Pregnancy and fitness

What do ya know?? Another hot topic that has so much conflicting information out there! It seems as if there are too many experts that think they know the answers, when in reality, you have to do what is right for you.

I have been an active person my whole life. Pre-pregnancy I was at the gym 5+ days a week. I didn't want to halt all gym activity when I got pregnant so I did my research, talked to my doctor and talked to personal trainers at my gym. Everyone agreed that in moderation, you can continue to work out while pregnant. My doctor was a little on the hesitant side when it came to high impact cardio such as Turbo Kick Boxing. Understood. There is a lot of people throwing punches, jabs and round house kicks. She was afraid that someone could accidentally kick me in the stomach. When I take this class (usually three times a week), I make sure I am in the back row or along a side wall so there is only one person to my left or right. I am very aware of the space between me and the person next to me. So far, I haven't had any issues, and I am finding new classes out there that are less crowded then my normal classes.

There are added risks you should familiarize yourself with before you continue to work out, and I have taken every safety precaution when it comes to my baby. I listen to my body. And believe me, it will tell me if I am doing too much, or if I need to stop. So far, I have been able to maintain the same routine that I had before pregnancy, with some minor adjustments. Most of my cardio is at low impact, and I have decreased my weights in my lift classes.

I compiled a list of tips that have helped me transistion my fitness through pregnancy. Hopefully these tips will help you too.

- When weight lifting don't lie flat on your back. I tilt my bench. Yes, it takes a few more seconds to adjust, and I miss out on the first few reps, but it is also WAY easier for me to get up!
- Try lifting 30% less weights than you did pre-pregnancy. For me I am now lifting around 15 pounds maximum for squats and lunges, and about 10 pounds for chest press/back work. Keep it even lighter for shoulders.
- Keep your cardio at low impact. This was a hard adjustment for me, but the bottom line is this: as long as you are getting your heart rate up you are benefiting.
- If you do an hour long weight lifting class, make sure you stretch for at least 10 minutes after.
- Everyone has told me walking is a great form of exercise for pregnant women. I can't stand it!! It feels too slow paced. However, when I go to the gym, I will opt for the treadmill set at an incline of 15+ which really gets my heart rate up.
- I bring a liter of water (33 ounces) to each class. The goal is to drink all of this during and right after my work out. Stay hydrated is one of the huge things my doctor recommended.



How many of you pregnant momma's have been hitting the gym? What do you do differently? Are there any work out classes that I should check out? If you work out on the machines, what are you doing specifically? What levels are you at? Do you have a personal trainer? Is anyone doing yoga?