Myths of Pregnancy and Fitness

It's funny how often I hear old myths of fitness and pregnancy that never seem to go away. Some of them come from well meaning grandmothers-to-be and mothers-in-law who really shouldn't be giving fitness advice. Others come from doctors who need to stick to medical advice or update their fitness knowledge; or better yet, make a referral to a qualified fitness professional. (Many doctors do give up-to-date fitness and preganancy advice, but some don't.)

I'm going to lay out each myth and then the reality of pregnancy and fitness.

MYTH: You're eating for two.
REALITY: You're eating for 1.2. Only an extra 300 calories are required to support the nutrition needs of a growing fetus. Pregnancy is no license to overeat and proper nutrition could never be more important.

MYTH: Keep your heart rate under 140 beats per minute.
REALITY: Listen to your body. There are too many variables in each person to accurately lay out a single limit for heart rate. For some 140 bpm is too intense for others, it isn't tough enough. Clothing is made in many sizes for a reason.

MYTH: Exercising intensely (or at all) will harm the fetus.
REALITY: The only thing that will harm the fetus while exercising is over-heating. So if you wear cool, comfortable clothing, drink plenty of water, and exercise in an appropriate temperature environment, there's no problem. Your body temp. is about a half a degree higher during the pregnancy, and water keeps it cooler. Drink about 6-8 ounces every 15 minutes during exercise.

MYTH: Never lie on your back to exercise.
REALITY: Everyone is different (this is a common response to many exercise and fitness myths). The risk is that while on your back, the fetus will roll onto the inferior vena cava and as a result limit or prevent blood from returning from your lower extremities. This is a big problem for some people, no problem for others, and for some, is only a problem if they stay in the position for too long. Listen to your body, and you can't go wrong.

MYTH: You shouldn't exercise while pregnant.
REALITY: If this were true, humans would be extinct by now. It's only in recent human history that we've been so cozy and comfortable that we can get away with pampering ourselves for 9 months. During the first tri-mester, there's not much you need to modify. However, due to morning sickness, you may not feel like it. In the second tri-mester, that's when modifications begin and should best be done under the guidance of a qualified fitness professional (male or her female) skilled in handling pregnancy training.

Recommended reading for further info:
"Exercising Through Your Pregnancy" by James Clapp (This is probably THE definitive book on exercise and pregnancy. Dr. Clapp is a workhorse of research)
"Exercising After Pregnancy" by Helene Byrne

One last thing: Please be kind to yourself. We've all heard stories of women who have run marathons two days before/after delivering a baby. :) Seriously, please don't put pressure on yourself to be a superhero immediately after delivering. Everyone is different - and this also applies to each individuals ability to physically recover from a pregnancy. This is a major physical alteration of normal and everyone experiences pregnancy differently and bounces back afterwards differently. And, you can't have four kids and have the exact same body you had before. Be realistic and fair in what you expect from yourself.

Jonathan Ross
National Body Challenge Fitness Expert
www.AionFitness.com
http://blogs.discovery.com/jonathan_ross/
Everyday Fitness Facebook page
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Everyday-Fitness-with-Jonathan-Ros s/58299828177?ref=ts