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March 31, 2009
Issues that will affect exercise throughout your first trimester:
1. breast tenderness & swelling
2. increased body heat
3. increased heart rate
4. nausea
How to deal with these issues:
1. Wear a well fitted, supportive bra
2. Exercise in the cool of the day, work out in an air conditioned spot, wear cool clothing,
3. drink plenty of water before, during and after your workout.
4. Use a heart rate monitor to keep intensity at the appropriate level, stop exercise before becoming fatigued
5. Eat a small snack of simple carbohydrates (i.e.: crackers) an hour before working out, try it and see if you feel better once you start exercising. Exercise will often help eliminate or make nausea better
rebecca@fitandfabulouspregnancy.com
www.fitandfabulouspregnancy.com
March 30, 2009
Keep Incontinence at Bay!
You’ve probably heard horror stories from a friend or family member about “accidents” after having a baby. It’s a sad fact for many mothers to have problems with incontinence. Well, you don’t have to be one of those mothers! Kegels are exercises that strengthen those very muscles. If these muscles are toned they may help keep you from an episiotomy as well. And the exercises can be done anywhere, pretty much anytime.
Where are the Kegel muscles?
When you are going to the bathroom, they are the muscles you use to shut off the stream of urine.
BEGINNER KEGEL EXERCISES:
Sit on the floor, legs crossed, back flat on the wall. (If this position is uncomfortable, you can do it sitting in a chair, lying on your bed, and even standing or walking as you get better at it.) Squeeze the Kegel muscles as hard as you can, count to 10, be sure to breathe. Relax for a couple seconds and repeat.
-Do 10 to 15 repetitions.
-Start with 1 set and work up to 3 or 4 a day.
ADVANCED KEGEL EXERCISES:
Sit on the floor, legs crossed, back flat on the wall. (If this position is uncomfortable, you can do it sitting in a chair, lying on your bed, and even standing or walking as you get better at it.) Squeeze the Kegel muscles moderately hard, then visualize an elevator going up as you squeeze harder to the slow count of 5, then slowly lower by relaxing the sqeeze to a slow count of 5.
Relax for a few seconds and repeat.
-Do 5 to 10 repetitions.
-Start with 1 set and work up to 2 or 3 a day.
rebecca@fitandfabulouspregnancy.com
www.fitandfabulouspregnancy.com
March 28, 2009
Stretching is important during your warm-up because it increases blood flow to the muscles. But
stretching during your cool-down may be even more important. After
working out, stretching helps to remove lactic acid from the muscle, which in turn reduces
muscle soreness. Stretching afterwards will also help you relax.
While stretching can promote flexibility, stretching too far can actually damage the muscles, par -
ticularly if you’re recovering from an injury. By overstretching, you create an automatic reflex
that will cause the muscle to recoil to protect itself from tearing and injury. Also, don’t bounce
while stretching. Holding your stretch in a static position is best.
Pregnancy leads to a loss of balance and control because of our expanding abdomens. This
protruding belly also pulls us out of our normal movement patterns. This, in turn, leads to postural
distortions and bad movement patterns. You may not even notice these changes until your
backs starts to hurt, your shoulders get tight and you may even start to experience neck and
head aches. Stretching is a great way to combat these unfortunate side effects of the prenatal
months. It also allows you to keep your posture straight and helps your body continue to move
in sync.
Unlike strength training with weights, stretching can be done daily. Tight muscles are not easily
relaxed and it takes continual stretching to loosen them.
rebecca@fitandfabulouspregnancy.com
www.fitandfabulouspregnancy.com
March 27, 2009
For obvious reasons, you may worry about your abs more during pregnancy than any time in your life. Can you keep them strong? Is it safe? What exercises can you do? Yes, yes, and yes!
Surprisingly, you can keep them relatively strong even when your baby bump gets bigger. The safest and most effective exercises are core exercises and are for the “core” muscles which include your abdominals, obliques (side abs), and glutes (butt). There are core exercises that are safe and effective for you during each trimester of your pregnancy. My program at www.fitandfabulouspregnancy.com has these exercises or if you would like me to send you one please e-mail me at rebecca@fitandfabulouspregnancy.com and let me know if you have asked your Health Care Provider if it is safe for you to exercise, whether you are beginner, intermediate, or advanced and which trimester you are in.
Another way to keep your abdominals strong during your pre-natal months is to focus on them even when you aren’t working out. All you need to do is pull your abdominal muscles in and hold them in as tight as you can for 30 to 45 seconds at a time. Be sure that you don’t hold your breath while you are doing this. You can do this when you are sitting at work, laying on your bed at home, or even while you are walking around the grocery store.
rebecca@fitandfabulouspregnancy.com
www.fitandfabulouspregnancy.com
March 26, 2009
If you ever have trouble getting up the motivation to workout during pregnancy, look at the following list, not only are there multiple benefits for you and your pregnancy, but for your unborn baby as well!
FOR YOU:
1 . reduce constipation & bloating
2 . decrease backaches & swelling
3 . prevent or treat gestational diabetes
4 . sleep better
5 . increase your energy & stamina
6 . improve your mood & alleviate stress
7 . strengthen posture
8 . get back in shape quicker postpart um
9 . promote muscle tone & strength
10. cope with labor pain
11 . improve fitness of heart & lung
FOR YOUR BABY:
1 . born with less body fat , the benefit s
of which may extend into adulthood
2 . greater neurodevelopmental scores
in oral language & motor areas *
*tested at age 5
3 . tolerate the stress of delivery better
March 25, 2009
Remember that labor, with or without drugs is hard and you will need endurance and strength to get through it. The more fit your heart is, the more energy and endurance you’ll have for you and your baby’s big event! So…how do you get a more fit heart?
Cardiovascular fitness, of course! A strong heart is better able to supply your hardworking muscles with freshly oxygenated blood, which keeps them primed for action. And, if you want to go straight to the heart of the issue, women in the real world have testified to the fact that being fit helped them tolerate labor pain better and increased their stamina to endure the whole labor, pain AND pushing!
There is no single way to get in good cardiovascular fitness. There are many ways! Remember to consider your fitness level first and foremost and then the Borg Scaled of Perceived Exertion. You should stay around a 2 to 4 for your cardiovascular work. See box at right for many options. You can also switch it up, walking one day, swimming the next or any combination you want. You should try to get in 2 to 3 days of cardiovascular work depending on how you are feeling!
March 24, 2009
As a pregnant woman, you may have looked forward to pregnancy as a time to
splurge on those food items you don’t usually let yourself eat. And although it’s
perfectly ok to allow yourself a treat now and then, your pregnancy gives you an
excellent time to redeem your “not so great” pre-pregnancy food habits.
Remember, the foods and drinks you take in directly impact your growing baby.
Developing good eating habits now can mean a healthier child AND a healthier
you for years to come!
Try not to think of pregnancy as the ice-cream and candy “free for all” it’s often
shown to be. You will need extra calories, but only approximately 300 calories
and a well balanced diet is more important during pregnancy than ever!
What should you eat?
You need to continue to get your protein, fiber, calcium, folate, plenty of vitamins
and minerals from fruit and veggies, and good carbohydrates that contain whole
grains. And never forget to take your pre natal vitamin prescribed by your Physician!
Some nutrient-packed snacks and mini meals to choose from:
(All around 300-500 calories!)
• 6 whole-grain crackers, 2 ounces low-fat cheese, a small apple,
and a cup of 1 percent milk
• a container of low-fat yogurt, a medium banana, and 1/4
cup bran cereal
• a sandwich made with 3 ounces turkey breast meat, on 2
slices of whole-grain bread, and 15 grapes
• 2 cups unsweetened cereal, a cup of 1 percent milk, and a
cup of berries
• a small bagel with 2 tablespoons peanut butter
rebecca@fitandfabulouspregnancy.com
www.fitandfabulouspregnancy.com
March 22, 2009
As a pregnant woman you have probaby seen many charts and articles
showing the “average” weight gain during pregnancy. But you must remember that
before pregnancy we all come in MANY different shapes and
sizes and during pregnancy is no different! In fact, there are
even more variable then! Even women with similar diets and
activity levels are very different during pregnancy! It
depends a lot on how much the baby weight, how much the
placenta and body fluids weigh and how our body carries the
weight. Some women carry the baby all in the front, down
low, up high, or out to the sides! So don’t try comparing your
beautiful, pregnant body with anybody else’s!
Just be sure to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet and keep an
eye out for overeating high fat, low nutritional foods!
Remember, it’s not just about you, but your coming bundle of
joy as well!
rebecca@fitandfabulouspregnancy.com
www.fitandfabulouspregnancy.com
March 20, 2009
It is very important that all pregnant women get an “okay” from their Doctor before embarking on a fitness program.
When beginning an exercise program it is important to start slowly and gradually increase your activity level,
especially if you have not been exercising regularly. Even if you have exercised regularly prior to pregnancy, you
may find that you need to decrease your level of exercise. Listen to your body. If you feel uncomfortable, short of
breath or very tired, reduce the intensity of your workout.
You may also be concerned that exercise might lead to overheating, which might harm your baby. It is important to
keep your intensity under control using a heart rate monitor, take frequent breaks during workouts and keep the
intensity lower (use the Borg Scale). Strenuous exercise should be interspersed with low-intensity exercise and rest
periods. And, don’t forget to drink water. Sipping water frequently during your workout will help you avoid
becoming overheated. If you feel anything unusual during your workout, stop and check with your Physician!
rebecca@fitandfabulouspregnancy.com
www.fitandfabulouspregnancy.com
March 18, 2009
Although walking is a great way to get your cardiovascular exercise in, there are some things to watch out for. You want to be sure to not harm yourself or lose your balance on one of your walks. Just keep the following in mind: Be sure to watch your posture while you are walking! Keep your abdominals between your hip bones pulled in so that you’re back doesn’t go into “sway back.” This could cause of intensify back strain and pain. Keep your chest out and shoulders back and down. Think of a string attached to the top of your head and it is pulling you towards the sky. Try to keep your feet straight ahead, not turned out to the hips. However, don’t watch your feet, this will cause you to lean forward, destroying your posture and putting more strain on your head spine and back.
rebecca@fitandfabulouspregnancy.com
www.fitandfabulouspregnancy.com
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