The Benefits of Exercise Before and After Pregnancy

The advantages of taking part in regular physical activity during pregnancy are plentiful. When pregnant, your body is working overtime to nourish and grow your baby. It is for this reason that so many women feel extra tired or fatigued. Regular exercise or prenatal personal training can help increase your energy by strengthening your cardiovascular system and your muscles, helping you to get through your busy day. In fact, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends a half hour of daily physical activity, provided that it’s cleared with your physician ahead of time.

When you exercise during your pregnancy, you’ll find that you sleep better. This restful sleep will assist in providing you even more energy and will allow you to fall asleep more easily, as we all know it can be a challenge for a pregnant woman to find a comfortable sleeping position. Staying active will help you prepare for childbirth because it will help make you stronger and provide the stamina you need to endure the grueling and long work involved in the childbirth process. The better shape you’re in, the better you’ll feel when going through the experience of labor and delivery.

Not to mention that you’ll simply feel better overall during the mine months you’re carrying your and nurturing your baby if you engage in a prenatal personal training regime of some kind. Pregnancy can really take a toll on a body. The stretching and pulling of muscles can cause aches and soreness where you’ve never had them before, and regular exercise can help keep those pains at bay.

Weight gain is a fact of pregnancy. In fact, it’s healthy and necessary. However, gaining weight at such a rapid pace can really lead a lot of women to feeling less than beautiful. Exercising can raise your overall self-esteem. You’ll feel good about yourself knowing you’re taking care of both your baby’s and your own health. You’ll also notice the difference in your toned legs and arms, as well as the way you carry your new weight and pregnant belly. Working out during your pregnancy and postnatal personal training can really help to lift your spirits, too, because exercise increases levels of the feel-good chemical serotonin.

Benefits of Exercise After Pregnancy

While not as numerous, the benefits of taking part in an exercise regime after giving birth are also substantial. With the adjustment period involved in taking care of a new little one, you may not feel like getting back in the routine of working out. However, if you incorporate regular activity into your day, you’ll find that you’ll be better able to handle the demands of new motherhood. First of all, postnatal personal training will help you to shed that baby weight faster than if you do nothing. Of course, losing the weight is likely to lead to increased self-esteem and more energy, as well.

Staying fit will help you to get back any muscle tone lost during pregnancy more quickly, as well as increasing the strength of your abdominal muscles that were stretched to their limits. Engaging in exercise will likely lead to faster recovery time from the birth experience and can lessen the chances of developing postpartum depression. As always, speak with your doctor before starting any exercise routine, either during or after pregnancy.