Exercise During Pregnancy First Trimester: Guidelines & Workout: Training During the first trimester, you will notice many changes. Your weight gain will probably be minimal, but your hormones will fully affect you!
This is an excellent time to write down and lists goals or things you would like to accomplish during your pregnancy. You may also want to consider keeping a journal to look back at and/or share with your child in the future.
Exercise During Pregnancy First Trimester expectation
You will most likely see a drop in energy level after your Exercise During the first trimester, along with breast tenderness and back pain, but you should be able to maintain your center of balance and weight gain should be minimal.
It is essential to listen to your body and take the necessary precautions against possible injury during a workout based on your fitness level at the start of your pregnancy. Your fitness level is determined by exercise experience, heart rate, and strength.
Keeping a regular workout schedule is key to your success with this fitness routine. It would help if you worked out at least twice a week and maybe up to seven days a week, depending on your fitness level.
Also, ensure you have a good combination of strength and aerobic Exercise in your routine. Ideally, it would help if you aimed for a minimum of two days a week of strength training plus a minimum of one day of aerobic training.
Due to the production of relaxing, remember to cease heavy weight training. Use three- to twelve-pound weights on upper body exercises and less than twenty pounds on lower body exercises, as well as exercise bands, a physioball, and your body weight from this point on.
Do not overdo it; focus on keeping yourself and your baby healthy! In your first trimester, your caloric intake can increase by around 300 calories a day if you work out during pregnancy.
This should include increased vitamins, water, protein, and complex carbohydrates. Make sure you are getting your nutrients as outlined in chapter two.
You can Read Nutrition for pregnancy.
Making Adjustments before your Pregnancy Workouts
Remember that your core temperature should not exceed 102 degrees Fahrenheit. This is especially important during the first trimester because elevation beyond that temperature can cause an increase in the risk of specific congenital disabilities.
Make sure your workout is weather-friendly. If it is too hot outside, consider moving your workout to a shady or indoors. Also, be sure your workout area is well-ventilated and cool.
As we said before, you will probably notice a significant change in your energy level, which can affect your workout. Therefore, we recommend the Ten-Minute Energy Test to determine whether you can complete our suggested workout.
Ten Minutes Energy Test
Find a comfortable, quiet place to lie down for approximately ten minutes. If you do not find yourself struggling to stay awake, you should begin your workout.
Some days you may be too fatigued to exercise, but it is essential to get at least 2-3 days a week of beginner or advanced workouts.
If you pass the Ten-Minute Energy Test, proceed to your workout. Your body will let you know your level of fatigue, so listen to it! During your workout, you should be able to comfortably carry on a two-sentence conversation.
If you are unable to do this, then you need to slow down or decrease your intensity. Be sure to keep an eye on your heart rate after each set or before you move on to your next Exercise.
Common problems During Pregnancy Exercises
Morning sickness is a very common problem in your first trimester. It will affect many of you, and there isn’t much that can be done about it.
Morning sickness can be caused by a drop in your blood sugar level, so try to eat four to six small meals throughout the day. This is especially important before and after your workout.
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Many of you will experience morning sickness in one form or another. This should pass as you progress to your second trimester, but some things may help you through it now. Ginger helps calm the stomach. Yes, gingersnaps have ginger in them! You can also try ginger tea.
Lower back pain is also an issue in this trimester and throughout your pregnancy. Again, nothing can be done about this except to ensure you have good posture and begin lower-back-strengthening exercises.
You will probably experience some significant mood swings. This is due to an increase in hormone levels.
Rest, eat right, and socialize. Being around other pregnant women may help you feel more at ease with what’s going on in your life. Always drink plenty of fluids, eat right, and get lots of rest!
About your Pregnancy Workout Routine
Take note that the Exercise During the first trimester does not state a specific dumbbell weight you should use. This is because everyone is going to be at a different skill level. It would help if you determined your skill level. Start small, work your way up, or ask a certified fitness professional.
You will notice on the first, second, and third-trimester workout posters that there are three strength training days and one cardio day (“cardio�? refers to your aerobic workout).
The third strength training day is optional, and you may repeat a day to add a fourth strength training day if your fitness level allows. Remember, it is essential to get at least one aerobic workout done per week in addition to your strength training, so plan your activities wisely.
· If you have a regular exercise routine, you can start with the Delivering Fitness advanced workout and continue at the same fitness level with mild modifications.
· If you are beginning your fitness routine, start with the lowest level of the Delivering Fitness beginner workouts and progress as your fitness level increases.
Exercise benefits during pregnancy
- Lower risk of developing gestational diabetes
- Weight control
- Reduced postpartum depression
- Less water retention
- Larger placenta and more nutrients for your baby
- Decreased likelihood of varicose veins
- Less likely to require a caesarian delivery
- More rapid return to pre-pregnancy weight
- Leaner children up to 5 years after delivery
- Increased fitness for delivery & for toting around your new baby stroller and diaper bag
Modifications include lowering or raising the weight or the number of repetitions for any exercise. You can reduce or increase the reps by three to five reps per set and lower or raise the weight to the next smaller or larger size.
As with all exercise routines, check with your physician before beginning this routine. Here is Exercise During Pregnancy First Trimester