Some of you know that I avoided working out for the first half of my pregnancy. This was largely an emotionally-driven decision, born out of fear and a lack of self-confidence (my baby just felt so fragile in there! And how would I even know if I’m pushing myself too hard in the gym??) as well as, I believe, a healthy level of caution (1 in 4 pregnancies do not make it to term; pregnancy losses tend to happen during the first trimester, and are typically either the inevitable result of a chromosomal abnormality or sometimes are just a sad, sad mystery).
Luckily for me, fitness trainer and the owner of Fit180, Julie Hoang Clayton (the hottie photographed with me above who, incidentally, gained 80 pounds during each of her two pregnancies and was then able to bounce back into the best shape of her life) truly cares about her clients. She respected my decision to take a break, but would intermittently check in with me to see if I was ready to return back to the gym. She gently reminded me of the common benefits of keeping fit while pregnant (a substantially faster recovery from birth, gives you a much-needed energy boost, can reduce swelling and back aches, and more). At around 20 weeks– and after grilling poor Julie on the prenatal certifications of her various trainers– I made my way back to Fit180.
I am so glad that I did. I was immediately put at ease because the trainers at Fit180 are super experienced and vigilant. They clearly had a solid handle on the ins and outs of pregnancy fitness- for example– watching my heart rate and fatigue level, making sure that we did not incorporate any “crunching” or activities where I would be flat on my back, monitoring my water and calorie intake, and more. I felt totally safe. I immediately felt that I had increased energy, I felt better about my changing body, and honestly… It was just good to get out there and do something FOR MYSELF while pregnant. Most of my time not spent working has been spent fixing up the nursery for baby, reading books on how to care for baby, basically obsessing over baby… And going to the gym a couple of times per week felt like a radical and much-needed act of self-care.
If you are currently pregnant or thinking about getting pregnant, I urge you to look into personal training. In my opinion, it is the safest way to keep up with your fitness at this delicate and important phase of life. I also view it as an invaluable investment in your health.
If you are located in Dallas, I feel comfortable putting my name and my full support behind Fit180 and their trainers. They got me fit for my wedding the right way, and now they are preparing me for the most miraculous and physically challenging experience of my entire life to date. They do offer free consultations at whichever location is most convenient to you, so, preggo or not, sign up for yours here. You don’t have anything to lose by learning more about yourself and how you might achieve your fitness goals!
