Congratulations! You’re expecting. Today, we are going to explore some techniques in fitness and yoga to help you get through this first trimester. The first trimester is marked by hormonal changes including fatigue, morning sickness, tender breasts and constipation, as well as cardiovascular changes including increased blood volume. These changes can really take a toll on your body, but exercise can really help.
A 30-minute daily workout will help strengthen and support your body and prepare it for labor and delivery. Yoga, stationary biking, swimming and low-impact aerobic exercise (appropriate for pregnant women) is the best. Remember to check with your doctor before starting any new form of exercise.
If you haven't been exercising regularly, remember to begin slowly. Start with five minutes each day and just keep adding on five minutes each week until you've worked your way up to 30 minutes.
Today, we are going start with a basic yoga warm-up and kick it up a notch with our 3-pound hand weights. Set up on yoga mat on all fours and table top position. Have your dumbbells next to the mat. Align your shoulders, elbows and wrists in one line and your hips should stack over your knees. Your shoulder blades can relax down the back. Your spine is in a neutral position.
As you inhale, roll your belly towards the floor and tilt your tailbone back behind you. As you exhale, round and tuck your tailbone and chin towards your chest as you gaze down. This is cat and cow position. For a few rounds, do this. Then, you can incorporate the dumbbells. Inhale and lift your right leg up and back behind you and pulse for four counts.
Then, take the hand weight in yourleft hand and lift to shoulder height. Hold here for two breaths. Then, release both your leg and your arm down to the floor and do the same thing on the opposite side. Lift your left leg and your right hand with dumbbell. Then, release to the floor and sit back in a child’s pose.
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