Fit Mama – Staying Healthy During Pregnancy

Answer: None of these are true!

There are so many misconceptions about exercise and healthy lifestyle choices while pregnant, just as there is a lot of misinformation disseminated about exercise and diet in general. Take it from a currently pregnant, pre-and-post-natal certified trainer – it is possible to stay fit and healthy during your pregnancy, and avoid any weight gain in excess of the amount you are supposed to gain. (Here’s a breakdown of healthy weight gain during pregnancy).

Exercise during pregnancy is so important, both for your continued health and well-being, as well as baby’s. A really exciting  recent study indicates that mama-to-be exercising throughout pregnancy benefits not only the growing fetus’ heart health, but actually improves the heart health of her baby after birth! The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends pregnant women should exercise for at least 30 minutes on most, if not all, days of the week.

So what about all the supposed no-no’s of exercise while pregnant? Again, you should defer to ACOG’s recommendations for exercise during pregnancy. ACOG is the foremost recognized authority on pregnancy and childbirth, and their recommendations for exercise during pregnancy advise that pregnant women can safely continue most exercise they were used to doing pre-pregnancy. Exceptions would include any exercise that could increase risk of falling, or blows to the abdomen, such as skiing, waterskiing, contact team sport, etc. Use your judgement, and check with your doctor or midwife to get their okay on your workouts. Running and weight-lifting are considered perfectly safe during pregnancy. Of course, pregnancy is not the best time to go from couch-potato to running 5 miles a day and power-lifting. Continue with your normal workouts, and stop if you feel uncomfortable.

But what if you haven’t been working out? Should you just skip exercise altogether and not start anything new? Don’t worry – you can still work out and take advantage of all the awesome benefits of a fit pregnancy. If you haven’t been active prior to getting pregnant, you just need to discuss your situation with your doctor or midwife, who can refer you to a pre-natal certified trainer, if necessary. Unless you are a high-risk pregnancy, or your health professional has any particular concerns, usually you’ll be advised to start slowly, listen to your body, and work your way up to a moderate exercise schedule.

ACOG also recommends that pregnant women do cardiovascular exercise at a moderate pace. The guidelines discontinued giving a heart rate maximum for pregnant women in 1982, yet you still hear the 140 maximum heart rate recommended for pregnant women! Make sure you’re not pushing yourself past your own moderate pace. Moderate means you can carry on a conversation, but you can’t sing. Your breathing rate should be increased, but you shouldn’t be gasping for air. Your moderate, based on heart rate and how much you can do, will be totally different from the next woman’s moderate, depending on your fitness level going into your pregnancy.

Now, let’s look at the idea of ‘eating for two’ during pregnancy. This doesn’t mean you can double your calories. Also, ice cream doesn’t count as protein – it’s still a treat food, unfortunately!  You require an extra 300 calories per day during your second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Your first trimester is still the same caloric needs as usual, which is handy if you’re suffering morning sickness and are finding it difficult to keep food down. Be wise about your extra calorie intake for the last two trimesters of your pregnancy. Choose whole-grains, lean proteins,  and fruit and vegetables for your extra needs. Protein is especially important during pregnancy – protein helps your body build new tissue, and you are in the process of building a whole new human being! Check with your doctor, or a nutritionist for recommended meal plans during pregnancy, and also ask about a pre-natal vitamin. Your need for certain vitamins and minerals such as folate, iron, and calcium is increased, and most doctors will recommend taking a pre-natal vitamin in addition to eating a well-balanced diet.

So, what’s going on with my fit pregnancy? Well, despite morning sickness which continued for over four months of my pregnancy (UGH), I continued to work out and still do: strength training three or four days per week, running or walking four times per week (let’s see how long I can run comfortably!) and doing a lot of stretching and foam rolling to alleviate discomfort in my back. I also try to eat as healthfully as possible, which is not easy when you’re feeling sick a lot of the time. Of course I eat treat foods now and then, and I had to experiment with meal sizes in order to keep my nausea under control. I also had to experiment with eating as much cheese as possible, apparently. Happily, my weight gain is exactly where it should be for a woman with a healthy BMI going into pregnancy. It feels good to know I’m helping baby get healthy even before he or she is born!