Why All The Pregnancy Talk??

My first two blogs were about the importance of fitness during pregnancy. I chose these to be my first two because I am pregnant! Due in April and almost 24 weeks along.

I have looked through all different kinds of pregnancy websites to find first hand experiences women have had with exercise and pregnancy, but there simply is a lack of information. Fit Pregnancy, the magazine and website, has articles on what you can do to stay fit during your nine months and beyond, but I found that they were too easy and not on track with my needs.

My physical life has not changed all that much since I have become pregnant. Before becoming pregnant I would go trail running with my husband and our dog, go to the gym and do weight lifting and cardio, do yoga, go road biking, go road running, go hiking, jump rope, etc. Now I am doing similar activities, but in a controlled environment, with people who can keep an eye on my form so that I do not injure myself.

Working out with your partner or friend during pregnancy is a great way to stay fit and feel safe doing so. My husband and I workout together and I feel much more at ease knowing that if I feel lightheaded, faint, exhausted, or just plain crummy he is my advocate for safety.

We do a fitness program together called CrossFit and I find that this is the best thing for me to do both during and after my pregnancy. It is a really great and challenging workout, but I would not advise every pregnant lady to join. If you are not conditioned to high intensity, high impact, high weighted lifts than going to a gym and taking some classes would be just a good!

Another great path to consider is hiring a personal trainer that specializes in training pregnant women. Not only with this person be right on track with your need from month to month, but could also have great advice to staying healthy and feeling great up to the birth and the weeks following.

The important thing to remember is that after your third month of pregnancy, and I experienced this for sure, your ligaments become loser and your center of gravity shifts. This means that when you are doing any type of weight lifting you are more prone to injure yourself if you are not spotted or monitored.

The lower back is a main concern when it comes to injury due the decrease in abdominal support. You might not have ever thought that you had great abs before your became pregnant, but that lower back pain that is nagging away at you can and most likely is due to the spreading of your abdominal wall. You abs control so much of your balance, strength and posture, that without them your body begins to wreak havoc on itself.

From here on out I will be blogging about my own pregnancy concerns when it comes to fitness and exercise. Anything from keeping your abs and core strong, to preventing injury. Also, I will be touching on the tools to facilitate a good delivery.

Bouncing Back From the Holiday Bulge

Holidays, for many people, mean copious amounts of rich and decadent foods, and alcohol paired with subpar physical activity. Going overboard for the holidays is nothing new to Americans, but what is the real reason behind it all? Why are we all eating and drinking like it is our own last supper?

Eating is a national pastime in America and a lot of us could be considered professionals. But this has to change! Changing how we act during the holidays may translate into how we act during all social gatherings throughout the year, not just the winter.

In most adult social environments alcohol and food are plentiful. They are a means to communication with the folks around us. So why is it all in excess? The alcohol intake, the fat percentage in the foods, the calories! Everything is there and available in spades...starring you down until you fold and indulge. This is not the way it has to be! With the right mindset you have the power to change your actions.

Another problem I believe American's have with their eating is that the food is not enjoyed to the fullest because it is being chewed twice, swallowed and then chases with another mouthful of equally rich food. There is no savoring and perhaps if we learned to put down the stop watch, chew our food, and enjoy the experience we would not feel the need to eat such huge amounts.

The Holidays are essentially over now, but in the future think about your behavior at parties and gatherings. It is your behavior that is causing the extra pounds to pile on in a short amount of time, not the food itself. Behavior is a learned trait and therefore it can be unlearned and traded for healthier choices.

Think you will be temped to go back to your same ways the next time you go to a party? Have a plan. Think about the carbs, calories, and sugar that is in your alcoholic drinks alone! Then think about the food you are planning on eating! It can take you one night to literally ruin two weeks of "being good" with physical exercise and healthy eating. Is it really worth it?

Fight the bulge! Tomorrow is another year...another day....and perhaps a new beginning, but only if you stick to it!

Don't Let Your Wii Fit Fool You!

Lots of people have either purchased or received the Wii fit over the past year (I have one and love it for its entertainment value), but don't let that little guy on the screen fool you by making you think that all the physical activity you need is right there in that gaming console.

The Wii fit is fun! But to expect to get an adequate amount of physical activity from these games is just unrealistic. Some people say that it is better than nothing, and sure that is true, but to give yourself the workout your body needs in order to make improvements and measurable changes you will need to step away from the Wii board.

If you like the Wii fit because it is fun, entertaining, and something you look forward to, consider joining a gym where there are group classes that would serve the same purpose in entertaining you, as well as getting your blood pumping. Such classes as Zumba (a latin dance class), Body Pump, Step Aerobics, Spinning, Kick Boxing, etc., should be on the same wave length as your Wii fit hula hoop competitions.

Working out in a group environment can be advantageous to many people because it is an extra push of competition. This is a good thing! Being competitive is not a negative, especially if you are going to use this to benefit your exercise routine. It is a lot easier to feel motivated to workout hard and consistently if you know there are people doing the same and expect you to be there. If working out by yourself sounds like an improbable activity, than a class is definitely for you!

So save the Wii for fun and head to the gym, the streets, the park, or the hills....anything to really get your heart rate up. And remember to workout for a minimum of 20 minutes! Plus, have fun!

Fitness During Pregnancy: The upside of working out

The benefits of having a healthy lifestyle are numerous, and continuing to be healthy through pregnancy should be at the top of every mother-to-be's list. Just think that everything you eat, drink, take, and do will directly affect your unborn child's future and well being.

If you have ever worked out there is a feeling of calm, clarity, and elation that follows a good workout. This is caused by a chemical hormone called endorphins. These little guys give your body a natural high when you experience things that are pleasing to you. Endorphins are also present during sex and after your orgasm. When you are expecting not only you will feel the effects of these endorphins, but so will your child. A happy mommy makes a happy baby!

Studies have shown that working out throughout your pregnancy increases brain activity in the fetus. This could possibly lead to a high IQ. In addition to heightened brain function, babies are shown to have a decreased chance in childhood obesity, which is a growing problem in our country. To have a healthy lifestyle from the very beginning is the best gift a mother can give to her child!

One more kudo to fitness during pregnancy is how it facilitates labor and delivery. You wouldn't run a marathon if you had not been training and the same should hold true to giving birth. Working out throughout your pregnancy is vital to maintaining strength and endurance that is needed during delivery. With stamina and power on your side your birth should be quicker and easier. Not to mention bouncing back to your pre-pregnancy weight will be even easier when you have been active all this time!

Good luck!

Staying Fit During Pregnancy: Never start anything "new'

Working out during pregnancy seems to be a controversial issue for a lot of people, and perhaps with good reason. This first thing to consider about physical activity and pregnancy is that you should never start something new. Now, this is a broad term and it is used often when discussing fitness and pregnancy, but let me try to explain what "new" is referring to...

1.) If you were not physically active before your pregnancy do not take up a workout regimen that will push you past your comfort zone. It is all about maintaing during pregnancy, not gaining. Walking would be an ideal and unthreatening new activity to take up not just for the next nine months, but for life.

2.) If you walked, ran, or cycled pre-pregnancy now is the time to continue similar activities in a controlled and safe environment. For instance spin classes are a good alternative to street or mountain biking. Running or walking can be done safely on a paved pathway where cars, potholes, curbs, and stray dogs are not a threat. Make sure to stop trail running at your 3rd month when your center of gravity shifts and the hormone relaxin causes your ligaments to loosen. In addition to these types of workouts that your body is used to, incorporate light weight lifting for strength training. In this case weight training may be new to you, but since you lifestyle before pregnancy was aimed towards cardiovascular health (which is great for endurance during labor and child birth) weight training would not be too far off from your previous activity. Just remember to go light on the weights and high on the reps.

3.) If you were doing high impact, high intensity exercises before your pregnancy consider maintaining this lifestyle, but take it down a notch. Make sure to keep your heart rate below 160 and to hydrate more often than you would before. It will be tempting to continue to push yourself like you did pre-pregnancy (especially if you feel great) but everything in moderation. That hormone relaxin can cause injuries that would have not been a problem before.

4.) If you were working out regularly before your pregnancy do not stop all activity. Your mother or mother-in-law might give you the stink eye when you tell her you are planning on working out throughout your pregnancy and if you stop your health will decline and your muscles will atrophy. Not to mention your endurance will be shot. So do yourself and your baby a favor and get those endorphins pumping! You will both be thankful when he or she arrives.