Working out while pregnant with a big belly, aches, pains, fatigue, and headaches isn’t very appealing, but because it is so beneficial, finding fun ways to stay active and work out is really important. I have some very effective, compound exercises in my program, The Belly-Only Pregnancy, which are awesome home workouts with minimal equipment. The pregnancy workouts I am going to go over here are more fun ideas that involve group classes, online programs, apps, and more. This post on my sister’s blog will show you what some of those exercises are. 

Changing up your fitness routine could be the PERFECT step to help you find new energy and enthusiasm for staying fit during pregnancy. Let’s go through the list, so you can find something that works for you that will help you stay active, and healthy and manage your weight gain.

Also, remember your nutrition is SO IMPORTANT during pregnancy. I talk more about that in a post that goes over how to have a belly-only pregnancy, but my number one tip for you is to start using protein shakes as meals or snacks, depending on what you put in them. Combining fiber and protein keeps you full, and a safe protein powder with extra nutrients is an awesome way to nourish both you and your baby!

Here are a few of the Best, Fun Workouts for A Belly-Only Pregnancy:

Booty Barre:

I LOVE booty barre by Tracy Mallet, and I had the chance to actually train with her during my time as a Pilates instructor. She is basically awesome, and we learned to teach a booty barre class that weekend. I was so sore, I couldn’t believe it. It is challenging, but there is little impact on your joints as you gain weight. I did a few barre classes while pregnant at our local gym, and there are apps now where you can do classes on demand. The assistance of the bar keeps you from losing your balance, yet you still get an amazing workout. I highly recommend adding this a few times a week. Because it focuses more on the legs and glutes, you burn more calories. Those muscles are larger, so they use more energy. There are plenty of videos and workouts on YouTube you can do for free, and I believe Blogilates has some too.

Cycling can be a fun, but low-impact pregnancy workout:

Cycling is another awesome, fun workout you can do while pregnant that has little impact on your joints. By sitting on the bike you can relieve some aches and pains, yet still, get an awesome cardio workout. Just remember that as you get further into pregnancy, you will get short of breath faster, so adjust your effort accordingly. The only hard part about cycling is you need a bike. If you have access to a gym or can get a bike at home, my all-time FAVORITE fitness app ever, ever has some great audio cycling classes. I have diligently used this app for over a year now, and it is literally how I stay fit with three kids and no gym. You listen to a trainer with an awesome playlist in the background. You don’t have to watch anything, just listen to their cues. Cycling bikes aren’t that expensive now, especially if you get a used one. I’m also looking at the Pro from option, where you pay only $39 a month for the equipment and their fitness app! Check out the video below and they also have financing options for various equipment! 

Check out the Proform equipment and awesome training programs. I’ve found having a program is so helpful during pregnancy! It keeps me motivated when I sometimes feel like just taking a nap. 

Prenatal Yoga is one of the most fun ways to work out during pregnancy!

Yoga is AMAZING for pregnancy because it is low impact, relaxing, but still challenging. I found Glo, which I haven’t tried yet, but it seems like an awesome space to find online, prenatal yoga classes to try. Yoga is really helpful for balance and breathing, which comes in handy for labor. The reason you want it to be Prenatal Yoga is that regular yoga can be a bit hard on joints. When a class is dedicated to pregnancy modifications, it is easier to ensure you don’t hurt yourself. Stretching, breathing, and muscle control can also really help with back aches or hip pain if those are settling in. I’ve tried some of the Yoga in this app, which I use for runs and HIIT workouts, and I was very happy!  Here’s your link to a free, 30-day trial.

HIIT For The More Advanced (but still fun) Pregnancy Workouts:

If you are more advanced, HIIT workouts can be awesome and fun, as well as short and sweet. The reason I say advanced is that HIIT workouts are more intense. If you are in good shape, were maybe a runner when you got pregnant, but now the growing belly is slowing you down, try some awesome body-weight HIIT workouts. These are usually 20-50 seconds of an exercise like squats, with 10-20 seconds of rest in between moves. I love incorporating HIIT workouts into my week because they also challenge your muscles. My favorite app has a great article on how to modify HIIT workouts for pregnancy, and they have a full prenatal workout section with HIIT and modifications. You can do these right at home! HIIT is fun because it goes by really fast, and is hard, but then it is over and you feel so energized.

Dancing (the best workout whether you are pregnant or not!):

Dancing is another amazing way to stay active and work out during pregnancy. This can be something as simple as making your own playlist at home and dancing all you want, or joining a class and learning something like Zumba. Either way, dancing can lift your spirits, be done almost anywhere, and make working out with a big belly much more fun.

Swimming (a great low-impact :

Swimming is one of the best workouts you can do while pregnant because you feel so light and athletic in the pool! Hopping in the pool takes a lot of the pain and stress off your body, while still enabling you to get a great workout in. Swimming for a workout can be as simple as swimming laps back and forth, running around the shallow end, doing jumping jacks, practicing your crawl stroke, and more. There are even pool weights you can get to help you really get a great workout in. I highly recommend this for anyone that has access to a pool, and feels confident to pop that suit on and jump in!

Kick Boxing:

Kickboxing can be a super fun workout, even when you are pregnant. You can modify a kickboxing class to reduce impact and jumping and still hit a punching bag. As your belly gets bigger, it will be harder to kick, so you can transition into just boxing. Boxing is a great way to keep your heart rate up, build strength and have fun! Sometimes pregnancy hormones can lead to impatience, anger, and frustration, so what is a great way to release some of that in a workout class? If you can’t get into a class near you, there are boxing workouts on the app I love, and I’m sure you can find some on YouTube as well!

All in all, there are still some amazing, fun ways to work out during pregnancy to keep you fit and healthy. Find which one you like best.

 

 

 

 

 

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The boys and I are making one of my favorite smoothies with my new, Bump Dust by @milkdustprotein. They love the shakes as well, and have fun helping me make them. at #18weekspregnant, I’m now feeling so good, working out and eating much healthier, which is good for baby! #prenataldiet #secondtrimester #pregnancynutrition #fitbump #healthypregnancy #preggers #fourthpregnancy . . . #postpartumfitness #postpartumweightloss #postpartumworkout #postpartumhealing #postpartumlife #postnatalfitness #postnatalhealing #postpartimdiet #4thtrimester #4thtrimesterbodies #bodyafterbaby #losingthebabyweight #losethebabyweight #pregnancydiet #pregnancyworkout #prenatalfitness

A post shared by The Postpartum Cure ® (@thepostpartumcure) on May 12, 2020 at 11:44am PDT