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Expert Q&A

	By April Underwood Fitness Consultant Playa del Rey, California

My husband and I have found out that we are pregnant. I amcurrently a little over seven weeks. I have been training/workingout for at least 15 years. My program includes cardio work as wellas weight training. My weight training is done on Nautilus machinesand not using free weights. I have heard that because weighttraining is not an aerobic exercise, I shouldn't do it. Do you haveany information on how weight training could affect our baby? Am Iable to continue weight training at a lower weight/higher reps?

As long as you have your doctors' approval, there is nothing wrongwith continuing your weight training routine throughout yourpregnancy. It's actually encouraged. However, your workout goalschange. Now your goal is to maintain fitness rather than improvefitness. Which means you continue your regular program, but it'ssafer not to work at routinely increasing the weight that you lift.Your body is already working very hard to support the growth ofanother human being within your womb. Allow your body to do that,yet "maintain" your current strength levels so that you have aneasier labor, and a faster recovery. Also, some of the lateststudies have shown that babies of mothers who workout regularlywithstand the trauma of labor better.

Some simple guidelines: Stay well hydrated, eat up to an extra 300 caloriesper day to compensate for the calories you burn off during exercise(pregnancy is not a time to go into calorie deficit), don't getoverheated, avoid holding your breath during any exercise, and aboveall, listen to your body. What feels great today may feel awkwardand uncomfortable, or even hurt tomorrow. Make the proper adjustmentthat your body and your growing baby need.

It's fine that you workout with lower rates and higher reps, but you maycompromise your current muscle mass. Just maintain the weights you nowlift, assuming that you're not training for the next Ms. Olympia, andgradually increase your repetitions from there. Just stay comfortable,happy and strong.

Good luck,

April

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