So I may be knocked up...

[sbilyeu75]

I'm pretty sure I am, I have the positive home test. Now I'm just waiting to see the doctor. I want to make sure I stay as healthy as possible without losing muscle. I got gestational diabetes with my first pregnancy so I want to keep that in check. I'm over-weight now, but I've been lifting for about 18 months (I just eat too much).

Do my macro needs change now? Is there an actual prenatal workout plan that's not just a bunch of yoga and walking? When I talk to my doctor about exercise, is there a particular title of a trainer I should be referred to?

I've read the baby bible on here, and it just doesn't seem to quite give me what I'm looking for, or I may be just too goofy to see it.

Thanks.

[bethtwenty4]

I'm sure those who's one through it will chime in but here are some basics. You definitely don't need to avoid working out unless you have an at risk pregnancy. Congratulations!

•keep heart rate from going too high (I'd assume not maxing it out?)
•no contact sports, activities which you may fall, jumping or bouncing around (plyos, horseback riding, climbing)
•avoid exercising in excessive heat and humidity
•no heavy/very strenuous exercise
•avoid deep squats/excessive ranges of motion as hormones make ligaments/joints loose and more probe to injury

[sarasayshi]

I see a woman that looks about 7 or 8 months working out at my gym. She did like 45 min on the elliptical a few days ago and last week I saw her doing 40lb barbell deadlifts. lol I admire her and she's all belly. She looks fantastic!

And congrats!

I also had gestational diabetes with my son but I also packed on 80lbs with him. Now to this day whenever I go in to see my doctor (like yesterday about some hip flexor pain) they always say "It says here you are a diabetic". I roll my eyes time and time again as I have to explain to them it was only gestational and I have had several tests taken since to prove I am not a diabetic and yet...there it states on my chart that I am. Just took another fasted test yesterday and hopefully it comes back clean and they remove it off my chart!

[jane-m]

I see a woman that looks about 7 or 8 months working out at my gym. She did like 45 min on the elliptical a few days ago and last week I saw her doing 40lb barbell deadlifts. lol I admire her and she's all belly. She looks fantastic!

i saw a very pregnant woman (about 8 months) in my gym deadlifting 50kg (110pounds). it was awesome

[dvsness]

You definitely don't have to stop lifting. I'm 32 weeks with my 2nd and I train 3x/week. Granted, I've had to modify some movements and I'm not using the weight and intensity that I typically use, but I'm lifting.

Since you are overweight, remember that you don't have to eat the typical caloric excess recommended for pregnant women.

[sonti]

Ah congrats to you (and dvsness too!)

Personally, I recommend "baby bells" by Lauren Brooks, I found kettlebells to be the best way to continue strength training without too much modification towards the end (not so much an issue in 1st & 2nd tri).

As I'm sure you know, lifting is, IMO, even more important in pregnancy - I don't think I would have made it through my 3 day labour and 4 hours pushing without having consisently squatted for 9 months prior!!! It saved me from a C-section. I cannot recommend lifting enough for the expectant mother.

Good luck!

*I think I am too, but a little too freaked out to test right now LOL, the idea of 2 under 2 is a little scary but then I haven't been on the pill in 6 months so I shouldn't be surprised.

[squeaks77]

I see a woman that looks about 7 or 8 months working out at my gym. She did like 45 min on the elliptical a few days ago and last week I saw her doing 40lb barbell deadlifts. lol I admire her and she's all belly. She looks fantastic!

And congrats!

I also had gestational diabetes with my son but I also packed on 80lbs with him. Now to this day whenever I go in to see my doctor (like yesterday about some hip flexor pain) they always say "It says here you are a diabetic". I roll my eyes time and time again as I have to explain to them it was only gestational and I have had several tests taken since to prove I am not a diabetic and yet...there it states on my chart that I am. Just took another fasted test yesterday and hopefully it comes back clean and they remove it off my chart!

Haha, I can relate. I had preecclampsia (high blood pressure) with my pregnancies and high blood pressure is now on my charts at every Dr/dentist I saw during pregnancy. They still comment on my hbp and I'm always telling them to take it off b/c it was only during pregnancy, I'm fine now.

[sbilyeu75]

You definitely don't have to stop lifting. I'm 32 weeks with my 2nd and I train 3x/week. Granted, I've had to modify some movements and I'm not using the weight and intensity that I typically use, but I'm lifting.

Since you are overweight, remember that you don't have to eat the typical caloric excess recommended for pregnant women.

Can you give me an example of intensity? I'm doing 8-12 reps now until failure. I don't want to go too low and it not do me any good, but I don't want to go too high either.

[dvsness]

Can you give me an example of intensity? I'm doing 8-12 reps now until failure. I don't want to go too low and it not do me any good, but I don't want to go too high either.

Fatigue or real failure?

[sbilyeu75]

Fatigue or real failure?

To the point I simply cannot lift it anymore, no matter how I try.

[dvsness]

To the point I simply cannot lift it anymore, no matter how I try.

Scale it back. You can push a bit now since it's so early in your pregnancy, but once you get to the point that you're showing and you're really carrying something of substantial weight, you don't even want to really hit fatigue. Using weight you can typically do 15 reps with but only doing 10 is a decent marker.

You're not going to build muscle. You can maintain a good deal of it by being consistent, but you're still going to lose a little. But picking up where you left off postpartum will be much easier and you'll be back to full strength and better sooner than you'd expect.

[sbilyeu75]

Thanks everyone for your advice!

[sbilyeu75]

Well, I went to the Dr. today and I still don't know much more than I did last week, as far as being knocked up or not. I had blood work today and the levels will determine if it's far enough to do an ultrasound. (I've had an ectopic, so I get them kind of early.)

I've been cleared to have 1 small cup of coffee (YAY!) a day. He stated it would probably be good not to go over 85% of my max heart rate and to lighten my lifting just a little, not necessarily now, but especially when I start to show (if I am pregnant.) He stated it was more to keep me from injuring myself than anything.

So, tomorrow I will get my levels and go from there.