Fitness Dos & Don'ts For Getting Pregnant

Tuesday, July 10, 2018, 11:02

One of the most beautiful creations of God is that of a woman's body. Indeed, it is miraculous to think how it is capable of creating life within itself. As heartwarming as the journey of motherhood is, the fact remains that this is indeed a trying period in her life.

The various physical, mental and hormonal changes that take place are bound to take a toll on her body. The best way that she can deal with all these challenges is to work on her fitness before she even gets pregnant.

Unlike in the case of fitness for athletes or that for weight loss, there is very little information available regarding the fitness measures that a woman should inculcate before getting pregnant.

This often puts women in a dilemma about what are the possible measures that they can adopt in order to ensure a healthier future for themselves and their babies.

After all, the fitness of a baby is directly related to that of his or her mother. Understanding the importance of fitness, this article talks about the dos and don'ts that women who are planning to conceive a child should inculcate in their lives.

Exercise
Do Not Wait For A Routine
Do Not Mix It Up
Decide On Your Ideal Weight
Fix Your Sleep Schedule
Eat At Fixed Intervals
Walk It Out
Work On Abdominal And Back Muscles

1. Exercise

It is important to know that your body will need all the strength that it can muster for labor and delivery. Once you are pregnant, your body will be already busy nurturing a life within you and you will not have the time to build up stamina.

It will be physically taxing for you to start exercising then. However, if you are someone who is used to exercising, carrying on with the same during your pregnancy will be a cakewalk. Thus, one of the best ways in which you can start preparing for a healthy pregnancy is by starting off with a daily routine that involves a certain amount of physical exercise.

2. Do Not Wait For A Routine

The reason for this is the fact that most women have a tendency of waiting to start their exercise after consulting a doctor. However, understand that you are not yet pregnant and that your body can take in normal exercise without you having to worry yourself sick about the same.

Hence, do not make any excuse and start off as soon as possible. By waiting to start a routine, you will only be delaying things and that is definitely not something that is advisable.

3. Do Not Mix It Up

We understand that you are excited about having a child and now that the fitness bug has finally bit you, you want to leave no stone unturned to ensure a fitter and healthier body. However, you must ensure that you do not overdo it.

If you are someone who was not really into exercising in the past, choose one form of exercise that you would like and start with it. If you have decided to take up cycling, you do not have to go to the swimming pool (and vice versa).

Overdoing the exercise will not just prove to be strenuous on your body, but it might even affect your fertility.

4. Decide On Your Ideal Weight

Gynecologists agree that being underweight makes it difficult for a woman to conceive. Similarly, being overweight brings along its own set of pregnancy-related complications. Thus, the key to a safe and healthy pregnancy is to have a healthy BMI before you get pregnant and then maintain an ideal body weight gain throughout the nine months.

Thus, the key to a fit pregnancy begins with getting your body weight in place prior to conceiving.

5. Fix Your Sleep Schedule

As important is exercise for your fitness, it is equally important that you have a good night's rest. We understand that there will be some disruptions in the same due to the physical and hormonal changes that accompany pregnancy. The only way to deal with all of that would be to have your sleep schedule sorted before you conceive a child.

A normal adult needs about 8 hours of sleep on a daily basis. Make sure that you are able to give your body that. Ideally, you should sleep for eight hours at a stretch. If that is not possible, make sure that your cumulative hours of sleep adds up to 8.

6. Eat At Fixed Intervals

Your digestive system will be up for a toss once you get pregnant. Do not subject it to a greater amount of torture by not having your meals on time. Make sure that you consume enough green and leafy vegetables and roughage.

Fruits and vegetables should make their way to your daily diet. Make it a point to ensure that you do not skip meals. Maintaining this sort of a lifestyle prior to getting pregnant will help to bring down the effects of morning sickness in your initial trimester.

7. Walk It Out

Irrespective of whether a person is pregnant or not, walking is one of the best forms of exercise that he or she can take up. However, it might be difficult for you to take to walking when you are nauseas and have swollen legs. Thus, it will be wise to start this habit as soon as you decide to have a child.

With regular walking, the same will become a habit and you will find it much easier to maintain an active lifestyle throughout your pregnancy. You can start off by walking 500 m and then gradually increase it to 3 km or 4 km by the time you get pregnant.

8. Work On Abdominal And Back Muscles

It is understandable that when you get pregnant, your belly will grow in size and as a result, your centre of gravity will shift. The growing size of your breasts and this shift in the gravity will put more pressure on your back and abdominal muscles.

Thus, it is a good idea to prepare yourself for the same by indulging in core exercises that strengthen your back muscles. Doing this will help in reducing the aches and pains that are associated with pregnancy.