Home > Tips For Staying Fit During Your Pregnancy

Posted by Shannon M. on Friday, March 16th, 2012

Exercising and eating smart while you are pregnant can seem like a bit of a sticky wicket but according to The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) it can help you bypass some common pregnancy ailments. In fact, the ACOG actually recommends that pregnant women combine a healthy diet with at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise four times a week. This doesn’t mean you have to give up your indulgent cravings or Mad Men marathons, it just means to pare ‘em back a little and employ these tips…

Easy does it.

When you’re pregnant, there is clearly so much going on with your body. Between morning sickness, fatigue, bloat, and the little person growing inside of you, the last thing you want to do is over-exercise. If you don’t regularly exercise, integrate simple activities such as a walk or light yoga stretches into your daily routine. Even if you were a workout junkie before you got pregnant, temper your activity and keep it low-impact.

 

Low impact exercise.

If you haven’t already, invest in an exercise ball. Not only does the exercise ball strengthen the legs, back, and core muscles, but it also exercises the supportive muscles in the lower back (helping to eliminate those pesky pregnancy backaches). Take advantage of prenatal fitness classes, which are specifically tailored to pregnant women. If group classes aren’t your thing, engage in other low-impact exercises such as swimming, walking, stationary biking, yoga, and pilates. Avoid running, skiing, and other high-impact activity.

 

Eat well and drink lots of water.

Eating well and keeping yourself hydrated should be principles of everyone’s life, but especially those of women who are with child. Pregnant women are more susceptible to dehydration, which can hurt the baby. To keep your fluid levels under control, check your urine – if it’s clear, you’re hydrated; if it’s yellow, you’re not. Avoid exorbitant amounts of high-calorie, fatty foods and load up on vitamin-rich fruits and vegetables.

 

Mix it up.

Variety is the spice of life! If you get tired of walking around the neighborhood every day, bust out the prenatal yoga DVD instead. If the YMCA pool has got you down, test out a recumbent bike. The important thing is to just stay active.

 

Listen.

As I stated before, take it easy. Listen to your body. Pregnancy is the absolute wrong time to test your physical limits. Pay attention to your heart rate, stay cool, and avoid excessive stretching. If you start to feel dizzy, nauseous, have shortness of breath, numbness, back pain, or bleeding, stop immediately and contact your physician.

 

In between workouts and eating well, visit the Daddy Scrubs gift shop for a selection of treasures for the new dad!