Exercise During Pregnancy: Safe & Effective Workouts - 17 Weeks

Question
I have been exercising throughout my pregnancy. I exercised pretty regularly before getting pregant and was a 3 sport college athlete. I was running approx 4 miles 3 x week for the first trimester and now am walking briskly due to breathlessness when running. Using the talk test with a friend, it was getting hard to carry on conversation. I am a former personal trainer, but its been a long time. I was certified in college to work at the gym. I am 30 years old and 17 weeks pregnant. I was wondering if you could suggest some weight lifting and nautical exercises for me to consider. Is the leg press safe or should I only do squats? What about walking lunges? What are some safe abdominal exercises to perform? I do try to go to prenatal yoga when my schedule allows.

Also, i am gaining weight in the normal range and have fallen prey to grabbing 'fast food' approx 2 x a week. I think the high starch content beckons me. How much will I pay for that after the baby and how hard will it be to lose? If I stop fast food now, is there a chance I can lose all my baby weight when the baby comes?

Any help would be greatly appreciated~
Thanks!!

Answer
Let's address the weight issue first. At 17 weeks, you only need an additional 300 calories per day over your basal metabolism, and if you eat that amount, you will not have excessive fat to loose after your baby is born. Since you are gaining weight in the normal range, it sounds like you are on the right track.

But you are right to be concerned about the fast food; not good for you or your baby. These foods are high in sugars, salts, chemical preservatives and dyes, and unhealthy fats. Remember, when you feed your self, your are feeding your baby too.

Falling into the fast food trap shows a lack of planning. You need to get more organized in your meal planning and food purchasing so that you do not find yourself with having to resort to fast food restaurants.

As to exercise during pregnancy, specific muscle groups tend to weaken during pregnancy, and you should concentrate on strength training for these. Other muscle groups tend to shorten and get too tight and you should focus on flexibility for this group.

More information about these changes can be found on my web site at:
http://befitmom.com/physiological_adaptations.html

More information on strength training during pregnancy can be found at:
http://befitmom.com/strength_training.html

More information on flexibility training during pregnancy can be found at:
http://befitmom.com/flexibility.html