Exercise during the TWW...

[Johnsa37]

What is your opinion on exercising during the TWW?

Some people are diligent about staying active during the TWW, while others try to lay low so as to not disturb any delicate processes occurring in their nether regions!

For real though.... what is the current viewpoint on this? I am going to message my doctor, but wanted to hear your thoughts first.

I have been going to Spin class 4x per week for the last 10 months, and I have been continuing to go thus far in my TTC journey. It is pretty intense cardio and strength exercise. I have done my own research, and I have found that it used to be advised that a pregnant woman's heart rate should not exceed a certain threshold when exercising. However, it seems like that advice is no longer widely given. It looks like the consensus is now that you can continue exercising like you had been before getting pregnant, but that pregnancy (and the TWW?) is not the time to start new workout regimens, higher intensity workouts, etc.

Thoughts?

 

[guillaine]

I really have no idea but just speculating: aren't our bodies preparing for hypothetical pregnancy every month with hormonal changes etc before af arrives. So there's only a couple of days in the tww that, if pregnant, things may be different. Really, I don't know, sorry.

 

[Cppeace]

If you are used to the exercise already there is no harm in it at any time preovulation- tww or pregnancy. If you are starting a new exercise program best to start preovulation or start out very slow and easy if in tww or pregnant.

 

[Cherrybump]

i still have been working out. although this week ive only been to gym once just not feeling it i wanna keep going though as i need to lost my last 2st. But i was trying to get healthy for trying to conceive fx. still bfn today

 

[Vickster1]

I think if your body is used to exercise it's fine to keep going up until late pregnancy! Even at 39 weeks with my daughter I was walking alot and doing pilates. Plan to do the same this time when things finally happen.

 

[Johnsa37]

Thanks for the replies ladies. I have seen that some people really lay low during the TWW, but exercise is a stress reliever for me (love this early morning "me" time!) so I didn't want to really give it up.

 

[JoHio]

Don't give up on it! I've been a personal trainer for over 15 years, and have had many prenatal clients, myself included, and your body will thrive if you just keep exercising. (Though as another poster commented, this is not the time to start intense exercise if you aren't already doing it.)

THIS said, anyone can benefit from more subdued activities, like walks and gentle yoga - especially during this period. Exercise increases blood flow and all aligns hormones, which will help ensure optimal conditions for potential beans.

We are trying for #4, and I exercised like a fiend throughout all my pregnancies, beginning to end, and felt amazing. (And had HUGE, healthy babies!)

 

[Johnsa37]

Don't give up on it! I've been a personal trainer for over 15 years, and have had many prenatal clients, myself included, and your body will thrive if you just keep exercising. (Though as another poster commented, this is not the time to start intense exercise if you aren't already doing it.)

THIS said, anyone can benefit from more subdued activities, like walks and gentle yoga - especially during this period. Exercise increases blood flow and all aligns hormones, which will help ensure optimal conditions for potential beans.

We are trying for #4, and I exercised like a fiend throughout all my pregnancies, beginning to end, and felt amazing. (And had HUGE, healthy babies!)

Thank you! I appreciate your response. Have you heard the old wives tale that you should keep your heart rate low when pregnant? Has this been totally disproven? Just curious...

 

[maddiesmum1]

I regularly walk and run tons, and recently started a running workout at the gym. I am 7dpo and I wont be stopping it. Any baby that is implanting is behind the bone and dug deep so wont be disturbed any more than sex would x

 

[JoHio]

Don't give up on it! I've been a personal trainer for over 15 years, and have had many prenatal clients, myself included, and your body will thrive if you just keep exercising. (Though as another poster commented, this is not the time to start intense exercise if you aren't already doing it.)

THIS said, anyone can benefit from more subdued activities, like walks and gentle yoga - especially during this period. Exercise increases blood flow and all aligns hormones, which will help ensure optimal conditions for potential beans.

We are trying for #4, and I exercised like a fiend throughout all my pregnancies, beginning to end, and felt amazing. (And had HUGE, healthy babies!)

Thank you! I appreciate your response. Have you heard the old wives tale that you should keep your heart rate low when pregnant? Has this been totally disproven? Just curious...

I don't know if it's been rendered totally inaccurate, exactly: I think it is more fitting to say it's been recognized as an incomplete guideline.

Here's what I mean: For healthy pregnancies - there is no need to limit yourself to 140. The important thing is to be able to breathe comfortably, and this will depend on your fitness level. So, for example, some women run/jog throughout their pregnancies, and can breathe quite comfortably (i.e. not short, jagged, laboured breathing) with heart rates that exceed 140.

Other women find it difficult to breathe comfortable walking quickly, with heart rates below 140. As long as you are breathing fully and deeply enough to oxygenate your blood - which will ensure enough O2 rich blood gets to baby - the heart rate is pretty much a secondary or even tertiary consideration.

Saying "you have to stay below 140bpm" is a little simplistic, since it doesn't account for other considerations, like fitness level, age, and other health considerations.

I didn't run when I was pregnant, because it was more of a workout for my bladder than my cardiovascular system, but I did do high-intensity interval training (HIIT), so was doing push ups, burpees, jump squats, skater's lunges - you name it - right until the day I delivered. (Obviously, some modifications due to the size of my belly and pressure on pelvic floor.) BUT I'd been training like that for years before, so it was status quo. I never gave a thought to my heart rate: just my ability to breathe.

I hope this answers your question! Let me know if not.

 

[3boys]

exercise actually aids implantation with the extra blood flow so it's good to keep it up and throughout pregnancy.

 

[Johnsa37]

Don't give up on it! I've been a personal trainer for over 15 years, and have had many prenatal clients, myself included, and your body will thrive if you just keep exercising. (Though as another poster commented, this is not the time to start intense exercise if you aren't already doing it.)

THIS said, anyone can benefit from more subdued activities, like walks and gentle yoga - especially during this period. Exercise increases blood flow and all aligns hormones, which will help ensure optimal conditions for potential beans.

We are trying for #4, and I exercised like a fiend throughout all my pregnancies, beginning to end, and felt amazing. (And had HUGE, healthy babies!)

Thank you! I appreciate your response. Have you heard the old wives tale that you should keep your heart rate low when pregnant? Has this been totally disproven? Just curious...

I don't know if it's been rendered totally inaccurate, exactly: I think it is more fitting to say it's been recognized as an incomplete guideline.

Here's what I mean: For healthy pregnancies - there is no need to limit yourself to 140. The important thing is to be able to breathe comfortably, and this will depend on your fitness level. So, for example, some women run/jog throughout their pregnancies, and can breathe quite comfortably (i.e. not short, jagged, laboured breathing) with heart rates that exceed 140.

Other women find it difficult to breathe comfortable walking quickly, with heart rates below 140. As long as you are breathing fully and deeply enough to oxygenate your blood - which will ensure enough O2 rich blood gets to baby - the heart rate is pretty much a secondary or even tertiary consideration.

Saying "you have to stay below 140bpm" is a little simplistic, since it doesn't account for other considerations, like fitness level, age, and other health considerations.

I didn't run when I was pregnant, because it was more of a workout for my bladder than my cardiovascular system, but I did do high-intensity interval training (HIIT), so was doing push ups, burpees, jump squats, skater's lunges - you name it - right until the day I delivered. (Obviously, some modifications due to the size of my belly and pressure on pelvic floor.) BUT I'd been training like that for years before, so it was status quo. I never gave a thought to my heart rate: just my ability to breathe.

I hope this answers your question! Let me know if not.

Thank you. This is super helpful. The Spin class that I am currently doing is high intensity (HR ranges from 120-180), so I am thinking that I may need to just take it easy a bit.

 

[JoHio]

No problem. Good luck!