There is so much information out there about working out while pregnant, and I still get questions every week about working out while pregnant, so I thought I would share here today. Keep reading for my 5 top tips!
With my first pregnancy, I was high risk, so working out was not advised by my doctor. This time, thank the Lord, it is not high risk, and our doctor recommends at least a couple hours of physical activity each week.
5 Top Tips for Working Out While Pregnant:
1.) Ask your Doctor.
Your doctor will always know best and will be your first go-to for advice about anything while pregnant. Regular physical activity while pregnant is not only good for you, it is encouraged and can actually help reduce pregnancy complications and ease pregnancy aches and discomfort, like back pain. And it’s not just great for your body, it’s great for your mind too. And it’s a wonderful way to help manage stress. Take a little time for yourself now while you can mama!
Regular physical activity while pregnant is not only good for you, it is encouraged and can actually help reduce pregnancy complications and ease pregnancy aches and discomfort, like back pain. And it’s not just great for your body, it’s great for your mind too. And it’s a wonderful way to help manage stress. Take a little time for yourself now while you can mama!
2.) Once you ask, and if your doctor does give you the go-ahead, I recommend assessing where your physical activity level currently is.
If you’ve been running, doing cardio or lifting weights for quite a while, it is typically safe to continue your regular workout regimen as long as your doctor agrees. If you have not been doing any strenuous workouts, runs or cardio for quite a while, now is usually not the time to start a new and intense workout regimen. If you weren’t working out previously, or you weren’t working out much, you’ll want to find a good starting place.
3.) A good starting place for beginners is to start small.
Add in 30 minutes of physical activity every other day or every day. See how you feel after a few days and then after a week and go from there depending on your comfort level. Working out can make you more short of breath (especially if you’re outside in this heat and humidity), so make sure that you don’t overdo it. Even if you have to workout for 10 minutes, take a 5 minute break, workout for 10 minutes, etc., that is a great starting place!
4.) Walking is the perfect activity to add in to up your physical activity while expecting.
You can easily walk for a few minutes and then jog or briskly walk for a minute. It’s easy to change up your speed. It is great for your entire body. It is great for stress. And it’s great to establish a healthy habit now so once baby comes, you’ll already love getting out for walks for a great way to stay active and get you and baby out of the house. If you’re looking for other workouts, swimming, low intensity aerobic workouts you can find here, pilates, yoga or weight lifting are great options too.
5.) Pack water and snacks.
It is even more important to stay hydrated while pregnant! Make sure you pack some water to make sure you don’t get too overheated. Dehydration also causes headaches and dizziness, none of which you want! Also pack a snack in case hunger hits you while you’re out. Low blood sugar also causes headaches and dizziness, so you want to make sure you’re snacking periodically throughout the day and drinking plenty of water…especially while pregnant.
I had a slight setback thrown into my workout plan with moving and morning sickness, but the good news is that working out can actually help ease morning sickness, or least take your mind off of it. And with quarantine, working out at home is the perfect place to workout while pregnant. You will always have water, a snack or a bed to lie down and relax in nearby if you end up not feeling great. What have been your favorite go-to workouts? Did you workout while pregnant?
