Always check with your physician before doing any new physical activity.
When I got pregnant with Asher I really didn’t miss a beat with working out until 20 weeks. I kept up with regular running and lifting, paying mind to how I was feeling and being sure to listen to my body.
I stopped running at 20 weeks at the advice of a doctor in my OB’s practice who was filling in during an appointment. I regret stopping so early but as a new mom I was terrified something would go wrong with baby so I listened. Though I had stopped running, I continued to lift and do low impact cardio at the gym up until the day I went into labor.
With this pregnancy, I also wanted to continue working out as long as possible and even competed in a half marathon at 8 weeks. I had planned to run another but resigned to just the 5k a month later.
Before long though the weather got colder, the holiday hustle and bustle picked up and before I knew it, I was an exhausted whale juggling a toddler and life and truthfully working out took a back burner. During this time I noticed a few things: 1. I was more tired 2. my eating wasn’t as great as I would have liked and 3. I was cranky. Very, very cranky!!
After the holidays came to a close I was ready to get back to it. So here I am just a few weeks back into the whole “fitness thing” and I thought I’d pass along some of my thoughts for preggo fitness because I fully support and enjoy staying active while growing a little one.
1. Be aware of the weather conditions:
For instance, it is freezing outside and the few runs I have done recently have kind of sucked, to be honest. Not because of the whole running aspect, but mostly because I hate the cold. Don’t let the weather derail you, but just as advised when not pregnant, dress for the weather.
2. Listen to Your Body:
Even though your brain might think you’re not pregnant, you most certainly are, so listen to your body when working out while pregnant. My mind tells me I can just pop in some earbuds and go run 5 miles with no problem, while my big ol’ belly and lack of lung space tell me I need to walk every so often. Don’t be afraid to work hard but pay extra attention to what your body is telling you.
3. Pay extra mind to safety:
Taking a tumble while doing plyometrics not pregnant isn’t a huge deal. Sure you’ll be sore but you’ll survive. That same tumble, though, could be a big deal if it happens while pregnant. So be safe when working out while pregnant! You can still work up a great sweat with your feet mostly planted.
4. Stay hydrated:
Your need for water increases when pregnant anyway so be sure to add more to the days you’re working up a sweat. I have a water bottle and make it a goal to drink four a day.
5. Don’t let lack of equipment stop you from getting active:
With Asher, I had an afternoon/evening job and lots of time to myself so I went to the gym every day. But this time around I workout during my lunch break or while hanging out with Asher and the hubs. I use my light hand weights and all this extra body weight to get things taken care of.
6. And lastly, don’t be too hard on yourself:
Work out when you can, manage life when you need to and don’t stress when you decide to watch Netflix instead of sweat. I mean it’s called balance right?
