pregfit instead of just pregnant

Since I have alot of friends who are either pregnant, trying to get pregnant or have been pregnant, I figure a working out while pregnant post might be of some use to all.

My pregnancy with Jack was healthy, normal and fairly easy. I never puked, only felt nauseated during the first trimester and was able to work on my feet as a waitress the whole 9 months. I gained 39 pounds.

My pregnancy with Violet was equally as good. However, I continued exercising at my pre-pregnancy fitness level and only gained 29 pounds.

When I get questions about what is a healthy and safe amount of exercise during pregnancy I usually tell people to continue their current exercise routine until comfort necessitates modification. Basically that means if you lift weights, you can keep lifting them. The modification will come when you don't feel comfortable lying on your back and you will have to do chest presses, crunches and other exercises on an incline. If you take aerobic classes or do other aerobic activities, you can keep doing that same workout for the same duration of time. The modification will happen when your bladder forces you to stop jumping and you have to minimize the movements to a lower impact option.

Here are a few tips:
During cardio exercise you should be reaching 40-60 percent of your maximum heart rate. Basically, you should be able to speak while working out.

If it feels uncomfortable, it's probably not right. Again, listen to your body.

Any good fitness instructor should be able to provide you with specific pregnancy modifications. Feel free to ask for options before or after class. During class listen for the words, level one, low option, or low impact. Those are for you.

Tests have shown that exercise during pregnancy can reduce or even eliminate symptoms of morning sickness. I know I never threw up but the naseau was awful too. I felt less naseau on the days I worked out. Swear.

It sounds simple, it sounds easy but you would not believe how many people freak out about exercise during pregnancy. It's ok to keep it up and keep it moving. Going back to the post below, as long as you listen to your body, you will be fine. If you have questions about what you can and can't do, talk to your doctor. You may be surprised to find that doctors really support/encourage good, sweaty exercise through out the entire 9 months. Whatever you do, don't stop. I promise you that your body will have an easier time during delivery and an easier time losing the post pregnancy weight. For me the best part of teaching classes all the way to the end of my second pregnancy was the tiny sneakers Violet was born wearing. Just kidding but wouldn't it have been funny? No really, it was gaining 10 pounds less than I had with Jack. Worth every ounce.



***Every pregnancy is different. If you have had or are having a pregnancy with complications, this post probably will not apply to you. I am speaking to the average woman, with the average pregnancy. If you think you may have a pregnancy with specific guidelines, talk to your OBGYN before embarking on any exercise program.

push up and up

Is it just me or was day 3 of week 2 not as bad? Yeah. That's what I thought. It is just me. I thought that I would be weaker after taking so many days off but I think I am stronger. Maybe it's because I finally gave my body enough rest to actually rebuild what I tear down when I work out. Who knows? All I know is that brief hiatus has really re-inspired me to grab this thing by the horns. Hope you guys are feeling good too. I can't wait to take the "initial test" over again on Thursday to see how much I've grown. Did you read that Chelsi did 32 after an initial test of only 14?! Isn't that rad?! Can I get an Ugh! Ugh!?

i listened and learned

You know how everyone keeps saying things like, "listen to your body, it will tell you what it needs"? Well, I listened and I learned that everyone is right. Saturday morning was my last class of the week and as I mentioned before I had taught 8 classes in five days. Boy was that alot. One night I taught a Zumba class from 6:30-7:30 at Gold's on the East side of town, then sped all the way to LA Fitness on the North side of town to teach Zumba from 8-9. Luckily I was only five minutes late and I didn't kill anyone on the way. (For all of you Utah peeps that is basically like driving through town from the University Mall to the Provo Towne Center in under 30 minutes.) My point is, I may have overdone it a teensy bit last week and as punishment my body thought it would be a good idea to make me sick. As if making me sore wasn't bad enough, she threw the illness in there for good measure.

I am happy to report that after 3 days of basically doing nothing (nothing meaning no exercise) I feel a million times better. In fact, I would venture to say that I feel one hundred million and ninety nine percent better (There's a little shout out to the Maury Povich paternity test show for you)! It's wonderful. Life is good and I think I know what all the fuss is about. Listening to your body really does produce good results. Now, if I could only convince my body that it needs all of the chocolate chip cookies. :)

Here's a little challenge for you, since the hundred push-up program isn't enough, try listening. If your body says you're tired, sleep. If she says she is hungry, eat. Thirsty, drink. Naked, shop. Wait what?! Ok that last one was lame but really, listen. Don't gorge, pig out or force yourself beyond your limits. Chances are it will have a negative effect rather than a positive.

Now, go q-tip your ears and listen up. I bet your day will be so much better.

shunshine! i hate shunshine!

Remember when Mad Madame Mim got sick and the anecdote was sunshine? I wish that would cure me right now because this whole not being able to breathe thing is screwing me. I am officially postponing my push ups until at least one of my nostrils is clear and my face doesn't feel like it's having braxton hicks. I hate to do this but after teaching 8 classes in five days last week plus the gnarly week 2 of one hundred push up mania, I think this cold is my body telling me to sit down or else! Please don't give up just because I am taking a sick day. Please! I need you!

push up-chuck

Am I the only one out there hating this more day by day? I seriously dread Monday, Wednesday and Friday and we're only on week two. So pathetic!!

Also, do any of you do more than the max out "at least" number? Yesterday I hit 17 and that was all she wrote. Seventeen? Is that all it takes to zap me of me muscle juices? I guess so.

I will not quit, I will not quit, I will not quit, I want to quit, I MEAN, I will not quit, I will not quit....

tooty fruity

I have this awesome dieting tip that is going to blow your mind. At least, it should because it works like a freaking charm.

Eat a handful of fruit roughly 30 minutes before eating a meal. When I am cooking dinner or preparing lunch the first thing I do is slice an apple and eat half or have some berries. Any fruit will do and it doesn't have to be alot.

I'm not sure the exact science of it all but when I think about it logically these are the reasons I can come up with for it working. First it starts to fill up your tummy before your meal which helps you eat less. Next it is a fiber rich food which also sustains the full feeling for longer after you eat. And last, I think it somehow keeps my blood sugar stable. Not sure if this one is true and since I'm not a doctor or a registered dietitian I don't think you should quote me on that. However, I do notice that I am less fatigued when I follow this rule. You know how after you eat, you just want to take a nap? I don't get that very often anymore.

So there you have it. Three pretty good reasons why you should eat fruit before you eat your meal. If those reasons don't officially do it for you how about this? I can't stop losing weight. Yeah I teach gym classes and work out alot but we all know that diet is 80 percent of weight loss. We also know that I am the WORST dieter in the world. So if I am losing weight and this is one of the only "dieting" tricks I am using, it must be working right? Right. Try it. You'll like it.

A big thanks to Heather for this tip. It has revolutionized my life in the last month. I never imagined something so small could make such a big difference. It works for me, I hope it works for you too.

shape ups

Have any of you seen these shoes? Have any of you thought, "hmm, maybe I should try those?" Well if you have, shame on you! Hey, here's an idea, maybe you should exercise for real instead of spending big bucks on a pair of shoes that make you look like you ride the short bus. So lame. So ugly. Such a sad farce.