When I first found out I was pregnant, I had just decided I would start training to enter my first bikini competition. I was a couple of weeks in to two-a-day workouts consisting of fasted cardio in the morning and strength training in the evening. I was also intermittently fasting and eating a keto diet which was very high in fat and low in carbs.
I knew that the bikini competition was out the window and that I would need to rethink my diet, but I was still determined to have a healthy and fit pregnancy. I knew it wouldn't be easy, but I was determined to prove it was possible. Once I announced my pregnancy the naysayers came out of the woodworks telling me I needed to slow down, sit down somewhere or to "be careful". At first, I took comments people made about me wanting to continue my healthy lifestyle offensively, but then I realized that they just weren't informed and didn't know the facts over the myths. Instead of being frustrated about it, I'm choosing to educate.
So here are 5 commons myths and the truth behind them.
1. Myth: It's not safe to workout while pregnant.
Reality: While you certainly want to be more conscious of how you are moving your body while pregnant, it is plenty safe and actually encouraged by the majority of doctors to workout at least 4-5 days a week during pregnancy. The risk of moderate-intensity exercise is very low and do not increase preterm delivery, birth defects, low birth weight, or early pregnancy loss as once believed.
So what's the big deal behind people thinking pregnancy means it's time to sit on your bum and eat chips all day? Well, in the not so distant past, many doctors urged women to slow down or even stop exercising while pregnant. There just wasn't enough research or information to prove it was safe, so they generally erred on the side of caution.
Just some of the benefits moms that workout during pregnancy can experience are: less weight gain, easier and shorter labor and delivery, lower gestational diabetes risk by as much as 27 percent, less back pain, more energy, and easier recovery. I was convinced at the easier and shorter labor and delivery part.
2. Myth: If you weren't working out before becoming pregnant you shouldn't start now.
Reality: Pregnancy is actually the ideal time to get moving. There is nothing wrong with adding moderate exercise like walking or jogging, swimming, or light strength training, even with no prior background in fitness.
The real problem is just the opposite, inactivity. Inactivity during pregnancy can lead to excess weight gain, high blood pressure, aches and pains, and a higher risk for Cesarean section and gestational diabetes. Research shows that between 70 and 80 percent of women that are diagnosed with gestational diabetes later develop Type II diabetes later in life, and their babies are also more likely to become overweight and develop diabetes themselves.
3. Myth: You shouldn't lift weights while pregnant.
I remember being about 20 weeks pregnant around Christmas and at my parent's house for a holiday celebration. I went to pick something up off the ground and everyone jumped out of their seats yelling at me to put it down. I thought maybe it was a bomb or something, then realized they just didn't think it was safe for me to be lifting anything more than a few pounds.
Reality: While it's true that pregnancy floods your body with a hormone called relaxin which loosens ligaments to prepare your body to deliver a baby, moderate-intensity strength training is perfectly safe, even for novices. As long as you are using proper breathing and lifting technique you are more likely to injure yourself picking up your toddler than you are lifting weights in a controlled environment.
4. Myth: You shouldn't do ab exercises while pregnant.
Reality: While doing crunches or other exercises on your back are a no-no once you reach the second trimester (your growing uterus can compress the vena cava, the major vessel that returns blood to your heart, potentially reducing blood flow and making you feel dizzy or nauseated), there a many other ways you can work on strengthing your abs, which will be very beneficial during delivery. Moves like planks or standing ab exercises are safe and beneficial. Check back soon for a post on some of my favorite ab strengthening moves during pregnancy.
5. Your heart rate shouldn't go over 140 beats per minute.
Reality: No one can really prove where this one came from, as there is no concrete evidence to show that this heart rate is the "safe zone" for pregnant women. In reality, there is no one target heart rate for every pregnant woman. Instead, pregnant women should base the intensity of their workout on the RPE, or Rate of Perceived Exertion, which is a scale that focuses on how you feel while working out. A good general rule of thumb is if you can talk while working out, you are fine. Once you become so breathless that you can't get anything out except for huffs and puffs, you have probably overdone it.
I am not a doctor so I will always encourage people to speak with their doctor about exercising while pregnant. However, I am a certified personal trainer and a living testimony to the benefits of keeping a consistent fitness routine throughout pregnancy so I will always encourage women to stay or become active while pregnant, even if it's just walking around the block.
If you would like info on exercising while pregnant or my services, go to the contact page and leave me a message and I will get back to you!
