Preparing for Pregnancy: Fitness
Many women should be more aware that they should prepare their bodies for pregnancy. While pregnant, there are a lot of exercises that are not possible to be done and month by month, it will be harder to move around and to get things done. This is why it is important to start early to have a balanced meal and a schedule of exercise programs to follow. There are of course, many fitness programs that are recommended, such as cardiovascular and aerobic exercises, training for reduce fat and increase strength and flexibility training to decrease the risk of getting injured. Aerobic exercises are very beneficial and they increase the heart rate. These should be followed for 20-30 minutes for three times a week, minimum. When doing such exercises to see exactly the pulse and the calories lost, wear a heart rate monitor. There are many exercises that can be done, such as jogging, swimming, riding the bicycle, dancing, step aerobics and more. These do have a great impact on the health condition and they are also a good reason to get out of the house and work.
Strength training will lean body mass and help increase the strength the muscles. Light hand weight can be used and lots of machines at a gym. At first, it is normal not to be able to lift a lot and to train for a long time, but as you progress, you can increase the weight to continue challenging yourself and the muscles. Abdominal crunches are very good, weight lifting, body sculpting classes and more. It is best to train every group muscle in turn. Stretching is done to increase the muscle elasticity, lowering the risks or pulling a muscle. When pregnant, the skin stretches and the muscles around certain areas as well. It is best to have a trained body in order to resist better and to cope with the weight you will be carrying. For example, yoga classes designed especially for pregnant women can do wonders and they maintain flexibility during pregnancy. Many specialists encourage women to do yoga, as a way to lose stress and to stay fit.
As every women takes a few weeks until she realizes she is pregnant, it is best not to overdue the body once you are trying to get pregnant. Your body should not be put at risk. Nevertheless, your body will tell you exactly when you are pushing too hard, as you will feel dizzy, even faint or run out of breath. It is essential to drink a lot of water throughout the workouts in order to hydrate the body and to maintain a safe temperature inside the body. Not to mention breathing through the workouts. Once pregnant, it is recommended to slow down on hard exercising. Swimming however is highly recommended and has a lot of benefits for pregnant women.
Working out is the best thing a woman can do before getting pregnant. It has plenty of benefits for the baby, but it also gives strong muscles that will prevent future hip and back pains during pregnancy. In case you don’t have an exercise routine before getting pregnant, then it isn’t advisable to jump into one during the first trimester. The majority of healthcare providers usually offer advice regarding exercising and say that in the first 12 weeks, it is not suitable to start a new exercise regime. There are many DVDs and fitness programs available for purchase for future mothers that don’t have the sufficient time to go to a gym. In all conditions, remaining constant is the key. It doesn’t matter where you are exercising, as long as you are doing it. Prenatal yoga is said to be the best way to prepare for the baby’s birth. Yoga focuses a lot of breathing and on the connection between the body and the mind. This is actually the key to labour and delivery. The breathing techniques help women get pass labour pains. Kegel exercises are highly recommended as well.
There are many exercises that should be avoided when preparing for pregnancy. Sports that might include falling should be avoided, such as winter sports, horse riding and biking as well, but not stationary biking. Jumping should also be avoided and activities that require quick starts, quick responses, accelerated routine. They can cause extra stress to the body and the baby can be put in danger. Potential challenges posed to the body can also come in discussion for scuba diving, hot tubs and saunas. For women who workout vigorously, they need to tone down to normal workouts. These said, it is essential to exercise and to be fit and have well developed muscles, but it is not recommended to exaggerate. As in any case, there are certain sports and activities that should be avoided. The decision of having a baby does bring a lot of life changes and understanding this is the first step.