How do I exercise for fertility and pregnancy?
by Kayleah Scarborough, dietetic intern
You might be wondering, “Can I exercise while I am pregnant or trying to conceive?”
“How much should I exercise?”
“Are these workouts too intense for me?”
This blog should answer those questions for you!
How much should I exercise?
According to the current Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, for able-bodied adults, 150 minutes of moderate activity a week or 75 min of intense exercise a week, and including strength training twice a week, is helpful for numerous aspects of our wellbeing. The benefits of including physical activity into your life include lower risk of heart diseases and management of some of the complications of pregnancy such as preeclampsia and gestational diabetes. Physical Activity can also be beneficial for some “not so fun” aspects of pregnancy such as backaches, constipation, and retention of water. Daily physical activity also has a positive impact on mental health including better mood, better sleep, better cognition, and better memory. Choosing activities you enjoy will help your exercise routine stay consistent.
What is ‘Light Activity’?
Light activity is characterized as activity that doesn't cause you to break a sweat or have shortness of breath. These activities include mostly daily living tasks such as:
Putting away the groceries
Cooking
Cleaning
What is ‘Moderate Activity’?
Moderate activity is anything that gets your heart rate up but you are still able to talk. In other words you won’t be out of breath. Some examples of moderate activity are:
Quick walking
Dancing
Gardening
What is ‘Intense Activity’?
Intense activity is considered something that pushes your body. This type of activity will leave you unable to talk much without being able to catch your breath. Intense activity includes:
Running
Heavy yard work like continuous digging/hoeing
Jumping rope
Hiking
Cycling
Do I have to lift weights?
Strength training is important for helping you stay functional and out of pain through pregnancy, postpartum and beyond. However, strength training does not have to include weights! Body weight exercises count, as well as some daily activities. Here’s some examples:
Pilates
Barre
Resistance bands
Lifting children
Carrying groceries
Free weights or machines
Physical therapy exercises
How do I get started with exercising?
If you’re struggling with incorporating physical activity, don’t be afraid to start off small! Everyone's starting point when pursuing physical activity is different. It's okay if you have to work up to 150 min per week of moderate activity, or if you don’t enjoy higher intensity movement. Increasing your movement in any way is going to benefit you even if you aren’t reaching the 150 minutes a week mark.
Is exercise different for fertility and pregnancy?
Exercise for fertility and pregnancy can follow the same pattern as regular exercise, however there are a few added considerations.
Are you nourishing yourself appropriately?
Adequate nutrition can allow your body to be able to facilitate the proper home for a baby to want to grow in. It takes energy to exercise, and it also takes energy to grow a baby! Providing yourself with the nutrition to create a fully nourished womb for a baby is going to help your body become ready for those changes. If you struggle to eat enough food, it is best to stick with light movement until you and your dietitian can work together to help you nourish your body with enough carbs, protein, and fat to have a healthy reproductive system. This is particularly true for those with hypothalamic amenorrhea (aka, a missing period due to undereating and overexercising).
Are you possibly exercising too much?
On that note, too much exercise can put a lot of stress on your body, especially if you are undernourished. Health benefits of exercise do not increase by much beyond the recommendations listed above. So, working on your relationship with exercise and taking a step back may be the right move for many folks trying to conceive.
Have you been exercising prior to becoming pregnant?
For those who are already pregnant, the general rule of thumb is that if you were doing the activity before pregnancy, for example running, it is safe to do while pregnant. In doing this you just need to remember you are more than likely going to need to take more breaks and listen to your body's needs. If you go for a run and your body is telling you it's a walk day, listen to it. For those that did not exercise before the pregnancy took place, it is okay to start with light activity and to just stay as active as you can. If pregnancy exhaustion is holding you back from exercising, check out these Tips for Beating Pregnancy Fatigue. That said, if you are adequately nourished, working on including physical activity into your day to day routine while trying to conceive will help with your fitness in pregnancy, even if this means simply taking a dog for a walk.
Summing it up…
Overall, for able bodied people who are well-nourished, including exercise into your pregnancy and fertility journey can be a super beneficial way to keep your body ready to grow and birth a baby.
Looking for support on navigating exercise needs for fertility and pregnancy? Check out our group program Fully Nourished Pregnancy and enroll today! This program will help you navigate adding exercise to your life while honoring your values and your health.
If you feel you would benefit from individualized 1:1 support for your nutrition needs click here to apply for 1:1 nutrition coaching!