How to Adjust Your Health, Fitness, and Workout Routine When You're Pregnant

Photo by 🇸🇮 Janko Ferlič on Unsplash

Staying healthy and fit becomes even more of a priority when you’re pregnant, not only for your own health but also for the development of your growing baby. Many expectant moms are concerned about losing muscle tone and gaining too much weight during pregnancy, too. Of course, some weight gain is necessary during a healthy pregnancy, but if you gain too much, getting back in shape after delivery can be tough.

Of course, staying fit during pregnancy requires eating a healthy diet, staying active, and getting the rest your body needs. However, the fatigue, aches and pains, nausea, and food cravings during pregnancy can present a bit of a challenge. Here are our top tips for adjusting your health, fitness, and workout routine when you’re pregnant! 

Stay Active Without Overdoing It

When it comes to motivating yourself to workout during pregnancy, the key is to find an activity you truly enjoy and look forward to. That will make it much easier to stay motivated even when you’re feeling tired and achy. 

You’ll want to adjust the length and intensity of your workouts as your pregnancy progresses but remaining active right up until delivery will prevent unhealthy weight gain. Exercise can also relieve those aches and pains, give you more energy, and boost your mood, too. It also supports the flow of blood and oxygen to the uterus and your growing baby.

Swimming, prenatal yoga, and walking in the fresh air and sunshine are all wonderful ways to stay active without overdoing it. Be sure to run your exercise plan past your healthcare provider first, just to be safe. And, no matter what type of exercise you choose, make sure it’s low impact and something you truly enjoy doing.

Safely Maintaining Your Muscle Tone

Maintaining your muscle tone during pregnancy will help you bounce back more quickly after delivery. It may even make labor and delivery a little easier. You can still lift weights during pregnancy, as long as you have your doctor’s approval. Be sure to listen to your body, shorten your sessions, and use lighter weights as your pregnancy progresses.

Invest in Your Pregnancy Workout Wardrobe

You might be tempted to throw on some stretchy shorts and a baggy t-shirt to accommodate your growing baby bump but consider investing in some cute maternity workout clothes instead. Having something cute and comfortable to wear when you work out will help you stay motivated and stick to your fitness goals. Many brands have entire lines dedicated to cute workout wear for pregnant women, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding a few outfits that are comfortable and stylish.

Choose Healthy Fats and Lean Protein

Healthy fats are crucial for you and your baby, so be sure to include them in your diet regularly. Good sources of healthy fats include avocados, grass-fed butter, olive oil, flaxseed oil, and coconut oil. Including these healthy fats in your diet is necessary for absorbing essential fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K which are crucial for your baby’s development and your own health.

When choosing lean protein sources, look for organic, grass-fed dairy, meat, and free-range eggs. They are good sources of the monosaturated fats and protein you and your baby need. They’ll also keep you feeling full longer, stabilize your blood sugar, and help to curb food cravings that could cause unnecessary weight gain.

Ditch the Excess Carbs and Sugar

You’ve probably been told to ditch the excess carbs and sugar more times than you can count, but it’s super important if you want to stay fit during pregnancy. Going overboard with refined carbs and sugar will cause you to gain more weight than you need to, and they have zero nutritional value for you or your developing baby. These foods aren’t good for you at any stage of life and avoiding them during pregnancy is especially important. 

Why is cutting out processed carbs and other junk food so important for preventing excess weight gain? Not only do they lack nutrition, but the body also breaks them down into sugar and then converts them into fat, which is then stored in your adipose tissue. The only way to burn fat stored in your adipose tissue is with intense exercise, which you really can’t do too much during pregnancy. For most women, that means excess fat will collect in trouble spots like the tummy, hips, thighs, and breasts. Not only that but continuing to eat more junk sugar and carbs will prevent your body from using stored fat as fuel.

Keep in mind that although fruit contains a lot of valuable antioxidants and vitamins, it also contains a lot of sugar, called fructose. The liver converts fructose into triglycerides, which is another type of fat that can be stored in the adipose tissue. While you shouldn’t eliminate fruit entirely, it’s best to eat it in moderation and focus on eating lots of nutrient-dense, green leafy vegetables instead.

Take an Organic Prenatal Vitamin Every Day

No matter how good your intentions are, there will always be days when nausea, food cravings, or just plain exhaustion keep you from eating as well as you should. Not only that, but pregnancy increases your need for many nutrients, especially folate and omega-3s. Taking prenatal vitamins that are organic ensures that you are meeting your nutritional needs with wholesome ingredients. It’s an easy way to fill in any gaps in your healthy diet, even when eating a variety of nutrient-dense foods presents a challenge.

Listen to Your Body

We all need to learn to listen to our body’s more, but it’s especially important during pregnancy. Taking the time to rest and relax is so important when your body is working hard to create a new life. Find healthy ways to reduce your stress levels and help you relax, such as prenatal massage, meditation, and yoga. And, shoot for at least eight to 10 hours of sleep each night, especially in the third trimester.

Remember, there will be days where you have extra energy. Take advantage of it, but don’t overdo it to the point of exhaustion. Sit down, put your feet up, and take breaks often. When your body says it’s time for some rest, listen to it. There’s no shame in taking a nap during the day if you need one!

Wrap Up

These tips will help you adjust your health, fitness, and workout routine when you’re pregnant. Not only will they prevent unhealthy weight gain and keep you fit, but they could also make labor and delivery easier, ease aches and pains, and speed up your postpartum recovery! 

For more wellness tips visit me on IG @NadiaMurdock