Fit and Pregnant By Dr. John Berardi, CSCS If you’re into fitness and contemplating having a baby, I’m sure you’re both excited and anxious. Excited to take the journey; anxious about the weight gain and the impact pregnancy will have on your body composition and fitness. In this article I’m going to share with you some strategies for maintaining and/or improving your fitness, even while pregnant. That’s right, you can exercise and even set fitness goals during pregnancy. In fact, the research is pretty clear that exercise during pregnancy provides numerous health benefits to both mother and child. Exercise Benefits During Pregnancy There are a myriad of benefits attributed to exercise during pregnancy; here are just a few: 1)Lower risk of developing gestational diabetes 2)Weight control 3)Reduced postpartum depression 4)Less water retention 5)Larger placenta and more nutrients for your baby 6)Decreased likelihood of varicose veins 7)Less likely to require a caesarian delivery 8)More rapid return to pre-pregnancy weight 9)Increased fitness for labor as well as toting around your new baby and stroller and diaper bag. The evidence in favor of exercise during pregnancy is so strong that the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) encourages pregnant women to do moderate exercise for 30 minutes or more every single day. Studies have even shown that very physically active women can benefit from continuing their high volume exercise routines, as much as 9 hours per week, into pregnancy. Exercise Dos and Don’ts Although exercise is a great thing for both mother and child, it’s important to understand a few exercise dos and don’ts, adjusting your exercise program appropriately. First, you’ll have to adjust your goals. Chances are you are exercising to either gain lean mass or lose fat. Well, when pregnant, weight gain is to be expected. Also, exercise intensity has to be kept in check. So get all ideas of building muscle and losing fat out of your mind. Your new focus should be maintaining your fitness while gaining a healthy, but not excessive, amount of weight. Next, it’s important to manage hydration, body temperature, and heart rate. Remember, your first responsibility while pregnant is to create the optimal environment for your baby. We all know that smoking and drinking are out. However, you also need to keep your body temperature and heart rate in check. In order to do this, you’re going to have to
pay close attention to your exercise intensity. According to Dr Mottola, exercise and pregnancy researcher at the University of Western Ontario: “If you can carry on a conversation without getting out of breath, then you are doing OK.” This usually means that your heart rate shouldn’t climb higher than 70-75% of maximum (HR maximum = 220-age) during aerobic work. Another strategy is to keep your body temperature under 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius), especially during the third trimester. While human studies haven’t confirmed this, animal research shows that overheating can cause birth defects. Just to be on the safe side, avoid exercise in extremely hot or humid conditions and always remain hydrated during exercise. Ingesting 500-1000ml of fluid during every workout can help to maintain hydration status and manage body heat. Although your exercise intensity will have to be kept in check, your exercise volume doesn’t necessarily have to decrease. In fact, it’s recommended that pregnant women exercise at least 30 minutes daily and this exercise can consist of a wide variety of exercise modalities. Exercises You Can Do During pregnancy, certain exercise limitations are obvious; contact sports and sprinting are out. However, other exercises are permissible as long as you consider the changes happening in your. For example, while pregnant, concentrations of the hormone relaxin are increased. Relaxin, as the name suggests, is responsible for relaxing the pelvic joints in preparation for childbirth. However, relaxin loosens all ligaments and joints, making you more susceptible to soft tissue injury. Higher impact activities and other exercises that increase soft tissue risk should therefore be minimized. For example, stick with aerobic classes designed specifically for pregnant women as well as activities that create less joint stress such as swimming, elliptical exercise, stair climbing, walking, and riding the stationary bike. Also, contrary to popular belief, you can perform weight training while pregnant. In fact, weight training can be one of the most beneficial activities for the pregnant woman as long as the following criteria are followed: 1)Choose exercises that require you to support your spine with your core/abdominal muscles and maintain a neutral spine position. This usually means choosing free weight exercises. 2)Avoid using momentum to move the weights. 3)After the first trimester, avoid exercises that cause you to lie flat on your back. Exercising while flat on the back can diminish blood flow to both your brain and to your uterus. 4)Avoid the Valsalva maneuver. This maneuver, in which you forcefully exhale without
actually releasing air, can result in a rapid increase in blood pressure and intra-abdominal pressure, and may decrease oxygen flow to the fetus. In the end, if you’ve been regularly exercising and have just become pregnant, the research is clear: most women can maintain a regular exercise regimen during pregnancy. However, it’s important to ensure adequate hydration, ensure adequate breathing during exercise, decrease the risk of abdominal trauma, falls or excessive joint stress, and keep intensity in check. Of course, if you’re pregnant yet new to exercise, start very slow! Whether you’re a lifelong exerciser or a new exerciser, following these rules will help improve your well-being, reduce your labor time, and decrease your risk of obstetric problems. Besides these benefits, you’ll also be more likely to be awarded the coveted “yummy mommy” title.
Special Topics For Pregnant Women Fish oil: Nearly everyone should be taking a daily fish oil supplement, including pregnant women. Recent studies have shown that women who take fish oil during pregnancy may give birth to children with improved hand-eye coordination, language skills and behavior as well as my experience less post partum depression. When pregnant, be sure to choose a supplement that has been molecularly distilled, such as o3mega by Genuine Health. This reduces the risk of ingesting certain toxins found in fish. Weight gain: Weight gain is an extremely important part of pregnancy. Studies show that low gestational weight gain often results in low birth-weight infants who may experience delayed development. Interestingly, the mother’s weight is the priority here – if she’s not gaining enough, the fetus may remain small simply to protect her body weight. So, how much weight should you gain? Here are some guidelines: -Underweight women should gain between 25 and 35lbs. -Overweight should gain no more than 15 to 25lbs. -Women 5’2” or shorter should gain between 10 and 25lbs. To achieve this weight gain, women should ingest an additional 300-500 kcals per day, closer to 500 if exercising regularly. Food Cravings: Food cravings and aversions to certain foods are common during pregnancy. While there’s no harm in satisfying food cravings, be careful. Many women use these cravings to justify overeating and eating poor quality foods. So take care to eat a wide variety of nutritionally dense foods while avoiding high-calorie, nutrient empty selections. Following a program like Precision Nutrition (www.precisionnutrition.com) is an excellent way to guarantee success.