Should I exercise during pregnancy?

Heck, you should! It amazes me how many people believe that once you’re pregnant you shouldn’t exercise during pregnancy. I want to bust that myth right now and tell you that you should exercise during your pregnancy.

The question is not should you, the question is how to do it. That is why in this article I want to give you some guidelines on how to exercise during pregnancy.

If you like exercise and are thinking about having a baby, you are probably a little nervous! I’m sure you’re excited about having a baby but nervous about the weight gain and the impact pregnancy will have on your body’s appearance and fitness. I do not blame you! I’m a guy and I could see how putting on this extra weight could petrify you.

Understand that you are going to gain weight during pregnancy. The goal is to make sure that most of that weight is “baby weight.” I want to give you some strategies to maintain or even improve your fitness, even during pregnancy, so you can look and feel your best while making sure your baby is safe. I always encourage our clients to continue to exercise and to continue to set fitness goals during their pregnancy. Don’t let this be a time when you fall… then it’s harder after pregnancy.

Exercising during pregnancy can give you a host of health benefits in addition to just looking good. And don’t forget the benefits it can have for your baby.

These are just some of the benefits of exercising during pregnancy.

1. Lower risk of developing gestational diabetes (This is huge!)
2. Weight Management (I know you love this one!)
3. Reduced postpartum depression (you don’t want to deal with postpartum depression!)
4. Limit water retention (You know that bloated look!)
5. More nutrients for your baby due to a larger placenta (Who doesn’t want a healthy baby!)
6. Decreased chance of varicose veins (we all love those veins… NO!)
7. Less likely to require a C-section (I hear this is no fun!)
8. Faster return to pre-pregnancy weight (YES!!)
9. Healthier, leaner child up to 5 years postpartum (Awesome!)
10. Improved calving fitness so you can handle the demands of mommy’s hood! (I heard that Mommy Hood is a full time job… Get ready!)

Studies that have been done encourage pregnant women to exercise moderately for 30 minutes or more every day, so if you don’t believe me, do your own research.

Studies have even shown that very physically active women can benefit from continuing their high-volume exercise routines, up to 9 hours per week, during pregnancy. Now, there are certain things you want to stay away from during your pregnancy…

Therefore, now I want to give you some keys to the success of your exercise during pregnancy.

set realistic goals

First, you will have to adjust your goals and realize that things are going to change during pregnancy. I’m going to say something that may surprise you. Are you ready? During pregnancy, weight gain is to be expected. That’s right, expect to gain weight! How much do you earn is the question.

Here are the numbers for healthy weight gain during pregnancy:

• Underweight women should gain between 25 and 35 pounds
• Overweight women should not gain more than 15 to 25 pounds
• Women who are 5’2″ or shorter should gain between 15 and 25 pounds

Forget all those ideas of losing fat during pregnancy… Your new focus should be on maintaining your fitness level and gaining a healthy, but not abnormal, amount of weight.

exercise intensity

The intensity of exercise should be kept under control during pregnancy. How will you do this? Keeping body temperature and heart rate under control. To do this, you will have to pay close attention to the intensity of your exercise. Always remember that your first responsibility during pregnancy is to create the ideal environment for your baby. I say that to say that if you are smoking and drinking then you should get hit on the head!

I had to add that because I am in awe of how women continue this lifestyle when they are pregnant.

Back to my point about exercise intensity… You should be able to hold a conversation without getting out of breath. Your heart rate should not rise more than 70-75% of your maximum (HR max = 220-age) during exercise sessions.

Keep your body temperature under control by avoiding exercising in extremely hot or humid conditions and always stay hydrated during exercise.

Exercising Every Day Will Keep The Doctor Away

Although the intensity of your exercise will need to be kept in check, your exercise volume does not necessarily need to decrease. The frequency and amount should generally be determined by what she was doing before she got pregnant. In fact, it is recommended that pregnant women exercise for at least 30 minutes a day with this exercise that consists of a wide variety of exercises.

Exercises you can do and exercises you shouldn’t do

During pregnancy, you want to stay away from contact sports. So she leaves football ladies! Sprints are also out of the question, but there are plenty of other exercises that are fine as long as you pay attention to the changes happening in your body and control the factors I mentioned above.

High impact activities and other exercises should be minimized. Try to choose activities that put less stress on your joints, such as swimming, walking, bicycling, or if you like the gym, you can use the elliptical or stair climber.

I’m about to say something that will surprise you. Get prepared!

You can perform weight training during pregnancy. In fact, weight training should be done and can be one of the most beneficial activities for a pregnant woman. Just follow my guidelines below:

Here are those guidelines during weight training during pregnancy:

1. Work that core

During pregnancy, back and hip pain tend to increase. Fortunately, core-strengthening exercises (the good old front and side bridges) can strengthen your core muscles and reduce pain. You want to try to choose exercises that require you to support your spine and that force you to use your core (abdominal) muscles to support your spine. You may have heard me refer to these exercises as core stability. When choosing these exercises, you must maintain a neutral spine. These exercises will generally be free weight exercises and not machine exercises as they do all the stabilization work for you. It is important to work the core during pregnancy

2. You must train the whole body

Be sure to train both your upper and lower body. Training your entire body will allow you to build more lean muscle mass which will allow you to burn fat more efficiently during pregnancy plus keep you looking toned, lean and sexy!

3. You should avoid lying on your back

After the first trimester, try to avoid exercises that require you to lie on your back. Exercises like the bench press. Studies have shown that exercising on your back can decrease blood flow to the brain and also to the uterus. It’s probably not a no-brainer, but you’ll also want to avoid exercises that put pressure on your stomach.

4. You must breathe naturally

Try to breathe normally during the exercise. Try to avoid exhaling forcefully without releasing air, which can cause a rapid increase in blood and intra-abdominal pressure, which can decrease oxygen flow to the fetus.

5. You should use higher reps

I am not telling you not to work hard, I am just telling you to reduce the weight load. You should stick with higher reps for your sets (10-20 reps). These sets should be performed at 65-75% of your 1RM. This can help take stress off relaxed joints and help prevent a rapid rise in blood and intra-abdominal pressure.

If you’ve been exercising regularly and just got pregnant, it’s important that you continue to exercise, just make sure you follow my guidelines above. If you’re reading this and you’re not pregnant yet, now is your time to get active and take control of your health so you’re ready when your time comes.

If you’re pregnant but exercise is new to you and you want to get started, go ahead. Just start very slowly and be sure to follow the guidelines above. I always recommend getting guidance and consulting with a fitness professional who knows what they’re doing and has some experience working with pregnant women. And don’t forget to read my article on how to eat during pregnancy… Taking care of your nutrition is a big part of the game.

Of course, if you need help with your nutrition or exercise, I highly recommend consulting with one of my Bootcamp Tulsa trainers.

Now, make some babies and stay fit during your pregnancy!