Bodytalk

By Stephenie Karony

Wednesday, March 10, 1999

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Some guidelines for
exercising while pregnant
and after delivery

QUESTION: Is it safe for me to continue exercising now that I'm expecting a baby?

ANSWER: This is a question you should be asking your doctor, because it can be influenced by factors in your personal health history.

However, assuming you don't have any unusual risk factors, here is a list of what the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends for normal, healthy women. It contains exercise guidelines that apply during your pregnancy as well as after delivery.

Engage in regular, mild to moderate exercise at least three times per week.

After your first trimester, avoid doing exercises in which you are lying face down; this position results in decreased cardiac output.

Avoid long periods of standing still.

Never exercise to exhaustion. Stop when you start feeling fatigued.

Reduce your risk of injury by participating in non-impact type exercise. Swimming and cycling are examples; walking and light resistance exercise are also safe.

Eat at least 300 more calories per day than you did before your pregnancy; not only do you need to replace calories burned off in exercise, but you need to nourish your baby too.

Avoid overheating your body. Do this by drinking plenty of fluids, wearing appropriate clothing and exercising in environments that promote cooling.

After delivery, resume your pre-pregnancy routines gradually. Some of the changes caused by pregnancy last for an additional four to six weeks.

Let me also give you the results of various studies conducted by other pregnancy research groups:

Balance may be affected by pregnancy; keep this in mind when choosing a form of exercise, and be careful.

The first two to three months of a pregnancy have no negative effects on exercise performance.

Assuming that the mother has engaged in a regular conditioning program, having been pregnant does not affect post-pregnancy performance long term.

For a mom-to-be, the safe upper limit for your heart rate during exercise is 140 to 160 beats per minute, or approximately 70 to 80 percent of maximum heart rate. These numbers apply to women of childbearing age, up to about age 38.

An exercise prescription during pregnancy should always be individualized, and approved by your primary care physician.

Q: My sister tells me that if I eat wheat I will retain water, bloat and get fat. What's your opinion?

A: Wow, I wonder where your sister got her information! I couldn't disagree more.

Whole wheat and grain products made from wheat are classified as complex carbohydrates. They supply you with energy during physical activity. Carbs also replenish energy stores after exercise.

Carbohydrates are the best source of fuel for your body because carbohydrates (in the form of glycogen) are readily stored in your muscles to be used during exercise.

In addition to carbohydrates, whole wheat also contains protein, iron, major B vitamins, including folic acid, soluble and insoluble fiber, and other trace minerals. As you can see, whole wheat is packed with nutrients. In case you don't know how these nutrients work to enhance health and well being, let's review.

Protein works to build and repair bodily tissue and is essential for the production of hormones.

A kernel of wheat is a natural powerhouse of energy. People of all ages and athletic abilities should rely on complex carbohydrates for their main source of fuel. If it's optimal health you're after, a variety of complex carbs in your diet is an essential part of getting there.

Wheat, or for that matter, any one food, won't make you fat. Too many calories and too little activity will.

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Stephenie Karony is a certified health
and fitness instructor, a personal trainer and the author of
"Body Shaping with Free Weights." Send questions to her at
P.O. Box 262, Wailuku Hi. Her column appears on Wednesdays.