Ok, bad idea. Isn’t that a funny mental picture though? All I can see are a bunch of bellies trying to sprint and touch their toes. 😉
I went on a three mile walk yesterday. It was my first time outside for any length of time without a pool nearby in over a week.
For those of you who don’t live in the North East US, it has been in the 100-110°F range and at least 80% humidity. It’s been hard to motivate myself to leave the house, to say the least. But, yesterday, it was closer to 80-85ºF and overcast, so I relished the opportunity to escape the house for an hour or so.
When I hit the two mile marker on that walk, I remembered that, during my pregnancy, one of my midwives said she wanted me to get at least a thirty minute walk (which I interpreted to mean two miles) in every day.
I was concerned about my weight gain (I gained about 45 lbs total by the time I delivered) and wanted to know what I could be doing in my final trimester. Along with walking, she recommended making sure I was eating enough wholesome foods, keeping the sweets to a minimum, and, when I did splurge, making sure it was the real deal (ie: full fat option to fully satisfy my craving).
I never forgot that advice and have used those guidelines as my basic approach to nutrition ever since.
Anyway, getting back to the point, I mentioned recently that we are contemplating our next addition. So, with baby on the brain, that walk made me realize that I think the TTC (trying to conceive) and postnatal period should be treated as a training period.
If I was running a marathon, I would train for that, right? Labor is not called that for nothing. It is work. Obviously, I do not think pregnant woman should be training for labor the same way they would train for a marathon, but I do think moderate exercise, in an effort to keep one’s legs and abdominal wall in shape, is a good idea.
That is why I am taking this time to get into a good rhythm by focusing on the care of my body. As a nursing mother, I was already making an effort in the nutritional arena, but I have honestly not made fitness much of a priority lately. I am now challenging myself to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables and make every effort to get a total of at least 30 minutes of activity, whether through walks or dancing around the pool with Little Man, every day!
*All statements I made about fitness during my pregnancy were purely my opinion and based on a “normal, healthy” pregnancy. If you think, for any reason, that does not apply to you, you should consult your physician. And, really, as with any new fitness routine, whether pregnant or high risk or not, you should probably make your doctor aware of any new fitness activity.
