M YTHS ABOUT P OST - NATAL FITNESS Tips to help you reach your health and fitness goals Pamela Brown, MA, PRCS, CSCS.

MYTHS ABOUT POST-NATAL FITNESS

Tips to help you reach your health and fitness goals

Pamela Brown, MA, PRCS, CSCS

IMPORTANCE OF EXERCISE AFTER PREGNANCY

Increased hip, low back, and pelvis stability Decrease in muscle imbalances Enhanced ability to do ADLs Increased ability to return to pre-baby weight

quicker Re-train overstretched abdominal and upper

back muscles Better posture

Decreases severity of rounded shoulders and hyperxtended lower back

IMPORTANCE OF EXERCISE AFTER PREGNANCY

Maintain or increase muscle strength and endurance

Offset effects of ligamentous laxity Recovery from diastasis recti Stress management and relaxation Enhances psychological well-being and self-

confidence in body image Prepares body for stooping, lifting, and

holding

AFTER BABY ARRIVES

May feel guilty about leaving baby to exercise

Baby’s needs ahead of your own Learn to love your after-baby body Recovering from physically demanding labor Risk of postpartum depression Increased stress levels due to lack of sleep

and increased demand Some concern about getting pre-baby body

back Few misconceptions concerning this

MYTH #1

The pregnancy belly will disappear soon after the baby is born Depends on genetics. Swelling of abdomen

decreases to non-pregnancy state, uterus returns to regular size, but pooch that is left is a result of added weight, overstretched muscles, and droopy skin.

MYTH #2

My abs will never be flat again. It is possible to tighten your muscles back up

with the right exercises and patience.

MYTH #3

Nursing moms should not work out Moderate physical activity is recommended for

everyone. It is safe to exercise unless your doctor doesn’t recommend it. There is a small chance that vigorous physical activity could cause lactic acid build-up in breast milk, however, feeding your baby or pumping milk before you workout can remedy that.

Stay properly hydrated.

MYTH #4

Chasing after kids and housework are strenuous enough. You become used to these activities overtime,

which means that it isn’t enough of a stimulus eventually. In other words your cardiovascular fitness, bone integrity, joint stability and muscle strength doesn’t improve. Exercising 3-5 days per week with a combination of strength, cardio, and flexibility exercise will help you to burn calories, increase metabolism, and better perform your motherly duties.

MYTH #5

Resuming exercise after Casarean delivery is not advised. Walking as soon as possible after C-section

reduces muscle wasting, increases circulation, and speeds the healing process. As soon as your doctor clears you, it is okay to do gentle range-of-motion, deep breathing, abdominal compression, and Kegel exercises to rehabilitate from the surgery.

Most incisions these days don’t cut the abdominal muscles.

MYTH #6

Exercising means being away from your baby. Strengthening and cardiovascular exercises can

be performed with baby in tow, either using a tote, stroller, or using your baby for resistance. Exercising with baby increases mother-baby bond while allowing you to increase fitness levels.

MYTH #7

I will have time to lose the baby weight later. If you have not returned to your pre-pregnancy

weight after 6 months, you will more than likely retain the extra weight. There’s no time like the present. It takes patience, planning, and support from family and friends.

MYTH #8

I can actively begin to lose weight immediately after I have my baby. The first 6-8 weeks should be used as a time to

rehabilitate and recover from labor and delivery and taking care of your newborn. Strenuous exercise is not advised during this time as you can injure yourself further. After your doctor releases you for more strenuous exercise, it is important to progress gradually.

MYTH #9

Gestational diabetes will disappear soon after delivery. Not always. When it doesn’t you’re usually

diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. If it goes away your risk of developing Type 2

diabetes later in life increases. Proper nutrition and exercise is important in preventing diabetes onset.

MYTH #10

If I eat right (without exercise), I’ll lose my baby weight. It is true that you can lose weight with just

eating right, however results are tripled when you eat right and exercise.

Exercise burns calories and boosts metabolism; proper nutrition keeps the weight off and fuels your body for critical job demands

MYTH #11

Cardio is enough to keep my body fat levels down and in shape. In addition to cardio, it is recommended to do 2-3

strength training workouts per week. The more muscle you have, the less fat you will have.

Muscle is also needed to “shape” your body.

MYTH #12

Using light weights will keep me from bulking up and tone my muscles. Not exactly. Light weight doesn’t stimulate

muscle enough to grow or stick around. In short, you end up with a “soft” physique.

Heavier weight, when eating proper amount of calories, prevents you from bulking up while at the same time sculpting your body and giving you a “tight” physique.

MYTH #13

I need to do 20 minutes of low-intensity cardio to burn fat. At 20 minutes of low-intensity (steady-state)

cardio, you may be burning 50% fat and 50% carb.

You may burn a higher percentage of fat at lower intensities, but you burn more fat calories and total calories overall when doing higher intensity exercise.

Low-intensity exercise boosts metabolism only during workout; higher intensity exercises keeps metabolism revved for hours after which increases calorie burn.

MYTH #14

I can do body-part training to lose weight and sculpt. In everyday living, you use multiple muscle

groups to perform actions (picking your baby up from the floor, carrying and holding baby, picking up things from floor while carrying and holding baby)

Train body the way you use it everyday Responds better; teaches muscles to work

together (injury prevention) Increases calorie burn (more bang for your buck

exercises)

JUST FOR YOU…

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QUESTIONS? COMMENTS?

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