Exercise in First Trimester?

M

Monica11

Cathlete
Hi everyone.

How did your exercise habits change in your first trimester? I had hoped to maintain my old routine and then just modify as I started to show. But I just don't feel like exercising these days. I am not especially fatigued and only slightly nauseous, so it's hard to explain it. But it's like I always have a very low level of car sickness and I get tired from just climbing a flight of stairs. Otherwise I feel fine (although a little anxious about being pregnant). I keep reading how important it is to keep exercising, and I am not happy with how I have been looking or feeling lately. I'd feel a lot better if I knew this feeling was normal and not just me making excuses not to exercise.

Can anyone share their wisdom?

 
I had the same thing this last pregnancy, so don't feel bad! I really just listened to my body. I excercised when I felt I had the energy and I rested on the days I didn't "feel like it." By my second trimester I was able to get going again. Just remember, your bady is working hard. You are making a baby in there! Exercising is important, but not as important in making sure that you are getting proper rest and nutrition. The first trimester is the hardest, and your feeling is normal, so don't feel discouraged! You WILL get into the swing of it again, I promise!
 
I agree completely. In fact, I'm not sure I EVER mustered the energy to work out during the first trimester! But the energy does return and you will feel good and energetic again around 12 weeks or so. Give yourself a break when you feel you need it! Your body is working very hard, your hormones are all in a tizzy, and you will have several months for good workouts once the clouds part. :)

Lisa

I'm almost 32 weeks, and my workouts are now better than they've been in a long time! Maybe it's the weather change, and the fact that we can get outside again.

 
I had no energy my first trimester either. I really had to push myself to exercise. I joined a gym for the winter so I did go during my lunch and got in 45 minutes of cardio (3 days) and weights (2 days). Had I not gone and exercised during my lunch I would not have done it at all. I don't think I did any Cathe workouts during that time. Now that I'm in my 2nd trimester I have so much more energy and am able to get in at least 5 workouts.

Listen to your body. Once the first trimester passes I'm sure you'll feel much better. :)
 
Hi. In my first trimester I would come home from work, grab some dinner and then nap for an hour or so. As soon as I woke up I would throw on my work out clothes and exercise my way out of my "nap fog" as I call it. lol My energy level was definately depleted, my work outs were definately less energetic than usual and there were lots of times when it was hard to make myself do it but I pretty much was able to keep up a general pace of working out every other day.

If you can't do it, don't beat yourself up about it. Do what you can...You will feel SOOO much better come the 2nd trimester. You can exercise like crazy at that time if you want to! :D

~Wendy~

I smoked my last cigarette on March 17, 2004 at 10:00 pm!

http://lilypie.com/days/050519/1/0/1/-5/.png[/img]
EDD: 05/19/05
 
I did not do a darn thing since the day I took the first positive test. It took all I had to make it through the full day of work and then the way too long commute. I have not even cooked but maybe four times in the last 10 weeks. That is more because the smell grosses me out but also because I would come home and crash.

I just had my second appt. and am up 5 pounds from the appt. at 6 weeks but my doctor was not bothered at all. She said soon I will get my energy back and as soon as I become active again, the weight will stop coming on so fast. I think I was a little underweight to start as well so I guess that is part of it.

Trust me, the energy will come back. Since I had the appt. and got home from work early, I took my dog for a 40 minute walk and while it did tire me out, I made it all the way through and felt great afterwards. Be patient and just take care of yourself for now. The first trimester is incredibly important and needs your full attention. Enjoy the rest, from what I hear we will not get any after these little ones come :eek:
 
Well I was put on restrictions from week 6-8 because of bleeding issues. But I had NO energy for anything anyways so I totally don't think I would have done much then anyways. Since then my workouts have been 4 a week. I'm hoping to get energy to do 5 a week. It's hard though cause I work part time and have a 3 year old, do most of the house work since DH is a medical student, bascially what I am saying is everything has been suffering a little since I got pg. I HAVE felt more energetic since week 9 so that's a small improvement, just not full force yet. Pace yourself, keep as consisitant as you can and don't beat yourself up!

Oh and I have put my high step to 8 inches for weight workouts and keeping 14 inches for band workouts. Um, I pulled my heaviest weight on lower body from 40lbs to 30lbs. I just want to keep muscle tone, and not worry about new muscles per say. And come 2nd trimester my OB would rather I work with 20-25lbs max. Oh and no ab work lately, just felt to sensitive on the belly to do that right now. Anyway that's me, good luck!:)
 
Thanks everyone for responding. It really made me feel better to know that what I've been doing--very easy step and full body weight workouts a few times a week--is actually pretty good rather than a harbinger of pure sloth.

One more question. How long before you started showing did you put on weight? I have a pretty unreliable scale, but it looks like I have put on a few pounds already and my loosest jeans are now feeling snug. Obviously, at 7.5 weeks, I'm not even close to showing, but is weight gain before this point normal? I'm not pigging out, but it seems the only food I can stomach aren't great for me. When I first found out I was pg I had such high hopes--I ran out to Whole Foods and loaded up on lots of organic produce. Now all I want are cheese sandwiches (on white bread no less). Gross! This is the time I should be extra healthy and I eat like a fussy child!
 
LOL! cheese sandwiches on whie bread! hehe! When I was pregnant with #2 I craved and ate almost constantly CHIKEN LIVERS PAN-FRIED WITH ONIONS! What is more disgusting than that? Anyways.....

Everyone is different. With my first, I didn't show until I was almost six months....please don't hate me! Because I made up for it by gaining 40 in four months and got huge stretch marks on my *ss (I win everytime we mommies play "who's stretch marks are the nastiest"). With #2, I gained 10 lbs. almost immediately it seems and started showing around 16 or 17 weeks. #3 I only gained 8 lbs. the fist 20 weeks, but the last 20 weeks gained more than 40.
My best friend started wearing maternity clothes when she was 8 weeks prego. She is a teeny tiny woman. I have a VERY long torso. It tall depends on your build, hormones and genetics.
Gaining weight, and even losing a few pounds are all normal.
And I forgot to congradulate you, so CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEW LITTLE PEANUT!
 
I was in maternity clothes at the end of the 1st trimester/beginning of the 2nd. I gained 10# in the 1st trimester-I pigged out! lol I am now 8 months pregnant and have gained a total of 30# at this point which I don't have a problem with. This is my 1st so I have nothing to compare it to.

And YES, ANY work outs you can muster during the first trimester are good!!! Don't get down on yourself for what you CAN'T do...but be proud of yourself for what you CAN do! Hang in there!:D

~Wendy~

I smoked my last cigarette on March 17, 2004 at 10:00 pm!

http://lilypie.com/days/050519/1/0/1/-5/.png[/img]
EDD: 05/19/05
 
It is so reassuring to read this! I'm in week 7 too, and I'm starting to feel too tired to get up and go to the gym in the morning. And all I want to eat is crakers with peanut butter! Glad to know that I'm normal. ;)

Has anyone else had trouble with sleeping? I've always been lucky to be a really sound, deep sleeper, but for the past couple of weeks I wake up a couple of times a night (at least once to go to the bathroom, of course) and have trouble falling back to sleep. I've cut out caffeine, so that's not affecting me.
 
My workouts have become spururatic (sp?). I think they were last pregnancy too. I prided myself in NOT wearing any maternity clothes until week 20 of last pregnancy. My goal is to do the same again if I can.
BTW, I tend to have my most vivid dreams when pg (so less sleep b/c I wake up often).
Love to hear from you at the pg workout check-ins. We can compare our not so fruitful workouts. ;)

**Melanie**
Justin born 1/17/04
Jory born 4/9/94

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I have had trouble sleeping on and off since the beginning of my pregnancy...sometimes it's that I wake up and can't fall back to sleep and sometimes it's that I wake up a million times a night for whatever reason...anyway, yes, sleep has definately become a struggle these past several months.......I keep saying it's God's way of giving us "practice" for the sleeplessness we are in for once the baby is born.;-) :) :p

~Wendy~

I smoked my last cigarette on March 17, 2004 at 10:00 pm!

http://lilypie.com/days/050519/1/0/1/-5/.png[/img]
EDD: 05/19/05
 
>I keep saying it's God's way of giving us "practice" for the
>sleeplessness we are in for once the baby is born.;-) :) :p
>

That is a very good way of looking at it!

Thanks, ladies, for sharing your sleepless experiences. Misery definitely loves company.
 
>That is a very good way of looking at it!

Had to find some way to keep myself sane through the lack of sleep, right? lol :)

~Wendy~

I smoked my last cigarette on March 17, 2004 at 10:00 pm!

http://lilypie.com/days/050519/1/0/1/-5/.png[/img]
EDD: 05/19/05
 
LOL. My goal is to get my 15month Justin to sleep through the night before my new baby arrives!!!

**Melanie**
Justin born 1/17/04
Jory born 4/9/94

 
I am so glad to read that others were not able to really work out the first trimester. I have been just drained. I really want to do more, but just can't. I am very happy to read your posts. Don't worry, I am not viewing it as validation not to do anything, just happy to see that I am not alone. :)

Thanx!

U2girl
 
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