Gym/exercise advice please?!

[harassedinhertinselpants]

I'm 5+ weeks prg and went to the gym yesterday and nearly fainted!!! Realised what was happening so went and sat down, and then went home.

Has anybody continued to use the gym, and did you have any problems?? Or any advice please?

[pinkpeony]

When I was pregnant with DS, I kept using the gym until 38 weeks (only stopped because DS born at 38+2), ran on treadmill until about 32 weeks, then switched to uphill walking, and used weight machines until the end. Also did prenatal yoga and pilates classes. In this pregnancy (am 34 weeks) have also kept going to the gym until now - had to stop running a few weeks ago and now just uphill walking. Also keep going with the weights. Main thing I found was that you have to listen to your body and pace yourself, and I found I was getting tired/out of breath very early on in pregnancy (esp 2nd time) so had to slow down a lot. If you don't feel well, take a break and sit down. Overall found that keeping up gym activity made me feel a lot better, and it's supposed to make birth and postnatal recovery a lot easier too. But also don't feel guilty if you need to skip a week or two because you don't feel up for it.

[JoEW]

Can you ask someone at the gym to give you some advice on what you should and shouldn't do? You will need to adapt your workout and it would be best to get some tips. You shouldn't really use your stomach muscles and you need to avoid deep twists. You also need to ensure you've eaten enough and drunk lots of water. I am sure one of the trainers will be able to help you. I was advised to stop running when I got pregnant, as I had a mc a few months previously but I have continued with yoga, swimming and lots of walking.

[GlitteryBalls]

You will prob find light-headedness will go in 2nd tri. Just listen to your body in the meantime. I am 36 weeks and still going to the gym. Mainly just walking on the treadmill on an incline and keeping HR within safe limits, but also use other cardio equipment and light weights. Used to walk a lot outdoors too before the winter kicked in. It's amazing how in tune with my body I've become. If I feel a twinge I just slow it down til I'm comfortable, then build it back up gradually again. Before I was pg, and probably used to push myself too hard/not enough a lot of the time (used to run) but now I can instinctively feel how much I can cope with, including the frequency, some weeks I go 3-4 times, others only once or twice. But IMO almost any form of exercise is more beneficial than harmful as long as you're sensible. x

[bessie26]

I continued to go to the gym the whole time during my first pg, just toned down what I was doing/listened to my body & made sure I had always eaten beforehand & drank alot of water.

I did a pregnancy yoga class as well as my usual stuff & found that although it was very easy gentle, it was very useful to explain to me what I should & shouldn't be doing!

If you do ask one of the trainers for advice, make sure you ask a good experienced one - preferably one who has been pregnant recently! - I have been told that they only have to do a 2 day training course to do that job!

[barelyutterly]

I really had to scale back my exercise intensity from about 4 weeks onward (though at 14 weeks it started to improve again and now at 16 weeks I feel pretty "normal" in terms of what I can do). So just go with how you feel. Feeling faint, tired, suddenly ravenous, etc. are built-in warning signs that your body is starting to conserve its energy and resources for more important things (i.e., looking out for the fetus) so pay attention to them!

Basically I just took it as I felt which meant slowing down a lot on the bike and when running. Rest assured that even low level exercise is good for you, and it's ok not to push yourself if that's what you're used to doing (took me some time to accept that I just couldn't do that anymore).

The other thing I would be concerned about with indoor exercise (or hot summer exercise) is overheating. Make sure you drink enough, get enough fresh air and stay cool. You don't want to overheat.

Have a look at this excellent article for some more info on exercise and pregnancy.
www.ideafit.com/fitness-library/the-pregnant-athlete

[lilly13]

I've been doing yoga (viniyasa and ashtanga), non-pregnancy almost every day prior to and during pregnancy. I am now 19 weeks. It has really helped me to maintain high energy and stick to healthy eating program. I didn't have any morning sickness. My yoga teachers say that's the result of intense practice over the years, however, a few posters on MN suggested that it's complete nonsense. Regardless, daily excercise routine has really helped me both physically and emotionally so far. I think at the end of the day, you must listen to your body. Try to find excercise that you can do without a significant strain. Also, remember that pregnancy is not the time to start new form of excercise. You might feel better soon and be able to carry on with your normai routine. Just don't overdo it!

[notyummy]

Can really only echo what has been said here. I also got faint a couple of times at the 6/7 weeks point - but one of those was standing in a book shop so it may not be the exercise!

The official advice I believe is not to take up anything you weren't doing beforehand, but otherwise continue what you doing with sensible modifications and not pushing yourself. Like others here I ran until about the 30 weeks point (did a 10 k race at 6 months pregnant, but didn't 'race' IFYSWIM.) I then switched to uphill walking and crosstrainer. I gradually slowed down, but went to the gym right until the end (was there on my due date) and also did a Pilates for Pregnancy DVD and aqua natal classes, both of which seemed so gentle I was completely sceptical of any fitness benefits....but decided that they couldn't do any harm!

Good luck.

[GoldFrakkincenseAndMyrrh]

Teadmill running until ob/gyn told me to stop at 20 weeks, now walking and using the elliptical trainer thingy to give me some 'proper' cardio. Picked up an aquagym class, still doing 3+ body balance classes a week and daily yoga.

My advice would be check with your GP/midwife at every appointment that they're okay with what you're doing even if you feel fine, listen to your body and be prepared to not be able to do things even if mentally you feel you can - your body tells you things for a reason. If in a particular stretch you get a twinge ask the trainers if they know an alternative or ask an HCP. Better safe than sorry.

[JBrd]

I continued everything that I had been doing before getting pregnant - Pilates, Bodypump and cardio on the crosstrainer or bike, but made adjustments, i.e. different types of exercises in Pilates, lowered the weights in Bodypump and reduced the intensity of the cardio training. I'm 19 weeks now, and everything is absolutely fine.

I did try running/jogging a couple of times, but it did not feel good at all, so I stopped that - I wasn't a regular runner before pregnancy, which might be the reason why it didn't go well. It's true that you shouldn't start any new type of exercise when pregnant!

I also had quite a few dizzy spells in the first trimester, but they have gone now. I intend to continue like this as long as I feel comfortable, maybe adding pregnancy yoga in the new year.

I spoke to my gym class instructors, and they have been very helpful and are looking after me in the classes.

Everybody agreed that doing exercise in pregnancy not only helps with labour, but also with the recovery afterwards.