I’ve always tried to work out regularly… Like many other “normal” people, I’ve sometimes failed to meet my personal workout goals, but surely enough, I’d hop back on the workout train as soon as an sliver of motivation struck. Pre-pregnancy, I was very much enjoying the East Nasty running club, and I was so proud of the progress that Ryan, Linny and I were making each week. By mid-April of this year, four miles was a piece of cake to us. In between the weekly runs, I tried to walk or do a yoga routine as often as possible.
Once I became pregnant, though, I knew I’d have to make some changes to my routine. I realized that people who had been running a few miles three or four times a week (and had been doing so for years) were perfectly capable continuing to run. However, since I had only been running once a week for a few months, I knew that I’d have to cut out my beloved Wednesday runs. I also knew I’d have to swap my Crunch Fitness Fat-Burning Yoga for a prenatal yoga workout.
Since I knew that exercise during pregnancy would be so very important and beneficial (for me and for baby) while pregnant, I was anxious to jump into my new routine. I knew I wanted to incorporate as much walking as possible. (Walking is, after all, the most perfect low-impact workout, it seems.) The walks were fun for awhile, but the string of 100-degree days throughout this summer has really taken the joy (and possibly the safety) out of my after-work walks. So, I moved on to DVDs. My first pregnancy workout was Crunch Yoga Mama.
I did my research, and discovered that Yoga Mama would be an easy, relaxed prenatal yoga workout. What I did not discover before my first workout was how weird it would be. First of all, I felt so odd… I was probably only four or five weeks pregnant at that point, and I was watching these obviously-pregnant woman doing these poses, navigating around their huge bellies. I had no belly. I didn’t even look pregnant. Also, the instructor says “your baby” no less than a million times (or so it seems). She continuously says things like “This will help you connect with your baby,” and “Guess who’s doing yoga with you? Your baby.” I realize this sounds very sweet and all, but really… When I was first pregnant, I wasn’t feeling all of this talk, and to be honest, it kind of made me feel inadequate for not having this connection that these women had with their babies. Nevertheless, I have done the workout at least once a week since then, and I’ve really grown to like it. I’m not sure if I’ve started to subconsciously ignore the commentary, or if I just feel that I have grown in my pregnancy to have more of a connection with my baby, therefore making me feel more adequate to be working out with these super-moms. It really is a pretty good, gentle workout, so I’m happy with it.
The other DVD I have on rotation is Denise Austin’s Fit & Firm Pregnancy, which I really love. Denise is a freak (which I’m sure you know if you’ve done any of her workouts), but I kind of love her for it. Sure, she makes me feel like a loser when she tells me that she worked out “every day”, when she was pregnant both times, including the day she delivered her first. (FREAK!) But other than that, I really love the video and I love the flexibility of the workouts (the DVD includes a cardio workout, along with second trimester toning, third trimester toning and post-natal workouts). The funniest thing about the workout, hands down, is this crazy pregnant chick who is really, really excited and way too into the moves (she’s the one in the blue top on the far left in the photo above). She reminds me of a seventh-grader trying out for the cheerleading squad who has all the enthusiasm but is lacking any coordination.
I’d recommend either of these workouts, though, and as an added bonus, they can be entertaining (crazy blue top lady). They’re both easy enough and the right amount of difficulty, for me at least. Hopefully in a few weeks I can get back to walks as well - I’m officially over the summer and ready for cooler fall weather.
Also, if anyone has any pregnancy workout tips/tricks, please share them!
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