Training for Two (while pregnant)

Contestant #2 here. As a preface, I will disclose that I've had a relatively easy (knock on wood) pregnancy that has allowed me to stay active. Please consult your medical team before undertaking any fitness routine during pregnancy.

I've always been an extremely active and fit person, so when I found out we were expecting, I knew I'd have to adjust both my expectations and my actual fitness routine. Pre-pregnancy I was working out 5-6 days per week, but I've reduced that to 3-4 days per week, depending on how I feel. My goal for my pregnancy has been to stay active and do what I can for as long as I can, adjusting my regimen as I've gotten bigger.

When we competed in our first triathlon last summer, I was pregnant at the time and I didn't know it. The major upside is that I had the spent the summer getting into some of the best shape of my life, which has clearly served me well during my pregnancy.

In the first trimester, fortunately I avoided the dreaded morning sickeness, but I faced extreme fatigue - like I had hit a brick wall, particularly at night. I tend to be a morning exerciser anyway, which was great because I found myself low in energy at the end of a work day. During this time, I continued with my normal workout schedule as best I could, but I immediately began to cut back my intensity and the number of days I worked out. In addition, I began to monitor my heart rate more closely so that I didn't over-exert myself. Most websites and books tell you to stay around 140 beats a minute. In the beginning I found that to be a challenge since I was used to pushing myself in my workouts.

From a triathlon perspective, I opted to not participate in anymore races, mainly because I was a bit uneasy about being on the bike. Don't get me wrong, I've read about women participating in races while pregnant, so it can be done, but that's a personal decision. However, swimming and running caused no problems.

Once my second trimester came around, my energy returned. I felt really good during this time. Of course I also had an ever expanding belly. Over Thanksgiving, when I was around 20 weeks, I worked out with a trainer who is certified in prenatal fitness. She gave me a great weight lifting routine that is easily modifiable as you get bigger. I still wanted to weight lift 2 days a week in order to keep my strength and bone density up. I stopped running and started walking instead, mostly because I began to feel pressure from the extra weight. I am also quite fortunate in that the instructor of the sports conditioning class I take was willing to work with me and find alternatives so I can still attend class. The biggest thing I had to modify starting this trimester was my ab work. Instead of doing full sit ups and planks, I adopted a modified style for both.

Now I'm just into my third trimester. The best thing about triathlon training is that it introduced me to distance swimming, which is a great prenatal exercise. Believe me, as I write I'm 29 weeks along and a half hour of buoyancy goes a long way! I truly appreciate how easy it is on the body, but still yields a satisfying workout. I'm also still walking, using the arc machine, riding the stationary bike, and lifting weights. I'm hoping to take some pre-natal yoga classes soon that will help me with labor.

The reality of being pregnant is that your body lets you know, very early on, that change is necessary. I think this is a blessing for those women who can't fathom taking off more than 1 day a week from their fitness routine. It forces you to listen, very closely, to what your body is telling you. And once our baby is born, this will serve me well as I recover.