I’m now officially 22 weeks pregnant and still feeling pretty good. I wouldn’t say great because my “teacher bladder” is now non-existent and everything is becoming very tight around the tummy. When I shop, I feel disgusting because normal clothes no longer fit right and I have turned the way of maternity clothes (which are actually very cute!). My once flat stomach developed a roll and now a basketball; but, I have noticed it makes my legs look skinnier. The biggest reason, I believe, I still feel pretty good is that I have been continuing to exercise in my pregnancy. I, very luckily, didn’t have any morning sickness, although I did have night-time nausea especially if I was hungry. I have had some round ligament pain but I believe there’s still more to come. There are days I feel as though baby is pushing with hands and feet to stretch out to make room, I’m feeling a giant will be born. But to combat sickness, aches and pains: I walk daily, I do weights 3 days a week, I do harder cardio twice a week, I stretch daily and I eat properly...with perhaps a few indulgences along the way :)
A bit of background: I am a full time elementary school teacher, I tutor part time (about 9 hours a week), I’m completing my MA at Carleton by currently writing my thesis, and I work at GoodLife fitness as a Group Exercise Instructor (4 classes a week). I am what every normal person looks at and asks “when do you find time to sleep?”-well, I do that too, I go to bed between 9 and 10 every night and am up by 6am, 5am if I have to teach a class in the morning. I am certified with CanFit Pro as Fitness Instructor Specialist and as a Pre/Post Natal Fitness Specialist. At GoodLife Fitness, I teach two LesMills International programs: BODYPUMP (a muscle-based class in which we tone the entire body using weights) and BODYSTEP (a high-intense step aerobics class). I have been teaching these programs for a few years and plan to continue to teach them for years to come!
Exercise has always been a part of my life; I make time for it daily. Before, I would hit the gym hard every day whether it was for cardio or weights. Growing up, I swam and danced competitively. I love to get my workouts done first thing in the morning so I am at the gym by 6am. I was very proud of myself for running my first half marathon last September and a few 10Km races around then too, I don’t love running but I love the feeling I get after having completed a run. When I discovered I was pregnant at the end of October (a week after I ran the 10K 9-Run-Run), I began to research as much as possible what I can still be doing that is safe for me and, more importantly, safe for baby.
Funny thing, the first thing my family doctor said to me when I asked about exercise is “nothing at high-intensities”. I had no idea what that could possibly mean. I have been teaching Aerobics for many years, I run, I participate in cycling classes: high intensity for me is extremely different than for someone who does little cardio or weight training. It is also extremely different for someone who runs marathons or swims competitively. My first translation of this was “high impact”. As a BODYSTEP instructor, the class I teach is high impact with jumping and twisting and turning, these moves can all be dangerous for a pregnant woman, particularly someone who is not comfortable with the program. My first change to exercise was taking out the high options in class. I’m down a set of risers, no propulsions off the step for single knee lifts, shuffles off the step and high propulsions over and back are all out. I am still getting my heart rate up and sweating but nothing near what I was pushing before.
If you're pregnant and want to stay fit for the 40 weeks, here are a few Do's and Do not's for exercising:
Do's:
- Hydrate all the time: This is important in normal exercise but becomes crucial to prevent dehydration for you and baby and maintain your body temperature. It also will help with cramps, swelling, headaches, and help prevent Braxton Hicks (False Labour) Contractions.
- Set realistic fitness goals: As hard as it was for me to admit, you have to gain weight when you're pregnant (25-35lb ideally for a woman who is in the general weight category with a BMI of 20-25, more if you're underweight, less if you're over). Aiming to gain 7-8lb your first trimester with a pound a week after that is a good goal, losing weight over this time is not. Trying to maintain an exercise schedule is a good goal, running your first half marathon is not. New to exercise? Now's not the time to hit the gym hard, particularly in your first trimester. Begin with daily walks and stretching. In your 2nd trimester, you can add in light weight training. You'd be amazed at the wonders of a good walk!
- Eat: Food is energy. You are creating a life form within you and that takes a lot of energy (ever try to keep a plant alive?) The energy it uses is equivalent to having another organ! Contrary to popular belief, you are NOT eating for two so it is a not 'free for all'. You need to increase your caloric intake by about 300 calories a day (about 500 for twins) and you'll add an additional 400 calories post-partum if you're breastfeeding. If you have bad nausea: crackers, toast with a spread of your choice, cereal, really anything that you can stomach will be good for you. Later on, lots of veggies and fruits, whole grains, and protein. The Canadian Food Guide has good guidelines for pregnant woman. You need to eat before and after your workout as well as several times a day. I've been suffering from bad indigestion and heartburn so my doctor suggested smaller meals several times a day and it helps!
- Listen to your body: I love it when my heart feels like it's going to explode from my chest and nothing says a job well done when it hurts to walk down a flight of stairs following a hard leg workout, but gone are those days! You have probably noticed already that your heart rate is beating faster even when you're sitting down and you're huffing and puffing your way up the staircase. That's because your body is in constant overdrive. Baby creating is quite the workout (every part of it!) and your body is expending A LOT of energy on it. Your body will let you know when it doesn't like something and now you have to actually listen to it. If you feel faint, overheated, or sick: you need to stop, rest, hydrate, and even eat. I have discovered that rest days are now ever more important and I take quite a few more of them a week. My workout schedule before: Mon-BODYPUMP, Tues-Indoor Cycling or Running, Wed-BODYSTEP, Thurs-Rest, Fri-BODYPUMP, Sat-BODYPUMP and Run, Sun-Run. My workout schedule now: Mon-BODYPUMP, Tues-Rest, Wed-BODYSTEP, Thurs-Rest, Fri-BODYPUMP, Sat-BODYPUMP, Sun-Rest. Everyday, however, I go for several walks of varying lengths, we have a high energy German Shepherd who needs her exercise. My workout schedule will also change as my pregnancy progresses and my body changes.
Do not's:
- Start anything new: You need to stick to the workout you have been doing and you may even need to lighten the workload. I found everything became heavier and harder, I had to drop from squatting 26kg to 14kg in a class. Going for walks is and will always be a great workout and ideal for those new to the gym. Changing your workout to include more stretching and varying exercises is encouraged since the muscles you need for carrying the baby and for labour and delivery will need to be strengthened.
- Ignore your body and symptoms: When before you encouraged yourself to "push through the pain", now you actually have to stop and rest. Remember that your baby's heart rate is about 140-160 bpm mid-pregnancy and as your heart rate increases, so does baby's. It can be very dangerous for your heart rate to get too high, so don't push it. You may also find you can stretch farther thanks to the Relaxin in your joints. You need to be careful not to overstretch.
- Increase your exercise: I often encourage my class participants to add on more weights, push a little higher, but your goal should be to maintain your fitness for the 40 weeks not train for something more.
- Eat for two/supplement: You only need an additional 300 calories a day, that's about a bowl of cereal with milk. Fast food, chips and sweets were a "sometime food" before and are still a "sometime food" now. Supplements, protein shakes and bars have not been cleared for pregnant women because they have not been tested. If you're not sure, stay away from them. Try to get protein and other nutrients from natural sources like meat, nuts, and veggies. Your health practitioner will let you know which vitamins are safe and important to take.
Remember that fitness is important in every part of your life, whether you're pregnant or not. Next time I'll talk about all the benefits of fitness in pregnancy and post-partum as well as the risks. Please remember to always keep open communication with your health provider before beginning/continuing any exercise program.
See you at the gym!
0 comments:
Post a Comment