Working out is definitely an important part of pregnancy, but one that we both struggled with for a number of reasons. Whether it’s finding the time, the energy (hello, first trimester fatigue!), or the motivation, it seems even easier than usual to skip out on a workout while pregnant. However, we’ve found a few different modifications for workouts we already knew and loved, or workouts that we wouldn’t normally have done that fit the pregnant lifestyle.
Here is a run down of what we did to stay active during pregnancy and how we made it work for us.
Walking
Pretty much everyone recommended walking to us as a great way to keep active during pregnancy. We both love tracking our steps and trying to reach 10k a day so this was a no brainier to add to our pregnancy fitness routine.
Hiking
Hiking is also one of our favorite ways to stay active and something we loved keeping in our routines during pregnancy. It is a bit trickier to keep up with during pregnancy because of things like hills, uneven terrain and heat. That paired with the fact that you are tired all the time makes hiking a bit harder to keep up with. But we still kept it in the mix and stuck to some of our favorite “easy” trails and endlessly thanked our friends for keeping a slower pace. It feels amazing to be out in the fresh air so even an easy hike is worth the effort.
Running
If you were a runner pre-pregnancy, it is great to keep up with throughout the 9 months of growing a child, and even if you’re new to running, keeping a light jog or two per week is a great way to raise your heart rate. (Please check with your doctor to make sure this is advisable during your particular pregnancy, as some women are discouraged from too much activity.) We love this belly band for the later months to keep things comfortable while running.
Yoga (Regular Classes vs. Hot Classes vs. Prenatal Classes)
Hot yoga was one of the hardest things to give up on during pregnancy and we both kept a few classes in our fitness routine just to stay sane. But the general advice is to eliminate the hot classes (above 85 degrees) and this is especially important in the first trimester. As we got farther into our pregnancies (and since we were both practicing before) we felt comfortable keeping this exercise in our mix. It is totally a personal choice and one you should talk with your doctor about before making your own decision.
Next up, the difference between sticking to a regular class schedule vs. taking a prenatal class… (Full disclosure, we have both taken a 200 teacher training course with a prenatal component and have been practicing consistently for 5+ years, so we are very comfortable with our yoga practices.) If you have not taken yoga classes before, adding a prenatal class to your workout regimen can be a great way to prep your body for labor. For us, the prenatal classes were a little too slow paced for us to feel like we were really getting a workout so sticking to regular classes with modifications felt better for our bodies. That being said, we did really like the community aspect of prenatal classes! It’s a great place to meet other women who are going through this (very weird!) thing at the same time as you.
Not to sound too minimal but “you do you” and let your body tell you what type of class is best for you. If you do go to regular classes, remember to avoid twists and ab work and be extra careful about laying on your back. Tell the teacher that you are pregnant before class and let them know how comfortable you are with yoga practices and modifications and how much direction you’d like. Also, don’t be afraid to try out a YouTube class or two and get your at-home practice in gear!
Group Fitness Classes
Depending on your desire to mix things up with your workouts, we loved to experiment a bit and try out other classes while pregnant! Barre, spin, and interval training classes all made it into our workout rotations throughout each of our pregnancies. It’s fun to try out new ways to move your body when it is going through so many changes, just be sure to take things slow as, especially at a new class, you may not be aware of your pregnant limits. (Pro-tip if you’re in the Los Angeles area: check out this list of 43 free workout classes in the area!)
At Home Exercise
It’s always hard to fit in a workout outside of a group setting especially with all of those wonderful chick flicks calling your name from the couch. But YouTube is full of short prenatal workouts that you can try at home and we both tried really hard to filter these into our routines. We also invested in exercise balls that were helpful during pregnancy, during labor and have even been a great way to bounce with a baby post-pregnancy.
We also both were heavily invested in the “squats game” while pregnant to help loosen our hips and prepare for labor. This article has some great GIFs demonstrating pregnancy-safe squat techniques; and this article has a (bold!) prenatal squat challenge if you’re feeling up to it!
For our pregnant readers and new moms, how did your workout routines change during pregnancy? Let us know in the comments!