Getting Fit While Pregnant In 5 Steps

A lot of women are interested in knowing how to stay fit during pregnancy. One thing is sure – it isn`t an easy thing to do. But it can be done and it`s definitely worth it. You are able to build muscle and burn some additional fat while pregnant just as if you would do this if you were not expecting a baby. However, there`re some things which should be done in a different manner.

The advantages of exercising while pregnant start immediately and might last for your entire life. The little one will begin reaping the advantages inside the uterus as well.

5 Reasons to Start Exercising Now

Here`re a few reasons for which you need to begin exercising right now.

You`ll Most Certainly Gain Less Weight

Studies prove that you may put on seven pounds less than other expecting mothers who do not practice physical exercises while waiting for their baby to come, and they still manage to remain within the healthy range of weight gain.

Labor & Delivery Might Be Easier

Of course, there aren`t any guarantees. However, strong abdominal muscles along with a fit cardiovascular system can offer you much more oomph and stamina for the stage of delivery. There`s a study which found that water aerobics performed during pregnancy on a regular basis were 58% less likely to need painkillers while in labor than those who didn`t performed these exercises.

You`ll Enjoy a Great Flexibility for your Entire Life

Have you heard of relaxin, that pregnancy hormone which loosens the pelvic joints in order to prepare your body for birth? With a bit of stretching, such as yoga exercises, you can gain enough from this little opportunity.

Also read: Best 9 Abdominal Workouts to Perform while Pregnant!

You`ll Manage the Gestational Diabetes Risk by Up to 27%

High blood sugar while pregnant will put you in risk for experiencing type 2 diabetes in a decade after birth and may raise the chances of having an overweight child or preterm birth. If you experience this disease, and lots of women do due to genetics and age related factors, physical exercise might be able to aid prevent or at least delay the need for insulin as well as other drugs.

You May Have a Shorter Labor

There`s a study which discovered among fit women who gave birth naturally that those particular women who had continued their training while pregnant experienced labor for four hours and 25 minutes compared to six hours and 23 minutes for women who had quit training early. One hundred and twenty minutes of less enduring labor is something to consider indeed.

Getting Fit while Pregnant in 5 Steps

Gaining weight while expecting is very important for the health and development of the baby. Getting toned while pregnant shouldn`t be used to prevent the gaining of weight. However, exercising on a regular basis while pregnant can relieve pregnancy pains or aches and aid the body recover its original shape after birth.

Get in touch with a physician before starting a fitness plan in order to be certain it`s safe for both you and your little one.

Step 1

Make your own fitness plan, approved by the doctor, in order to maintain the body in shape and toned. Lots of regular physical exercises, which include biking, running, yoga, aerobics, swimming or even walking, are quite safe to start practicing while pregnant.

The safest ones from all is obviously swimming, as almost the entire weight of the body is supported by the water.

Step 2

Practice pelvic floor stretches, Kegel exercises and pelvic tilts every day in order to strengthen both your pelvic muscles and abs, and prepare them for delivery as well as to enhance the control of your bladder while pregnant.

Step 3

Maintain a regular schedule of physical exercises. If you practiced physical exercises while pregnant, maintain this routine as long as you can without feeling discomfort, if the doctor who supervises your pregnancy.

If you`re just starting to practice physical exercises now that you`re expecting a baby, start with 5 minutes per day and then add 5 more minutes every week until you reach 30 minutes per day.

Step 4

Warm up for about 5 minutes before starting the routine of physical exercises, no matter what exercises you do. Walk for a couple of minutes or simply practice some basic exercises, like stretching your calves, shoulders and neck.

Step 5

Consume somewhere between 300 and 500 calories per day in additional to the normal ones you would have consumed if you weren`t pregnant, as instructed by the doctor.

Note: Try to stay hydrated as well as possible during your exercise routine as well as throughout the entire day. You could also wear supportive shoes as well as clothes that fit when you practice exercises in order to reduce any possible injuries or falls. Taking breaks from time to time to avoid getting overheated, it`s something you need to consider as well. Also, try to avoid lying on the back.

Pregnancy`s Effects on Performance

Dr. James F. Clapp has been among the most well known pioneers involving preterm exercise. Dr. Clapp claims in his book, “Exercising Through Your Pregnancy,” that “…the mixture of working out and pregnancy has a greater effect of training than that produced by training alone.”

Although this might seem like a rather major and serious claim, the doctor supports this claim with strong evidence. For instance, there was a study in 2008 published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology that found women who managed to continue do practice weight-based exercises while pregnant put less weight, had a lower risk for heart-related illnesses and deposited less fat than women who didn`t.

This research concluded, “Women who managed to continue weight-based workout while pregnant stay fit and have a low risk of cardiovascular conditions in their perimenopausal period.”

Effects on Working Out

Scientists continue to try to investigate exactly how and to what extent preterm physical exercise could improve performance during pregnancy. Although there`re are definitely changes from the physiological point of view which might contribute to these particular effects, some scientists think that the effect of pregnancy on training is related as well.

In an article published in 2009 in The Guardian, a doctor from the Gloucester University, David Jones, suggests expecting mothers might be less prone to overtraining, which is a frequent issue in lots of performance athletes who can weaken performance. – Read more!

According to Dr. Jones, it`s perhaps the situation that most serious athletes do a bit too many physical exercises, not too few. When there are other different priorities that may come along and they need to reduce their exercise routine a bit, that may not really be a bad thing.

Athletes who over-train are more likely to experience fatigue and injuries, and the 9 months of pregnancy presents the perfect chance to take a break.