Prenatal Exercise for All Moods
Pregnancy is about change – changes in the body and changes in the mood. There are nine months of changes that may create mood swings, and your exercise habits may be affected by these moods.
The March of Dimes says most pregnant women, unless otherwise advised by their doctors, would benefit from 30 minutes of exercise every day. Not only does it make you feel better, but it prevents too much weight gain and gestational diabetes. But how can you adjust your fitness activities to your changing moods and energy levels? Low Energy You may frequently feel low energy and tired during your first trimester even though you have changed very little yet physically. Your weight change is not yet significant, but you feel tired all the time. What can you do to keep yourself fit even though you have low energy?
When you have low energy, keep the following tips in mind:
- Exercise for only short periods of time. Ten minutes of exercise may be all you can handle. Do not try to overexert yourself when your body is feeling tired.
- Select an exercise that is low key, such as walking or simple stretches.
- Do something that allows you to stop when you feel you need to stop. In other words, don’t start a fitness class that lasts an hour if you are going in with a low energy level. Select something that you are able to regulate and can stop at the point you begin to feel fatigued. A long hike is not appropriate when you are tired and may struggle on the return cycle.
- Low-energy fitness activities may include walking, yoga, stretching, water aerobics, and Pilates. These are, of course, excellent exercises for your high-energy days, too. You may feel the need to extend the time you do these activities to achieve your desired fitness level.
Normal Activity Level Just because you are pregnant, don’t assume your days will always be at one extreme or the other. There may be days and weeks when you feel perfectly normal in your energy level and undisturbed by your body’s changing shape. If you have been following a fitness program or played certain sports regularly before your pregnancy, there is no reason you should not be able to continue with this same routine if you are feeling at a normal energy level.
Of course, always check with your doctor first to ensure your activity is recommended. Each pregnancy is different and may require special considerations. Always tell your physician what your sport or activity of choice is. There may be some that are not recommended.
During pregnancy some women find they are clumsier, and a sport that may risk falls would be something your doctor may not recommend. Examples of some extreme sports might be sky diving, skateboarding, bicycle riding, skiing and ice skating. Of course, if you are confident in your abilities and have been active in one of these sports prior to becoming pregnant, your doctor may give you the go ahead.
Take the necessary precautions to participate in your sport without taking unnecessary risks. Extreme sports are riskier in the last part of the second trimester and third trimester when your body has become rounder and your center of balance has shifted. The concern about these sports is not only for your safety but for the safety of your unborn child. So continue with caution in mind.
When you are feeling normal, keep the following tips in mind:
- Keep your fitness activity level consistent.
- If you begin to feel unchallenged or tired of the same thing, feel free to change your activity.
- Exercise will make your pregnancy and delivery more comfortable, so it is important that you are active for a short time every day and for longer times two to three times a week.
- Remember, activities such as gardening, walking cleaning the house and shopping are ways to keep fit just as like scheduled exercise classes might be.
- Excellent fitness activities for moderate energy levels include walking (longer lengths of time), fitness classes, swimming, dancing, golf, shooting hoops, exercise bicycling, non-contact martial arts and rowing.
- Activities may be chosen because they feel comfortable with your changing shape. For example, it may not be comfortable to swing that golf club when your stomach is in the way of holding the club. Or you may not fit comfortably on the exercise bicycle anymore because you don’t fit between the seat and the handlebars. Select the activity that fits not only your energy level but also your body shape.
High Energy
There are some days you will find that your energy level seems to be unstoppable. Some women find they are continually cleaning during those days. This may also be a time to step up your fitness program
Content provided on this site is for educational purposes only and should not be considered as a medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
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