Pregnancy is one of the happiest and confusing times of a woman’s life. It’s exciting, but it can also be overwhelming. For women who love to workout, it can also bring questions and doubts about how to exercise during the pregnancy. You can still exercise while you’re pregnant. In fact, as long as your doctor approves, exercising on a treadmill can benefit both you and your baby.
What Intensity Should I Stick to While Pregnant?
Working out while you’re pregnant will look a bit different from your regular exercise routine. You’ll need to know your limits and take care not to over-exert yourself. Stick to a moderate workout routine. If you’re used to a more intense routine, and you are incredibly fit, you can probably do a bit more than someone who has an average activity level. This may not mean that you can keep up your whole routine. You’ll still need to limit yourself. Your doctor or health-care professional will be able to give you personalized advice on what your limit is, and what intensity to set your treadmill.
How Often Should I Workout?
If you haven’t had an intense exercise routine before, now is not the time to start one. Instead, exercise three times per week, for around 30 minutes on your treadmill. Make sure that you have a rest day in between your workouts. You need to let your body rest, relax, and recover. You should also make sure that you have a five minute warm up before you exercise, and a five minute cool down after. You should do this even when you aren’t pregnant, but it’s more important if you are. It can help reduce your risk of injury when you’re working out.
Precautions to Take While on The Treadmill
While walking on a treadmill during pregnancy is safe, but there are a few things you should remember. Firstly, while you shouldn’t lean on the side rails, or use them to support your weight, you can and should hold onto the rail if you feel unbalanced. Holding onto the rails could stop you from losing your balance, and prevent any injuries, or complications for you and your baby.
You should also remember to make sure the treadmill is at a complete stop when you’re getting on or off. Once you’re on, you can slowly start to increase the speed. When you’re finished with your workout, you need to make sure that you slowly decrease the speed, and then stop the treadmill completely before you get off.
If you feel light-headed, dizzy, or weak, you need to stop working out immediately. You might have overexerted yourself, your blood sugars might be low, or your body might be dehydrated. You should take a few days to rest before you try exercising again. If you feel apprehensive, you should contact your doctor and ask for advice.
Your body will go through a lot of changes during pregnancy, and you need to make sure that you are as healthy as possible. This can include routine exercise, or it can mean taking a break from your usual exercise regime. You should listen to your body, make sure you stick within your limits and keep in contact with your doctor if you have any concerns.
