Staying fit while pregnant

Tips and a workout plan to keep you on track

By Maria Triassi

September 16, 2015

Staying fit while pregnant can be quite challenging. Trust me I know — with two kids and one on the way, finding the time and energy is not always easy. But if you carve out that time for yourself, you will not only feel great about yourself but provide many benefits for you and your baby. Here are some amazing benefits to the mother and child if you work out while pregnant:

Benefits for the mother
• Less weight gain
• Shorter, less complicated deliveries
• Faster recovery after birth

Benefits to the child
• Better equipped to deal with the stress of the delivery
• Normal range in birth weight. Just think of trying to deliver a 10-pound baby. Ouch!
• Later on, their linguistic skills and intellect develop at a better rate

The old-school way of thinking is that you should only walk while pregnant as your form of exercise, however, if you are an already active person you can continue your exercise routine with some tweaks in your second and third trimesters, taking into account that everything is going smoothly with your pregnancy. I wanted to create a plan to help all the mommies out there, expecting or not. You can customize it to the available time you have. You can also choose to use weights or just use your own body weight.

Check out this video for the full version of the express workout:

Before we start, here are some safety guidelines to follow:
• Always make sure your doctor clears you to work out.
• Wear comfortable clothes and a good supporting sports bra. I found some great maternity activewear that is not too expensive at Thyme Maternity and Old Navy. The sale racks are key in getting great and inexpensive clothes.
• Stay hydrated and drink plenty of water throughout the workout and throughout the day.
• Do not work out in hot and humid conditions.
• Take as many breaks as needed.
• Make sure you can always talk in full sentences throughout the whole workout. If you cannot you need to reduce your level of intensity.
• In the second and third trimesters. We have eliminated exercises on our back and high-impact movements.
• If you have any pain or experience any bleeding, stop immediately and advise your doctor.
• Always listen to your body. If you are feeling tired that day, take a day of rest, do an express workout, or just do the yoga portion.
• And last, do not skip the cool down. I know it is tempting to do so, but if you stop moving immediately and do not cool down you can have blood pooling, which will have blood pooling in your legs, taking away blood from the heart, which is not good for you or your baby.

The workout plan

This program has been created for the already active mother experiencing a healthy pregnancy. This can be performed three times a week for a month. After a month the program should be changed. Always adhere to the safety guidelines listed above and the advice of your doctor.

Equipment needed:
A yoga mat, a towel, plenty of water and weights (optional)

Warm-up
Lunge tap over/over 10 reps
Arm circle squats 10 reps
Squat with arms 10 reps

Perform body toning followed by cardio and repeat the whole sequence twice. Should you want an express workout, only do one set of each. Remember, take a water break and rest when needed, and always test if you can talk in full sentences.

Body Toning (can be performed with or without weights)
Knee pushups 10 reps
Table Top Reverse Fly-10 reps on each side
Courtesy bicep to lateral lunge-10 reps on each side
Plie tricep press calf raise-10 reps
Squat with reverse front raise -10 reps
Knee ins-12 reps
Knee hold twist-20 reps

Cardio
Knee ins 15 reps on each side
Sidestep arms 20 reps
Hop bowlers lunge 20 reps

Cool down (don’t skip this part; cooling down and stretching are necessary)
Breathe Sumo Stretch
Ninja Stretch
Warrior Chest Bent Over Stretch
Downdog hip opener chest stretch
Tabletop shoulder Stretch
Tabletop Quad Stretch
Childs Pose

Image: Jordan Fischer via StockPholio.com