Are you ready to start working out during your pregnancy, but you’re not sure what routine is best? I am going to share with you two workout routines for pregnancy that I used through every trimester that gave me results!
Side Note: There is a free pregnancy printable at the bottom of the post!
I have been working out for 10 years now and have tried many different styles of working out. While pregnant with my 3rd child I knew I had to continue working out, but I was soooo sick in my first trimester. I ate horribly the first twelve weeks and it was starting to show on my backside!! All I could stomach was carbs and cheese. Grilled cheese, crackers and cheese, bagels and toast! Can you relate?! Ugh, it was horrible and it took a toll on my body.
Not only that, but I had exercised through my other two pregnancies and I knew that there were many benefits to working out while pregnant.
It can improve your sleep, anxiety, lessen aches and pains, swelling, ease labor, can reduce the risk of gestational diabetes and will help you bounce back to your pre-baby weight quicker. I knew I had to start a workout plan asap!
I have always lifted weights in the past so I was in search of a weighted leg routine that would help build my glutes and hamstrings and a simple upper body routine that would keep up my arm strength .Cardio was never my thing and I felt it wouldn’t have been safe for me to start then.
Lifting weights has always been more exciting for me and the weights are truly what helped me get more toned.
I was not born with ANY muscle tone so I needed to work hard at it. In the past, when I did a lot of cardio on the treadmill, it kept the weight off, but it didn’t give me any shape at all. Lifting changed that for me.
I came across two workout routines for pregnancy , one for upperbody and one for lower body, that I did throughout my whole pregnancy.
I alternated these two routines weekly. One week I did the lower body workout 3x and the Upper Body 2x. The next I did Upper 3x and Lower 2x and so on….
Please make sure to check with your doctor before doing any of these workouts! I made sure these were cleared by my physician in my first Trimester and continued to check throughout my pregnancy. The health of your baby is most important!
Workout Routines For Pregnancy
Lower Body Pregnancy Workout
I love this leg routine, because it’s not all squats. Most leg routines I’ve done in the past all focused on different types of squats. Squats do a great job on building the quads, but I didn’t have any hamstrings to begin with and squats weren’t effectively targeting that area for me. The Leg lifts, hip thrusts , deadlifts and lunges really helped shape and target that backside.
I also added another exercise, The Standing Donkey Kick, to this routine to further help target my hamstrings and glutes. I added ankle weights, but you can also do it without weights.
No Flabby Arms Pregnancy Workout
This Upper Body Workout from Michelle Marie Fit is really great because it’s so easy to modify with weights. Even if you are a beginner and don’t have weights at home you can use canned beans, a milk jug, or a heavy book! Really anything that adds a little resistance. Just grab something and get moving!
20 Dumbbell Shoulder Presses
20 Lateral Raises
20 Lat Pulldowns
20 Dips ( I used my fireplace hearth, coffee table or my stairs for a modified dip)
20 Dumbbell Bicep Curls
20 Hammer Curls
Rest 60-120 seconds and repeat 2 more times
During pregnancy, using light weights can really provide good muscle tone and instead of increasing weight as your progress you can just increase your repetitions.
The weight you use for each of these exercises would be based on what you were doing before you became pregnant.
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For the Leg Workout, bodyweight alone would be perfect for those that never worked out before.
For the Upper Body, I used 10 lb weights and under.
Also, remember that as your baby gets bigger it’s adding weight! So as you progress in your pregnancy the baby weight may be enough with the lower body exercises. In the days leading up to delivery, all I needed was the baby weight
Do These Routines Work?
I never expected big results because they usually say you can’t really build muscle when pregnant. Let me tell you…. It worked! I was actually shocked when I looked in the mirror 3 months into the routine. I was seeing changes in my body shape. My arms and legs were becoming toned!
I worked out consistently and stayed on track with my eating the rest of the pregnancy.
It just goes to show that if you stick with an exercise plan and eat healthy you will get the payoff. It just takes time!!
I am no longer pregnant and these are still my go to workouts 2 years later! They are quick and easy and you can adapt them into any workout plan. The only difference now is that I keep adding more weight as I progress.
Related: How To Treat and Ease Varicose Veins
Working Out At Home- What do I need?
Below are a few of my favorites for working out at home if you are considering doing the above pregnancy workout routines or any other routine!
The Bowflex interchangeable weights are amazing and I highly recommend them if you are serious about keeping up the fitness lifestyle.
It was worth it for my family because we do not belong to a gym and have always worked out from home(Frugal Living Tips). We use them all the time and because we have limited storage space this weight system was key!
The ankle weights were another must have for me as I use them for every workout! I wear them for isolated leg workouts, such as donkey kicks and Leg Lifts.
Related: How To Prevent Stretch Marks
BOTTOM LINE….
- ALWAYS get clearance from your Doctor before starting your pregnancy workout routine. I checked with my Doctor at my first appointment. Never put yourself or your baby at risk!
- Exercise during pregnancy has so many health benefits. It can improve labor, sleep, backaches, energy levels, lowers risk of gestational diabetes, improves mood and so much more!
- Exercising during pregnancy means it will be much easier for your body to bounce back into shape after the baby is born. Trust me, you will be ahead of the game and so thankful you exercised while pregnant!
- Use lightweights for the lower and upper body routines or just use your bodyweight. Modify the routines if you’re uncomfortable like I did. As you get bigger, it gets harder! Even if you only do two exercises from each routine it’s something and will pay off!
- Exercising while pregnant is not about losing weight. My main concern was a healthy pregnancy. I just wanted to make sure that I didn’t neglect my body, as my eating the first trimester was terrible!! The lack of movement and bad eating was taking a toll on me. I started eating healthy once I felt better and I never deprived myself either! It was not about losing weight. Gaining the right amount of weight and putting it on slowly was my goal. Healthy eating and exercise was key for me in enjoying my pregnancy and recovering so well.
- If you want results, stick with it! Do not stop after a month of not seeing results. We all want to see our hard work pay off right away, but it does take time for our body to show changes. The healthy diet goes hand in hand with all of this. 80 Percent Healthy, 20 Percent Unhealthy 🙂 That’ s how I plan my meals, pregnant or not!
- If you need ideas on healthy dinner recipes you can find some, here and here.
Free Pregnancy Printable
Below is one of the printables I created to help you stay on track for a fit pregnancy! You can plan your healthy meals and snacks in addition to tracking your water intake and exercise. Subscribe to my email list( top of this page) and get access to my library of free printables. There are more!
If you like this sheet please let me know in the comments below. I would love to hear from you!
After you get that printable set up take a look at my pregnancy snacks post to give you weekly snack ideas to add to your worksheet. You want to make sure you are eating properly after a workout to give you maximum results! Read on to find out what snacks are best for you and for your baby…
By The Way, You Don’t Want To Miss This: Hilary from Pulling Curls is offering a free Prenatal Pregnancy Class and a Free Birth Plan Template . Hilary is a Labor and Delivery Nurse who has a gazillion tips and advice on pregnancy that you’ll want to check out while it’s still available.
XO,
Nicole
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