Following an exercise schedule

One of the best ways to begin a fitness routine is to have a plan to follow. While training for my half marathon last year, I found it helpful to have a calendar and schedule that told me what to run and how to run it. I was also able to modify the schedule to fit in my own classes and life events.  I have often found that making fitness part of your weekly routines will make it easier to take part in and can make you feel more accountable to your workout. For some people, the schedule can be hitting a favourite class every week; for others, it could be walking to work. The most important part of a fitness schedule is that YOU can follow it! For "new-to-fitness" moms-to-be, having a schedule can be a great tool to ensure you're getting a balanced workout.  There are many fitness schedules online that you can find with sample workout plans. Below I have put together a sample 1 week chart that you can modify to your heart's content! Notice that the schedule goes by numbered days rather than by days of the week-- this means you can begin a fitness routine at anytime, it doesn't have to be Monday morning!  Very important: always remember to consult with your health practitioner before beginning any exercise schedule and continue listening to your body.
If you're VERY new to fitness, remember to begin with just walking daily to build up to a more intense fitness level.

Measuring your intensity:

While many fitness sites will try to give you a heart rate to measure with (not letting your HR go over 140bpm) remember that that number is a myth and completely depends on your body and fitness level.

Because your target heart rate zone when you're pregnant will be different than when you're not (remember your resting heart rate is higher and you will spike up faster), try to measure your intensity by ensuring you can always maintain a conversation but be slightly breathless. It's ok to sweat but you should not be pouring off water. If you think on a scale of 1-10, try to aim for a 6-7 at your peak.

Developing the workout routine:

Every workout will have 3 parts: warm up, intensity and cool down. It is extremely important to include a warm up and cool down in EVERY workout. The blood in your pregnant body is working differently than before and a long cool down will ensure you finish your routine safely and your muscles and joints will not scream at your later.

*These workouts are designed for use with gym equipment whether it's at home or at a facility and will last about 30-60min depending on what you have time for*

Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5	Day 6	Day 7
Cardio	Light Strength training	Rest	Cardio	Light Strength training	Rest	Flexibility training

For cardio: begin your intensity session at 15 minutes and increase by 1-2 minutes each session until you reach 30 minutes.

For strength training: try to complete 2 sets of 8 repetitions. Remember that the weights should be light enough that you can complete the sets without straining but the last repetition is tough (that could be hand weights of about 5-10lb).  The following day, you should "feel" your muscles but you should not be sore in anyway (pain scale of 4-5 out of 10).  Specific exercises can be found on my previous blog entry about Muscle conditioning for pregnant women.

For stretching: try to hold each stretch for 20-30 seconds. Remember not to bounce while you stretch and only go as far as you feel a slight pull, there should never be any pain in a stretch.

DAY 1: Cardio	Time		Activity
Warm up	5 minutes		Walk at a comfortable pace:  this would be as fast as walking around work.
Intensity building	15-30 minutes		Walk at a quick pace: this would be as though you’re in a hurry to get somewhere
Cool down	10 minutes	5 minutes	Walk at the pace you began in your warm up and slowly decrease it minute by minute
		5 minutes	Stretch your legs to finish off

DAY 2: Light strength training	Time	Activity
Warm up	5 minutes	Walk at a comfortable pace to get the blood flowing
Intensity building	30 minutes	Upper body :   Back: Rows, Chest: Pectoral Flys, Bicep curls, Seated Tricep extensions Lower body: Squats, calf raises Core: Plank (on your knees or toes): hold for 10 seconds, release and repeat 3 more times.
Cool down	10 minutes	Stretching

Day 3: Rest--stick to your daily routines and focus today on you!

DAY 4: Cardio	Time		Activity
Warm up	5 minutes		Walk at a comfortable pace:  this would be as fast as walking around work.
Intensity building	15-30 minutes		Interval walks: 2-5 minutes quick pace (a power walk), 1 minute recovery at a strong pace (not as slow as your warm up). Repeat until you’re done your intensity session.
Cool down	10 minutes	5 minutes	Walk at the pace you began in your warm up and slowly decrease it minute by minute
		5 minutes	Stretch your legs to finish off

DAY 5: Light strength training	Time	Activity
Warm up	5 minutes	Walk at a comfortable pace to get the blood flowing
Intensity building	30 minutes	Upper body :   Back: Wide Rows, Chest press, Shoulders: Side raises, overhead press Lower body: 1-legged squats, hamstring extensions with the ball Core: Heel drops (laying on an inclined bench)
Cool down	10 minutes	Stretching

Day 6: Rest--stick to your daily routines and focus today on you! This would be a great day to get out for a light walk with friends.

Day 7: Flexibility training:

Focus a period of time on your body. Work on developing your flexibility and relaxation techniques. A Yoga class would be a great option is you're unsure of what to do but otherwise find a quiet spot and stretch every part of your body. Hold each stretch for at least 30 seconds, and breath into your muscles. Remember that as your pregnancy progresses, relaxin builds in your joints so you may feel more flexible. Stretch only as far as comfortable with slight tension.

This is just a sample of what a week's worth of fitness could be. A fitness routine doesn't need to be overly complicated nor does it mean spending your days in a gym. Because there are only 2 days dedicated to muscle conditioning, I suggested upper and lower body on the same days. To continue to mix it up: change in which exercises you would prefer to do. If you want more intensity, pick 2 exercises per muscle group or add a cardio session to a strength training session. Keep the routine fresh and you will find the process more enjoyable!

See you at the gym!