Pregnant women are usually apprehensive of performing physical activities during their term, but doctors recommend that they perform mild to moderate intensity exercises to remain fit and healthy.
If you have been a fitness freak all these years and are suddenly compounded by pregnancy, we recommend that you carry on with your fitness plans.
For women who have been exercising since a long time, it can be a problem to suddenly stop for the sake of pregnancy. Matter of factly, you must be your happiest during this phase of your life and if you give away that one thing that makes you feel good (read exercise), you are bound to feel worse with each passing day. Yes, we understand that exercising during the first trimester of pregnancy will present several challenges because you are unusually tired, extremely nauseous and super scared to even move a little because that will seem like a threat to your baby. But, all of this can be overcome with just a bit of exercising.
Below are more reasons why a pregnant woman should exercise right from the first trimester of pregnancy.
- Prevent or ease back pain and other discomforts
- Boost mood as well as energy levels
- To sleep better
- To increase muscle strength and stamina
- Prevent excessive weight gain.
It has also been found by several researchers that exercising during pregnancy helps to prevent or reduce the development or progress of gestational diabetes as well as pregnancy-related high blood pressure.
Types of Exercises for Pregnant Women
Most doctors recommend that women perform at least 30 minutes of moderate exercising on most days of the week, if doing them every day is not possible.
For beginners, walking is the best form of exercise as it provides aerobic conditioning without put much stress on the joints. Some other good alternatives of exercising include swimming, cycling on a stationary bike and low-impact aerobics. Doctors do not proscribe strength training totally as long as you do not lift heavy weights.
Before exercising during the first trimester, it is important to warm up and cool down. First, drink lots of water to stay hydrated and be sure that you do not overheat water. Average, healthy women are able to speak while they are exercising during pregnancy. But, if you cannot speak normally, you are most likely pushing yourself a little too much.
Depending on your fitness level, below are some guidelines for a safe and healthy workout regime.
- If you have not exercised for a while: start with 5 minutes of exercise initially and gradually build it up to 10 minutes, then 15 and so on.
- If you have exercised before pregnancy: you can continue your workout regime at the same extent or level that you were before you got pregnant. All you have to make sure is that you are comfortable and your health care provider is affirmative.
There is no expert who says that exercising during the first trimester would be harmful for the pregnant woman. But, it is important for you to make sure that you do not try the extremes and take safety precautions.
Read more articles on Pregnancy Trimesters.
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