Pregant? Start exercising five minutes a day

Take into consideration how much exercise you have done in the past. If you weren’t much of an exerciser before you got pregnant, then you should start slowly. Try exercising for 5 minutes a day and slowly work up to 30 minutes, adding about 5 minutes every week. If you are used to exercising, then you can start a little bit faster, but it is important to remember that you probably won’t be exercising at your normal pace.

What is ideal heart rate?

Keep in mind that your body is going through a lot of changes. You may find that your balance is a little off because of the extra weight gain. Just be sure to compensate for this. Your heart rate will also be pumping faster than usual so try not to overdo it. Instead, focus on keeping your heart rate at about 140 beats per minute.

As your pregnancy progresses, reduce the intensity of your exercise to a manageable level. If you start feeling tired, then take a break. If you start to feel dizzy, overheated or dehydrated, stop immediately.

Choosing Your Exercise

Choosing the activity you want to participate in is almost as much fun as actually doing it. These days there are so many activities that you can do during your pregnancy – you might even want to try them all! It is important to focus on low-impact activities that won’t stress your heart, joints, or muscles.

Avoid any contact sports, like hockey, football, wrestling, or activities in which you might get hit in the stomach. Avoid dangerous sports like downhill skiing, scuba diving, and horseback riding.

Low impact aerobics

Aerobic activities involve rhythmic and repetitive actions designed to increase your heart rate and the flow of oxygen throughout your blood stream. It improves muscle tone, stimulates your heart and lungs, and develops your strength. Some great low impact aerobic activities to try during pregnancy include:

  • walking
  • swimming or water aerobics
  • stationary cycling

Weight training

Weight training is a great way to tone those muscles and increase your stamina. You should focus on using light weights though, because heavy weights can stress your body and block blood flow to your uterus.

Yoga

Yoga is a popular activity that combines relaxation techniques with exercise. Yoga exercises emphasize posture, breathing, and relaxation while building muscle tone and strength. It also increases your endurance so you’re prepared for labor. Many yoga studios now offer prenatal yoga classes which are specially designed for expectant mums.

Pilates

Pilates exercises are becoming increasingly popular among expectant mothers. This is because Pilates combines breathing and posture techniques with strength training. Find a prenatal class that’s close by and fun.

Kegels

Kegels are one of the best exercises that you can do while pregnant, and they don’t even seem like exercise! You just need to squeeze your pelvic floor muscles for a few minutes every day. Kegel exercises help to strengthen your pelvic floor, which often stretches during pregnancy. This will keep your bladder from dropping, which can cause incontinence.

Table of Contents
1. Exercise During Pregnancy
2. What's the best exercise?
 
 
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