Your Pregnancy Questions Answered: What's the best exercise you can do throughout pregnancy?

"Hi Nisha, what exercise can you do throughout pregnancy? whats the best for each trimester please? Also I heard that you cannot let your heart beat go over 140? Any advice greatly appreciated as I want to stay trim but not do anything that could harm me or baby. Just in the trying to get pregnant stages now. thank you"

Thanks Julena for this great question!

This is a common concern for pregnant mums, especially for those who are in the delicate first trimester of pregnancy. You want to stay trim and in shape, yet the last thing you want to do is take the risk of harming your baby. It's hard to know just how much activity is safe so a lot of newly pregnant mums err on the side of caution and stop doing exercise altogether. The thing is, this can do more harm than good...

Stopping all activity during pregnancy can slow down your metabolism and lead to a build up of fat. This in turn can affect your hormonal balance as roughly 30% of oestrogen comes from fat cells. If you are trying to conceive, (like Julena), this hormonal disruption will greatly reduce your chances of getting pregnant.

If you are already pregnant, excess fat can add a serious risk factor to your pregnancy, increasing chances of pre-eclampsia, and fetal birth defects.

So what is the most effective way to stay in shape and maintain the healthiest pregnancy possible whilst exercising safely?

Resistance Training!

Now you don't need to be lifting heavy weights - in fact one of the most effective forms of resistance training for pregnancy is body weight exercises. After all, you should always be able to move and carry your own body weight safely and effectively without causing yourself injury, right?

To make sure you are exercising safely but still getting the most out of your workout, stick to simple exercises that mimic everyday movement, such as squats, rows, presses and overhead lifts.

For early pregnancy and for those who are new to exercise, choose up to 6 exercises and either string them together in a circuit fashion and repeat 2-3 times.

If you are used to training and have been exercising regularly for at least 6 months prior to getting pregnant try pairing up the exercises and performing them as a superset. Repeat each superset 2-3 times before moving onto the next couplet.

Either way, your workout should take you no more than 15 minutes to complete.

If you are exercising smartly, 15 minutes is plenty of time to get a good workout so the bonus to you is that you no longer need to spend long boring sessions slogging it out on the treadmill!

The great news is that all of these exercises can be adapted for each trimester. Not only that but as your pregnancy progresses you will be adding your own overload to your workout from your increasing body weight!

I hope this answers some of your concerns about exercising in pregnancy. Look out for my next post where I'll be giving you a video workout that you can do along with me, with some of the best exercises to support your pregnant body and banish back pain and other common pregnancy aches and pains.

Until then, stay sexy, self-confident and superfit!

Nisha

P.S. If you want your pregnancy questions answered just post your comment in Pregnancy Questions Answered

For access to more articles, videos and other resources on pregnancy fitness join my pregnancy community at http://www.the9monthclub.ning.com