| Lately I've seen tons of articles about getting in shape | | | | hopefully, you! |
| before pregnancy and getting back in shape after | | | | If your body is as toned as your pregnancy will safely |
| pregnancy. But that's not what I wanted to know. | | | | allow, there will be less work to do after pregnancy, |
| After reading through hundreds of Internet search | | | | especially if you've followed a healthy pregnancy diet |
| engine listings, I finally found ONE article on staying in | | | | plan and gained only as much weight as you needed. |
| shape during pregnancy. | | | | A big bonus is that strong, flexible muscles will help you |
| Sure, I read about pregnancy exercising and the | | | | through labor and delivery, allowing them to stretch and |
| benefits you can get from it, but the main focus of | | | | contract more easily. With more elasticity, your |
| these articles was on safe cardio exercises during | | | | muscles will more easily recover from the rigors of |
| pregnancy. Cool! I needed to know that! But I couldn't | | | | pregnancy. Strengthening your pelvic floor muscles will |
| get away from the fact that shaping exercises are | | | | also help prevent bladder leaks and hemorrhoids. |
| just as important during pregnancy as they are before | | | | Drink plenty of water before and during any kind of |
| and after! | | | | exercise, even if you don't feel thirsty. Lack of thirst |
| I'm not talking about crunches, sit-ups and all the other | | | | isn't a reliable indicator of dehydration. Dehydration |
| hard-core "six-pack abs" exercises; it would silly to | | | | decreases blood plasma and blood flow, making your |
| think that a pregnant woman could keep her abs flat | | | | heart work harder to deliver oxygen and nutrients to |
| with an eight-pounds-plus of baby-in-a-bag inside her | | | | your muscles. Dehydrated muscles are weaker and |
| belly! No, I'm talking about exercises that keep not only | | | | less elastic, and more prone to cramping because of |
| your abdominal muscles toned for a head start on | | | | low potassium levels. Drinking plenty of water prevents |
| post-pregnancy getting back in shape, but also to tone | | | | dehydration and regulates your body temperature so |
| and strengthen your arms, legs, back and pelvic | | | | you don't get overheated, which is especially important |
| muscles during your pregnancy! | | | | during your first trimester! |
| Look at it this way: If you blow up a round balloon to | | | | While you're pregnant, you can use many of the same |
| close to its air capacity, wait a bit and then let the air | | | | toning techniques as other women. Just take it slowly, |
| out of it, it won't return to its original state when it's | | | | don't stretch you muscles beyond the slightly |
| completely deflated. It will be stretched thin, with its | | | | uncomfortable stage, especially the muscles around |
| outline and body warped and rippled. Get another | | | | your knees, and hold stretches no longer than 20 |
| balloon and blow it up to half-capacity, wait the same | | | | seconds. Again, check with your doctor before starting |
| amount of time as for the first balloon, and then deflate | | | | any pregnancy exercise routine. |
| it. It will be somewhat stretched, but not nearly as | | | | Keep it slow, keep it gentle and you'll stay healthy and |
| much as the first balloon. By the way, the first balloon | | | | fit! |
| is a woman who doesn't exercise, and the second is, | | | | |