How to achieve a balanced fitness program when pregnant
Congratulations on your pregnancy! You are probably reading many books, searching the web and asking friends and family for their tips to be your healthiest when pregnant. There is a lot of information for expectant mothers about exercise and staying fit. Can you maintain your old fitness routine? How often should you work out? What exercises can you do? What’s safe and unsafe? These are very common questions; I speak with a lot of FITMOM clients who have these concerns.
It’s a myth that women shouldn’t exercise while pregnant. During a healthy pregnancy, finding the right class, or exercise routine that offers some balance can help you be more comfortable, mindful and feel healthier.
What’s important about prenatal fitness is that each woman knows that her fitness program is unique to her, based on her health but that there are many benefits to having a balanced fitness program while pregnant. You can begin exercising anytime during your pregnancy in the absence of contraindications. In fact, it’s best to exercise before, during and after baby arrives in a balanced way for optimal health.
What does a balanced program look like?
Here are three elements to keep in mind:
Cardio
Get your heart pumping, safely, while pregnant. Choose an activity like walking or swimming that can increase your cardio and still be comfortable on your body. You don’t want to overexert yourself during cardio. I recommend the ‘talk test’ to determine your perceived exertion. You should be able to still carry out a conversation during your cardio exercise without much labour.
Stretching
As a woman’s body changes during pregnancy, there is often some discomfort associated with it. Stretching can help alleviate this. Yoga is a great option. It can not only relax your mind, but also help reduce stress, tension and potentially improve sleep. We recommend stretching daily during pregnancy. Focus on your chest, back, glutes, calves and hamstrings for overall comfort. Check out our AM/PM Stretch for a gentle movement break.
Strength Building
Selecting a class focusing on improving your core strength, muscular balance and your overall wellbeing like a FITMOM2B Class will help you feel more energetic and strong throughout your pregnancy. Labour and pregnancy is physically demanding on a woman’s body and these classes are designed to help prepare you for the changes, and challenges, associated with pregnancy and delivery.
Everything may feel overwhelming during your pregnancy, so start your exercise program off small if you aren’t sure how to begin. Classes, like FitMom2B, are a great place to have guided support and meet other expectant moms. Local parent groups may also have details on programs that could be a good fit.
Remember that a balanced fitness routine also includes taking care of your mind, not just your body. You need to take care of yourself, your whole self, to be your healthiest you.