navigating-fitness-while-pregnant

The work you put in now prepares you for later. We’ve all heard this before, but applying this mindset to pregnancy changes the game. If you’re trying to get pregnant, consider the role your current fitness routine plays in your future as a mother. What’s fair game and what’s off-limits? What can exercising now mean for you later? 

Push-ups for pregnancy

Exercise helps strengthen your body and muscles, which is key for growing and carrying a baby for nine months. You’ll want to build up strength and endurance... your body will thank you as the weeks pass by/ Keep in mind exercise doesn’t necessarily have to be a session at the gym. Any activity that elevates your heart rate will do. Get creative and have fun.

  • Aim for around 30-40 minutes (or more) of movement a day. This doesn’t have to be a seven-days-a-week ordeal, just strive for as many days of the week as you can (5 if possible).
  • Avoid working out too much or too hard, as this can stress out the body and send hormones spiraling, making it harder to get pregnant.
  • Crush your core. Having a strong core helps in the balance and posture department which is so helpful when maneuvering a growing belly. Incorporate more ab exercises and other workouts that require a stabilized core. 
  • Stamina, please! Building up your stamina and endurance before pregnancy will prove its worth during labor. Try high-intensity interval training, as it’s very effective for endurance.

How to get your work out routine started 

If working out isn’t part of your daily routine, there’s no better time to start than the present. Don’t be intimidated. Choose activities that are easy to incorporate into your schedule and make you feel good. Just a little bit of movement each day will strengthen your body but also elevate your mood and reduce stress, which both play a part in how successful attempts to conceive are!

Try an app. There are hundreds of mobile apps that provide free, at-home workouts to help get you moving. You don’t have to think about making up routines yourself, which takes off a lot of pressure. And the ability to do them right at home means you don’t even have to leave the house. We love Sweat With Kayla, Aptiv, and the Nike Training app.

Commit to a fifteen-minute walk outside each day. This is a great starting point to start incorporating daily movement. Before work, during lunch, or after dinner. 

Just move it move it

Moving your body in a way that feels good is all that matters, really. Determine what kind of mover you are. High intensity? Fast-paced cardio? Slow flow? Then seek out exercises from there. Here are a few ideas:

Yoga. Did you know there are a whole host of fertility-enhancing yoga moves

Cycling can be done both indoors and outdoors, which is a bonus during those rough winter months. A great way to build up endurance, and if you take a class at a studio, you’ll likely find a strong community of like-minded individuals, too. 

Pilates. Like yoga’s cool older sister. Typically done on a reformer machine, this workout will build strength and balance at low intensity.

Remember that when you’re trying to conceive, you are likely making multiple changes to your life. In turn, it can be hard to tell exactly what’s working and what’s not. The good thing about exercise is that even if it doesn’t directly help you conceive, it has a host of other benefits that relate to fertility in some way. Be kind to yourself and simply try, that’s the best you can do.

Read More:
How to Increase Fertility: Dr. Amos' 12-Step Program
Fertility Calendar and Ovulation Calculator
Trying To Get Pregnant: Pre-Trimester Pregnancy Guide