Workout Question

[Flair Underwood]

Alright ladies, when working out what are you watching for or paying attention to as your stopping point?

Heart rate? Breathing? How you feel in general?

I'm still trying to find the balance between being bored and being done. Thanks!

[origamimommy]

Breathing and RLP mostly.

[frecklesnbrains]

Oh you're reminding me that I've been distracted today and need to post a weekly fitness check-in! Maybe tomorrow, but in the meantime here's my take on your questions:

I think I read once that you should aim for a HR under 140 but I don't think that's based on any solid evidence and I don't have a HR monitor so I've never bothered paying attention to that. In general when I work out (pre-pregnancy) I've always used breathing as my cue that I'm over-doing it - push myself to a point where I'm breathing hard but steady for a good 30 minutes. That worked for me in pregnancy up until the past week or so, when pelvic discomfort has been the main thing making me stop. I'm assuming is pelvic girdle dysfunction/SPD. I've been doing some research into exercises to help with this.

I totally understand your dilemma of "being bored vs. being done" and I don't have a solution for it yet. I'm actually very frustrated. I can walk for hours but I find it tedious and unsatisfying. I crave that endorphin rush that comes from a more intense work-out. Right now I've been doing some research into pelvic girdle strengthening exercises and using a belly support band to try to help the situation and prolong the period of time where I can do a more intense work-out.

And if I can only walk then I'm going to have to find a way to go some place with beautiful mountains, because I never get bored if I'm hiking in beautiful places

[twobananas]

In general I listen to my body, if I feel good, I try for a harder workout, if I need to stop and rest, I do. With so many changes going on each day you may feel totally different with each workout.

So far my hips and knees feel okay but that's my stopping point for running in previous pregnancies.. My joints get so loose it feels like each step I over extend my knees or my hips. Also, around the same time I've fallen while running with both pregnancies, so at that point I change to walk/running (plan on walks with little runs during it depending on how I feel).

I also do prenatal yoga which is amazing and really good on your hips for labor. And if you can, find a pool! That's something you can do up to labor and can get some pretty hard workouts in while still feeling like you're being safe. Now that I have two kids and it's winter I don't think I'll be swimming much, but it was one of my favorite things to do in past pregnancies.

[carriebradshaw]

frecklesnbrains, would you mind sharing the exercises you've found that help with pelvic pain?
That has been my biggest frustration and is when I have to turn my run into a walk... It usually goes away for the last mile so I think it is a warm up issue, I'm just not sure how to stretch out that area (cue dirty joke here..

[frecklesnbrains]

carriebradshaw, I just googled "pelvic girdle exercises". I've only tried a few of the exercises but haven't been consistent enough to know if it will be helpful yet. Of course every site recommends kegels. And I am exactly the same way with the "warm up" issue. The discomfort seems to either go away half way through my jog or get bad enough that I have to stop and switch to walking. Here are some of the sites I found:

mutusystem.com/exercise-for-symphysis-pubis-dysfunction-spd-or-pelvic-girdle-pain-pgp-i-pregnancy-how-exercise-can-help

birthbliss.wordpress.com/2013/04/08/yoga-poses-and-exercises-to-help-ease-pain-from-pubic-symphysis-dysfunction/

[babyzebra]

I have this same question about lounging on the couch. How do you know when you've been laying around for too long? What if your butt starts going numb from sitting on one place for too long? What if you have to get up to pee?? What if your heart rate gets low due to lack of activity?

/unhelpful

[babyzebra]

My real answer for when I exercised during my first pregnancy was that I based it on how I felt as well as getting Braxton hicks contractions. I started getting them around 18 or 19 weeks and it made me super nervous and so I really dialed down the exercised when that started happening.

[Flair Underwood]

Thanks guys - sorry to post and run last night!

Every since my first ob app't when the midwife talked about the 140 heart rate, i've been kind of using that as a guide. But I feel like my heart rate hits 140 SO easily. Harumph.

I quit running about 5 weeks ago, but started having some serious tightness across my lower abdomen on the arc trainer too. I ended last night just incline walking on the treadmill. Booring

[mymilkshake]

I have a heart rate monitor so I do wear it. I aim to keep my heart rate at around 155. I noticed that even at 155 I was still running slow and could speak in sentences. I feel like my heart rate definitely rises more easily now. However I'm not running anymore either because I had either groin soreness and pelvic or pubic bone discomfort. So I stopped. I do the elliptical now and I feel like I can get a decent workout on it with my heart rate under 150.
I also do pregnancy Pilates. It's simples and fairly easy. I'm used to doing HITT workouts prior to being pregnant so it's quite the change. But I think it's good to keep some muscle and stretch.

[mymilkshake]

Jan 12, 2016 13:17:52 GMT -5 Flair Underwood said:

Thanks guys - sorry to post and run last night!

Every since my first ob app't when the midwife talked about the 140 heart rate, i've been kind of using that as a guide. But I feel like my heart rate hits 140 SO easily. Harumph.

I quit running about 5 weeks ago, but started having some serious tightness across my lower abdomen on the arc trainer too. I ended last night just incline walking on the treadmill. Booring

I forgot, I kept getting a weird tightness in my lower abdomen too! It made me nervous so I stopped. It may of had to do with needing to pee! I noticed every time I stared I felt like I needed to go the bathroom, even if I made sure to go right before I left!

[sandandsea]

So, I can't answer for this PG, but last time, I knew I was done when I started getting dizzy doing my normal exercises. I was doing weights and cardio at the time and had been for a long time before getting PG. About halfway through the PG, I started getting really dizzy after just a couple of minutes doing either, so that's when I had to fade it out. Unfortunately, I haven't found time to pick it up since!

[frecklesnbrains]

I always, always feel like I need to pee when running, even when my bladder is empty. I know it's just irritation/pressure so I've taught myself to ignore it because I know I won't accidentally pee my pants (haven't yet!)

[virginiaorjohn]

Wait, Flair Underwood do you mean when to stop exercising that day or when to stop exercising at all for this pregnancy??

As for HR, I read extensively online that the 140 ceiling is sort of outdated, just a random number they picked out of the air. If you can still hold a conversation, you're supposed to be okay. Also, Dr. Google said our resting heart rates are higher during pregnancy (more blood to move around I think?) so I would assume it makes sense for our exercise HR to climb more easily as well...

I've just been easing back into my bootcamp routine -- I'm waking instead of running, and doing some exercises modified (no supermans on my stomach anymore, no deadlifts with weights). I would say if you're bored, switch it up to a class or a DVD or whatever you can find. I've heard really good things about the Tracy Anderson Pregnancy Project DVDs.

[Flair Underwood]

virginiaorjohn, just during that moment/day. I want to remain as physically active as possible between now and d-day (and really worried about hating my body).