Should I Continue Weight Training While Pregnant?

If you're planning to have a child or maybe already pregnant and don't know if you should continue to exercise, then read on.

It's good to be physically active when pregnant. It can actually help you during your labor as you are physically conditioning yourself with the movement but it's also healthy for you and your to increase oxygen flow.

Now, take this advise below as educational purposes and do discuss your health and fitness program or any diet or exercise changes with your prenatal nurse or doctor.

If you've been working out before you became pregnant, then continue doing what you're doing.

If you've been running, continue doing it.
If you've been weight training, continue doing it.

However, if you've become pregnant and then decide to start an exercise program,
I say to this: Keep it easy and simple as walking. I would not suggest starting a new exercise program at all.

Mild weight gain is expected but you'll want to stay within 20 percent or under over your ideal weight when pregnant and not over.

The only thing I would suggest is that you keep the workouts moderate to light in intensity.

Also, after the first trimester, avoid any type of crunches or sit ups on your back as this can decrease your blood pressure which can decrease blood flow and oxygen to the fetus.

If you want to tone your abs, do ab contractions while on all fours. Think of the camel hump of rounding your back and then dropping your belly towards the floor while arching your back in the opposite direction and tightening the core and hold the belly in towards the spine. Tighten as if you were to get punched in the belly and how you will tighten your stomach muscles.

You don't want to diet either. Eat in moderation.

Do continue to eat clean and healthy with lots of fruits and vegetables and less fried, sugary, salty, fatty or processed foods. You're habituating the fetus with whatever foods you are eating during this stage when your baby is born.

You'll only need an addition 300 calories per day on top of what you are normally consuming to help nourish your fetus.

If you're eating healthy foods, your baby will crave healthy foods. It's that simple.

If you are training, any type of exercise, the way I like to look at how intense I work out is to train hard enough where you can hold a conversation with a person next to you (if you had one or jus image) but hard enough where you don't feel like talking. Got it?

Remember, keep everything in moderation and not in excess.

I'm Adriel Yapana. As a Glendale, CA personal trainer and boot camp instructor, I know how hard it can be to drop stubborn body fat. To get FREE powerful, life-changing strategies, videos and finally stop the weight-loss battle, visit my website at http://adrielyapana.com/blog

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