearing is families working out together. Family workouts is what we're really seeing."
Families are now being told by the City that playgrounds are off limits in order to eliminate the spread of COVID-19. Public squares, areas around civic buildings and dog parks are still open.
That’s good news to a University of Saskatchewan recreation and kinesiology expert. Gray Ferguson worries about people becoming too sedentary during this time of isolation.
"Losing muscle mass is definitely something to be concerned about. If we're just sitting and sitting, that will happen,” he told CTV News.
Being in the comforts of home is good, but comes with unique issues, he said.
"When we’re at home we might be more prone to snacking. Then we can be looking at a little bit of weight gain and that's the difference between calories in and calories out."
He also stresses that physical and mental health are closely linked - so keeping active is vital.
