My Prenatal Fitness Routine — From First to Third Trimester
18 Weeks
Exercise has always had a huge impact on the way I feel, both mentally and physically. Add in the pregnancy hormones and now skipping a workout and spending the day in front of my computer can cause me to spiral into an emotional breakdown with the slightest inconvenience that comes my way.
My fitness routine has changed a LOT in one year. From January to April, I was doing 45 minute workouts 6x/week in addition to walking 1-2 hours a day to prep for my wedding. In April, at 6 weeks pregnant, I was suddenly nauseous, vomiting, dizzy, and hypoglycaemic. I was able to continue doing yoga occasionally and go on walks, but most days I spent sleeping and eating saltine crackers.
At first, I was disappointed in myself for not being able to exercise. I was worried about how my body was going to change as my pregnancy progressed, compounded by the carb-heavy diet that my nausea wouldn’t let me abandon.
Then week 13 rolled around. I started waking up with more energy, I could stomach more than just crackers (namely a simple smoothie with banana, strawberries, coconut water, and greek yogurt), and I wasn’t constantly dizzy or nauseous. I started to feel like myself again — everyone had told me things would get better, but when you are going through first trimester sickness it feels like your entire world is ending and you completely forget what “normal” feels like. I was so happy. And, of course, the first thing I did was jump into a 20-minute HIIT workout. Let me tell you, my body has never been that sore before, and it lasted for days.
I always knew that I would have to start modifying my workouts later to protect my core and pelvic floor, but what I wasn’t prepared for was the change in how my body responded to exercise.
I needed to build a new fitness routine that I would be happy with, one that made me feel “fit” and nourished, and most importantly one that would help me to manage my stress so my emotions wouldn’t get the best of me.
This is when I created The PFB Method — my prenatal fitness program that follows you week-by-week throughout your pregnancy, giving you the workouts you need to build strength (especially if you’re coming out of a tough first trimester), maintain flexibility, feel fit, nourish your body, and most importantly preserve your energy for the tiny human you are building.
Since week 14, I’ve been going strong with the following weekly routine:
3x 35-minute workouts (prenatal strength, yoga, cardio, boxing, and Pilates — all in The PFB Method)
Daily walks: 20-60 minutes (no set expectation, just depends on how I feel and how much energy I have that day)
Sometimes I’m able to sneak in an extra 1-2 workouts (yoga or strength), but I do this only if my body is craving more movement and it never feels forced because I already feel great with my 3 staple workouts
When building your own prenatal workout routine, my biggest recommendation is to tailor your workouts to your lifestyle! If you want to workout 5-6x/week, try finding a good balance with the duration of your workouts (15-40 minutes), the time you give yourself to recover, and the type of workouts you are doing. If you’re ever feeling exhausted and drained, it’s time to modify one or more of these components. Your workouts should make you feel energized. You can maintain your level of fitness and even build strength without feeling completely exhausted.
Lastly, consistency is key. You will find that this is the most crucial component of your fitness routine. Without consistency, things will feel chaotic and you won’t see the progress you hope for. Set a reasonable goal for yourself so that you can stay consistent each week. If 2 classes/week is your jam, then that is enough! No matter what you decide, I recommend regular walking (5x/week for at least 30 minutes) to get the recommended amount of cardiovascular exercise during pregnancy.
26 Weeks
Learn more about how to join my prenatal fitness program, The PFB Method, by clicking here.
