Suddenly sedentary- what kind of exercise are you getting?

KLake42 · June 2017

I wanted to see how we are all doing with exercise right now. I'm not athletic, and wasn't super fit before pregnancy, but I did a good job of walking daily. Usually an hour on weeknights, and a few hours on weekends (we'd walk 5-8 miles on a Saturday ramble, stopping off at local coffee shops and bookstores). I'd do weights about once a week at the gym, and lots of stretching.

But now that I'm dealing with nausea and fatigue, I'm only managing a 20-30 minute daily walk, and it's a much slower pace. Sometimes it's because I feel icky, and sometimes I feel too much stretching/tightness in my uterus (there are two in there, so it's growing fast). The heat is also making it harder to just go for a walk, especially when I get home from work and just want to crawl into bed.

I worry about my muscles atrophying, and the impact on my cardiac system. I know that bed rest is likely in my future, with twins.

I'm going to meet my Ob/gyn this week (was just released from my RE), and I'll talk to her about what exercise is appropriate, what can I push and where should I not push.

I'm not asking you all to give me exercise advice. Really, I just want to know your experiences. Are you Serena Williams/Gal Gadot, continuing with your badass athleticism? Or are you finding yourself, like me, much more sedentary than you were before? Are you struggling with feelings about it, or do you feel fine?

And most of all, have you found a good exercise routine that works for how you feel now? How does it compare to what you did before?

missblaze · June 2017

@KLake42 I'm much more sedentary and I'm struggling with it. It's been too hot after work to do a lengthy walk and I'm very limited in time. By the time DD gets to sleep at night it's at least 8:30 and I'm exhausted. I try and do 2 10 minute walks during the day at work, but that's it.

scatteringashes · June 2017

My fitness levels tend to ebb and flow. At one point I was running every day, and since starting school I've just been relying on my Fitbit's step goal for my general goals. I'm lucky in that both jobs are usually pretty active and keep me up and moving around, but I'm so tired and achey lately that on days I'm not at work, I'm lucky to hit what I consider my bare minimum level of movement.

Plus, ditto on the heat right now. I don't do heat well.

I'm sincerely hope that second trimester will bring more energy, and better weather for getting up and outside.

ryannenikole · June 2017

I am struggling too! I was doing 15-20 minutes of prental yoga, pilates, or light weights daily and then a 15-20 minute walk in the evening but then a couple of weeks ago things got tough physically and we moved into a teeny tiny camper (we are building a house and living on the property while that is going on) so I didn't have room. We just upgraded to a bigger camper yesterday and now I have room for yoga again! I will be 10 weeks on Monday and physically I am starting to feel a little bit better so I really want and need to get going again. I definitely noticed a difference in my symptoms when I was exercising--I always felt better!

KLake42 · June 2017

I'm sorry y'all are struggling, but glad to hear that I'm not alone!

@ryannenikole I agree that exercise helps with symptoms a bit. That's sometimes the only thing that persuades me to take my walk-- knowing that it helps a bit with nausea, as long as it's not too hot!

baileym9126 · June 2017

I've definitely slowed down. I used to do an hour on my recumbent bike then I'd take my dog for an hour walk later in the day. Constant fatigue has stopped me from doing the hour on my bike, but I still try to get at least a 40 minute walk in with my dog. Truthfully, if it wasn't for my dog, I probably wouldn't be walking everyday, but I feel bad keeping her from her exercise.

I'm also struggling with the heat!

SouthernMs · June 2017

I am not doing jack until this nausea lets up. I'm barely functioning as it is (my house is a wreck). Any energy right now is used to play with DS. I'm going to take yoga back up in the second trimester and hopefully do weekend hikes with the fam in the fall.

EmilyLove25 · June 2017

@KLake42 I feel you on this... but our bodies are resilient. I think so long as you are doing something, you won't lose much endurance/cardiovascular strength/muscle... I keep reminding myself that the first tri is by far the hardest in terms of nausea and full body fatigue. In a few weeks, we should all be ready to work our way back to some semblance of our normal routine. I'd say now I'm doing 1/3 or more less than my usual... and am three times more exhausted than normal!

mommaa1615 · June 2017

I was walking an hour a day like you but had to cut it short due to the same pain. I don't remember that happening with my daughter so it made me nervous. I noticed the treadmill is much better thinking because of the hills on my reg walk. I am going to try some pregnancy workout dvds soon!

Dani0329 · June 2017

Exhaustion has taken me over too. I'm swimming as much as possible and doing home workout videos (when I can).

Cricket99 · June 2017

I chase the toddler all over kingdom come. Plus I get him dressed in the morning. That counts as a workout right?

jesscmv · June 2017

I've been able to keep my normal routine of working out 5-6 days a week. Just so everyone knows this is my stress relief and break away from my twins lol. I am more out of breath than usual and tired.

@klake42 I was able to do everything normal until 34 weeks with my twin pregnancy. I started showing signs of preterm labor so I had to slow it down. I still secretly took the dogs on a walk. Everyone is different, but I hope you have an easy and uneventful twin pregnancy!

ecolton01 · June 2017

With my first pregnancy I was bound and determined I was going to have a "fit" pregnancy! I worked out virtually every day before I got pregnant and I was going to keep that up ... guess what I didn't do jack... the entire time! I felt aweful and threw up virtually every day . It was all I could do to get to work, for 9 months let alone do any sort of physical activity . One of my longest best friends is a fitness coach for beach body and happened to be 4 weeks ahead of me in her pregnancy . She would always post these videos of her doing her workouts 5,6 hell even 9 months pregnant and how you shouldn't have any excuses blah blah blah . It seriously got to the point where I had to block her on social media because she made me feel like the worst person on the planet for "not keeping it up" ... long story by truth of the matter was I had my DD , and about 6 weeks after when I was cleared by the doctor I jumped right back to where I was . It may have taken a little bit of time but the break didn't hurt me one bit . It's what my body needed and I listened . It was what worked for me . So this time around if I glfeel good enough to go on a hike / walk one day great! If I feel like being lazy all day and not leaving my house that's ok too . Baby is going to come out just the same and your body will be back to its old " physical shape" shortly after as well !

This is time I feel like crap too and I'm pretty much just trying to get through the days . My house is a mess , my eating habits are terrible , my dogs need washed but I am keeping my little human alive and growing another one so I will call that a win:)

JuliaGoolia719 · June 2017

I just started working out again (other than taking walks) since starting IVF in Jan....I did a few intermittent weights workouts between recovery from egg retrieval and starting the FET process but not consistent at all.
My first workout on Tues was an umitigated disaster. My nausea kicked in high gear and I got super duper lightheaded...I made it through like 25 minutes and spent the rest of the day in bed. I had a protein shake/green smoothie which the baby rejected hardcore, I think that was a big part of the issue. I tried again on Thursday and made it through all 50 minutes and didn't feel like I was going to die. Thursday I ate pizza before working out and the baby was alllll about the pizza, this kid is all about pizza and rejects fruits/veggies in basically any form.

trudytudy · June 2017

I'm not doing any exercise and I'm ok with it. I get up to keep my house semi picked up. I do dishes and laundry and care for my two little ones but there is no more gas in the tank after that. I'll plan to be more active in a month or so when I feel better but both of my first tris before this were rough too. The good news is that I bounced back both times after I had my babies. I think I have breastfeeding to thank for that.

Peepster · June 2017

I had started working out a couple months before my BFP, but haven't been able to do much since. I feel bad enough most days that it's all I can do to squeeze in a 15 minute walk at work here and there. My last pregnancy I enrolled in a prenatal yoga class and prenatal swimming. I loved both and plan to take them again when I start to feel better, hopefully by 2nd tri.

mamayogini3 · June 2017

I'm not into any crazy cardio but I walk around my country block (4mi) 3-5 days a week. I'm also a yoga teacher and lead 5-7 classes a week. Yoga is the best. I highly recommend it.
I also volunteer dog walk once or twice a week.

mindaa · June 2017

With my first pregnancy I was pretty much able to maintain my routine, just at a much reduced level of difficulty or exertion. (So no, not Serena, that was so badass! For the rest of us at 8 weeks, winning means getting off the couch).
Pretty similar this time, except maintaining my mom routine, which is much different than before. Did a lot of workout videos at first, now I've been hiking a bunch.

I've always found that, whether pregnant or PMS y or just tired, that getting up is the hardest part. Once I do that, movement actually helps me feel more energized.

I've struggled immensely with my limited physical ability. I was very athletic before my first pregnancy. It was not only a big part of my identity but dh and my relationship.

[Deleted User] · June 2017

Ever since college, I've struggled with the motivation to work out. With DD I don't think I worked out much, if at all. I had a high risk pregnancy with her though, so after I had her and got cleared for activity I started working out 3x a week (unfortunately as much as my schedule will allow, I'm not one to wake up early to work out especially with a sleepless child) because I want to take better care of myself and not have to deal with the high risk part again this time if I can help it. It's still a problem getting up off the couch, but once I do I feel so much better! There are still some family history things that may have caused the high BP, but exercising and diet are things I can control and dang it, I'm going to try!

labgrand2012 · June 2017

I workout 3x times a week at a class and play sand volleyball twice a week, and have definitely slowed down in my class. I am winded easily and just tired overall. But I do feel so much better after I workout and I think it helps keep my energy up. I find on the days that I don't workout, I am more tired overall, but on the days I do work out I am a lot more tired around bedtime.
I keep my heart rate under 180 and have lowered my weights to help me make it through the class. I did not work out during my last pregnancy and it is a goal of mine to work out during this whole one. I have missed probably one day a week the past 3 weeks, but at least I am doing something is what I kept telling myself.

iluvgoldies33 · June 2017

I am having trouble getting motivated. I am eating poorly and not as active so that compounds on each other to make me feel worse. I need to get my diet in gear at least, as I am overweight already so am scared of gaining too much weight and getting GD. I don't know that much about GD - how much of it happens because of your poor health/diet vs happens regardless of how healthy your habits are ?

GraceUponGrace09 · June 2017

@iluvgoldies33 I'm sure someone who knows far more than I do will have better advice for you but I had two friends get GD and they were both thin so I don't think it completely has to do with being overweight or healthy habits.

Edited for words.

JuliaGoolia719 · June 2017

@iluvgoldies33 From what I've been told GD is just one of those things that you will get or not, your weight doesn't have much to do with it. I know if you have PCOS or other issues with processing sugar you are at a higher risk for it, which makes sense. I was diagnosed w PCOS 7 yrs ago so I've kind of resigned myself to the fact that I'll probably have it. My plan was to eat really healthy, but this kid only likes refined carbs right now so I'm hoping to get back on track soon!

iluvgoldies33 · June 2017

Thanks for the info

BelhurstBride · June 2017

@iluvgoldies33, it isn't entirely dependent on weight/diet, but being overweight puts you at a higher risk.

I'm a usual at spin, kettlebell and barre classes. I pretty much took the last two weeks off. I was about as far along as I was when the bleeding started last time; I think I was starting to feel panicky.

I made it back to spin this morning. The sprints made me light headed, which is normal for me at this point in pregnancy. And I straight up cheated myself on my sprint gear.

I don't really worry about starting to modify workouts until into the 2nd tri.

averee12 · June 2017

Before getting pregnant I was quite active, either in the gym for an hour or walking 5 days a week. Since finding out, I think I have seriously been on 6 walks total. Over a 6 week span. Currently I am not working so I should have plenty of time right?! I cannot get myself out of bed before 10 and am so exhausted all day long. Something as simple as making myself lunch is simply exhausting. I can't wait for my energy level to come up a bit because other than feeling like a snail, I feel great!

auntieraindrop · June 2017

I have an 11 week old puppy, and I've had EXTREME fatigue, so the most I exercise is what he needs. Right now he needs a gentle 20 minute walk in the evening, and a fair amount of running up and down the stairs to intervene in potty training. Ha.

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