Exercise and Pregnancy

Drew Barrymore, Gisele Bundchen, Jessica Alba, Gwyneth Paltrow, Mila Kunis. Why did I just list off a bunch of female celebrities? Well they’re not just female celebrities; they’re all moms or soon-to-be moms. What’s my point? Well these women have something else in common too: they’ve all engaged in prenatal yoga—an exercise the new book Fit […]

Despite the misperception that exercise during pregnancy is risky for women and their babies, studies consistently show that those who work out when they’re expecting tend to have better health outcomes during pregnancy and delivery. Here are some of the benefits of exercising while you are pregnant: Better cardiovascular function Less weight gain Lower musculoskeletal […]

Our book Fit & Healthy Pregnancy has been a long time coming, both for me and for the topic of exercise, pregnancy, and new motherhood. In 2006, my boy planted the seeds for this book with the Cheerios he threw in my hair while we watched the Boston Marathon on TV. As I made lunch for […]

The 2012 London Olympics seemed like a baby shower for fit pregnancy, a watershed for sport and motherhood. At the 2008 Beijing Games, swimmer Dara Torres had opened a door for women in sports to be highly visible moms, and the London Olympics picked up where she left off by placing mothers front and center. […]

davetrendler: Olympian Alysia Montano recently ran in an 800m race while 8 months pregnant. Running coach Jeff Horowitz offers a few thoughts and links to the story on Washington Post. Originally posted on Jeff Horowitz Running and Triathlon Coach: In case you missed this, Olympian Alysia Montano recently ran in an 800m race . . […]

With many women having babies later in life, fertility struggles aren’t uncommon, and many women who are frustrated and emotionally spent from trying to conceive say they cut back on exercise as a way to feel some control over a situation that even doctors have trouble explaining with certainty. This is a normal coping response […]

Exercise during pregnancy isn’t just safe, it’s healthy for you and your baby. Fit & Healthy Pregnancy dispels generations of old wives’ tales about exercise and pregnancy so active women can stay strong and in shape. This upcoming book from running coach Dr. Kristina Pinto and triathlete Rachel Kramer, MD goes beyond labor and delivery through […]

Myth busting There are lot of myths out there in terms of how much diet and nutrition during pregnancy. One recent controversy is the FDA’s recommendation of pregnant women eating more fish. Fish is your friend; you just need to watch how much and what kind of fish you eat to avoid the intake of […]

Your fitness practice will be most healthy for mind and body when you can see it as your individual plan without holding it up against an ideal. Try not to compare your own activity with what your best friend did when she was pregnant. Your body will tell you how it feels; attend to those […]

As a general guideline for beginning a new fitness practice, you want to keep your exertion below your maximum heart rate. Strive to top out your workout exertion at 60 to 70 percent of your nonpregnant max as well as consulting Borg’s scale of Rate of Perceived Exertion. Keep your exercise plan light to moderate […]