Staying active « Back to Group Discussions

[IntuitiveJamie]

What are everyone's plans for staying active this pregnancy?

This is very important to me this time, b/c I was very physically active with my first and not so much with my 2nd. I gained so much weight with my 2nd and my labor was twice as long and twice as painful. This is not 100% due to not exercising, but I do believe it played a role. I also believe it will help my hormonal state of being and keep me on more even ground.

I plan on keeping up our excercise regimen; which is twice a week at the Ymca. One day I do yoga, the other it varies from Zumba to treadmill, bike etc. I will start to implement swimming as well. Swimming was a wonderful experience during my first pregnancy. It takes all the weight off and feels so good. I will also incorporate more yoga with my home prenatal dvd that I enjoy very much. This definitely helped with all the hip opening and keeping my muscles strong and pliable.

I'm actually very excited to maintain an active lifestyle this pregnancy as well as super excellent nutrition. I really want to feel as good as possible, so I will do what it takes to help myself.

[Thebyr]

I'm going to start doing something soon. I'm just so worried to move - so I's just been watching my caloric intake. I haven't gained any weight so far - but it's only a matter of time. I think I'll do 30-45 minutes of cardio tonite and 30 minutes of Yoga. I haven't done anything since before I got preggers. I need to get back at it.

I would really like to swim too. I need to figure out how and where to make that happen.

[Knitting Mama]

I don't know yet. The honest truth is that I didn't work out before getting pregnant, and you're not supposed to start an intensive regimen when you get pregnant. I will probably do prenatal yoga at the very least, though..

[Ninetales]

That's something I really need to work on. I've never been a really active person and now it's doubly hard being so tired. My toddler doesn't nap anymore andmy husband works odd hours so I can't really do a set routine. We just got our first big snowfall which combined with crappy streets and sidewalks means not a lot of chances to get outside until April at least. I can't afford a gym or YMCA membership.

The best I can try to do is my videos and step. It's hard because I just really don't enjoy it. IRS a battle every single time. But I really need to avoid the weight gain I had last time.

[sallyrae17]

I started doing Pilates and Yoga about a month or so ago and I'm wondering how long I'll be able to continue doing it. There are definitely some Pilates moves that won't work with a belly. For the time being, I'll continue going to classes and just skip the poses that seem risky. I plan to do prenatal yoga once my belly gets bigger, though, and I have some prenatal pilates and yoga videos at home. I wasn't very active when I was pregnant with my son, but I'm trying to be more active this time around. Having a toddler around will probably make activity unavoidable. :)

[Stormimay]

I'm a little concerned about this because I have lost 61 lbs in the past 9 months. I really don't want to put it back on. I lost it by controlling my portion sizes and working out to Jillian Michael's dvds. Controlling portions and eating well is hard for me when I'm not pregnant and at least the seven times before, impossible when I was pregnant. JM dvd simply won't work very far into the pregnancy, too much stress on the joints. She does have a yoga dvd, maybe I should look into that? The prenatal workout I know of would be way too easy for me at this point, and I'm not really interested in a token workout after everything I've accomplished so far. I know some people have run marathons 9 months pregnant, and I am NOT interested in doing that, but I would like to stay in good shape so the delivery goes well and I can bounce back quickly-ish. I also want to stay healthier because I am hoping for a smaller baby this time. The baby will be large, since my smallest baby born 4 weeks early was 8lbs 2oz, but I don't want another 11 pounder if I can help it! LOL

Stormimay

[Knitting Mama]

Not sure what kind of diet you have, Stormimay, but there is some speculation that a Brewer style diet, extremely high in protein, might contribute to bigger babies in some women who are prone to having bigger babies in the first place. I personally don't know anything about it-- I am a diabetic who eats high protein as a lifestyle, and my daughter was 6 lbs at birth-- but at least two friends of mine have been looking more deeply into this theory. I can ask for more information if you would like me to.

[Stormimay]

Thank you, Aimee, but my diet isn't really high in protein. I think it may be largely genetic in my case...my grandmother who isn't any larger than I am (in fact, I'm sure she was never as overweight as I have been) had three 10 pound babies. So am a bit resigned, but if staying in shape helps have a smaller baby, I'll be happy.

Stormimay

[eleuthia]

I *meant* to start going to yoga since I have a Groupon that expires in April, but I haven't made it there yet and they don't do specifically prenatal yoga, so iI'm going to have to ask if it's appropriate for me. I have been struggling with staying active otherwise - I've had a lot of shoulder/neck/arm/hand pain since about June, and it makes it hard to do so many things. I did a water fitness class at the Y with my sister when I was there on vacation, and I loved it, but I don't think I can afford any of the pool options around here. I do walk a fair amount, since we don't have a car, and my public transit commute involves stairs, plus I work in an office building that's a block long, so I end up walking a bit during the day. I just don't think it's as much as I should be moving, though. 

I bet I could do some yoga at home with a video at least - I already have a mat, and I think there's enough room on our rug in front of the tv. I just have to remember to do it! 

[Ninetales]

I *wish* I knew why my girl was so big.  I tried to get a lot of protein, because that's what you're told to eat.  I ate some crap, but really no more than your average pregnant woman.  I really don't feel like I went overboard on anything on a regular basis.  So I'm somewhat anxious about that.

[Thebyr]

hulu.com has some good workouts available if you have a computer near your workout space at home.

[DandelionWine]

Ninetales, I had an 11-lb. boy, and I feel like you: what could I possibly have done differently than any other woman? A few friends and frank strangers have suggested that I had undiagnosed gestational diabetes (my blood sugar was in the high end of normal range for the whole pregnancy). I eat a paleo-inspired diet now, and plan on continuing that during the pregnancy, as well as daily walking, which is my favorite and only exercise. But who knows, my first was 9 lbs., second was 11 lbs., so I do wonder what's next...

[~Demeter~]

I had large babies for my size (i'm a very petite 5'1 in my 20s I weighed 83 lbs, late 20s i went up to 110) my first at 15 was 8lbs 4oz... my last at 31 was 9lbs 5oz. The last two pregnancies I had I did a brewer style diet, lots of protein... but I tend to normally gravitate towards high protein diets anyway so perhaps that's why all of mine have been in the 8-9 pound range. I'm curious to see what this one will weigh.

As for staying active.. I have 5 kids, I'm pretty active in general chasing them around all over the place. :D

[Lizbiz]

I do think baby size is pretty genetic, I would guess anyway... my sister, who is normal (on the petite side of normal) and fit, gains 45-50 pounds per pregnancy and has 10lb. + babies.  She's married to a big-boned but fit guy whose mother had big babies.  I am about the same size as my sister, also fit, but gain about 30 pounds per pregnancy and have 6.5-7.5 pound babies.  I would argue we don't do much differently, as we're pretty similar in terms of eating and exercising - both pregnant and non-pregnant, but our husbands are dif't.  My husband is considerably leaner built - total runner build, a touch shorter, and his mother had smaller babies. 

I was very active during pregnancy number 1, having just ran a marathon two months prior to becoming pregnant.  I ran through my pregnancy until 7 1/2 months, and then walked with weights.  I was not nearly as active with number 2, but I was very busy with my toddler and school, so I gained a few less pounds, but I actually had a bit of high-ish blood pressure near the end of the pregnancy.  I'm hoping to avoid that by remaining more active this time, but I have no ambitions to run any marathons or even half marathons while pregnant! Just long slow jogs sound great to me.  I've just run a couple of half marathons in the past  6 months and trained actively for them anyway, so I'm fit going into this pregnancy.  I tend to slack off big time though during my first trimester, so I'm hoping to stay active through the tired/sickness/hormonal ups and downs of these first 3 months.  I just don't know if I can make any promises, because the temptation to go to bed and eat a McDonald's Super-Value Meal is much stronger than the virtuous choice of a run followed by a nutritious bowl of brown rice and veggies! :)  

Good start today though - went for a 4-mile jog this morning to celebrate my positive test!  

Hey Stormimay - Congraulations on your recent weightloss... I just want to encourage you to keep working out normally - you're fit now - you should not discontinue the exercise just because you're pregnant.  If you're not into running, you could likely safely do almost any kind of aerobic activity for quite some time and then just make room for your belly as it grows.  

[ainh]

I'm still climbing one or two nights a week at the climbing gym.  No one knows I'm pregnant, but I'm only top-roping and feel okay about it.  One of my climbing partners just had a baby last week and she climbed through the first eight months of her pregnancy.  In the past I've always stopped at 14-15 weeks when my harness stopped fitting, but she bought a full body harness that I'm sure she'll let me borrow!  I wish I were as fit as I sound though.  I have gained weight since my second pregnancy and feel very sluggish and like my heart is pumping much harder to do fairly basic things.  Plus, I have to eat every 2 hours when I'm pregnant due to morning sickness.  I already feel bigger.  I just need to remember that I don't need to eat a full meal every 2 hours -- that a handful of protein will stave off the vomit ;)

[IntuitiveJamie]

ainh- I recognized that in myself yesterday. At the least little bit of nauseated feeling I think, "Oh I better eat" and tend to eat too much. I noticed I did that several times yesterday. So I think I will also need to keep that in check.

I forgot to mention hula hooping. I've been hoop dancing for a little over a year now and it just feels so good. I broke out the hoops yesterday when I wasn't even feeling that good. The cold, fresh air and movement actually did wonders for me. I felt great for a good bit afterward. And I can hoop inside or outside. It doesn't actually take that much space.

[Ninetales]

I was already a good 10 pounds over my pre-pregnancy weight with the first one when I got pregnant with this one.  Which is also my highest non-pregnant weight ever.  Blah.

I just don't have that fire or drive to be active.  I mean, all scheduled and focused like that.  I'll run around with my daughter, and when it was nice out we went outside all the time.  I don't like "going for walks."  We'd usually go across the street to the park, and when she got bored of climbing up the slide she'd lead me to the attached hospital's parking lot and grassy area and pick up rocks and stuff.  That I can do but I hate "taking a walk."

And I just end up thinking of a thousand other things I need to do/would rather do instead of stepping or playing Wii Fit.  :/

[DandelionWine]

Jamie! I just discovered hooping! (I wonder how I missed it all this time--I'm 34, and have been listening to jam bands since my late teens, but somehow this was invisible to me!!) Do you make yours, get them locally, or get them online? I'm looking for a good way to get started... I did belly dancing with boy #1, but was working and parenting full-time while pregnant with #2, and got far less movement into my days. I want something regular to keep me swiveling my hips and feeling the muscles in my body!

[andaluza]

What is the prenatal yoga dvd you are using, IntuitiveJaime? Does anyone else have any suggestions for a good one?

I just got Strong Yoga 4 Pregnancy, but they sent me the old (2007) version, so I am trying to get the 2011 updated edition. I used the Strong Yoga 4 fertility a bit when ttc and liked it. 

I love running, but haven't dared since I got my bfp (and, actually, since our bd marathon Thanksgiving week), so I was looking forward to getting this yoga dvd. I wouldn't mind walking, but it's pretty chilly. I have  been eating more, and weighed about 3 pounds more at my latest ob/gyn appt on Tuesday. I don't know what pregnancy is going to do to my weight/metabolism, which I have been pretty satisfied with so far in life. But I think I will feel healthier doing some sort of physical activity, probably yoga and walking at this early stage.

My hubby, who is 6 feet and medium build, is the smallest in his family of 4 brothers, so I may be in store for a huge baby.

I need to find out from his mom about their birth weight, etc.

[IntuitiveJamie]

I've purchased three hoops from Etsy and made 4 more.   Wow, I have a lot of hoops! I got obsessed with it last year. I haven't been hooping much as of late, but it felt really good when I did the other day.  Two of the hoops I made are small size for my boys. They like to play around with them, when I hoop. It just feels to good to connect to my body in that fluid way.  Maybe I'll go hoop in a bit.

I'm using http://www.gaiam.com/product/prenatal+yoga+dvd.do  pregnancy dvd. Well actually I haven't broken it out yet, but I will soon. I'm just taking my class at the Ymca right now. But this video does the three trimester variations so it's really awesome. My Ymca class is just a regular class. My instructor told me she'd be happy to help me modify through out the pregnancy though.