Pregnancy Exercise

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monizjm
monizjm Posts: 92 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello all.

So I started exercising and using MFP religiously since March 20, 2013. Lost 27 pounds. Dropped from a 20 (pushing 22 size) to now a comfortable 18. BUT I just found out that I'm pregnant. I do want to continue exercising. I do realize that weight loss is now not my main focus.

Could anyone give me some ideas, tips, and advice about what type of cardio I should do, how much I should allow my body to take, etc? Please. I greatly appreciate the time and help anyone can throw at me.

Aloha!! :flowerforyou:

Replies

  • rahlpn
    rahlpn Posts: 551 Member
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    When I was pregnant with my last baby I joined an all womens gym for $25 a month, worth every penny. I got in the pool every day after work. I would jog from one end to the other, do flutter kicks holding onto the side of the wall, go up and down the stairs, stand in a plie position and punch the water using the resistance hand things that they had there, jump up and down in place. Some days I would get on the treadmill and walk at about 3mph while listening to music, it was such a pain and stress reliever. I was only 7 months post partum from my first so I still had weight to lose from that pregnancy and I didn't want to gain a lot. I only gained 17 lbs, she was 9lbs 1oz, my pregnancy and delivery went amazingly well. I attribute it all to staying active.
  • marieautumn
    marieautumn Posts: 932 Member
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    You need to get with your doctor on acceptable means of exercise while pregnant as he knows you better than we do.
    We are trying to have another child and my doctor told me I could continue exercising but only light jogging and power walking. No jumping, lifting or stair master.
    But a girl I work with is high risk with her pregnancy due to her weight and other health issues and she was ordered walking only.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    Here are some ideas:

    http://www.collagevideo.com/exercise-videos/pregnancy-exercise-videos-41


    For cardio you can definitely do Walk at Home (Just Walk) DVDs ... low impact, you can go at your own pace if needed. Video clips:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqWhX-RB1s0&feature=related

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjduJjO1pLg&feature=related
  • mkakids
    mkakids Posts: 1,913 Member
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    As long as you are not a high risk pregnancy there is no reason you have to stop what you have been doing. You can continue to run, jump, lift weights (heavy too!) As long as you listen to your body and rest when its needs to.
  • catfulford
    catfulford Posts: 62 Member
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    bump
  • Flab2fitfi
    Flab2fitfi Posts: 1,349 Member
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    Just read an interesting report in my running magazine that says women who continued to run a as long as possible ended up having less complications and an easier delivery.
  • ebonyroche
    ebonyroche Posts: 675 Member
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    I did walk away the pounds with Leslie Sansone until I was 7 months. I'm a workout at home girl.
  • emotionalharlequin
    emotionalharlequin Posts: 83
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    Tiffany Rothe on Youtube has one or two videos aimed at expecting mothers.
  • Oriole15
    Oriole15 Posts: 58
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    My local leisure centre ran an aqua-aerobics class specially designed for pregnant women (and a post-natal version too). It was rather nice to be surrounded with other bumps in the pool and even nicer to meet the babies at the postnatal class.

    Swimming is normally quite nice when you get to the heavy stage although it is generally suggested that you stick to strokes requiring kicks and avoid breast-stroke because of the softening ligaments in your pelvis.
  • nicola1141
    nicola1141 Posts: 613 Member
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    CONGRATULATIONS!

    Unless you're high-risk you should generally be able to continue more-or-less what you were doing. Listen to your body, rest when you need to. Depends on wher eyou are, but if you're in a big city there are probably some prenatal classes offered. I did a prenatal class when pregnant with my first until about 24 weeks (when my SPD got so bad I just couldn't do anything). Those classes were hard work. A LOT of core and squats. A lot of squats. (Did I mention a lot of squats? :smile: )

    You just have to listen to your body more. Rest if you need to. I found in early pregnancy I couldn't do much that had me upside down or bending over (some yoga poses, dances) as I'd get light-headed/nauseous. Try not to do "twisting" ab exercises to try and avoid ab separation. If you get SPD, you'll have to avoid anything on one foot or lunges, etc.

    Talk to your doctor about whether he/she woudl be concerned about your core body temperature when in early pregnancy. I know you're not supposed to take baths that are too hot, so that you don't raise your core body temperature up too much as it can be a miscarriage risk. Not sure how that relates to getting hot and sweaty in exercise (but I do know you should avoid hot yoga).

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