1st trimester fitness blues

[melfitz]

Hi!

I'm almost 7 weeks with my 2nd pregnancy and I can't get myself to exercise! (I had been doing cardio 4x/week & strength 2x/week.) I try to push myself off the couch, but all I want to do is rest. I know that feeling tired is a part of the 1st trimester. How much cardiovascular & strength endurance will I lose if I take a break from exercising? I definitely plan to resume exercising when I feel more energized (I could only hope next week).


Thanks!

-Melanie

 

[LakerGerl]

Hi Melanie!

We are the same amount of pregnant!! LOL! I dont have any words of wisdom for you, but I just wanted to chime in and say that I have been wondering the very same thing that you have asked. This is also my second pregnancy and I am six weeks and four days along. Before I found out I was pregnant, I too was doing well with the exercise. I was getting up at about 5:30 and doing cardio and weight training. I started to find it harder and harder to get up in the morning. Last week for instance, I was only able to drag myself out of bed once!!! I get a nap everyday when my son sleeps, which is very helpful, but the fatigue is overwhelming. I guess, despite the guilt, we have to listen to our bodies. We are making miracles and our bodies are hard at work. I am trying to stay motivated by reading fitness forums and magazines etc., and I too plan to pick it up at a more advanced pace when I get the energy. It does come back doesnt it??? I sure hope so!!!!
Jennifer

 

[lynn]

Hi Melanie and Jennifer-
Don't despair, there are bluer skies ahead!! I am about 22 weeks along w/ my first now, and REALLY struggled w/ the first trimester blues as well. I had absolutely no motivation to exercise and was also throwing up all of the time. It will get better and you will find once you get past this part of the pregnancy, it is much easier to exercise.
As far as losing any strength/cardio, I had decreased from 5-6 days a week of exercise down to 3 days and didn't notice any changes.. That was for about a month.
What did help me was to talk myself into little baby steps of exercise. For example, I would say to myself, I am only going to do 15 minutes of cardio today and that's it. But, once I started, I would usually do an entire workout. Try not to think about a whole entire workout..its overwhelming at this point.
Hang in there, it will get better!
Lynn

 

[Michelle in So Cal]

Hi Melanie:

Not that it's much help, but I've experienced the same thing: I was working out very regularly, LOVING it, and almost as soon as I found out I was pregnant, I couldn't drag my butt out of bed in the morning (I'm now in my 10th week, and it's STILL so difficult), nor did I have any desire to workout.

I went from 5-6 days/week to 1-2! Now I'm back on track, and I was out for my 2.5mi powerwalk this am, and I was amazed at how good I felt! So just hang in there and let your body do its thing.

I read in WHAT TO EXPECT... that your pregnant body (in the 1st trimester!) is exerting more energy creating that little baby than a normal person would be climbing a mountain! Now that gives you some perspective, doesn't it?!

Try to just get out and walk if you can - the fresh air can really help in so many ways. I'm trying to walk 5x/week as well as do this arms & legs workout in Fit Pregnancy (magazine) 3x/week, although I do modify that workout by adding ankle weights, my barbell, and extra sets to make it challenging enough.

It feels good to get moving without reaching for the stars all the time. Give it a try!

 

[Leela]

Fatigue is a drag in that first trimester. I found weeks 7-10 to be really hard (m)

And it was even harder to cope with my active 2yo (she's terrific -but I had no energy!)

I just wanted to sleep at work, at home..

listen to your body and be forgiving of yourself. You may (as many of us did) find that you feel pretty energized later on... and can do so much more than you can do now!

After week 10, I began to feel less fatigued, but my nausea didn't disappear til 15.5 wks lmp.

Leela

 

[melfitz]

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Jun-05-01 AT 08:37PM (Est)[/font][p]Thanks all for the words of encouragement! I surprised myself and actually did Cardiokicks yesterday. I used to go for hour-long hikes on a daily basis with our dog until my 23-month old daughter, Maya, decided (at around 19-months) that she didn't want to sit in her jogging stroller anymore. I'm aiming to do MIS tomorrow!

-Melanie