Working Out while Pregnant

I am SO grateful for my years in sports. My high school basketball and softball days helped me transition into TaeBo classes in college. Unfortunately those classes were only offered my freshman year.  After that I had to find the time and energy to run on the track or go to a gym (yuck!)

After college I become an at-home work out person. This included daily dog walks up and down hills in San Antonio and Arlington. I also enjoyed at-home yoga and hot yoga in a Dallas studio.

Since moving to the farm, I've kept up with dog walks without the hills (because there are none). I've also done yoga in my living room and zumba in the school gym. All are very satisfying. None are as strenuous as high school sports, but then again I'm not 16 anymore.

Now that I'm pregnant it's even more obvious that I'm, as my dad said, "not a spring chicken anymore". During my first trimester I was tired ALL the time. I lost weight in the beginning and then started gaining about 1 pound a week (as recommended). My second trimester flew by! I got my energy back so I added a lot to my plate. Thankfully, I was energized enough to workout consistently too. My biggest workout deterrent is travelling. During the holidays when we traveled to Dallas or Lubbock to see family and friends I never found the time to work out. 

Finally, the holidays are over and I have no excuses. I've gained 15 lbs over the past 7 months and I have 2 months (hopefully!) to go. Which means I could end up with a total weight gain of 23 lbs if I gain 1 lb per week for the next 8 weeks. Since I was overweight to begin with, I would be comfortable with a 23 lb gain. While I'd prefer less, it's really up to the baby. 

As you read the other day, I have almost every symptom in the book. I've been ignoring my copy of 'What to Expect When You're Expecting' (I kinda read the whole thing as soon as I got it, scared myself into a stressful state of mind and decided to play it cool and just go with the flow which meant NOT reading that book anymore). Well I re-read the sections regarding my symptoms and everything could be fixed with a healthy diet and exercise. I've been eating really well and not giving into sugary or white flour cravings. So I feel more motivated than ever to workout!


The workout routine I've been doing is the Tracy Anderson Pregnancy Project DVD. I love it. I bought this DVD set in my first trimester. The only research I put into it was reading the reviews on Amazon. I'm still not into pregnancy magazines or anything like that so I went where the money is actually spent by consumers.

PROS
PRO & CON
CONS
See? boobs everywhere! Then again, she's pregnant! (source)

Remember those biceps in baby boy's sonogram? I think it's safe to say he gets it from his mama! ;) 

High Heels!

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high heels and grits: Working Out while Pregnant

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Working Out while Pregnant

I am SO grateful for my years in sports. My high school basketball and softball days helped me transition into TaeBo classes in college. Unfortunately those classes were only offered my freshman year.  After that I had to find the time and energy to run on the track or go to a gym (yuck!)

After college I become an at-home work out person. This included daily dog walks up and down hills in San Antonio and Arlington. I also enjoyed at-home yoga and hot yoga in a Dallas studio.

Since moving to the farm, I've kept up with dog walks without the hills (because there are none). I've also done yoga in my living room and zumba in the school gym. All are very satisfying. None are as strenuous as high school sports, but then again I'm not 16 anymore.

Now that I'm pregnant it's even more obvious that I'm, as my dad said, "not a spring chicken anymore". During my first trimester I was tired ALL the time. I lost weight in the beginning and then started gaining about 1 pound a week (as recommended). My second trimester flew by! I got my energy back so I added a lot to my plate. Thankfully, I was energized enough to workout consistently too. My biggest workout deterrent is travelling. During the holidays when we traveled to Dallas or Lubbock to see family and friends I never found the time to work out. 

Finally, the holidays are over and I have no excuses. I've gained 15 lbs over the past 7 months and I have 2 months (hopefully!) to go. Which means I could end up with a total weight gain of 23 lbs if I gain 1 lb per week for the next 8 weeks. Since I was overweight to begin with, I would be comfortable with a 23 lb gain. While I'd prefer less, it's really up to the baby. 

As you read the other day, I have almost every symptom in the book. I've been ignoring my copy of 'What to Expect When You're Expecting' (I kinda read the whole thing as soon as I got it, scared myself into a stressful state of mind and decided to play it cool and just go with the flow which meant NOT reading that book anymore). Well I re-read the sections regarding my symptoms and everything could be fixed with a healthy diet and exercise. I've been eating really well and not giving into sugary or white flour cravings. So I feel more motivated than ever to workout!


The workout routine I've been doing is the Tracy Anderson Pregnancy Project DVD. I love it. I bought this DVD set in my first trimester. The only research I put into it was reading the reviews on Amazon. I'm still not into pregnancy magazines or anything like that so I went where the money is actually spent by consumers.

PROS
  • The stage is all pastel colors and she plays relaxing music
    See? Really muted and relaxing (source)
  • There are 9 discs. One for each month. I have found each disc corresponds perfectly with where my body is during the pregnancy. And I could share the DVDs with my SIL who was 3 months further along than I was. (In return I got her extra changing pad and stroller!)
  • Tracy is SO nice! I've always liked the video trainers who say things like "you can do it" even though they don't know that I'm actually sitting on the couch eating potato chips. j/k I'm usually yelling back at them "Shut up! You don't even know me!" 
  • The further into my pregnancy, the more impact I see with the workouts. I couldn't even image some of the position she puts you in, but once you get in that position it feels amazing! For example, in months 8 & 9 we use a chair to help with balance and stability. I would have never considered that!
PRO & CON
  • It is relaxing and doesn't "feel" like a workout. In the beginning I wanted it to feel like a workout (which is why this is part Con), but it is important to keep your body burning calories making the baby not making a 6 pack. (They say pregnant women have 40% more blood vessels in their body, so Tracy really works on getting the circulation throughout. I can tell a HUGE difference in my circulation on days I work out.)
CONS
  • Tracy is BEAUTIFUL and her boobs are spilling out everywhere. It's not a bad thing, just makes me wonder why I am working out in a messy bun, no make up, and two sports bras and she has her hair perfectly curled, a face full of makeup and no bra?
See? boobs everywhere! Then again, she's pregnant! (source)
  • There are a lot of butt workouts. Tracy says we are "lifting" our buttock. If you've seen my buttocks, it is quite lifted so this big booty lady doesn't see the need in getting it higher up on my back!...but I do enjoy what it does for my hips. 

Remember those biceps in baby boy's sonogram? I think it's safe to say he gets it from his mama! ;) 

High Heels!

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