July 19, 2019

Staying Fit in the Summer While Pregnant

bricawsey Fitness, Pregnancy, Product Review, Workout Gear adidas, baobei, fit pregnancy summer, pregnancy, staying fit in the summer, summer fitness, thyme 2 Comments

Back when we announced we were expecting a baby boy this September, the first thing most moms said to me (after congratulations, of course) was “Oh no, you’re going to be so uncomfortable in the summer”.

I mean, you’re going to be uncomfortable by your third trimester anyway — but since your basal body temperature is running higher and your heart is beating faster as your body works hard to grow a tiny human, you’re much warmer than normal. And also sweatier. Which when combined with the necessary extra maternal fat you gain when pregnant, means uncomfortable chafing pretty much everywhere.

Ugh.

Knowing I wanted to try to continue exercising for as long as possible, I started to read up on pregnancy exercise tips and the best products to try to help make sweating it out in the summer a little more tolerable. Here’s what I discovered — let me know if any of you pregnant or new moms have anything to add!

5 Tips for Staying Fit in the Summer While Pregnant

1. Exercise first thing in the morning or late at night to avoid the heat of the day. If that doesn’t work for your schedule, head to an air-conditioned gym.
2. Keep your workouts short. I only do 15-20 minute workouts now to avoid overheating — I’m also exhausted so that’s about as much as I can do anyway! Even 10 minutes of a few strength training exercises is better than nothing.
3. Try swimming! I have yet to do this but I can imagine how nice it must feel to be weightless in the water. Even just floating around in a lake with a pool noodle counts as gentle exercise.
4. Hit the trails. I’ve been trying to get out at least once on the weekend for a hike with the dogs. Since I’m in the trees, it’s much cooler and can go for about an hour at a slower pace before needing a break. Even though I feel I could still do something a bit more strenuous, I’ve been choosing routes with less elevation and the most tree cover.
5. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. It’s important to have a water bottle handy at all times when pregnant, but especially when you’re exercising and losing water via sweat. The Mayo Clinic recommends pregnant women drink about 10 cups of water per day, but you probably need much more than that when exercising in the summer.

Beside the above tips, here are a few products I found (some I use currently, some I think I probably should use soon) that will make staying fit in the summer while pregnant a little easier.

Body Glide for Her (made with allergen free, plant-derived ingredients) to help with chafing 

A stainless steel water bottle is a must in the summer – my S’well bottle keeps my water cold all day long, even when left in a hot car

The following products I found from adidas would be perfect for a day at the pool or beach — I desperately want a pair of athletic sliders for my hot and swollen feet (I am living in my two pairs of work-appropriate sliders right now), and I feel mmmmmaybe I could pull off a t-shirt crop-top with an over-the-bump bikini bottom, shorts or leggings. I don’t think I’m bold enough to sport a bumps-out bikini, but maybe you are!