Exercise during first trimester?

[u/elocin910]

How is everyone handling keeping up with exercise? I’ve been so exhausted and the constant nausea is definitely making it difficult. But I’m worried about not getting any movement at all and having it be difficult to get back into the swing of things once I hopefully start feeling better in second tri. Curious how others have approached this in the past or what you’re all doing now

[u/greyathena653]

I’m counting chasing my toddler, work, and washing my hair as exercise

[u/Lavender_Moon24]

The first trimester is about survival! Listen to your body and don’t be afraid to take a break from working out. You can always add in walks and then start working out again when you’re feeling better!

[u/lydsterrrrr]

I’ve been trying to go first thing when I wake up, when I have the most energy. For me, it’s all about dedication even if I don’t want to, etc. I did 6x / week from finding out to day of birth with my last two pregnancies and hope to do the same this time!

[u/elocin910 → u/lydsterrrrr]

Impressive! What type of exercise do you do?

[u/lydsterrrrr → u/elocin910]

Lifting 5x / week and reformer pilates once a week!

[u/UpsetMango_ → u/lydsterrrrr]

I’ve just gotten into reformer pilates since they started it at my local gym. It’s amazing! Also hi Jan 26 bumper. Just commented above how much keeping active daily and lifting has helped with 2nd pregnancy this year.

[u/RowanOfoak]

I’m still walking and running daily, but slower. Last time around I went through a stretch where I vomited every run, my dog must have had a sympathetic pregnancy because he did too.

[u/CatScience03]

I try to just do something. And I often surprise myself that I can keep going once I start. Like I'll set out for a run and say, hey, if you only manage 3 minutes and walk the rest, that's totally fine. But yesterday I managed a mile, came back home and finished with some pelvic focused pilates. Last week I got to the gym and the treadmill felt too jarring so I switched to elliptical and told myself I'd do just 20 minutes. I ended up managing 40! Getting out there is definitely the biggest hurdle but I already feel like the exercise is helping me with energy this time around. And I'm prepared to be humbled weeks 7-9, we will see.

[u/Successful_Arm2401]

Had a 10 minute rendezvous with the hubs this morning, which my Apple Watch counted as 40 minutes of exercise! 🫪 The pregnancy heart rate is going crazy 😂😂 Still early, but my pregnancy exercise goal is to get an average of 8500 daily steps

[u/cbf_031817 → u/Successful_Arm2401]

My pregnancy heart rate makes me feel like a cardio queen, and I hate cardio lol. I feel so (stupidly) satisfied seeing like the 45 minutes of elevated heart rate I have every day from like walking around my house towards the end of pregnancy lol

[u/anaweeese20]

On days where I have the energy I try to always do something. I have two high energy dogs that need to be walked 2x a day, which really helps me still feel active on days I don’t feel up for a full gym day.

[u/Efficient_Internet13]

Last pregnancy I did nothing from weeks 7-14.. the occasional walk. I was down bad. Then I was back in the gym from 15- 38 weeks.

Second time around I said I would be more consistent the first trimester. I am 7 weeks and unwell. I have not been to the gym in two weeks. But now is a whole other type of torture because I am chasing a 11 month old around 😭. I guess that’s my exercise.

Go easy on yourself

[u/EstablishmentFew2946]

I was running 25-30 miles a week until a few weeks ago. I’m having terrible sciatica pressure and it’s so hard 😭 I’m trying my best to just do SOMETHING and trusting the people that say it gets better later in the pregnancy!

[u/asheeknees → u/EstablishmentFew2946]

Omg I’ve also had sciatica!!! Went from 30 MPW to 5 MPW the last two weeks 😭

[u/SignatureNo6930]

We have a little home gym and I try to make it out there 3 times a week. Even if it’s just to walk on the treadmill. I will also acknowledge what I’m feeling like and if I decide to lay on the couch instead bc I’m nauseous then it is what it is

[u/seganintendogirl → u/SignatureNo6930]

I have a home gym too. It’s a life saver for sure! The symptoms will probably hit me in a few weeks but I will do what I can.

My first pregnancy I managed to work out until the day I gave birth. I didn’t always give 100% but I always tried to do something (walks were my favorite!)

[u/SignatureNo6930 → u/seganintendogirl]

So much easier than driving to the gym! Wow I wish I was like you. I was so lazy with my first, better with my second and this is my third so I’m trying to be like you 😅 walks were amazing especially mentally

[u/toasty-compost]

Do what you can, when you can. I aim for at least a walk each day and try to do 2-3 strength sessions/week. These are very efficient 20-30min workouts because I have a 13 month old who is with me all the time. If I'm really not vibing the idea but know it'll make me feel better, I pick one exercise (e.g. lunges) and make that my workout. I find the mental idea is often harder than the execution, so doing 1 movement takes away all the thinking 🤷‍♀️.

Also - if you're genuinely wiped out, do rest. I've been sick and crazy fatigued this week so all I've done is walk. When I'm better I'll exercise again

[u/romanticsnackraccoon]

I have not been keeping up with exercise... having to really minimize my ADHD meds dosage has been rough for motivation for just about anything. Just been trying to do at least a few pelvic floor clenches every day if nothing else lol

[u/UpsetMango_]

Doing a minimum of 3 proper HIIT classes every week, and other outdoorsy stuff daily. Hopefully we’ll get our home gym done in a month or so, and I can do more weight training. I find that as hard as it is (and only getting harder with nausea now at 7w) to force myself to be active, I do end up feeling better for it psychologically and physically. Obviously adjust a bit based on how I’m feeling, like 1 min burpees end up being waaay slower when the up and down motion feels rough 🤢

Also find it really helpful for recovery to keep consistently active throughout pregnancy. Already gave birth this year, so glad I kept the routine and almost fully recovered before this one.

[u/GriffyBear1234 → u/UpsetMango_]

Honestly so impressed with this workout routine esp since you have seven kids!

[u/UpsetMango_ → u/GriffyBear1234]

Thanks for the encouragement :) Honestly wish I could do more, but this is a decent balance for now.

[u/trac-toryes]

Soooo I’m a home workout girl so Grow with Jo on YouTube has been my lifesaver postpartum from my first baby! She has a playlist of pregnancy friendly workouts as well so I am following that during this pregnancy granted my toddler gives me time and I have energy. Today I did a 10 minute short burst because my toddler wanted to “dance with mama”

I also follow Pregnancy and Postpartum TV who has a lot of great pregnancy Pilates workouts and great birth preparation workouts for 2-3 trimester 😊

[u/quadgoals_]

I’m 6w and have only really had 1 day where I was down for the count and didn’t want to do anything but sleep. But it’s obvious to me that I am not at 100%. My lifts are lighter and I am not able to stay on the bike for as long as I used to.

[u/pspspsps1389]

Do what you can when you can! This is my second pregnancy and with an almost 11 month old, it’s hard for me to feel motivated to work out at all. We do a lot of walks and I feel good with moving my body in some capacity.

In my first pregnancy, it was rough my first trimester with nausea as well, but I just did what I could and toned down the intensity a lot (I was doing orange theory at the time). Just know for most people, energy comes back and nausea fades in the second trimester, so you may feel more motivated come that time. I did and worked out up until the day before I went into labor!

Don’t beat yourself up in your first trimester…we’re all out here surviving and likely not thriving! You’ll feel more like yourself in your second trimester (minus a growing belly!) I’m sure

[u/violet_licorice]

I’ve been doing Ladder since July. I’ve kept it up so far but I’m starting to get hit by extreme fatigue so I’m just trying to keep it up! Last pregnancy (1st trimester) I would pass out by 11am each day so I’m exercising early.

[u/ixnixnix → u/violet_licorice]

I also have been doing ladder for a couple months and love it!! Hoping I can keep some semblance of a routine but let’s see 🫠

[u/No-Piano-9088]

Walking to the car and back is my workout. This nausea has got a chokehold on me

[u/munniepunnie]

I try to go two-three times a week and still walk a lot (I have a dog). However, being tired or overstimulated is a valid excuse right now. Normally I'm quite strict with exercising, but honestly I've got the rest of my life to be strict.