| When it comes to pregnancy fitness gyms like to play | | | | 1. Lean muscle burns fat. You can only build lean |
| it safe. In fact, it's likely if you're in your first trimester, | | | | muscle through resistance training. If you want to stay |
| that they won't even let you train for the first 12 | | | | in shape and not hold onto an extra 10kgs of ugly |
| weeks just in case something happens and it's then | | | | wobbly fat through your pregnancy then you need the |
| down to their insurance and liability. | | | | muscle machinery to burn it off! |
| To be honest who can blame them? After all, unless | | | | 2. Your pregnancy means that you produce a lot of |
| the staff are specifically trained in pregnancy fitness, | | | | the hormones relaxin and progesterone which relax |
| the last thing they want to do is risk any harm coming | | | | the ligaments in your body, reducing stability in your |
| to you or your baby from unsupervised exercise within | | | | joints and leaving you much more prone to injuries and |
| their facility. | | | | common complaints like pregnancy back pain. Proper |
| However, when they do finally let you past the | | | | pregnancy exercise should focus on strength training in |
| reception desk, most gym staff will encourage you to | | | | these areas to keep you walking tall and feeling light |
| head towards the cardio equipment or the classes | | | | on your feet! |
| with an instructor who can keep an eye on what | | | | 3. You need to be strong for labor and a proper |
| you're doing. This is great for them as they can steer | | | | pregnancy fitness plan should take this into account |
| you away from the more "dangerous" forms of | | | | with specific exercises to target strengthening the |
| exercise and keep you happy in aerobic activity, but | | | | labor muscles. |
| BAD NEWS for you! | | | | 4. Resistance training increases your metabolism. This |
| Why? Well if you're anything like the majority of | | | | means you become much more efficient at using up |
| pregnant women I speak to then there are just a few | | | | the fuel from your food and you are less likely to |
| things you want from your pregnancy exercise plan: | | | | struggle with pregnancy pounds and losing your baby |
| 1. To keep you in great shape and not end up covered | | | | fat after giving birth. (It also means your baby is less |
| in wobbly saggy fat | | | | likely to be fat later on in life) |
| 2. To be fit for pregnancy, i.e. avoid things like | | | | 5. Research shows that resistance training in |
| pregnancy back pain | | | | pregnancy subjects the baby to controlled amounts of |
| 3. To have an easy labor | | | | stress. This conditions the baby to deal with the stress |
| 4. To get your body back quickly after giving birth | | | | of labor much better and results in a quicker and |
| 5. To have a healthy happy baby | | | | easier transition to life outside the womb. Babies born |
| Well here's the truth - YOU WON'T GET ANY OF | | | | to mothers who train regularly are also much more |
| THESE THINGS FROM AEROBIC CLASSES! (and | | | | content, happier and will self-comfort more easily. |
| yes that includes body pump - anything that requires | | | | Still not convinced? Consider this - A properly designed |
| you to complete 3000 repetitions over 60 minutes is | | | | pregnancy fitness workout will take you half the time |
| aerobic - not weights!) | | | | and get you twice the results! Now do I have your |
| Pregnancy fitness needs resistance training. Here's | | | | attention? |
| why: | | | | |