Being Pregnant
Exercising for Two: How Do You Stay Active?
Finding way to adapt my exercise routine, now that I'm exercising for two!
Now that I’m in my 20th week and my morning sickness has (mostly) passed, I have been itching to re-establish some sort of fitness routine. As an avid marathon runner, it has been difficult for me to feel so inactive and sluggish through the earlier weeks of pregnancy.
It makes me sad that so many moms-to-be use pregnancy as an excuse to hit the couch for nine months, when being fit and active has shown to be overwhelmingly beneficial for both moms and babies. Experienced moms have shared that staying strong and healthy through their pregnancies has helped lead them to more successful natural births and easier deliveries. I don’t know about you, but as a scared first-timer I’ll do just about anything that may help my chances of having an easier delivery!
I am lucky to live in an easily walkable area with great running trails and lots of sidewalks. While I know that I could probably get in most of my cardio outside (hello summer!), I also feel really strongly about the importance of strength training and weight lifting. So I did a bit of research, called around to a few local gyms, and joined one last week!
I’ve done a lot of exercising throughout my journey to being healthier, but it all feels different and new now that I’m pregnant. My body is different, and so I have to treat it differently. Here are a few of the ways I am staying active and adapting my workout routine for pregnancy…
Staying Active
All of the research I have done has told me that it is generally safe to continue to maintain the level of fitness you were used to prior to pregnancy. With that in mind, I have tried to continue to stay active and healthy, while now making sure to pay extra attention to my energy levels and heart rate during my workouts.
My goal is to lift weights and do strength training 3x per week. I’m trying to mainly focus on staying toned and building muscle, so I’m doing a rotation that works a few different muscle sets. I should note that I am doing most of my weight lifting on the guided machines now, rather than using free weights. When not pregnant, I prefer to use the free weights for a better range of motion and increased difficulty. But the guided machines are still a great workout, and are generally regarded as safer during pregnancy, so I am happy to oblige.
In addition to the weekly weight lifting, I’m also trying to make sure I get some sort of cardio in every day. I have a very HILLY 2-mile walking loop that I climb with my dogs each day, and also try to hit the elliptical or stair climber for 30-45 minutes when I am at the gym. In my book, walking definitely counts as exercise!
Adapting for Pregnancy
Even though the workout schedule I’ve shared probably sounds pretty similar to what many people normally do, I’m also quickly learning there are a lot of adaptations I need to make now that I’m exercising for two.
In the past I have never been very good about hydrating, but now more than ever it is essential for me to make sure I’m getting enough water. It doesn’t really take much reminding either – my body literally craves water all day long! Taking plenty of water breaks and carrying a bottle with me is now a regular part of my fitness routine.
I have also written plenty before about how passionately I feel about lifting heavy weights, not the 5lb weights that are so frustratingly often recommended for women. For some reason being pregnant is commonly associated with the understanding that there should be “no heavy lifting.” While I am by no means doing anything dangerous, I’m also not going to give up my strength training completely for nine (ten!) months.
I have bumped all of my weight sets down a bit so that they are still quite challenging, but don’t give me the “if I do one more of these I might die” feeling that I used to get when lifting at full capacity. It feels good to continue to challenge my muscles, but know that I’m making safe adaptations that should benefit both me and the baby.
Cardio is really where I have noticed the biggest difference from my pre-pregnancy days. My stamina is basically non-existent and I find myself out of breath much more easily now. I have to make sure to take plenty of breaks and not be tempted to push myself like I used to!
It’s funny how many preconceived ideas I had about what type of “pregnant athlete” I would be before getting pregnant. If pregnancy has taught me anything, it is that you can never really plan for how you will feel, or how things will go. Some days I feel amazing and get in my full scheduled workout. Other days I am lucky to have the dogs drag me around the block a few times.
I hope I can continue to feel good and stay active for the next 20 weeks!
Are you doing maintaining a fitness routine during pregnancy? What types of adaptations and changes have you noticed with a baby on board?
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15 Comments
Paulina commented on Jun 03 11 at 12:14 pmI’m currently 22 weeks pregnant and about a month before becoming pregnant, I had just started going to a CrossFit gym with a friend. In my first trimester, I had zero energy to even stay awake past 8pm, let alone go to the gym or do much else. I may not have the stamina to keep up with an aerobics class or to re-join the gym, but I can still walk and do some strength training. Thanks for the reminder about how important staying fit and active is.
Heather commented on Jun 03 11 at 12:23 pmYou are so inspiring! It’s been so hard for me to keep up a regular fitness routine and I have felt the effects in sore bones, swollen feet, too much weight gain, and feeling just all around lazy. I do get in some good walks (I have dogs who drag me out too!) and have picked up a couple of prenatal fitness DVDs to help me as well. I hope I can continue to find ways to increase my exercise during the day.
Amelia commented on Jun 03 11 at 12:52 pmI am 23 weeks pregnant and am finding that I am inspired to be healthy and active now more than ever. My mom has battled with her weight for as long as I have known her and I really don’t want my daughter to have to see me do the same. So, now that little girl is about 4 months from making an appearance I know I need to start and keep some really healthy habits. I get 3-6 workouts in a week and try to do at least one yoga class, one lifting class, and one spin class a week and throw in some hour long walks outside when it is nice. I am loving it! I feel healthier and stronger than I ever have before.
Mommy C commented on Jun 03 11 at 2:58 pmI am 35 weeks pregnant and have been doing Baby Boot Camp since my son (who is 17 months old) was 6 weeks old. I love it! We get our cardio and strength training in all the while socializing with other mommas (and our babies in tow). You can be pregnant (without other children to cart around in a stroller) and the instructors are great at giving modifications. The woman at our location are super fit and they push me to keep going. They are also good at keeping tabs on me- it is nice to know I am missed if I don’t show up one day. I have only gained 9 pounds so far and I credit this program for my low weight gain.
They just released exercise guidelines for pregnant ladies- there is this video going around that discusses it (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgUyQRPn78g&feature=youtu.be ). I wish it was released earlier in my pregnancy because I stopped running around 20 weeks because I couldn’t keep my heart rate below 140 (but could hold a conversation).
There is also some new research (don’t have a link) from the past year that has shown that women who exercise during pregnancy have infants at 2 months who have stronger hearts than those whose moms didn’t exercise.
Keep up the great work!
Amy commented on Jun 03 11 at 3:00 pmAs someone who is overweight and HATES sweating, I’ve found swimming & water aerobics to be a great option – low impact, not hot & sweaty, and you don’t feel the 20+ extra pounds so much. Just be sure to invest the money in a decent maternity suit with good chest support or wear a sports bra with your suit
AmyB commented on Jun 03 11 at 3:03 pmAs someone who is overweight and HATES sweating, I’ve found swimming and water aerobics to be a great option – low impact, not hot and sweaty, and you don’t feel the 20+ extra pounds so much. Just be sure to invest the money in a decent maternity suit with good chest support or wear a sports bra with your suit
Sara commented on Jun 03 11 at 4:12 pmI lost a lot of weight prior to getting pregnant, so staying active was already crucial to my happiness. I’ve had to slow it way down, but I try to walk a mile pretty much every day. I just hit 27 weeks, and due to a busy week, I’d been a bit lax in that department. Last night, for the first time, I noticed a bit of swelling in my fingers and toes. Right back on the treadmill for me! I feel so much better when I get that little bit of activity in.
Jessica commented on Jun 03 11 at 6:26 pm@Mommy C…. only NINE POUNDS gained at 35 weeks? Is your doc okay with that? Good for you for staying in shape, but that seems really low. I suppose as long as you feel healthy, and baby is healthy, that’s all that matters.
I had a hard time with exercise during pregnancy (I’m 33 weeks now). I used to run and do strength training 3-4x a week before, but got such horrid morning sickness that I pretty much stopped doing anything but sleeping and puking for my first 12-14 weeks. I was hesitant to try and jump right back in where I left off afterward, because I knew my body’s conditioning had changed over 3 months of pretty much zero activity. So I started walking about 40 minutes a day, and doing pretty low key prenatal yoga. But by the time my third trimester rolled along, I was having such debilitating back and hip pain that even such mild exercise was sometimes a challenge. I still do what I can, but it is admittedly not much, and certainly not what I “imagined” my fitness routine during pregnancy would be like. It’s been hard to see all the work I put into health and an established fitness routine pre-pregnancy get chipped away at over the months, and hard to see my body take on a shape that I’m not wild over, but I’m all about listening to what my body is telling me. And for much of pregnancy, that has been REST. My weight gain has been fine (about 30 pounds so far, which is pretty normal), but it has been a hard stretch, both mentally and physically, for sure. As long as you have the energy and health to keep up your fitness routine, good for you! But I think it’s important to remember that every woman’s body makes babies differently, and for some women who can’t rock exercise like they used to, it’s okay to say it’s okay. Also, if you’ve been overweight before, you might freak out about how your body changes with pregnancy, and it’s important to remember that being “fat” and being pregnant are NOT THE SAME THING. I think a lot of women (myself included) who have struggled with weight issues in the past can conflate those two things, and that’s such a huge disservice to the amazing work your body does while pregnant. I realize that’s not what you’re saying in this particular piece, but probably bears emphasizing anyway.
Good luck to you!
Elizabeth commented on Jun 03 11 at 6:35 pmIt’s also important to remember that a pregnant woman needs to keep her core body temperature down. Having a high core body temperatures during pregnancy–whether from fevers or other things like rigorous exercise–has been linked to problems, just as a sedentary lifestyle has. While exercise is obviously important, your biggest priority should be moderating your activity so you keep your body a safe place for your growing baby–your baby has no choice over what you put your body through, whether it’s smoking crack or exercising dangerously. I think it’s also unfair to generalize and say that women use pregnancy as an excuse to hit the couch. Of course some women do, but I would bet many are also so sick and/or exhausted (especially if they work full time) that they have a hard time maintaining a fitness routine. And I think it’s sad that some women now are so focused on gaining as little weight as possible. No one should use pregnancy as an excuse to gain ridiculous amounts of weight, but pregnancy is also a time to put vanity aside and gain a healthy, safe amount of weight for your frame. I worry about women that do anything to the extreme. I fear they’ll have a very difficult time adjusting to being a mother and putting the child’s need first. After all, finding the time for extensive workouts and long runs is pretty difficult when your child is an infant. It’s important to take care of yourself, but being a parent means a lot of your priorities change. Should you sacrifice your well being? Nope. But don’t sacrifice your child’s either. And there are, in fact, many women, who, for various reasons, are told to restrict their activity, including not to lift anything heavy. It happens more often than a lot of women realize. And those women have to get quite creative to maintain a safe exercise routine. Good luck to you and I wish you a happy pregnancy.
Heather commented on Jun 04 11 at 10:23 amI’m 24 weeks and I’ve been bellydancing since long before I conceived. Once I got over the morning sickness and early fatigue we started adding walks most afternoons. My husband goes with me and we’ve worked up to doing a 2.4 mi walk every other day or so. It’s a great way to get a little sun and vitamin D. I also try to hoop dance (hula hoop) a couple times a week. The hooping is pretty aerobic so sometimes I do have to stop for a moment, and I generally don’t hoop much on my waist although it is still comfortable for me to do so. I’m feeling great and have gained 12 lbs. Sometimes the best part about exercising is the extra food you “have” to eat so that you don’t loose weight. =)
Heather commented on Jun 04 11 at 12:16 pmI continued to workout throughout my entire pregnancy, and got a lot of backlash from family members and friends. Of course I ok’d everything with my doc, but people have all their own opinions on everything and never seem to mind sharing it, ugh. I ran until 25 weeks, and even did a sprint triathlon at 26 weeks(I’ve been doing tri’s for 10 years). I did it super slow, and walked when I wanted, but had a great time and felt great. After 25 weeks I kept walking, doing the elliptical, and swimming.
My daughter came out healthy and happy and strong, and I had a great recovery and bounced back to my pre baby weight in no time.
ldancer commented on Jun 04 11 at 9:06 pmI did the prenatal version of CrossFit (http://www.crossfitmom.com, excellent message boards and daily workouts). I also danced for most of my pregnancy, though at about 2 months I stopped doing commercial bellydance gigs and dancing with a company, because I was feeling queasy. This immediately stopped as soon as I slowed down on the performing, so it was the right decision. In my second trimester I took a dance research trip to Egypt, and danced quite a bit there; once home I continued to teach until 6 1/2 months, and did my last performance at 7 1/2 months. Dancing was easier than walking. But it was those Crossfit workouts that really rocked my world. I loved that so much. It felt so good to lift weights and do squats and pushups. In fact, I never even went through a nesting phase – I did have a nice little burst of energy about five days prior to giving birth, but it made me want to work out.
Exercising while pregnant is great – the thing to really watch out for, I discovered, is what you do with your body after giving birth. I learned the hard way that it’s important to be gentle to yourself, for longer than you may think you have to be! Don’t fling yourself back into hard workouts too soon or you’ll get hurt. I gained a new level of respect for the body’s needs for restoration and healing after delivery…and also gained a couple of really annoying injuries that are only now receding 18 months later!
sara commented on Jun 05 11 at 5:52 pmI did weights, step, cycling, and swimming up until the day that my daughter was born! Left the prenatal water exercise class at 7 pm on my due date, felt my first contraction at 12 am and she was born within 5 hours. I think the exercise helped my labor to be quick and efficient. :) and mostly pain-free.
Jen commented on Jun 06 11 at 1:38 pmI just found your blog(s) and am stoked. I’m at 13 weeks now and was training for a Boston Qualifying marathon when I found out I was pregnant. Nausea, fatigue and just plain old fear stopped me in my path and I haven’t run or xtrained at all since I got my news. I have been reading opinions about fitness and pregnancy and still trying to figure out what is best for me. As I mentioned I am a marathoner and was considering a 2012 Iron Man race before the baby news, so I am really struggling with going from super-me to nada in two months. I will keep reading your blog and wish you well on your journey. Pregnancy (as well as fitness I suppose) is incredibly personal I am learning but I’m glad to be able to read about others’ experiences, so thanks for sharing yours with all of us!
Ariana commented on Jun 12 11 at 3:56 pmI use the Pregnancy Fit Kit. My friend recommended it to me and it was great because my kids would “play” / do the workouts with me because of all the fun workout accessories. Their website is http://www.PregnancyFitKit.com – Good luck!
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