I have been getting a lot of questions about how I worked out while I was pregnant, so thought I would share some helpful tips and a typical routine I followed while I was expecting.
Incorporating fitness into your everyday life is important for overall health and is just as important while you are literally growing your baby! The fit and active lifestyle you live while you are pregnant will not only set the foundation for your baby’s well-being, it will also help make your pregnancy journey a smooth and enjoyable one. I had a great pregnancy and truly owe it to my fit and active lifestyle and all the healthy habits I have created in my journey. Whether you are currently pregnant, know someone who is or you are considering it in the near future, I hope you find my tips helpful!
For even more tips, check out my other Fit Pregnancy article.
Gina Aliotti’s Top Healthy Pregnancy Tips
Always consult your doctor, as every pregnancy and person is different!
Move daily. No matter what, my mantra was to move daily! Even if it was a short walk, I did something to move my body on a daily basis. I believe that movement is the best thing you can do to keep your mind, body and baby healthy. Getting your blood flowing not only helps nourish your body, but helps shuttle essential nutrients into your baby— keeping you both healthy!
Modify your Workouts. Pregnancy is not the time to stop working out; it is actually the time to be more consistent with your workouts. By modifying your exercises and weight, you can pretty much do everything you were doing pre-pregnancy! I did mostly bodyweight and light weight exercises only. I did a lot of light circuit workouts, similar to the routine you see below. However, remember to check with your doctor before starting a workout program while pregnant.
Break Your Fast. Eat immediately upon waking and every two hours after! This is typical of a healthy lifestyle, but was especially key while I was pregnant to keep me satisfied and my blood sugar steady!
Listen to Your Body. This was key! For a typical go-go-go mentality, slowing down and listening to my body was key! If I needed an extra nap or needed to slow down the pace of a walk, I listened to what my body (and baby) was telling me!
Supplements. I added fish oils and a prenatal vitamin daily— these were key! Fish oils are essential for cognitive development, healthy fats and research shows they help with postpartum depression.
Whole Foods Over Processed. Again, this goes hand in hand with our healthy lifestyle, but this was key during my pregnancy! When it came to protein shakes, I limited them as much as possible in order to get most of my nutrition from whole foods.
Water. I was sure to get in a gallon if water a day! This is typical for my lifestyle, but while pregnant I became more conscious of meeting this goal.
Take it Outdoors. Rather than doing your cardio in a gym, take your cardio outdoors. I did 80 percent of my cardio in the pool and the rest enjoying the fresh outdoors with nice walks!
Be Present. Enjoying every precious moment was key! The journey went so fast and I was sure to be present and enjoy the journey.
Meditate. Keeping a calm environment and meditating was crucial. Practicing positive thinking and keeping myself in low stress environments helped keep me in a great mental state and I believe made for a calm baby. (We are all creatures of our environment!)
Breathe Deeply! Breathing can help you in so many areas of your life. I found this was crucial during exercising and especially during labor! Focus on taking deep breaths throughout the day— inhale and exhale for the count of five helps you monitor your breathing.
Gina Aliotti’s Pregnancy Circuit
Rest 1 minute in between exercises
10 alternating biceps curls seated on exercise ball
10 bent-over triceps kickbacks
10 shoulder press seated on exercise ball
10 goblet squats with kettlebell
30 seconds to 1-minute plank hold
10 side lateral raises
10 thrusters with dumbbells
Repeat one more time
