Essay On Regular Exercise

Regular exercise is recommended and encouraged for overall health benefits such as great physical activity, weight control, improves strength of muscles and bones, and even improves mental health. During pregnancy it is important to maintain good activity, although it is not recommended to do any strenuous exercise like lifting very heavy weights or running marathons without having been active before pregnancy. There are recommended work out routines and exercises that can be done to diminish complications at birth like major weight gain, back pains, it makes labor easier, and it prevents gestational diabetes. Exercising during pregnancy can also make it easier to regain physical fitness after birth and it makes it easier to return to pre-pregnancy

Many fear that weightlifting during pregnancy will be harmful to the patient, but in a study done by Dr. Kauffman (1987) it was discovered that weightlifting with low volume weights and higher repetitions maintained good muscular endurance for the patient without harming the fetus. Lifting heavy weights can potentially diminish the blood flow to the placenta. It is recommended that pregnant women do not exceed a workout of 45 minutes because it can be too strenuous, but it is possible to propose a extended workout if the right measures are taken, such as proper hydration and thermoregulation (ACSM). A good workout program would consist of 20-25minutes of cardio (walking, jogging, and swimming) and 15-25minutes of strength training (arms, legs, back) with low volume weights or no weights at all and high repetitions. If there aren’t any complications in the pregnancy, pregnant women can exercise 3-5 days a week, just like non-pregnant women. If the patient had a sedentary life before pregnancy it is still possible for them to achieve a good physical activity as long as they increase the activity gradually instead of starting an exercise program that they’ve never practiced before spontaneously with no prior preparation. Women who had a very active physical training before pregnancy should be able to continue their program as long as the right precautions are taken and

The average recuperation period after giving birth is 4-6 weeks, or as medically advised. Some women are capable of regaining activity only days after birth, it varies from one person to another. There are no studies that say that exercising or reengaging in physical activity right after birth will harm the mother, but activity should still be steady to avoid injuries (Hale, 1996). The return to activity should be gradual since the body is still healing and returning to its original state. Gradual changes in activity after birth should be like those of a pregnant woman starting physical activity for the first time. A work out consisting of stretches is ideal to exercise the muscles and to begin loosing up the body and allow it to recover. A low- intensity cardio workout (6-%-70% heart rate) such as walking or jogging for 15-25 mins followed by strength training (if capable of doing the exercises without pain and if there are no complications) would be the next step. Kegel exercises are important at this stage because many women lose strength in the pelvic are and these exercise targets the pelvic floor and it gives it the strengthening it needs to return to its normal state prior to