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Shape Pregnancy

By Jaime Saunders

Lately I've seen tons of articles about getting in shape before pregnancy and getting back in shape after pregnancy. But that's not what I wanted to know. After reading through hundreds of Internet search engine listings, I finally found ONE article on staying in shape during pregnancy.

Sure, I read about pregnancy exercising and the benefits you can get from it, but the main focus of these articles was on safe cardio exercises during pregnancy. Cool! I needed to know that! But I couldn't get away from the fact that shaping exercises are just as important during pregnancy as they are before and after!

I'm not talking about crunches, sit-ups and all the other hard-core "six-pack abs" exercises; it would silly to think that a pregnant woman could keep her abs flat with an eight-pounds-plus of baby-in-a-bag inside her belly! No, I'm talking about exercises that keep not only your abdominal muscles toned for a head start on post-pregnancy getting back in shape, but also to tone and strengthen your arms, legs, back and pelvic muscles during your pregnancy!

Look at it this way: If you blow up a round balloon to close to its air capacity, wait a bit and then let the air out of it, it won't return to its original state when it's completely deflated. It will be stretched thin, with its outline and body warped and rippled. Get another balloon and blow it up to half-capacity, wait the same amount of time as for the first balloon, and then deflate it. It will be somewhat stretched, but not nearly as much as the first balloon. By the way, the first balloon is a woman who doesn't exercise, and the second is, hopefully, you!

If your body is as toned as your pregnancy will safely allow, there will be less work to do after pregnancy, especially if you've followed a healthy pregnancy diet plan and gained only as much weight as you needed. A big bonus is that strong, flexible muscles will help you through labor and delivery, allowing them to stretch and contract more easily. With more elasticity, your muscles will more easily recover from the rigors of pregnancy. Strengthening your pelvic floor muscles will also help prevent bladder leaks and hemorrhoids.

Drink plenty of water before and during any kind of exercise, even if you don't feel thirsty. Lack of thirst isn't a reliable indicator of dehydration. Dehydration decreases blood plasma and blood flow, making your heart work harder to deliver oxygen and nutrients to your muscles. Dehydrated muscles are weaker and less elastic, and more prone to cramping because of low potassium levels. Drinking plenty of water prevents dehydration and regulates your body temperature so you don't get overheated, which is especially important during your first trimester!

While you're pregnant, you can use many of the same toning techniques as other women. Just take it slowly, don't stretch you muscles beyond the slightly uncomfortable stage, especially the muscles around your knees, and hold stretches no longer than 20 seconds. Again, check with your doctor before starting any pregnancy exercise routine.

Keep it slow, keep it gentle and you'll stay healthy and fit!

Staying healthy during your pregnancy isn't as difficult as it may seem. You really can have a healthy pregnancy without pounds! You can look and feel better, have less stressful labor and delivery, and a quicker recovery time, with better muscle tone and less weight to lose after your baby is born! So get, and stay, healthy! I promise you won't regret it! Want to know the exact steps that will accomplish these goals?

Click Here To Access Your Step-By-Step Fit Pregnancy Guide.

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