First Trimester

Overheating

During pregnancy, your metabolic rate increases. This creates heat in the body meaning that you’re basal temperature will be elevated throughout your pregnancy (hence why pregnancy and summer aren’t a great mix). During your training sessions you need to ensure that you are wearing loose clothing that’s not too heavy. Make sure (more than ever) that you’ve got some water with you and that you are staying hydrated.

Goal shift

This is the part I struggled with the most but now you’re pregnant you’re no longer training to improve. You’re training to maintain. This means; no PBs, no lifting heavy, reps will sit at a lower range and we won’t be including any overload mechanisms. However, the benefits of training during your pregnancy are incredible so while these programmes might not be as interesting as your usual programming, it’s worth it.

Listen to your body

During pregnancy, your body has one priority. Keeping your baby healthy. If you’re feeling exhausted, skip or shorten your workout. Don’t push yourself the way you would normally. I remember pushing myself during a workout at around week 6, I spent the next week so exhausted I didn’t make it to the gym once, I hardly made it off the sofa. Had I just listened to my body I’d have not suffered these consequences. It was after that session that I enrolled on my pre and post natal qualification.

3 week blocks

Due to the fact we’re not overloading, there is no need for deload weeks. Therefore your programming comes in 3 week blocks. It starts at week 4 because weeks 1-2 you’re not actually pregnant. Pregnancy occurs at week 2 and most couples don’t find out until week 4 once the period is late. Therefore it’s likely you’ll be training normally. If you find out a little earlier than week 4, just do a few extra days following the first block.

The warm up consists of two components;

1. Elevate the heart rate

This can be done on any piece of cardio equipment for between 5-10 minutes. Gradually elevate the HR so this would be done by increasing the intensity (speed or resistance)

At home, this can be achieved by a speed walk up and down the drive way / street followed by walking up and down the stairs a few times (ensure you hold on to the rail)

2. Mobility movements – 10 reps of each (click name to be directed to video)

Childs pose

Cat / Cow

Thread the needle

Bridges

Forward bend

Lunges

Seated Half Pigeon

WHAT ABOUT WARM UP SETS?

If you follow the ongoing training programme, you’ll know how important and essential warm up sets are. This is where you rehearse the exercise with a much lesser weight than what you would be lifting in your working (programmed) sets. If you feel like you want to, a warm up set on certain exercises then that’s fine. It’s not essential as it usually would be as the weights you lift in pregnancy would never go above 70% of your max. If you want to add warm up lighter sets; it would be best to do these mainly on barbell exercises to mobilise the joints.

Cooling Down will be done by gradually lowering your HR followed by Static Stretches however, due to the hormone relaxin it is advisable to only hold these stretches for 10 seconds as not to overstretch your muscles. Developmental and advanced stretching techniques, such as PNF and ballistic stretching should be avoided during pregnancy.

Pelvic floor exercises

Hamstring Stretch

Quad Stretch

Calf Stretch

Glute Stretch

Childs pose

Chest Stretch

Shoulder Stretch

Before consuming any nutrition supplements you must speak to your midwife to check that they’re safe.

There are many items off limits to women during the first trimester, you can find a full list here. 

There is no need to eat for two, even though you probably feel fully zapped of energy. I understand from personal experience that just getting through this trimester is hard so you’ll hardly be thinking about the most nutrient dense diet.

Something I believe helped me get some good nutrition in was that during my first trimester we signed up for a fresh meal delivery service (we chose guosto but I believe hello fresh is also good). As I didn’t have the energy to cook, my husband took on this responsibility most days. Having the ingredients there and easy to follow recipes removed a huge barrier and it meant that at least one of my meals was nutritious and balanced.

• Ensure you’re consuming your 5 a day fruits and vegetables – find a way even if aversions are high
• Protein still remains a priority nutrient because its the building blocks your baby is developing from
• Complex carbohydrates are key to ensuring your blood sugar stays balanced and providing you with energy
• Ensuring you’re eating before and exercise is very important