Here you’ll find a list of pregnancy workouts and free things you can do to stay active.
I’m going to be honest, working out wasn’t my idea of excitement while I was pregnant. After an eight-hour workday, all I wanted to do was find that place on my sofa that was a little bit sunken in and curl up with a book and a pint of orange sorbet (that’ my jam).
I imagine trying to stay committed to an exercise routine probably would have been easy if I was enrolled in a program with a gym but saving for baby expenses and preparing for unpaid maternity leave was a bigger priority.
Instead of succumbing to my sofa and sorbet dreams, I found other ways to stay active and I attribute that effort to helping me have a low-risk pregnancy and a birth with no medical interventions.
FREE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO STAY ACTIVE WHILE PREGNANT
1. Take the stairs
I worked throughout my pregnancy and I consistently took the stairs instead of the elevator. For me, that was about two flights of stairs; if I worked in a high-rise building on the 12th floor, I probably wouldn’t have been so adamant about stairs. So. evaluate your own situation and do what you can safely.
2. Park near the back of the parking lot
In some places, there are dedicated parking spots near the front of parking areas for women who are expecting. Sometimes, I was tempted to take those spaces but when I was feeling up to the task, I’d park near the back of the parking lot (where people with new cars like to park) and walk to the extra distance to wherever I was headed. Every little bit helps. If I was pregnant in the middle of summer and sweating in all the wrong places, I may just skip this option. So…again, evaluate you own situation, and keep yourself safe and comfortable.
3. Walk the mall
Mall walking is a thing. In many areas, indoor malls are open before the individual shops open and many people (usually older people in my area) walk around the lower-level and top-level floors for exercise. It’s brilliant because the malls are air-conditioned, surveillanced, and not isolated. If you have a mall near-by your work or home, you can stop before or after work for a few laps.
4. Walk the neighborhood
Walking the neighborhood may seem like the most obvious thing to do to get some exercise because it is. If you feel comfortable walking your own neighborhood you could choose to walk early in the morning or in the evening. It’s your chance to check out your neighborhood (be nosey) and get back to your shower quickly after a brisk walk.
5. Watch videos on YouTube
Our phones, laptops, and computers are useful for helping us watch all kinds of content. Duh – you know this but when it comes to exercise so many of us forget that websites like YouTube is for more than just beauty tips and get ready with me (grwm) videos. Find some realistic pregnancy workout videos on da Tube, run them by your trusted birth worker and/or health professional(s) before you begin and boom! Free pregnancy fitness lives in your pocket. The best part of working out with YouTube videos is that you can do at home in your living room.
Keep scrolling for a list of pregnancy workout videos on YouTube.
**Please get the okay from a trusted birth worker/healthcare professional before beginning any exercise routine. Also, be very cautious about doing any exercises at any time during pregnancy to avoid unnecessary injuries.
5 PREGNANCY WORKOUT VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE
1. 25 Minute Prenatal Bodyweight Workout
Skip the annoying music and overly bubbly chit chat with this realistic pregnancy workout video by mom (Certified Personal Trainer / Pre + Post-Natal ) and daughter (25 weeks pregnant) team. It’s 25 minutes, realistic, and offers easy to follow instructions for each rep.
2. Pregnancy Workout {Butt & Legs} Bump It Up
I was more worried about my breast ‘falling’ than my booty while I was pregnant but this workout by the ladies of Tone It Up is low-intensity and not complicated. The conversation is cheesy but the view is beautiful. Stretch bands and weights are used in this prenatal workout but these items are not necessary to follow along.
3. Prenatal Yoga {Low-Intensity}
When I couldn’t sleep during pregnancy, I found myself following along with this low-intensity prenatal yoga video. It didn’t get my heartbeat up but I appreciate the slow pace and the attention to breathing intentionally. It’s a dated video but I found it to be soothing and helpful even though I didn’t do yoga consistently before getting pregnant.
4. Prenatal Cardio Dance Workout
If slow and soothing isn’t your prenatal workout speed, this living room pregnancy workout may be what you need. It’s upbeat and requires no equipment. If you start to feel like you are dancing instead of exercising – go you! This workout reminds me that being active doesn’t need to be boring and we all have a preference. Find what works for you. You may find what you like each trimester changes.
5. 10-Minute Prenatal Upper Body Tabata
Short and sweet is how many pregnant mamas like their workouts and if that’s you, you’ll like this one. You’ll need some weights to get the full experience of this workout but it’s a Tabata which means well-spaced breaks! My postnatal exercise routine included lots of Tabata routines and they offer a ‘burning’ that leads to results.
That’s it. I didn’t pay a thing for my pregnancy workouts because I used many of the free resources available to me and watched YouTube videos. You can do the same or if you know that an in-person class would work better for you, make space for that too. There is no right and wrong, just stay active and be safe.
Do you have any free prenatal workout you enjoyed? Share them below.
