What is the BEST exercise during pregnancy (or any other time of your life)?

What is the best way to have a healthy pregnancy? EXERCISE!!

What is the best way to stay young? EXERCISE!! 

When I was pregnant, I had a massage therapist tell me that the best form of exercise for me to do during pregnancy was to walk. True, walking is a really good form of exercise during pregnancy because of how it gets the pelvis to move and the baby to move inside the pelvis. For me, walking was the WORST form of exercise during my pregnancy. Why? Because I hated it. I dreaded doing it and it was not comfortable for me, which meant that I was not going to do it (aka the worst form of exercise).

What is the best form of exercise during pregnancy or any other time in your life? The exercise that you LOVE doing, or at least do not hate doing.

I loved swimming and spin classes when I was pregnant so those were the best exercises for me. Yes, sitting on a small bike seat is not the most ideal for your pelvic floor during pregnancy, but it was the form of exercise that got my heart rate up and my endorphins going so that was the best form for both me and my baby. Knowing that it was not the best for my pelvic floor, I would do certain stretches after biking to allow my body to still be ready for a vaginal delivery.

FACT: You are not going to be able to do something consistently if you do not like doing it. We are human and we will do what we enjoy doing over and over, but forget about things we do not like doing. 

Find a form of exercise/activity you like. It might be as simple as dancing to your favorite song, or walking the dogs, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Whatever it is, make sure it brings you some sort of joy! If you do not think you have an activity you like, contact me and we will find something you enjoy doing.

If there is a form of exercise you love, but you feel like you cannot do it, either because of fear or pain, please, please, please reach out to a physical therapist who can guide you to do that form of exercise safely and without pain.

Exercise is a great way to be able to show up to be the best form of you! It can help you get better sleep, decrease aches and pains, clear your mind, be strong enough to carry your children or to be able to run after them.

Contact me to find the right kind of exercise for you!