Fit for Two

How to safely stay fit during and after pregnancy.

Something was obviously bothering Diane. "I guess I'm going to have to stop working out," she sighed. As her personal trainer, I was stunned at this statement. After all, she had made terrific progress in her training endeavors, literally redefining her physique. She paused for a moment and then continued, "I just found out that I'm pregnant."

Misconceptions

Sadly, many women still believe that pregnancy requires a sedentary lifestyle. Even worse, some continue to train while pregnant without understanding the proper contraindications for exercise. This lack of information can seriously jeopardize their own health and well-being, as well as that of their fetus. There are many misconceptions regarding fitness training during pregnancy. However, when properly implemented, an exercise regimen can provide a multitude of benefits for the pregnant woman with virtually no negative impact.

Post-Partum Weight Gain

As a personal trainer, perhaps the most frequent complaint I hear from women is that they cannot lose the excess weight often gained after pregnancy. During pregnancy, a woman undergoes many physiological and hormonal changes that can alter her metabolism and body habitus. It is commonplace to gain 30 pounds post-partum, and most women are unprepared to deal with this event.

While it is certainly possible for a woman to reshape her body after pregnancy, the best way to counteract postpartum weight gain is to stay in shape during pregnancy. By remaining dedicated to a workout regimen, a woman can virtually return to her original shape shortly after delivery. In addition to the short-term calorie-burning effects associated with an exercise program, a disciplined training regimen increases muscle mass. This, in turn, elevates the body's resting metabolic rate, thereby helping to burn additional calories on an ongoing basis--even while asleep!

Moreover, adopting a workout routine helps increase energy levels while reducing the fatigue associated with pregnancy.[1] Regular exercise promotes an increased sense of well-being and helps to improve a woman's self-esteem during this fragile period.

Exercise Benefits

Numerous other exercise-related benefits have been reported, including a lower incidence of back pain, reduced edema and fewer leg cramps.[2] There is also positive influence on labor and delivery. Research has shown that women who train during pregnancy experience a shorter active labor and a decreased amount of fetal stress.[3] One study even found that the children of women who exercised had significantly lower body fat levels than those who were sedentary--even after a five-year follow-up period![4]

However, there are many unique principles to pregnancy training and extensive care must be taken to ensure a safe, effective workout. The goal of exercising while pregnant should be to maintain the highest level of fitness consistent with maximum safety. By understanding the basic guidelines of pregnancy training and adopting a workout program, a woman can reap all the rewards of staying fit during and after pregnancy without risking injury to herself or her fetus.

Get Checked

Before beginning a fitness routine, it is essential to get a physician's clearance to rule out any possible exercise-related contraindications. Conditions such as hypertension, bleeding, cardiac arrhythmia and other afflictions can be potentially injurious. Even things that might seem innocuous under normal circumstances can be of dire consequence at this delicate time. Therefore, medical clearance is a necessary prerequisite prior to undertaking a training regimen. Follow-ups should be obtained on a regular basis to monitor any changes in health. In this case, an ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure.

Assuming there are no contraindications, a woman should plan to exercise at regular intervals. A three-day-per-week training regimen is ideal, preferably allowing at least one rest day between workouts. By using such a schedule, training on a Monday-Wednesday-Friday or a Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday basis will afford maximal effectiveness while allowing adequate rest and recuperation time.

Aerobics classes (especially high-impact and step) are generally not recommended. During pregnancy, hormonal changes relax the connective tissues, which may produce, joint instability. 5 Bouncing movements, jumping motions and rapid directional changes--all common elements in aerobics classes--place significant stress on the joints and tendons. This will substantially increase the risk of injury to these areas. Moreover, the flow of an aerobics class, which is oriented to a group rather than to the individual, makes it difficult for pregnant woman to remain in control. It is therefore better to proceed with an individual workout program consisting of cardiovascular activities, stretching and strength training, whereby proper form and function can be maintained at all times.

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