exercise suggestions for rough first trimester?

[hiker]

Hi all,

Does anyone have any exercise suggestions for your first trimester when you're feeling horrible? Before I knew I was pregnant, I had to lower my step to the floor. Then, when I really started to feel pregnant, I could only make it through two circuits of low impact circuit before complete exhaustion and threw up a couple of hours later (the only time I have actually thrown up). I ordered a video called the perfect pregnancy workout, which I tried and it wiped me out, but at least I don't feel sick. Does anyone have any other light exercise suggestions besides walking? I've already gained some weight in the past few weeks, just because of the limited exercise.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Fitmommyof2]

Is there a reason you don't like walking? I find it's the easiest and you can just do a mile or you can do more on days you feel better. What about pilates or yoga? This tired phase does pass. I am not sure of an easy cathe workout to recommend. LOL

 

[melimcn]

I had gotten the basic Cathe workouts in anticipation of feeling just like you are right now - and I also had to lower my step to the floor early on. So, Basic Step, Low Impact Step (original and the new one), etc... They're 30 minutes, and pretty easy, so you don't have to work as hard with those.

Don't forget weights in there. I found - and am finding again now at the end of my 3rd trimester - that I can do weights more than I can do cardio.

So if you don't want to exert yourself on a cardio level, try some weight work instead. Since you're just maintaining, not looking for strength gains, you don't have to push yourself too much, and can still get in a workout.

I've come to love the total body premixes from LIC, Drill Max (when I had more energy), the total body routine on Basic Step and also on Low Impact Step from above. When there are moves that I can't do right now, like pushups, I sub in another exercise to hit the same muscle group, or do them on the wall.

Hope that helps! You'll start feeling better soon!

 

[chefkate]

Nothing really to add to the great advice you've gotten.

Just wanted to offer a big CONGRATS!!!

Easier said than done, try not to worry about the couple pounds. There are a lot more of those coming! In my 1st trimester I could not control what I craved/wanted to avoid. Listen to your body. If you can workout, great, If not, that's fine too. You are growing a baby in your body and that takes a LOT of energy!

Hope you get feeling better!

 

[jgoycoolea]

At first, when I was still dedicated to the idea of cardio I would do a couple of warm ups. I especially liked doing kick box warm ups. But even that went quickly by the way side after I threw up doing cardio (the only time I threw up too), and I just did strength training. I usually did one lower body, one upper body, and one total body a week. But if that is too long of a session, you could just try doing one body part per day. I was surprised that I did not lose much aerobic endurance during that time. I am back to a normal level physically, but sometimes I just feel like I am breathing too hard and back off.

 

[hiker]

Thanks everyone for all of the suggestions. I hadn't thought about the beginner videos, so I'm definitely going to try them. Today, I'm actually feeling almost normal, so maybe the rough part is coming to an end.