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I want to workout hard and workout 5+ days a week. Is this safe to do or do I need to slow down because I’m pregnant?
FIRST! Congrats on your pregnancy and high five to feeling great, especially in that first trimester! Moving well and strength training can not only help you feel centered and great NOW, but will help when baby chooses to come earth side, as well as your postpartum recovery.
I have seen moms take a pass to hard workouts because they can barely put one foot in front of the other, and other mom’s rock their workouts and move some serious weight while doing so.
The thing to keep in mind is: EVERYONE is different and will have different experiences.
However, if you are feeling great and want to keep up a strong workout routine than go ahead and get after it! However, there are many things to keep in mind as you move through this ever-changing time in your life to keep you and baby as safe as possible.
Things Can Change At Any Point, So Be Flexible!
You know how they say not to hold on to your birth plan too tight, incase you have to change course? Same goes for your workout routine, or life routine for that matter. You can feel like a million bucks one day and then feel as if a truck ran you over, multiple times, the next day.
Being flexible and working with a professional that can accommodate your fluctuations in energy level, mobility and nausea levels will help to keep you moving, but in a way that helps you feel better not worse. They can also help keep you on course or help to pull back the reigns if you get over zealous during a workout.
Your coach is there to help guide you and listen to you before, during and after pregnancy.
It’s Important To Be Kind To Yourself
It’s easy to give yourself a hard time when you can’t rally for that 4th ot 5th weekly workout, that used to come so easily before. Remember to be kind to yourself because your body is busy building, and housing another tiny human. It takes a lot of work!
If your coach or gym buddies give you hard time about this…poiletly tell them to “can it”. You are too busy making a human to get wrapped up in that negative spiral!
Keep Jumping And Plyometrics To A Minimum
Even if you feel great keep in mind your pelvic floor is getting a workout too! It’s supporting all this extra baby weight, not to mention all your other organs while working with core muscles to help with your breathing.
Your pelvic floor NEVER gets a break and it will work overtime in your pregnancy. Be kind and keep plyometrics, such a jump rope, hopping, box jumps, and anything of the sort to a minimum in the beginning and nix them altogether as your progress through your trimesters.
Even if you feel great and you LOVE these activities. Keep in mind the long term affect of such exercise on your pelvic floor health. It comes down to RISK vs REWARD. You may like to do it, but the potential risk just isn’t worth it.
This eliminating these movements will help to keep your pelvic floor working optimally during and after your pregnancy.
Here is a workout great for your second trimester:
Body Temperature
Due to increased blood flow and metabolism in pregnancy (more so in the first trimester) your core body temperature is elevated. During that first trimester your are creating all the important organs, and the nervous system of your baby. It’s important to keep your body temperature in check because highly elevate body temps can potential screw with these precious systems, not to mention cause you to feel downright awful.
Your body temps naturally rises when working out, so if you are choosing to enjoy a steamy bikrim yoga class, hot tub dunk after a workout or a bootcamp outside on the hottest day of the year, think twice about it and choose an alterntive.
Keep your body temperature fairly regular especially during the first tiimester, but it’s a good move through your entire pregnancy.
If You’re Unsure, Play It Safe And Ask For Alternatives
This is the BIGGEST rule for pregnant mommas! If you’re doing a particular exercise that just feels “off” or uncomfortable, check your pride at the door and ask for alternatives or move on to the next exercise.
Remember that just because you CAN do an exercise doesn’t mean that you SHOULD do that exercise.
I CAN jam a square peg in a round hole, but it’ll look pretty busted on the other end!
If you’re working with a certified prenatal coach then they’ll have alternatives ready for you!
If you’re working with an instructor or coach that tries to push you into an exercise that just doesn’t “feel right” to you…..find another coach that will listen to your concerns.
This is NEVER ok, pregnant or not.