Safe Workout Bets for Single By Choice Mom

Q: I am single and most recently pregnant by choice. Up until now, I have been fairly active and would like to remain this way throughout my pregnancy. Any exercises pregnant women should avoid to play it safe?

First of all congratulations on your pregnancy and it's good to hear you've been fairly active up until now. Over the years pregnant women have gotten a bad rap for wanting to continue their exercise programs once pregnant. Once a woman starts to show her baby bump, she can get strange and judgmental stares. The good news is that ACOG - American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has given the green light to working out while pregnant and doing just about everything you did before you got pregnant. The biggest concern is not to get your heart rate too high for a long pd of time. Staying under 135 bpm for 25-35 min a few times a week is fine.

I will caution you on the exercises that require balance, coordination, fancy foot work and extremely high impact. Horse back riding, obstacle courses, step classes with lots of leaping and turning, boxing with contact etc are best to hold off on til after the baby is born. Swimming, spinning, and the elliptical are all great ways to stay in shape. Another exercise to be aware of is any core activities. Crunches are fine to continue just making sure as you enter your third trimester, you stay of laying on your back for too long. I will also suggest prenatal yoga and pilates which are also great forms of exercises to start or continue throughout your pregnancy. Best of luck!

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