6 reasons to exercise while pregnant

We all know all to well that exercise is essential, but many of us tend to do silly diets to keep our weight under control instead of getting hot and sweaty and working on our general fitness, we do exercise videos for a few weeks and then get bored, we know its wrong but we still do it.

When you become pregnant is not the time to embark on a rigorous new fitness drive that is best done before you conceive so that you are as fit as you can be for the pregnancy, if you haven’t managed it and lets be honest most of us won't, its not too late. Exercise no matter how little is important during pregnancy you need to keep you body mobile and as healthy as possible.

If you are not convinced we thought we would give you some of the reason why it’s good for you and then leave the decision as to what you do to you.

Exercise can help you:

1. Get a glow - look better, it increases the blood flow to your skin, giving you a healthy glow
2. Ease back pain - relieve backaches, and improve your posture by strengthening and toning muscles in your back, bottom, and thighs.
3. Go to loo - reduce constipation, by accelerating movement in your intestine
   
4. Have more energy - boost energy level, during pregnancy you may feel tired but exercise as mad as it sound helps as it makes your body release endorphins
   
5. Sleep better - get a better nights sleep, by relieving the stress and anxiety
   prepare you and your body for birth, Strong muscles and a fit heart can greatly ease labour and delivery.
   
6. Get your body back - regain your pre- pregnancy body more quickly, if you exercise you will put on less weight during your pregnancy, remember weight gain is normal and essential but it can be controlled by exercise and healthy eating. Pregnancy is not a time to try to loose weight the aim is to maintain a health increase and to retain a good level of fitness.
   

If you are convinced then the first thing to do when you are pregnant and considering what exercises that you can and cant do is get advice from your G.P. or midwife. There are many reasons why a doctor would suggest that you do not take on a rigorous exercise but on the whole with their approval gentle exercise is OK, for some woman given their medical history it is not a good idea that they exercise so it is really important that you talk it over before you undertake an exercise program.