Working out is one of my favorite things to do! I love to run, hike, practice yoga and be fit. So when I got pregnant I had to adapt. There were things I’d have to change on my pregnancy fitness journey.
Prior to going to my first doctor’s appointment to officially start my pregnancy, I’d already Googled tons of things about fitness and being pregnant. One of the biggest things I read was the importance of exercise and to continue doing what you’ve normally done. Score for me! It said that if you’re a runner, then continue to run. I love that!
Running is my favorite way to start my day. In my first trimester I would gag while running nearly every morning. While this was a little annoying, I didn’t let it sway me from running and I’m really glad I pushed through it. I’ve now been feeling GREAT during my runs for weeks. I’m definitely running slower than before, and it took me a bit to come to terms with this new reality. But its my body’s way of telling me to just go with it. Listen to your body!
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Pregnancy fitness is definitely different. I’ve given up on working my abs completely. This is something that I of course knew going into my whole adventure, but it didn’t make it any easier. I’d worked really hard on my abs, frequently doing 30 day challenges that focused solely on my core. But I’m okay with avoiding traditional ab work until my baby comes. Let’s face it, a lot of workouts strengthen your core and many yoga poses strengthen it. They’re not traditional core workouts, but still great work. For now no crunches, no bicycles, no scissor kicks etc. I’ll keep planking and squatting!
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The most significant changes to my workouts so far have come in my yoga practice. Even when my husband and I were the only ones who knew I was pregnant, I’d already changed my chair pose. They suggest you don’t do chair with your feet touching and instead spread your feet a bit. That was easy to implement! Other changes were more mental for me.
I’m a huge fan of power yoga and I love the flow and love the intensity of the class. But now I need to slow down in class more frequently. I already find myself having to get up and use the restroom about halfway through, nearly every time. I’ve also started skipping the ab section and I’m contemplating what to do for an inversion. I’ve read conflicting reports, but all say that now is not the time to start an inversion practice. While I’m not big into inversions, I do enjoy shoulder stand. So currently I’m just going with how I feel. There are some people who say no and some who say to practice it until you don’t feel comfortable anymore. Sounds good to me!
Go with how you feel! Thus far on my three and a half month journey that’s my biggest lesson. I’m going with how I feel and what I feel is best for me. It’s what I’ve done throughout my fitness journey, so I know it definitely works! I’m still running about thirty miles a week and will definitely continue until I feel I need to scale back. I’m embracing my pregnancy fitness journey as Me and My Baby Girl Time. I’m starting her off with a healthy lifestyle and taking her along on my fitness journey!
Mandi Mellen is Lead Editor, Staff Writer, and Featured Vlogger at BuzzChomp. She’s an actress, writer, and producer. Get lost in her youtube comedy channel PillowTalk TV. Follow her on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, or Instagram
Photo Credits to www.babble.com, www.tribe.com and www.sophysport.com
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