Bun in the oven but unsure how to workout? Stay fit and strong throughout your pregnancy with this fun, challenging and diastasis recti safe at home prenatal workout routine!
Please excuse the inconsistencies in my posts in the last month. I’m pregnant!!!! and my first trimester was tough. I suffered from all day ‘morning’ sickness. Luckily I wasn’t ever ‘sick’ just nauseous but it was a never ending nausea. I could barely look at food without feeling the need to vomit never mind to photograph or write about it. I am now in my second trimester, the golden trimester as they call it and I couldn’t feel better. It’s time to get down to business and get back on track with an exercise routine to keep me strong and fit during this pregnancy. I certainly did not work my butt off towards my ‘dream’ body for over one year to just lose it in a snap.
I consider myself a bit of a gym rat. I am not a hard core lifter but weightlifting is by far my favourite form of exercise. I loathe cardio but once or twice a week I would usually go for a run just because I love the running trail through the orange orchards near my home. They say during pregnancy you should stick to whatever form of exercise you were comfortable with pre-pregnancy. You should not attempt any new forms of exercise. But I have to be honest, I am a little scared to go to the gym. You see I have a gym motto. Go hard or Go home! And I’m really worried that I will not be able to scale back once I walk through those gym doors. Pregnancy is certainly not a time to push yourself or test your limits, so for now I’m working out at home. Knowing how important it was to stay fit and strong during this pregnancy I set out to create the perfect at home prenatal workout routine, one that was challenging yet safe. When you’re used to hitting the gym and lifting heavy shit it’s a bit of a downer when you exercise and don’t even feel a little burn. I spent numerous hours on YouTube trying to accumulate quality prenatal workout videos which met my needs. I secretly hoped to find a new one for each day of the week. That mission was virtually impossible.Then I came across MyYogaWorks Prenatal Yoga Journey Series I was elated!!
MyYogaWorks offers premium online yoga classes. No need to go searching for a yoga class that fits in with your schedule. You can practice yoga virtually anywhere on any device. Stream to your computer, tablet or mobile phone. There is a wide range of classes to choose from whether you’re a beginner or seasoned yogi. Session times vary to fit your schedule. Yoga focuses on breathing, strength and flexibility so it only makes sense that pregnant women should practice yoga. Yoga just feels right, I am in LOVE! If you aren’t pregnant yourself, this would make an amazing gift for someone in your life who needs to feel a little more special as she transitions to motherhood. Just ask my hubby how happy I was when he gifted me with this program 😉 I have been practicing everyday since then in the comfort of my own home and once my little bundle of joy is here I look forward to trying the Postnatal and Nap Time Yoga for moms series. MyYogaWorks isn’t just for moms with over 700 classes in their arsenal there’s bound to be a class to please everyone. They even offer a free 14 day trial!.
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In addition to yoga I have continued with strength training, this combination gives me the best of both worlds. I should also mention that I walk a lot on a daily basis. I live in a very small town so I walk to my daughter’s school, the supermarket, farmers market, midwife etc.
Prenatal Strength Training & Diastasis Recti
As I entered my second trimester and started working out again I noticed that when performing planks something did not feel right. I also noticed that in full plank position my belly developed a weird cone like shape. I truly believe in listening to your body as you workout even more so when pregnant and although I could not pinpoint the problem I just stopped planking. I did a bit of research and it led me to diastasis recti. Diastasis recti or abdominal separation is a thinning of the tissue (linea alba) that connects the two sides of the rectus abdominis. In pregnant women, the condition is caused by the stretching of the rectus abdominis to accommodate the growing uterus and some separation is normal but a gap or separation of roughly 2.7 cm or greater is considered diastasis recti. Diastasis recti is properly diagnosed postnatal but just in case you're curious it is possible to test yourself during pregnancy. Use this instructional video. I have tested myself and even though it is not a diagnosis I've decided to take the necessary precautions. Better safe than sorry I say! If you do have diastasis recti, you will need to adjust your training as intense abdominal exercise, and even heavy lifting can exasparate the condition. During the second and third trimesters avoid all frontal planks, full or kneeling push ups and generally any exercise which causes increased downwards pressure on the abdominal muscle.
This strength training circuit workout is 100% diastasis recti safe!
Without further ado here is my At Home Prenatal Workout Routine. Even though this workout is designed for pregnant women it will certainly challenge those on an average fitness level. I hope you try it out and please let me know what you think in the comment section below.
Monday - Natural Fit Foodie’s Prenatal Circuit Workout followed by MyYogaWorks.
Tuesday - MyYogaWorks.
Wednesday - Natural Fit Foodie’s Prenatal Circuit Workout followed by MyYogaWorks.
Thursday - MyYogaWorks.
Friday - Natural Fit Foodie’s Prenatal Circuit Workout followed by MyYogaWorks.
Sat & Sunday - Rest
If you know a pregnant mama please share this post with her.
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