1st trimester - tiredness

[Liza]

Hi Cathe and all,

Lately, (I am 11 weeks now) I have been feeling very tired and while I am still trying to work out, I have been doing the express workout for about 3 weeks now, I feel like I cannot do more than 30-40 minutes of aerobics without getting too tired.
so my question is when I want to change routines - what should I do since the 60 minutes of the usual Cathe workouts are too much?
Any suggestions? Today I did about 35 minutes of fast walking on the treadmill but I feel like I should be doing more. I want some energy back!!!!!

 

[Stebby]

Liza, I think you should just keep right on doing what you're doing. Don't worry about doing limited cardio. Somewhere between 2 and 4 weeks from now, you will probably start to get your energy back and you'll be able to handle longer workouts again. I had the same problem in my first trimester, and now, at 22 weeks, I am doing all my old regular workouts (with slight modifications as necessary, such as using dumbbells one size lower).

 

[windyh]

I stopped working out somewhere around 8 weeks and didn't start back until week 13. During that time my body required so much sleep that I didn't have time to work out. What I've been doing is partial videos. I will just do what I feel like doing, then cool down on the treadmill. Usually I will want to finish the video later, so I'll warmup on the treadmill and do the rest of the video.

Windy

 

[ebh87]

Hi Liza,
You're doing great! I also experienced that first trimester fatigue and was really surprised at how it affected my workouts. Before I knew I was pregnant, I was doing 90 minutes of cardio a day and decided to cut back to 60 when I found out that I was pregnant. Well, I couldn't do the 60 most days - I had to stop around the same time as you - 35-40 minutes - before I felt too tired and winded. A few weeks later, I started feeling back to normal and most days now I have plenty of energy (I'm 22 weeks along).
If you want to do Cathe videos, why not just do a couple of sections of her workouts - most are split up nicely for this. For example, just the first two sections of Power Max or Step Works?
Take care!
Erica

 

[Hazel]

Hi Liza. What struck me most in your post was your statement that you felt that you "should be doing more." I just want to encourage you to give yourself a break! Pregnancy is not the time to be pushing yourself to the point of exhaustion. Your body is telling you it needs that energy to make a whole new little person! The goal now should be to exercise to keep yourself mentally and physically healthy, so don't feel bound by pre-pregnancy expectations. 30 to 45 minutes of any cardio, let alone a Cathe tape, is great -- congratulate yourself for doing something good for you and your baby!

Please be gentle with yourself for now. The energy really does return after the first trimester is over, so you should be feeling better very soon, I promise.

 

[Liza]

Thanks everyone, I will just do what I can do! hopefully I will have energy again soon!

 

[tchersue]

What you are feeling is very normal. Pregnancy in general can knock you for a loop, but the 1st trimester is usually a time of exhaustion...

I'd say that, if you want to stick with the videos, then you could either take your overall intensity down -- take out power moves and repeaters, for instance -- or you could go until you feel tired, and then fast forward to the cooldown or have some relaxing music ready on the CD player and do your own cooldown... that way, the next day you can start the video back up where you left off. If you only get to work one set of muscles one day, work the next the next day. You should definitely pay attention to what your body is telling you at this point -- and don't worry if you don't get in the same amount of time that you used to.

I've been swimming a lot the last few weeks (I have a membership at the YMCA where I work), and I notice that I have more energy doing laps than I do on the cardio machines, and I actually think I'm doing more work... I'm definitely working more muscles all at once (legs, abs, back, and arms at the same time) than I did when I was relying on the elliptical trainer for my cardio.

It is important to remember that no two pregnancies are alike... not even on the same body! I had more energy overall with my first pregnancy (except in the 1st trimester), but this time I really haven't ever gotten that energy boost that you usually get around 12 weeks or so (I'm almost 35 weeks along)... In the 2nd & 3rd trimesters I find that I'm quite energized during and for an hour or two after my workouts, but then I sort of crash and burn. To heck with the house, I take a nap almost every day (when my little guy goes down for his)... and I'm still exhausted afterwards and can hardly wait to go to bed!

Just remember that your body is doing some important work right now... and it needs a little bit of extra energy to grow a healthy baby. It's not important how long you exercise, so long as you are moving and so long as you are consistent.
Susan

 

[Fitnik]

Too tired to even think of workouts!!

I am incredibly tired ALL THE TIME and the last thing on my mind is working out!! I feel no guilt whatsoever as I know the little one is taking up a lot of mummy's resources right now. My job alone is demanding so something has to give.

Do please pace yourself - pregnancy is an interesting and an unusually demanding time! My heart rate is already elevated just from being pg so I feel that's a little workout in itself - lol !!


Your friend in fitness, Fitnik