2nd trimester Fitness and Exercise

AMCsquared · June 2017

Hi work out mamas! I'm sure I'm not alone in needing some pregnancy fitness support!

What was your work-out/exercise regime before your BFP?
Did it change during your 1st trimester?
Has it changed during your 2nd trimester?
Concerns/thoughts:
Why is fitness important to you?

AMCsquared · June 2017

What was your work-out/exercise regime before your BFP?
I worked out 4-5 days per week. I'd usually alternate one day running, one day doing a Jillian Michaels DVD indoors (I'm a little obsessed with her). Sometimes I'd go through spurts where I just ran every day instead.

Did it change during your 1st trimester?
Around week 8, I had to totally stop. Running was making me gag. Plus I was too tired.

Has it changed during your 2nd trimester?
So... I will not be doing Jillian Michaels because it's too high impact, but I'd like to find some prenatal yoga and other work outs. I have to say, everything I've found online is too lame so IDK what my plan is with that stuff.

I just finally tried exercising again this week at 16 weeks. I was nervous! I ran for the first time and I was really happy with how it went because I expected to not be able to do much after a 2 month break. My legs didn't hurt, my breathing was ok, and zero stomach cramping. I do realize I'll be going MUCH slower and much less distance. I only ran 1 mile and walked 2 (and added about 2 minutes onto my typical pace), but I'm happy with that for now. Maybe over the next few weeks I'll build back up to longer and faster, but I expect to only get slower/run shorter distance as my pregnancy moves along.

Concerns/thoughts: Definitely looking for some support bc it's a weird thing right now!

Why is fitness important to you? For me, it's a part of life- like it or not. It's not only important for the health of my pregnancy, but for me! And this comment will surely offend a lot of people, but I'll say it- I think fitness is a huge part of marriage. I think it's disrespectful to your spouse to become overweight.

breezybee · June 2017

What was your work-out/exercise regime before your BFP?
Im a big fan of at home workouts. I never go to the gym, but I go bike riding, hiking, walking, etc. Before I got KU, I was doing Shawn T's Insanity and 21 Day Fix. Insanity is obviously too intense, but I'm still doing 21 Day Fix sporadically. I hate to admit it, but I've been really scared to work out, and I kind of hate that.

Did it change during your 1st trimester?
When we found it we're having twins, my doctor told me to stick to yoga and walking. No weights more than 5lbs, no running, and no jumping. That's like, everything I do, hence, why I got so scared to do my regular routine. Also, my first trimester exhaustion was unlike anything I've ever experienced. Like straight up brutal laziness. Finally coming out of that!

Has it changed during your 2nd trimester?
Im about to start that. I think I'd like to get back into a light workout plan. I don't want to be completely out of shape after these babies come.

Concerns/thoughts:
Im just paranoid and I have to listen to my body and not push myself too hard.

Why is fitness important to you?
Id like to stay healthy and keep up with my kids. I don't want to get stuck with all this extra baby weight for so long after they're born, and I know that working out throughout pregnancy can help with that.

@AMCsquared Good for you for getting out there again! I know how hard that is - I'm in the same boat.
Your opinion could be seen as an unpopular one, and obviously there can be extenuating circumstances, but I kind of agree. Flame away ladies!

failuretofly · June 2017

@breezybee ... no weights more than 5 lbs????? Um.. pretty sure (hopefully) your babies will be more than 5lbs, each! put them in clothes and in a car seat... how are you supposed to be strong enough to carry them around if you are limiting yourself to 5lbs?

AFM
Before pregnancy I was doing The Bigness Project (a muscle building program) and my body was feeling AMAZING. As soon as that stick turned pink I was SO EFFING TIRED. Then I was having pelvic floor concerns, then I was too scared to work out for fear of prolapse... then tired...
Now, I wrote myself a prenatal workout plan, which is basically 4 workouts that are heavy on core and glute work that I will cycle through. My goal is to get 2-3 workouts in per week, plus a few walks.
My concerns are I am so worried about re-prolapsing. The problem is being scared makes me tense my core, which makes me FEEL like I'm having symptoms (heaviness mostly) when it's really just my muscles getting tired from being clenched. And I know exercising is the key to recovery/prevention, but it is a bit of a mental battle.
Fitness is important to me because it is important to EVERYONE! We spend so much of our days sitting or being stationary that we need it! Plus, in pregnancy, it is SO important, to help prepare your body for labour and delivery (hello, marathon!) plus to ensure the best recovery postpartum.

pink flamingo · June 2017

What was your work-out/exercise regime before your BFP? Before was pretty much what I am doing now except for running. I do yoga, walking and running. Now running is more like jogging and I do it in shorter intervals. I am focusing on more incline walking now to keep my HR elevated and trying to break a sweat. Every minute I go up 1% incline on the treadmill all the way to 15% then back down. My speed goal during this exercise is to walk as fast as I can ( usually starting at 3-3.3 mph) without holding onto the treadmilll for support . If I feel tired I usually slow down to 2.5 mph. You are constantly ajgusting your speed up and down . I usually walk 1 1/2 miles and then jog for 15 minutes after. Yoga I've been doing for years. I don't do "pre-natal yoga" but I do modify for the pregnancy ( no inversions-personal choice and no deep twisting ).

Did it change during your 1st trimester? 1st tri hit me like a train wreck..... like both you ladies but around 12 weeks I started to force myself to do exercise and every week I'm becoming more consistant ( currently 17 weeks).

Has it changed during your 2nd trimester? Oh yes ..... slowly but I am doing a lot better physically and mentally.

Concerns/thoughts: just trying to stay focused and positive this pregnancy. I tell myself out loud that I am beatiful to help with my self image ( ironically it actually works)

Why is fitness important to you? I agree with both of you ladies on wanting not only to look and feel good for myself but also for my husband.

My first pregnancy I gained 55 lbs ( I worked out ) and it was miserable at the end but I also lost it all and an extra 15 lbs on top of that over the course of the year after. So there is hope and I do think it's easier afterwards if you at least managed to do something while pregnant.

breezybee · June 2017

Lol @kvacmak They mean during the pregnancy I should stick to 5 lb weights. I feel like they're being overly cautious, but it's just sticking with me for some reason.

dilbert890 · June 2017

What was your work-out/exercise regime before your BFP?
I'm a powerlifter. I was lifting about 3x a week. I was killing my bench workout quite nicely.
I was walking15,000 Steps a day. Around week 5, I was starting to throw in the towel. I was so tired and didn't know why, I just couldn't do it.

Did it change during your 1st trimester?

once I found out I was pregnant at 6 weeks, I definitely slowed down to once a week, maybe twice a week. Listened to my body and let myself rest.

Has it changed during your 2nd trimester?

getting back into it slowly. I've cut my weights back significantly. Going twice a week now when my schedule allows. I generally feel 100x better after I've worked out so it's worth it.. getting there is the hardest part.
I also take longer breaks and generally don't do as much volume (sets/reps/weight combos are reduced).

i also find that it's just a lot more fatiguing in general. What used to be a warm up is now a workout lol! I'm still happy that it's something!

Finding workout clothes has also been a bit of a challenge. Old navy didn't have my size Capri pants

Concerns/thoughts:
Why is fitness important to you?

ive had a number of broken bones, I need to workout to maintain my muscle and be able to not suck at life in general. I'm extremely disappointed at all the people who think I should stop although. I don't think they realize the consequences that would have, not only physically, but mentally, socially, etc. my gym is my own little support community and they've all been awesome since I've announced my pregnancy.

elcd458 · June 2017

What was your work-out/exercise regime before your BFP?
I went through spurts of being really regimented and then really undedicated. I had a couple of medical setbacks in recent years that caused me to lose focus for a while. Generally I get bored doing one thing all the time so I mix gym cardio with ClassPass classes, walking, biking, and stuff at home.

Did it change during your 1st trimester?
I had one little burst of energy around week 5 where I was like, "I'M GONNA WORK OUT!" which came to a bitter end a week later. I couldn't even walk around my neighborhood without getting so winded I had to lie down. Then the nausea hit and I barely got out of bed for a month. I am an on-again-off-again ToneItUp girl (if y'all know what that is) and was prepped and ready to start this year's Bikini Series-- then day 1 I got my BFP.

Has it changed during your 2nd trimester?
I definitely feel more pressure now to start trying harder to stay fit because I know things will change soon. I can't say that it's happened yet, but I'm still hopeful. Right now exercise has consisted of taking a walk and stretching.

Concerns/thoughts: I have some cardiac issues and I'm worried pregnancy will exacerbate them to the point where I can't exercise as hard as I want to and I'll feel like I have to give up. I've had terrible self-image for years and am terrified of what pregnancy will do to my body. I'm already overweight and the women in my family have a tendency to not ever bounce back from childbirth. I don't want to look back and regret that I didn't try harder to prevent it.

Why is fitness important to you?
My husband and I both have jobs where we've worked with older or unhealthy adults whose lifestyles have caused most of their health issues, and it really makes you stop and think about how eventually your choices catch up to you!

Katya1982 · June 2017

Reading this thread I realize this is the kind of thread I have been waiting for! Thanks @AMCsquared!

Maybe we could have a weekly fitness check-in to keep each other on track with our goals???

What was your work-out/exercise regime before your BFP?
So I had a loss a couple months before my BFP and I became really sad and weepy and my fitness started going downhill fast (it wasn't anywhere near peak to begin with). So I signed up for sessions with a PT at my gym (which is a huge expense/luxury IMO but I have a ridiculously low grandfathered membership rate, so I felt it was justified. I used the PT to get some structure back in my life after the loss with a super encouraging trainer, etc etc. Didn't know I would get the BFP so fast, but of course glad I did.

Did it change during your 1st trimester?
PT with muscle work was okay. Cardio made me a little queasy. Then I went on a trip abroad for all of May and ate more than I could walk off each day.

Has it changed during your 2nd trimester?
Energy is better. Cardio is better. Weight gain has slowed down. And I attend the gym more frequently because a lot of sessions piled up while I was abroad. Finally have the energy to go to the gym on my own too.

Concerns/thoughts:
In previous stages of life I always thought the elliptical was for wimps, but now it is my best friend and I am eating my words. When I was pregnant earlier this year I was mostly doing long treadmill runs. Even though I know the chances of the mc being related are almost nothing, I still can't bring myself to run this time. I am amazed at how much I get out of my elliptical sessions. And it is a great on my creaky knees, which are screwed up from long runs, Insanity workouts and childhood gymnastics.

Why is fitness important to you? General feeling good and looking good. I have a part-time stage career and most of my roles are princesses and suicidal young lovers, so it is good to look trim on stage.

@AMCsquared
My husband and I often go on and off fitness sprees together. We were both doing long runs earlier this year. We did the whole Insanity program together post-partum with our first (of course he lost like 35 lbs and I only 7, ugh men are so lucky when it comes to weight loss). So now one of the only things I don't like about PT is that I don't get to bond with him during it. Since we gain and lose weight in tandem, I guess we disrespect and respect each other in sync as well.

lavashiner · June 2017

What was your work-out/exercise regime before your BFP?
Gym/HIIT workouts 2-3x week and open water swimming 1-2x week. Also core power yoga sculpt classes when I can fit them in.

Did it change during your 1st trimester?
I went down to walking and 1-2 workouts in the gym. No more open water swimming (the ocean here is 50-65 degrees). I know some pregnant women who do it, but I have PGAL brain, so I worry a lot about the cold water stress on my body. No core power yoga since I worry about the stress the heat puts on my body.

Has it changed during your 2nd trimester?
I have been pretty lazy and been sticking to walking. I want to start up prenatal yoga which I loved during my last pregnancy and helped keep me strong for labor. I have stopped doing a lot of my gym workouts because lunges give me public bone discomfort (happened last pregnancy, too, I think there is a name for it but I forget.). Trying to do my kegels, too! That counts, right??

Concerns/thoughts:
Although I feel like I could be doing more, I feel like I am in a similar spot to my last pregnancy. As long as I keep up walking and yoga, I'll feel good.

Why is fitness important to you?
I like the adrenaline of open water swimming. Other than that, gym workouts make me feel strong! After years of being an average swimmer, doing HIIT has given me results that affect how I feel about myself as an athlete and in terms of body image! I love it!

vvitchhazel · June 2017

What was your work-out/exercise regime before your BFP? This time around, just chasing a toddler. Before I had DD, I was at the gym at least every other day where I did a lot of lifting and cardio.

Did it change during your 1st trimester? My OB at the time (I switched at 22 weeks) told me NO lifting. I was also too sick for the cardio I'd been doing and I threw up numerous times when I tried. I ended up letting my membership lapse.

Has it changed during your 2nd trimester? Like this pregnancy, I was still sick into my 2nd and 3rd trimester. Aside from walks, I couldn't really exert myself without throwing up.

Concerns/thoughts: I hope DH doesn't feel too disrespected, as I was overweight when I met him and when we got married.

Why is fitness important to you? I lost 30 lbs, pre-pregnancy with DD and then I only gained 2 lbs with her, even though I had GD. And that was at the very tail end of my pregnancy. I was devastated when I stepped on the scale a few months post partum, only to find that I had gained all my weight back while I was exclusively breastfeeding. I kept beating myself up over it, because women are supposed to LOSE a ton of weight while breastfeeding! The lbs are just supposed to melt off! What they don't tell you is how you're ALWAYS hungry. You can eat a full meal and then that baby latches and you feel completely drained and absolutely starving. It doesn't matter if the food choices you make are healthy ones, when you feel like you need to eat constantly, you're going to gain weight. And it shouldn't be something you're ashamed of. I found that the hunger diminished some once my body finally regulated my milk, but that wasn't until well after DD was 6 months. I'm embarrassed about my weight gain and my goal is to gain next to nothing with this pregnancy too. I've got the elliptical pointed at the TV, so I can watch The Biggest Loser while doing my little work out. If I get sick, I get sick. It happens anyways and I can't do nothing anymore. My new OB told me I can exercise for no more than 30 minutes a day and I need to keep my heart rate below 150. I'm also a big fan of Skinny Taste, so for anyone struggling with making better food choices that are still delicious and quick and easy to make, Google her!!!

I got kind of side tracked on that one... Basically, fitness is important to me for me, not making sure my husband is happy. He loves me either way or we obviously wouldn't have had a snowballs chance in hell. It's important, because I want to be able to have the energy to run after my kids. I want to inspire them to make good decisions when it comes to food. I don't want them to feel like I feel. Most of all, I just want to be better for them.

I also want to leave this here, for anyone else feeling like I feel: https://www.racked.com/2017/6/19/15757368/motherhood-bodies-postpartum-clothes

balletnerd · June 2017

What was your work-out/exercise regime before your BFP?

5hrs of dance class and rehearsal 5x a week and teaching dance about 3hrs 4xs a week in the evening. Plus additional cross training. (I'm a professional dancer)

Did it change during your 1st trimester?

i started to slow down around week 7 because my season ended. Classes went down to more like once a week with supplemental workouts at home on my own. Still teaching and demonstrating

Has it changed during your 2nd trimester?
stiol teaching and demonstrating. I stopped excercises where I lay on my stomach. I'm hoping to start my butt back in class more often. Just been busy with work.

Concerns/thoughts:
just wondering when it will get difficult to demonstrate the way I need to when I teach

Why is fitness important to you?
fitness is directly tied to my careers and art form. It allows me to express myself. I can't imagine my life without dance and excercise.

Love connecting with you active ladies!

lauren8717 · June 2017

What was your work-out/exercise regime before your BFP?
Worked out ~5 days per week. 3 days cardio only and 2 days weight circuit training. Yoga once a week too!

Did it change during your 1st trimester?
During my 1st trimester, I had zero energy and working out did not help to boost it. I kept it to walks at lunch and with the dogs because it was all I could manage. It was kind of demoralizing after having been so active previously.

Has it changed during your 2nd trimester?
Ive started to incorporate actual cardio workouts back in with weights maybe once per week (either arms or lower body)

Concerns/thoughts:
My doctor warned to make sure I don't overexert especially in my stomach. I am now afraid of core exercises. Does anyone have any pregnancy approve exercises to keep this area fit?
Also, has anyone done prenatal yoga? Did you like it?

Why is fitness important to you?
I want to maintain health and, selfishly, don't want to struggle with weight issues after baby.

failuretofly · June 2017

@breezybee yes I understand that they mean during pregnancy... but your body when your pregnant is going to be the same body you have postpartum... but maybe even weaker... so if you're not keeping up your strength now, it's going to be very hard postpartum. Not suggesting you go do 200lbs squats! But 5lbs is ridiculous! Your purse probably weighs 5lbs! Your groceries probably weigh 20lbs! The stroller you're going to have to lift out of the back of your car probably weighs 30lbs! Sorry I get really fired up when doctors give moms terrible exercise advice, it's all too common and most of them actually have no idea what they are talking about.

elcd458 · June 2017

@lavashiner good call on the Core Power hiatus. "Absolutely no hot yoga" is one of the few exercise-specific instructions my doctors office gave me.

I'd love to start doing Pure Barre again, but get dizzy with all the up and down. Yay for large circulating blood volumes.

AMCsquared · June 2017

@breezybee yes yes yes to the outdoor type activities. its fun bc those never even feel like exercise! i got 2 new pairs of new hiking boots but haven't gone at all lately lol! i feel like we are on similar playing fields here with the outdoor stuff and u liking insanity and me liking jillian (although shes nowhere near insanity level). i totally understand that you're feeling fearful.

@kvacmack u bring up a great point which i forgot to say. i want to be physically ready for labor! and ready to recover. i want to be a champ!

@pinkflamingo your incline modification is a great idea. thanks, i'm going to try stealing it on some hills around here.

@elcd458 i hear u on getting bored. years ago, i belonged to a gym and my work outs were boring and had little results. the minute i quit the gym and started my at home/running routine, i had a great results.

@katya1982 yes!! let's absolutely do regular check ins! we can motivate each other and see whats working for other people. also i love that your husband ran with u. i'm totally jealous!!

@lavashiner i want to find some good yoga too but i feel uninformed about what is appropriate right now. any videos u like?

@vvitchhazel i dont think anyone was saying their husbands wouldn't love them at a different weight...

@balletnerd thats awesome you're a dancer! ballet, i take it, from your screenname? DH and i did a few months of ballroom dancing earlier this year and we looooved it (especially waltz). i'm really sad we had to stop but it was sooo expensive.

@lauren8717 i have the same concerns that u do about core exercises. i want to build a super strong core for labor and recovery but i dont know what to do bc there is so much conflicting info out there!!!! if u or anyone finds something in the core category or in the yoga category, please share!

Tennis11785 · June 2017

I love this post idea and agree to check-ins.

What was your work-out/exercise regime before your BFP? Well, in the year leading up to the BFP, it was really on and off (running, spin classes, occasional other classes, lots of hiking). **TW** three pregnancies and miscarriages in 15 months do that to you **end TW**. Just before this BFP, I was starting to get back into barre (plus continuing the hiking, long walks/run-walks). Prior to that whole cluster, I was a big runner - I've done a bunch of half marathons.

Did it change during your 1st trimester? I just feel too tired and gross during the first tri to really work out. I can barely get through the day, let alone add a workout in.

Has it changed during your 2nd trimester? I'm starting to get back into working out. I went to my first pre-natal yoga class this week, and I hope to keep going throughout the pregnancy.

Concerns/thoughts: I know its not rational, but I always get nervous that I'm going to miscarry from a workout. PGAL brain, ya'll. I even had a dream the other day that I signed up for a 5K before getting pregnant, so I decided to go. But then I forgot I was pregnant and I pushed myself way too hard and managed to run a 5K in 10 minutes (yeah, that's realistic) and walked around waiting for a miscarriage after.

Why is fitness important to you? It's important to me because of how it makes me feel. I am a happier person when I'm working out. Plus, you only get one body, so you gotta take care of it.

Although I disagree with the statement that it's disrespectful to your spouse to become overweight. My husband is overweight, but he is healthy. He eats really well and he works out. He regularly goes to the doctor and he is otherwise healthy. Do I think he's being disrespectful to me because it's just the way his body works? Absolutely not. He's healthier and can do more from a working out perspective than a lot of skinny people I know.

vvitchhazel · June 2017

@AMCsquared I know. I wasn't saying they were. I was just approaching the topic of this thread from the standpoint of someone who is overweight and plus size (and have been most of my life), as well as addressing your opinion about it being disrespectful to your spouse. I don't agree with your opinion, but that's okay.

jackiesmom324 · July 2017

Loving this thread and can't wait to add my response when I'm off mobile

Want a personalized experience?

2nd trimester Fitness and Exercise

Re: 2nd trimester Fitness and Exercise

Choose Another Board

Search Boards