Unfit - looking at becoming fitter during pregnancy - is it safe?

[Adorah]

Hi all :)

I am not officially pg as yet, however i have missed AF so am trying to sort a routine out early, in anticipation of that BFP!

I am very unfit, and want to actively start losing weight & becoming more healthier as a person.

I am mainly wanting to use my treadmill, plus dumbells for my arms, however i am unsure of how long to use the treadmil for on a relatively low setting?

Any advice is much appreciated :)

Thanks,

Adorah.

[trishalishous]

Id walk on a low setting for an hour a day, and do bicep curls/etc in small sets.
If you have to do it in 2x30mins, thats still a great start!

[Adorah]

Awesome, thanks Trish! I will give it a go!

[captainscaptain]

A fit pregnancy is a good pregnancy! Just don't over do it. As someone else said, walking is great. I'd power walk though so you get your heart rate up for the whole work out. I think that's about 6km/hr on a treadmill setting. Not sure about dunbells but I don't think muscle toning affects bubs at all.

[Adorah]

Thanks for your advice Captain :)

[ToughLove]

When I was pregnant, I'd walk for at least an hour every day, inclines, rough terrain {hiking in the national park}, around shopping centers, stuff like that

I'd also do at least 50 squats every day, as well as that exercise where you lay on your back, lift your hips in the air, and hold it as long as possible {don't know the name....hip lifts?}

I have very large hips anyway, even when I weighed 42 kilos I had to wear size 14 jeans and get the legs tailored to fit, but all the exercise helped out in birth. I had a one hour labour, start to finish including contractions, and had a lovely 10.5 pound baby girl. No pain relief.

Stretching your muscles and getting used to physical labour is good. A birth isn't a relaxing ride on a cruise ship, it's extreme physical work, and you have to be prepared for it.
The better prepared you are for it, the easier and less painful the birth will be, not to mention lessening the risk of complication, fatigue, during birth, tearing, and helping recovery after the birth.

[Anjalee]

Light weight training is fine during pregnancy :) I plan on doing bodypump during my next one!

Aside from walking, swimming is great cardio and also great when pregnant because it makes you feel super light hehe.

Have you got a fit ball? They're great for things like assisted lunges which are good for your core and give you great legs. Plus you can do leg raises and things with them too :)