Staying fit while pregnant is a goal you can accomplish if you follow simple advice and get as much rest as you can.
Your body is going through big changes so you should listen to its signs carefully. Visit your doctor, make sure you are healthy and don’t be afraid to stay active; it will benefit both your baby and you.
1. Walking is great for you!
It costs nothing and it’s one of the safest ways to get exercise. You can walk on a daily basis, right? And you can surely have fun while exercising; just ask your friend to join you and have a nice walk around a neighborhood park or enjoy a sunset stroll.
Walking is a complete body exercise routine which improves your cardiovascular health and tones your muscles but it also keeps your baby’s weight in check.
Don’t forget to follow your doctor’s guidelines for exercising during pregnancy – if you experience early contractions or abnormal bleeding you should probably limit your walking sessions.
2. What to eat while pregnant?
Don’t fear fat and protein! You will probably gain weight during pregnancy but it’s important to gain in it the healthy way.
Eating healthy and saturated fats like coconut, avocado, and olive oil can provide you with the means for the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E & K to be absorbed into your system.
Protein and fat meals have a high satiety value – they can switch off the cravings and stop you snacking on the junk food and sweets, but they can also help to stabilize your blood glucose level.
Try to eat more dairy products, legumes, sweet potatoes, salmon, eggs, broccoli and dark leafy greens, lean meat, fish liver oil, berries, whole grains, avocados and dried fruit.
3. A cat nap is always a good idea
Our body improves and recovers while we are sleeping and this adaptation is even more important if you are pregnant. During the first trimester, your body works hard to protect and nurture the baby. Keeping that in mind, you should probably get as much rest as you possibly can.
As your tummy grows, it might not be as comfortable to lie down but remember – it’s more than likely that you won’t have time to rest. Get that precious sleep while you can!
Getting to bed early in a dark room will help you sleep a minimum of 8 hours. And if your tummy gets in the way, enjoy a nap during the day; you need much more rest than normal.
4. What kind of workout is safe while pregnant?
The most important thing is to talk with your doctor and make sure that it is safe to train.
If you exercised regularly before pregnancy, continue your routine but make sure your doctor approves. And if you just started you should begin with 5 minutes a day and add 5 minutes each week until you exercise regularly for 30 minutes a day.
Workouts can help increase circulation and improve your posture but they can also help with sleeplessness while at the same time controlling your weight. It will be much easier to get back into shape after the baby comes.
It’s important to stay away from fast, jerky movements because those kinds of moves can lead to injury. Focus on moving at a slow and controlled rate.
5. Don’t forget about Kegels!
Kegel exercises will strengthen the pelvic floor that supports the bowels, bladder and the uterus. You can do those exercises while watching TV; just imagine you are trying to stop the flow of urine. Each time you contract the muscles of the pelvic floor hold for five seconds and then relax. Repeat this routine ten times for one set. You should do five sets a day.
These exercises are also recommended after the delivery because they increase urinary control and help muscles return to their healthy state.
Do you plan to work out during pregnancy? Tell us more about your routine in the comments; we would love to learn about your progress.
