Exercise and Pregnancy

   Pregnancy is NOT the time to sit around, lazily awaiting the arrival of your new bundle of joy.

Many pregnant women feel like the moment they find out they’re pregnant until a few months after they give birth is a free pass out of going to the gym. These women could not be more wrong. In fact, pregnancy is one of the most important times for women to get serious about their workout.

There are three main reasons why exercise is vital to a pregnancy: First, it’ll help you control your weight. You only need 300 extra calories, but with those monster cravings for ice cream and grilled cheese, you’re likely to gain more. And if you don’t want to be stuck post-partum with 50+ pounds to lose, you should do your part now to lose weight and stay fit. Second, if you run the risk for pregnancy diabetes, working out can greatly cut your chances of actually developing the disease.

Third, exercise will give you the energy you need to persevere through the slugging periods that a pregnancy can sometimes thrust upon a woman. If you stay energized by working out, you’ll be less exhausted. It’ll also improve your mood.

There are just a few things you need to know before working out during your pregnancy:

• Don’t try anything new. If you already play tennis, continue to do so. But if you’ve never picked up a racquet, then during these 9 months is not the time to start.

• Avoid extreme sports like rock climbing, horseback riding, snowboarding, scuba diving, or anything else that just doesn’t seem appropriate for a pregnant woman.

• In your first trimester, avoid jumping up and down too vigorously or handling weights that are too heavy

.• You should always be able to carry on a conversation during a workout. You should never have to struggle for breath.

• Don’t stop having sex! It’s great exercise and your online pharmacy can help provide you and your partner with some help, if you should need it.