Why Should You Stay Fit During Pregnancy?

While some women consider pregnancy a death sentence to their beautiful bodies, I think of it as the ultimate fitness challenge. Just because you feel lousy doesn't mean you have to let yourself go -- not even if the lousiness comes with multiple symptoms, and lingers for nine months' duration.

Doing hammer curls with weights.

 

Reasons to Stay Fit During Pregnancy

 

1. It accelerates postpartum weight loss

Pregnancy hormones slow your metabolism and decrease your muscle tone. In other words, you'll gain weight. (Don't fight it. It's mother nature.) However, continuing an exercise routine strengthens your overall fitness, which quickens weight loss after delivery. Remember, muscle memory is an amazing thing. The stronger you are to start with, the faster you get back in shape.

Also, if you join one of the many weight loss plans out there, like acai berry select, you will lose weight even faster. 
 

2. It lessens pains and aches

Pregnancy weight is a heavy load. Right now, I am carrying 30% more than my original body weight. That's the same as my husband, a 175 pound man, carrying our 2-year-old all day long.

The extra weight causes joints to swell and muscles to ache, among other bodily strains. Light exercises, especially stretches and brisk walks, relieve pains and aches.

Stretching alleviates muscle cramping during pregnancy.

3. It alleviates morning sickness

For the unfortunate bunch who battle morning sickness, exercising helps alleviate some of the discomfort.

Morning sickness occurs when pregnancy hormones slow digestion by curbing metabolism. Usually, after eating, your stomach muscles digest food immediately. When pregnancy hormones interfere with digestion, food doesn't pass through and just sits in your stomach, causing you to regurgitate.

Though exercising doesn't get rid of morning sickness completely, it at least stimulates metabolism and therefore digestion.

Plus, if you decide to work out outside, fresh air feels refreshing when you have been vomiting all day.

Walking is a great substitute for running.

4. It promotes healthy eating, which benefits both mommy and baby

When you focus on fitness, you also tend to eat healthily. This is good for both you and your developing fetus.

5. It helps with labor

Child labor can be long and arduous, and requires boundless stamina. Staying fit during pregnancy readies your body for such a grueling task.

6. It makes you happy

Again, pregnancy feels lousy. All the pain, discomfort and illness can really depress you. Exercising, however, lifts your mood by releasing endorphins, and giving you a natural high. 

Even though you cannot move with the same rigor as before, or perform the same workouts as you used to, just moving your body on a regular basis lets you feel like your happy, confident and bubbly self.

7. It lets you discover new workouts

Pregnancy limits your ability to work out like you used to. 

I was into running and weight lifting. In my third trimester now, it is impossible to run with a huge belly and lift heavily. But I have found other ways to conduct cardio and strength, like brisk walking, yoga, and exercise bands. These new exercises are so effective that I want to continue with them after pregnancy as well.

Using an exercise band puts less stress on your joints.

Thanks for reading.

Hope all you expecting mamas out there have a fit and healthy pregnancy.

What are your reasons to stay fit during pregnancy?