Benjamins Yarn

The average woman will gain between 25 and 30 pounds during her pregnancy, but how many women do you know that have gained upward of 50 pounds or even more? Keeping your weight gain in check can be difficult when you’re “eating for two,”, but with the help of a personal trainer, you can ward off the inevitable excess baby weight.

Studies have shown that exercising throughout your pregnancy is not only good for your body, but good for your mind as well. Exercising makes you release endorphins which in turn can make you feel happier, and more stable. With the inevitable rapid moods changes and decreased energy that pregnant women experience, prenatal exercise can be very beneficial to both husband and wife! Prenatal exercise can also have a positive impact on the length of delivery and post partum weight loss. A woman who has more muscle tone and cardiovascular endurance will fare better in a labour room than one that does not. This is a true marathon event, and you want to be ready.

If you’re the type of woman who already likes to exercise and has a program in place with a trainer, there is no need to slow down just yet. With your physician’s approval you may continue your program until your body starts to slow you down. If you are not currently exercising and want to begin, you may also do so, but you need to be careful about going into it with your eyes open. Pregnancy is not a time for weight loss goals, but instead, healthy weight gain goals with the forward focus on post natal weight loss.

During pregnancy, there are many issues to be concerned about such as gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, and lethargy. At the 2002 annual meeting of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Dr. Tanya K. Sorensen stated that vigorous exercise during pregnancy appears to reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia. Exercise can help keep all of these conditions from occurring, and utilizing a personal trainer can help you get the most benefit from your workout. Just as you would during your regular sessions, your trainer will modify exercises for you as she sees fit, and tailor a program to meet your specific needs. You and your trainer will decide what feels best for you at each stage of your pregnancy, and you will feel at ease exercising knowing you are doing exercises that are good for both you and your expanding belly.

Most non- pregnant women who exercise solo have a program in place that they vary infrequently due to lack of fitness knowledge and uncertainty about technique. More than ever, those things are important during pregnancy. You don’t want the same routine in the first trimester as in the third, and a trainer can help with that. The type of workout that you get with a personal trainer is so customized to your specific needs throughout your pregnancy that you don’t need to worry about doing an activity that might not be in your best interest. Proper technique and choice of exercises are most important during this crucial time since you could do more than just pull a muscle; you could effectively harm your baby.

Any questions or concerns you have about your program can be brought up and discussed with your trainer to make you feel completely confident that you are executing each exercise properly.

With the guidance of a personal fitness trainer, your prenatal workout should be worry-free, full of interesting exercises, and preparing your body for the biggest workout yet.

Sources:

Birthing Naturally.Com. January, 2004. 01 May, 2005.
http://www.birthingnaturally.net/exercise/fitness.html

Discovery Health.Com. 01 May, 2005.
http://health.discovery.com/centers/pregnancy/americanbaby/exercisebenefits.html

Nicole Palacios BSc, has been an integral part of the fitness industry for the past 11 years, working as both a group fitness instructor and as a personal trainer. She is certified through ACE and the BCRPA as a personal trainer, and is also a supervisor of fitness leaders. Her latest program is called Stroller Fitt- a walking and toning program for mothers and babies in Vancouver, Canada. Her passions include fitness writing, weight training, and helping her clients pursue their fitness dreams. Check out her website at http://www.perfectfit.ws, or contact by email at Nicole@perfectfit.ws

It is believed that only menopausal women have hot flashes. There are some medical conditions, like low blood pressure, low blood sugar and hyperthyroidism, that cause hot flashes. Male hot flashes amongst prostate cancer patients are common. A few pregnant women also suffer from hot flashes.

During pregnancy, estrogen levels tend to fluctuate in some women. Even among menopausal women, where 75% suffer from hot flashes, it is not the level of estrogen or other hormones that cause the problem, but the fluctuating hormone levels. Hot flashes are a hot feeling on the neck and face, making the face red, and may be accompanied by sweating, dizziness, head ache and heart palpitation. They can last from a few seconds up to an hour. One of the prime causes of hot flashes is stress and anxiety. Pregnant women do have a lot of anxiety.

When the hot flashes are mild, simple modifications to behavior patterns help manage the problem. Avoiding spicy food, alcohol, caffeine, smoking, diet pills and hot environments can eliminate or reduce the intensity of hot flashes. Exercise, as advised by a physician, helps a lot. A moderate attack of flashes needs more attention. Besides lifestyle modifications, herbal remedies, acupuncture and mild over-the-counter medication assists in preventing severe hot flashes. Any medication taken by a pregnant woman must be with the approval of the physician.

In a severe case of hot flashes, a pregnant woman has a problem which does not have a clear-cut treatment. A menopausal woman can opt for hormone therapy for severe hot flashes. But a pregnant woman cannot have it, as the estrogen can lead to miscarriage. Some anti-depressant medications like clodinine and methyldopa are also not recommended for pregnant women, as they get into the fetal bloodstream.

So the few pregnant women who have hot flashes have to be very careful with their behavior patterns to stop any trigger that starts the problem. They have to trust more on exercise, relaxation techniques and a calm, peaceful mind.