QuestionHi Helene, I am currntly trying to conceive and I wanted to know if any sort of excerise is safe while trying to get pregnant and during pregnancy. Is it okay to lift moderate weights? Do cardio like running? Sit ups?
AnswerModerate weight lifting and running are OK, especially if they are part of your regular routine.
There is some concern that competitive Olympic style lifting could cause enough intra-abdominal pressure to dislodge a newly implanted embryo, but obviously this is an extreme case.
If you are a hard core runner (more than 40 miles a week) or are training for a marathon, make sure that you do not get too lean. You don't want you're percentage of body fat to go below 18 or so.
Since you ask about sit-ups, start learning some basic core conditioning exercises now, before pregnancy when your abdominals will get too stretched out to function well. Traditional abdominal exercises like sit-ups, crunches, oblique curls, etc. can be done up to about 4 months along in pregnancy.
But generally, core conditioning exercises are much better for the body, especially during and after pregnancy. These types of exercises help to prevent abdominal separation, and common pregnancy discomforts like back pain, and greatly help you re-flatten your abdominal wall after pregnancy.
For more info on exercise during and after pregnancy, consult my web site at: http://www.befitmom.com
