Pregnant Exercise: For A Healthy New Life

Would you be surprised if your doctor told you that pregnant exercise is actually a good idea? If you are pregnant, he or she likely will. The benefits of pregnant exercise are numerous, and affect the health of both the mother, and baby, alike.

Many people have the notion that a pregnant woman must be coddled; that she should go out of her way to “take it easy” and avoid any actions that might be considered strenuous. While it is not recommended that mothers to be go out and run a marathon, the right amount of pregnant exercise can make the birthing process a whole lot easier.

The Benefits

Mothers who exercise during pregnancy gain the normal benefits of exercise, but also experience benefits that are specific to pregnancy.

Pregnant exercise can, in short, make you feel better. Exercise has been shown to help relieve backaches by strengthening muscles and improving posture. It has also been linked to reduced constipation and better sleep at night. If you are a pregnant woman, these outcomes are well worth the workout.

Beyond the immediate effects of pregnant exercise are a few that might not initially come to mind.

Exercising while pregnant increases blood flow to the skin, which helps keep it healthy and free from pregnancy related blemishes and marks. Healthy skin can help pregnant women maintain their radiant glow, while relinquishing the feelings of losing their beauty to pregnancy.

Additionally, women who follow a pregnant exercise routine are better prepared to give birth. Muscles that are exercised regularly preform much better during labor than those that are weak due to inactivity.

What’s Safe for Baby?

Before we discuss what kinds of exercises are safe during pregnancy it is important to note that there is no universal pregnant exercise regime. It is important to consult your doctor before beginning any kind of exercise while you are pregnant.

So, just what types of exercises do doctors commonly recommend for pregnant women?

The level of pregnant exercise typically deemed safe is dependent on your pre-pregnancy fitness. Women who exercised frequently prior to becoming pregnant are generally recommended to continue their exercise, but at a toned down pace. For most women, a good rule is to keep your heart rate below 140 beats per minute. About 30 minutes of exercise per day is ideal.

While most exercises are safe to do while pregnant, there are some that are recommended more than others, for safety reasons. Try to avoid high-impact exercise and instead strive for low-impact aerobic workouts.

The general idea is to keep the risk of injury as low as possible. Common components of many pregnant exercise routines are swimming, stationary cycling, brisk walking, and elliptical or step machines.

Remember, your balance and coordination may not be the same as they were prior to pregnancy. Jogging, for example, should only be done by women who utilized it as a part of their pre-pregnancy routine. The balance and coordination required during jogging is often a bit more than inexperienced women can handle safely.

The Obvious Part

We know that, as an expectant mother to be, you’ve heard this before, but we cannot stress enough the importance of proper nutrition. Maintaining a healthy diet will complement your pregnant exercise, and will ensure that your body, and baby, are getting the nutrients that they deserve.

After giving birth, women are advised to ease back into their normal pre-pregnancy exercise routines. Pregnant exercise stresses low-impact exercises, and post-pregnancy exercise does not have to vary all that much. Up your heart rate and you’ll be on your way to losing the “baby weight” that many women fear.

In addition to exercise, a healthy diet, post-pregnancy, can lead to faster weight loss.

The problem with eating a healthy diet as a new mother? There’s hardly any time.

If you are like most new mothers, you might need a little help making sure that you are eating the right foods to help you lose your baby weight. An excellent option is BistroMD, the nation’s leading home diet delivery service.

We’ll make sure that your nutrition is in order, while you take care of baby. You’ll receive healthy and delicious physician-designed, chef-prepared, meals once a week. There’s no shopping, cooking, or cleaning involved – all you have to do is just eat delicious and healthy food. Our diet delivery will free up time to spend with baby, and help you lose weight.

To get started losing your baby weight, and to start living a healthy lifestyle, order your first week of meals now!

About BistroMD:

BistroMD™ is the nation’s leading physician-designed, chef-prepared diet meal delivery company. Founded by Caroline J. Cederquist, M.D., one of several hundred medical doctors in the country board certified in the field of weight loss, Dr. Cederquist has been helping clients lose weight for over 15 years. Building upon her medical expertise and her nutritional knowledge of a balanced diet, BistroMD helps people achieve healthy weight loss through home-delivered meals that are healthy, delicious and convenient. For more information on BistroMD visit: www.BistroMD.com.

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