a lot of women when they get pregnant start all kinds of physical activities.... that's so dumb! if you were sedentary before, that's what you should keep doing. taking walks can certainly benefit, but you cant start yoga classes, rebounding, weight-lifting, endless cardio etc.
on the other hand, some women who were involved into weight-lifting before, they immediately stop as soon as they get the news that they are pregnant. that's also dumb. so now what, you are turning into a couch potato?! do you think that women in africa or elsewhere stop working, carrying huge babies around all day long or don't carry heavy buckets of water for miles?!
when you get pregnant you can keep doing what you were doing. you are not sick! you're pregnant! but the important thing is that you listen to your body!! that's fundamental! as the the months pass by, you'll start feeling tired, you'll experience a lack in energy... especially in summer you'll feel like dying... that's normal and it's all part of the process. if you want to keep exercising during pregnancy, you can't really plan your workouts ahead. i strongly recommend you do your workouts in the part of the day when you feel you have more energy. but there will be days when you'll feel sick and tired.. you can still push yourself and start working out... sometimes workouts makes you feel better and give you energy.. that's why it is important that you start.. but if you feel sick, then stop immediately. whenever you feel sore (bad kind of soreness) in a way, stop immediately. take a rest and retry whenever you are ready. sometimes a short rest can be enough, sometimes you'll have to retry in 10 minutes or even in a couple of hours. just listen to your body.
one exercise i really don't recommend doing during pregnancy are abs. if you feel like out of breath, like something is suffocating you..that's what your baby is feeling like. so be careful.
exercise during pregnancy have many benefits for both.. mommy and baby. flooding your body with beneficial hormones like testosterone, HGH, and IGF-1 is already very beneficial without being pregnant... so imagine the positive effects it will have on your baby. i'm talking lifelong effects! exercise promotes a healthier birth weight, less chance for allergies, stronger bones, and possibly even a lowered risk of depression or other mental disorders. research has also shown that physical activity during pregnancy can help lower the risk of gestational diabetes. plus, women who continue to train through their pregnancy put on less extra weight than those who do not exercise. women who train through their pregnancy also have an easier time losing weight after delivery.
so if you were exercising before, keep that up. try to do your best and progress every week... but if you only keep maintaining, that's perfectly fine as long as you feel good. push your limits, but listen to your body. keep hydrated (especially in summer) and get enough rest during the day and night. another very important thing is that you eat enough. not saying that you can have anything you want.. a healthy and controlled diet is very important for you and your baby's health. consume enough carbohydrates (especially whole grains, and veggies), lean protein and healthy fats. add 500 calories to your daily meal plan... you are creating a human being so imagine how much effort must your body put into that! this is NOT the time to put yourself on a fat-loss diet!!! also avoid sugars as much as possible! have small meals every 2-3 hours to prevent nausea and hypoglycemia. always carry small snacks with you to prevent that lack of energy.
when i was pregnant i worked out in the morning after breakfast. that was for me the time i felt like i have more energy. there were days i could do only 10 minutes, and there were other days when i felt like i could work out for hours. i kept listening to my body and exercised till the end of my pregnancy. my lifestyle was similar to a newborn... food, exercise, food, nap, food, nap, food, nap... i had a nap practically every 2 hours and i can still see the hole on the couch. docs kept saying i was getting too big and that i should watch what i eat. i was eating healthy, though... and as usual, docs don't know best... i was gaining weight not because i was getting fat, but because noah was growing like grass. after the delivery i had only 2 lbs to loose....
#training #exercise #pregnancy #fitmom
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