Week 22: Working on my fitness

By Published On: November 11th, 2014

I was reading online last week, and I came across […]

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Laced up and ready to exercise with the bump.

I was reading online last week, and I came across an article about a pregnant woman who is nine months along and still running … 40 to 60 miles a week. I’ll let that sink in for all you pregnant ladies out there. She’s an elite runner who normally averages between 70 to 90 miles a week—but cut back a bit with her pregnancy. There are some weeks I don’t even drive 60 miles a week, so I was very impressed. That athletic mama is probably more of the exception than the rule, so I won’t be comparing my weekly mileage to hers anytime soon, but it did get me thinking about my fitness routine.
When I’m not pregnant, I love to run. Either outside on a path, or inside on a treadmill, it doesn’t matter; I love it all. So while I’m not an elite runner by any stretch of the imagination, it is a big part of my life. My husband even can tell when I haven’t had a chance to get a good run in, and he will throw my running shoes at me and promptly shove me out the door. But for one reason or another in both my pregnancies, running hasn’t happened much past the first few weeks. Call me overly cautious, but baby comes first for these nine months, so whenever my body starts to tell me no, I listen.
So, in lieu of running, I’ve had to brainstorm other workout options. I thought I would share them with all you out there who might not be running 60 miles a week either:
  1. Walking – This is my go-to exercise during pregnancy. I don’t mind a treadmill, so I jump on one a couple times a week and walk for around an hour. It’s even better when I go to a gym that has built in TVs, and I can catch up on “Rachel Ray” as I burn a few calories or a walk with a friend to catch up!
  2. Chasing your child – While this won’t help those going through this for the first time, I’ve found that my first-born is like a built-in gym trainer some mornings. Chasing him after a bath (little boys seem to love running around in their birthday suit after a bath), to playing in the backyard or running up and down our stairs before we leave the house because we’ve forgotten something (or several somethings for that matter), there are some days I feel exhausted just from keeping up with him. And hey, he’s a lot cheaper than the trainer sessions down at the gym!
  3. Swimming – If the thought of slipping into a swimsuit doesn’t send you running for the hills, going for a dip could be a great option. I love running in the pool while my toddler plays in the shallow end nearby!
  4. Prenatal yoga – Disclaimer: I’m not a yoga person. I wish I was, but I’m not. But, I’ve had several friends who love yoga, especially when pregnant. I know there are tons of DVDs out there, but just a quick search online popped up tons of free prenatal yoga videos. Who doesn’t love a little deep relaxation with your workout?

So, do you plan to continue your normal workout routine throughout all your trimesters? What is your favorite prenatal workout?