You\u2019ve just announced your pregnancy and your great aunt insists you stop going to the gym because exercise is bad for you now. Smile and nod politely. And then put on your gym gear because there are a number of benefits to exercising during your pregnancy (unless your doctor advises you not to, of course!).<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s take a look at some of the awesome benefits of exercise during a pregnancy.<\/p>\n
1.\u00a0Your weight gain won’t be excessive<\/strong><\/p>\n It’s totally normal for a pregnant woman to gain weight during her pregnancy – in fact, you’re expected to gain between 11kg and 15kg. “Usually a woman gains between 500g and 2kg in the first trimester, and around 500g for ever week thereafter, with a little more towards the end of pregnancy,” says L\u00e9anda C Retief in an article entitled What you need to know about pregnancy weight gain.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n But too much weight gain is bad news for you and your baby! You’re more likely to develop gestational diabetes and to suffer complications during the delivery. And you place your baby’s health at risk too.<\/p>\n Plus, losing 13kg of pregnancy weight is easier than losing, say, 20kg…<\/p>\n 2.\u00a0You avoid dangerous diseases Regular exercise helps to keep both of these conditions at bay.<\/p>\n 3.\u00a0You manage pregnancy aches, pains and discomforts better<\/strong><\/p>\n Most pregnant women suffer from back pain, a range of aches, fluid retention and constipation (if not all of them!).<\/p>\n Regular exercise can reduce the severity of these symptoms, helping to flush out excess fluids, keep joints mobile but strong, and maintain core strength.<\/p>\n Plus, it releases endorphins, which make you feel better (goodbye preggy blues!) and also boost your immune system.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>
\nGestational diabetes and preeclampsia are two common conditions that affect pregnant women, making their pregnancies risky (and stressful!):<\/p>\n\n