The only person that can tell you for certain if it is safe for you to work out during your pregnancy is an OBGYN or licensed physician. Before you start any type of workout plan it is important that you make sure that it is safe for you and your baby.

In most cases it is safe to work out during pregnancy, and it is even encouraged.

Most licensed physicians recommend getting 30 minutes of moderate to low impact exercise a day when you are pregnant While some exercises won’t be recommended, especially if you’re a beginner, you can continue to safely work out through your third trimester.

To ensure the safety and health of you and your baby it will be important for you to make sure that you are getting enough calories during the day. You also want to stay hydrated, and this means drinking plenty of water.

If you carefully follow your physician’s advice chances are it will be safe for you to work out through your pregnancy.

It will be easier for you to get back in shape after your baby is born if you were on a pregnancy workout plan. Even though your muscles are weakened and stretched, it will be easier for them to recover since they were still being worked out during your pregnancy.

Not only will it be easier for you to get back in shape, you’ll also see results in a shorter amount of time.

Studies conducted by the Mayo Clinic also show that pregnancy workouts can also shorten your recovery time after delivery. This means that you will be able to resume many of your pre-pregnancy activities faster than a majority of the women that did not exercise during those nine months.

As long as it has been approved by your OBGYN or licensed physician, it is safe for you to continue to work out up to your due date.

You can even find workout plans that are geared for women in their second and third trimesters.

The main difference between these workout plans and ones that you might have been on at the beginning of your pregnancy is the intensity and duration of the daily exercise routines. As your pregnancy progresses you might find it harder to perform some exercises properly, and it just might not be possible for you to keep up with the same intensive workout schedule.

This doesn’t mean that a second or third trimester pregnancy workout plan won’t be able to provide you with the same benefits.

These typically include,

• Improved mood and energy levels
• Better quality of sleep at night
• Prevents excessive weight gain
• Reduces lower back aches, cramps, swelling, bloating and even constipation
• Increases muscle tone and strength, along with your endurance

It is important to note that while most licensed physicians agree that it is safe for most women to lift weights during their pregnancy, they are not approving body building training.

Instead of trying to build muscle, you will be lifting weights to increase your strength and endurance. This means that you will be performing more reps, with less weight and fewer sets.

One aspect to remember is that the majority of strength training workout plans will require equipment, especially a weight bench.

This is mainly for your safety since it provides added stability. If you do decide that you want to keep or start lifting during your pregnancy, it is important to get approval from your OBGYN or licensed physician.

Even though there are benefits associated with working out during pregnancy, some exercises should be avoided. If you are used to running, lifting or performing aerobics regularly chances are you can safely continue this form of cardio, as long as an OBGYN as approved it.

Beginners will want to avoid any type of high impact cardio, at least until 6 weeks after giving birth.

All contact sports should be avoided, regardless of how often you might be used to playing. Some of the other types of exercises and physical activities that you shouldn’t do during pregnancy typically include,

• Cycling/Spinning
• High-impact Aerobics (3rd trimester)
• Kickboxing/Martial Arts (2nd-3rd trimester)
• Jumping Jacks
• Gymnastics/tumbling
• Crunches/Sit-ups

You should also avoid exercises that call for the use of stability balls. Anything that increases your risk of falling on your stomach should be avoided throughout your pregnancy.

When it comes to deciding if an exercise is safe, the best source of information will be your primary health care provider.

The type of pregnancy workout plan you choose will determine the sort of exercises you perform, but there are some aspects that are the same. You should expect it to start and end with stretching, along with a warm-up and cool down period.

Most of the daily workouts last for thirty minutes, but this can be shortened to suit your health and fitness level. None of the exercises should include contact on the abdominal area or put you at risk of falling.

You should also expect to perform plenty of low to mid impact cardio.

For most women simply eating healthy and gradually increasing their daily caloric intake as their pregnancy progresses means that they do not have to follow a special diet.

There are a few nutrients you do want to make sure that you are your unborn baby are getting enough of, and if you’re not this is when you might want to consider making some changes to your daily diet.

Some of these nutrients typically include,

• Folic acid
• Protein
• Fish Oil
• Calcium

You can find these nutrients in a variety of foods that will fit anything lifestyle.

There are also supplements, and some are marketed towards pregnant women.

The answer to this question will depend on your current health and fitness level.

While everyone will want to avoid any type of cardio activity that increases their risk for a collision or fall on their stomach, some women can safely perform high impact cardio until their 3rd trimester.

Others relatively new to exercising and working out will want to stick with low impact cardio activities. Before you start any type of cardio workout plan when you are pregnant, it is always best to get approval from your primary health care provider.

Even if you are used to a high impact cardio workout, it might not be the best choice for your baby.

Since you are working your muscles and this helps to improve strength and endurance a pregnancy workout plan can help make labor and delivery a little easier, especially if you focused on your core.

If it incorporates yoga flexibility and focus can be improved, this can also benefit you during the delivery.

Being able to focus and even meditate can even help relieve or at least reduce some of the pain you generally feel during labor.

There are also early results from some studies that seem to show women that exercise regularly throughout their pregnancies tend to have shorter and easier labor, delivery and recovery periods.

According to the study, the first stage of labor is significantly shorter for women that exercise three times a week during their pregnancies.

It is possible to maintain a healthy weight, and this is important for the safety and development of your baby. You should expect to gain weight as your baby grows and the amount will depend on your pre-pregnancy weight.

It is also true that some of this weight is necessary for the healthy development of your baby, and you don’t want to burn too many calories during your daily workouts.

A good example of how to ensure you maintain a healthy weight is,

• Adding 340 calories to your daily diet during the 2nd trimester
• Increasing it to 450 more calories a day than your normal pre-pregnancy diet in the 3rd trimester.

During the first trimester your caloric intake shouldn’t have to change, though you will want to make sure that you are eating healthy for all nine months. It is should also be noted that the number of calories suggested to increase your diet is based on a BMI range of 18.5 to 24.9.

If you’re worried about your caloric intake your primary health care provider or licensed nutritionist will be able to address any of your concerns.

There are several pregnancy workout plans for home, and they can be just as effective as ones geared for the gym. The most important thing is to stay motivated and continuing working out even when the exercises get difficult.

While it is important to never push yourself too hard when you’re pregnant, you also don’t want to give up. If you put the same effort into your home based pregnancy workout plan as you would with a trainer at the gym, you will be able to get the same results.

There are supplements that are marketed for pregnant women, and in some cases adding them to your daily diet can be beneficial. The most common and often recommended supplements for pregnant women include,

• Multivitamins (specifically pre-natal)
• Fish Oil
• Calcium
• Protein/Whey Protein
• Folic Acid

While adding a supplement to your health care routine can be beneficial, it is still important that you first check with a licensed physician.

Too much of a nutrient can be just as harmful to a fetus as not getting enough.

This is also why it is important to follow the dosing instructions carefully if you are taking a supplement.

Whether or not you need to use equipment on a pregnancy workout plan will depend on the type. Some only require you to move and lift your body weight, while others are comprised of a series of low impact cardio exercises.

Most pregnancy lifting workout plans will require you to at least use dumbbells, but they can be substituted for paint cans, milk jugs or other household items. It really will depend on you and your preferences whether you use equipment on a pregnancy workout plan.

The most important muscles to work when you are pregnant are the ones found in your core, according to licensed physicians.

Along with your abs and the rest of your core muscles, pregnancy workout plans can also be used to target your glutes, upper thighs, arms and shoulders.

All of these muscles when they are strengthened and tone during pregnancy can possibly make labor and delivery a little easier, and speed up your recovery.

How long and often you exercise will depend on a few factors. Your health, current fitness level and the results you are trying to achieve will all play a role in the amount of time your OBGYN or licensed physician recommends.

In general most medical professionals suggest getting at least 30 minutes of low impact cardio a day.

Most medical professionals recommend some type of core and abdominal strength training routine during pregnancy. While you will want to get approval from your primary health care provider, and avoid certain exercises, a workout that strengthens your core can be beneficial and safe for you and your baby.

While it should be mentioned that tests are still ongoing, early results indicate that working out can benefit your unborn baby. Some of these benefits could potentially include,

• A lower risk for diabetes that often continues into adulthood.
• There are early indications that a baby’s risk for Alzheimer’s disease later in life could be dramatically decreased.
• Babies tend to have a lower BMI for improved overall health.
• Heart rate in fetuses was noticeably slower when mothers worked out which can lead to improved cardiovascular health.

Even though these are great benefits, it is important to remember that the research is still ongoing. This means that you will want to get approval from your OBGYN or licensed physician before you start any workout plan, even if it might benefit your unborn baby.

If you experience any of these following signs or symptoms at any point during your pregnancy it is advisable that you contact your primary health care provider immediately. Some of these signs include,

• Dizziness
• Vaginal bleeding
• Difficult breathing or increased shortness of breath
• Headache
• Chest pain
• Rapid or uneven heartbeat
• Fluid leaking from the vaginal area
• Uterine contractions that continue even after resting for several minutes
• Calf pain and swelling
• Decreased fetal movement
• Balance affected by muscle weakness

It should also be noted that these are not all of the signs or symptoms, and that you should feel free to contact your OBGYN or licensed physician is you feel like that may be a problem.

Even though you can find some women who believe that their lack of morning sickness is due to their workout plan, there is not any scientific or medical proof to support their claims.

A pregnancy workout plan can’t prevent morning sickness, but it won’t cause it either.

Strenuous exercise can result in vomiting if you are already feeling nauseous, and in this case it is best to wait until the symptoms have passed before starting your workout. You will probably also want to stick with low impact cardio pregnancy workouts to prevent the feelings of morning sickness from coming back.

You can find top rated pregnancy workout plans at a variety of places. Friends and family members can often recommend fitness programs that have worked for them, and even caution you away from some that didn’t produce results.

If you belong to a Lamaze class chances fellow members and even instructors can suggest safe and effective pregnancy workout programs.

Your OBGYN can also be an invaluable source of information, especially when it comes to the workout plan’s safety. At Top Workout Programs you can find the best pregnancy workout plans rated and reviewed by experienced trainers and medical experts. Organized by category, you can easily find one that is right for you.