If you are already active and maintain a healthy lifestyle that includes moderate exercise before getting pregnant, you should be able to continue that lifestyle to some degree while you are pregnant. Of course, you might need to take longer or more frequent breaks, or modify some exercises as you become farther along in your pregnancy, but for the most part, you should be able to maintain your regular exercise routine.
Keeping active during pregnancy can help you to feel better about yourself, have more energy, and fewer pregnancy related aches and pains. It can help you to keep from gaining excess weight (remember, you have to gain SOME weight, you are growing a baby after all!), and can help to reduce pregnancy complications such as gestational diabetes or gestational hypertension. Some doctors believe that regular exercise during pregnancy can also lead to a quicker, complication-free labor and recovery as well, which is great news.
If you want to begin an exercise routine now that you are pregnant, that is a good idea as well. Just be careful not to overdo it and to start out with low impact or easy to do exercises. Some great examples of good exercise routines for pregnant women include walking, yoga, pilates, and even swimming if it is not too vigorous.
While pregnant, exercise should be performed a bit more cautiously. This includes avoiding positions and exercises that could cause you to lose your balance, like hiking at high altitudes, or water skiing or downhill skiing, since balance is already a little kooky during pregnancy anyway. Take cues from your body as to when to rest, take a break, or get some water.
Don’t overdo it, and don’t ever exercise to the point of exhaustion. After your workout, you should feel energized and refreshed, not like you are going to pass out. If you remember these tips and tricks along the way, you should have no problem developing a great exercise routine that will continue throughout your pregnancy. As always, be sure to ask your doctor if you have any exercise related questions or concerns.