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You can not exercise during pregnancy!!! Out of all the pregnancy myths, the mommies-to-be keep hearing, this is probably the most illogical and an unhealthy one. The last thing to do during pregnancy is to abandon your fitness regime. There is no point in just lying around doing absolutely nothing while you wait for your bun to bake. Not involving yourself in healthy activities makes you lazy and causes your health to suffer. Regular exercises during pregnancy keep your body active, minimizing the chances of weight gain, and gestational diabetes. Moreover, it also helps to reduce postpartum depression.
Fitness experts and physicians strongly recommend non-strenuous exercises in this condition. Speaking of non-strenuous exercises, what piece of workout equipment can be easier on your body than the treadmill?
Treadmill walking makes you feel active and also boosts your energy level. In fact, walking on a treadmill is a much safer alternative than walking or running outside. Running or sprinting is a total no-go when it comes to exercising on a treadmill during pregnancy. However, normal or speed walking is totally benign.
Before starting your workout sessions, consult your gynaecologist. The doctor will monitor if you should walk and will suggest a safe exercise plan.
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| Tip: Make sure to increase the intensity and time of your walking sessions gradually. |
Time and intensity of your sessions on the treadmill should vary in different trimesters of pregnancy.
Walking on Treadmill Pregnancy – First, Second, Third Trimester
During your pregnancy months, how should you walk on the treadmill machine? This plan lays it all out so you can easily understand and follow.
Treadmill During the first trimester:
In the first three months of pregnancy, you do not need to deviate from your usual walking habits. Do not put your feet flat on the ground. Put your knees on the ground first, and then roll on to your toes.
- Walk 10-15 minutes a day.Three days a week. Take a day off in between.
- Increase the time and number of days gradually.
- Toward the end of the trimester, try walking 10-20 minutes a day, five days a week.
Treadmill During the second trimester:
You will start to feel more energetic than in the first trimester. Walking becomes much easier but balancing, a bit difficult. Swing your arms while walking to maintain balance.
- Start by walking 10 minutes a day, four to five days a week.
- After some time, pick two days that will become your longer-walk days (15-30 minutes) and add another day of walking.
- Toward the end of the trimester, try walking 15-30 minutes a day, four to six days a week.
Treadmill During the third trimester:
- Start by walking 10 minutes a day, four to five days a week.
- Gradually, pick two days that will become your longer-walk days (15-30 minutes) and add another day of walking.
- Toward the end of the trimester, try walking 15-30 minutes a day, four to six days a week.
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Problems When Walking On Treadmill During Pregnancy
You should however avoid strenuous activity like weightlifting, crunches and ones that require excessive and jerky movement. Here are a few problems that can occur when you walk on a treadmill machine during pregnancy.
- Dehydration can cause premature labor
During pregnancy, you gain a lot of water weight. You can easily end up dehydrated even with 45 percent water volume in your blood and body. It is always an excellent idea to drink a healthy amount of water a day before you intend to exercise. Here is why I advocate that you fuel up on water a day in advance. During my last pregnancy, I decided to start working out. My innocent one hour walk on the treadmill, ended up giving me the worst pain I have ever experienced in my thighs. It felt as if my legs were on fire post workout. Though I had plenty of water the day I worked out, my water intake a day before was fairly low. It took my legs a good week to recover.
You should however, keep a bottle of water at hand while exercising on the treadmill. It will help keep you and the baby hydrated.
- Warming up
Do a little bit of light cardio and stretch before you get on the treadmill. This will help your body loosen up before you start your workout. This will save you from pulling a muscle, or getting cramps while you work out on the treadmill. You can walk on a treadmill during pregnancy after you warm up.
- Use some kind of support
If you have a growing belly bump. It is an excellent idea to wear a belly band. It will support your pregnant belly, reduce pressure on your back and muscles, help keep your back aligned and save you from any kind of back pain which might arise due to your treadmill workout.
- Talk to yourself
Remember the reason that you’re exercising is to build resilience and muscle strength which can easily decline during pregnancy. While exercising keep on talking to yourself. If you cannot make it through a sentence without huffing and feeling short of breath, if you feel kind of dizzy, you need to sit down and take a break. There is no point in exerting yourself. Remember there is a difference between exertion and exercise.
When should you stop using a treadmill during Pregnancy?
If you did not have an earlier habit of working out or you encounter any pregnancy complications,it is advised that you immediately stop your sessions on the treadmill and follow your doctor’s advice.
You need to halt your workout sessions in case you notice any of the following symptoms:
- The baby’s kicks and movements reduce in frequency.
- Regular pains that resemble contractions.
- Mild to extreme chest pain.
- Extreme headache accompanied by dizziness and even fainting.
- Leakage of blood or any other discharge fluid from the vagina.
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Taking everything into account, we beat the drum for the treadmill walk during pregnancy,provided you do it correctly. It is, undeniably, the best exercise you can carry out during pregnancy. You have to keep yourself and that little angel in your tummy all fit and healthy. Do not overdo it, do not tire yourself and stop using the treadmill the instant you observe any complications.
Remember;
