What If I Have Never Exercised Before?

Don’t worry too much if you haven’t exercised much before becoming pregnant. As long as you have your doctor’s consent, even women completely unfamiliar with exercise can start an appropriate program after becoming pregnant. The first step is to
find one aerobic activity you enjoy doing. Walking,either outside or indoors on the
treadmill, is always a good place to start. Other activities include swimming,indoor or outdoor cycling,stair climbing, low impact aerobics or using an elliptical machine.

By choosing one main activity and one back-up activity, boredom from a regular routine will become less of a factor. Your back-up activity can also be used as a substitute if your main activity becomes uncomfortable later into your pregnancy.

Once you have chosen your exercise activities, remember to do not too much too soon. For the first week, begin with 15-20 minutes per day. As you become more comfortable, add five minutes each week until you are doing at least 30 minutes each day.

Actually, aerobic activity is only one-third of the exercise equation. Strength training is also important. You will want to perform strengthening exercises for all of the major muscle groups of your body, focusing especially on the abdominal, hip and pelvic muscles since these will be used primarily during labor and delivery.

The final, but very important, part of any workout equation is stretching. Many people do not view stretching as integral to their workout regimens, and will stretch
only if they have time. When you come to the end of your workout, stretch all of the muscle groups that you have used. You will reduce soreness, increase fl exibility and help prevent future injuries. For more stress reduction and focus on flexibility,
try incorporating a prenatal yoga class into your routine once or twice a week.