QuestionHi,
I am 26 yrs old and weigh 143 lbs (down from 150, simply by switching to skim milk and cutting down on cookies / icecreams / eating sensibly when dining out) I am not physically active at all, my work is sitting in front of computer for 8 hrs so I hardly get to even walk :-(
Ive been married now for close to 2 yrs and we are planning to start trying for a baby from Apr '09. I know this is too early but I want to get fit and physically healthy before I actually get pregnant.
Please let me know a good routine to start with and whether I need to take any vitamins / minerals from now itself.
My usual everyday diet is as follows:
I usually have Tea(made from skim milk) in the morning; have rice and veggies for noon and something similar to lunch for dinner. I typically dont snack, and if I do, I have a cup of curd or some chips or an apple or a smoothie (made at home with apple/banana/peach - no sugar/anything else)
Thanks a ton!!
~Vidhya
AnswerFor women who work full time at desk jobs, the big hurdle for getting fit and then staying fit during pregnancy is scheduling.
Your options come down to exercising before work, at your lunch hour, after work and then on the weekends.
To get in shape you'll need at least three workouts per week. Once you're in good shape two workouts per week will prevent you from loosing ground.
Start with a walking program. Try for a 30 brisk walk either before work or at your lunch hour. If you have a gym that is either near your home, near your job, or in between the two, that would be a good option.
Paying money for a gym membership is quite a motivator to actually going and working out. You can also start a basic strength training program.
As to vitamins, you can take a regular multi-vitamin now, and switch to a prenatal two months before you stop using birth control.
For more information on exercise during pregnancy, go to http://befitmom.com/index.html and click on the prenatal and postpartum fitness and exercise link.
