Reasons to exercise when pregnant
Although you are going to feel a lot of changes in your body, and may feel fairly fatigued on a regular basis, most women benefit greatly from exercising throughout their pregnancies. Of course, because every pregnancy is different it is always wise to speak with your doctor about an exercise regime before starting one. However, with some modifications to a typical exercise program, exercising when pregnant can be extremely beneficial to you. The following is a basic laundry list of reasons you should exercise when you are pregnant:
|
|
- It will help you feel better - When you are pregnant you start to feel out of touch with your body. Your body is constantly changing, and sometimes it just does not feel like your body belongs to you. Exercising can help you to increase your sense of self, and helps to put you back in touch with your body. This can help you feel better about where you are and what you are doing. In addition to that, the endorphins that exercise stimulates and releases when you are pregnant will naturally help you to feel better and feel good.
- Your body will hurt less. When you are pregnant you are going to have a lot of paint that is not explainable. Exercise can help you to relieve backaches and improve your posture by strengthening and toning muscles in your back, butt, and thighs. Which means, despite the fact that you will have a protruding belly and extra weight on your back, you won't hurt as much.
- One of the problems with pregnancy is the tendency to get backed up. Exercise will help to reduce constipation by accelerating movement in your intestine, which means you pretty much feel better.
- Exercise is also going to help your body feel better after pregnancy. It will help to prevent wear and tear on your joints (which become loosened during pregnancy due to normal hormonal changes) by activating the lubricating synovial fluid in your joints.
- One of the most common and biggest complaints about pregnancy ails is the inability to sleep. Exercise will help you sleep better by relieving the stress and anxiety that might make you restless at night.
- You will look better. Exercise increases the blood flow to your skin, giving you a healthy glow, and it will keep your body toned and looking better. Just because you are pregnant does not mean you have to let your body fall apart.
- Exercise is a great way to prepare your body for birth. You get strong muscles and a fit heart, which help to ease labor and delivery.
- Exercise helps you learn how to control your breathing. Gaining control over your breathing can help you manage pain. In addition to that, exercise helps to build up your endurance, and in the event of a lengthy labor, increased endurance can be a real help.
- Exercise during pregnancy means you will be able to regain your prepregnancy body more quickly. It does this two ways, one you'll gain less fat weight during your pregnancy if you continue to exercise. Which means you have less to lose, and two, you have kept your exercise up, which means that getting back into exercise is not as difficult.
- It gives you purpose, and makes you feel accomplished during the day.
As you can see, there are a lot of great benefits to exercising when pregnant, so focus on being safe, and enjoy the many benefits to you and your baby when you are pregnant.
