The first trimester can be a trying time.
You might be exhausted, throwing up and disgusted by your previous favourite foods.
But if you can muster up enough determination to stay active, it can massively help with your energy levels. It also offers loads of benefits during the rest of the pregnancy, labour and even once the baby is born.
If you want to work out you may be wondering what a safe and healthy pregnancy workout in the first trimester looks like.
Your individual level of activity all depends on how active you were before you got pregnant. But before we look at that, let’s first take a look at the activities you should completely avoid now that you are pregnant.
If you are already further along in your pregnancy, then check out these posts for the details:
And this post is for you if you want to know more about the benefits of exercising during pregnancy AND understand when you shouldn’t exercise:
Exercises to avoid
| Activity to avoid | Reason | Alternative or modification |
| Contact sports | Risk that your belly could be hit or kicked | Choose a non-contact sport |
| Activities with a high risk of falling, such as gymnastics, horse riding, downhill skiing | Risk that the fall could injure you or the baby. Balance during pregnancy is harder due to physiological changes | Choose an activity which doesn’t require balance or a risk of falling |
| Activities involving pressure changes, such as scuba diving or mountain climbing | There is not much scientific research, but the theory is that scuba diving could lead to decompression sickness in the fetus (nitrogen bubbles). High altitudes lead to low oxygen levels – for both you and the baby | Snorkelling Hiking up to around 2,500m (8000 feet) above sea level (but make sure you acclimatize tp the high altitude if you are not used to it) |
| Anything where you get very very hot, such as hot yoga or exercising outside for long periods when it is extremely hot and humid | If your core temperature rises too much it could impact the fetus | Opt for a pregnancy yoga class. Exercise somewhere cool if possible. If it is hot, then reduce the intensity & duration of the exercise and drink plenty of water |
Activity level before pregnancy
How active you were before pregnancy plays a role in the intensity and type of activities you do throughout your pregnancy.
Active before pregnancy
As a regular exerciser before your pregnancy, you can continue with your previous exercise routine in most cases.
If you were used to running and jumping before pregnancy it should be fine to continue, just check in with your doctor first.
Be aware that every pregnancy is different and this is a time to be kind to yourself – if you are feeling exhausted don’t push yourself as hard as you used to. Staying active is great, just don’t overdo it.
Real life tip: ditch the heart monitor for intensity monitoring during pregnancy – there are so many physiological changes going on that it’s not the best way to gauge intensity. Instead use the talk test, or rate of perceived exertion (RPE)
Inactive before pregnancy
If you are new to exercise then start slow: even just 10 minutes at a time 3-5 times each week is a great way to get started.
Build up your routine gradually until you can exercise for 30 minutes 3-5 times a week.
Aim for a rate of perceived exertion of 4 – 5 on the modified RPE scale “moderate to somewhat difficult”.
Non-impact activities such as power-walking, swimming and weight training are good starting points if you were previously inactive.
Not sure where to start and want to start something that you can continue throughout your pregnancy? Check out these options:
- Fitnow – app based workouts specifically for pregnancy (and post-natal) by my good friend and bootcamp partner Amparo.
- Mom In Balance – healthy outdoor group workouts specifically for pregnancy (and post-natal)
- Babyfit by Amy – free YouTube workouts for all trimesters of pregnancy
- Find a qualified pregnancy/prenatal personal trainer near you
Final thoughts on activity level
My main recommendation in the first trimester is just to do what you can.
Nausea, sickness and exhaustion mean it can be tough to maintain your previous routine. Maintaining some level of activity really can help though.
If you feel exhausted and lethargic, the best thing you can do is get outside and get moving. It gets the blood moving around your body and you will feel much better for it.
During my first trimester I would arrive home from a day in the office and then run bootcamp in the evenings. Sometimes I would dread it, as all I wanted to do was collapse on the sofa, but as soon as I was outside and moving around I felt 100 times better and by the time I got home the exhaustion was gone.
Real life tip: if you feel exhausted in the first trimester get outside and move – even just a short walk will make you feel better!
When you shouldn’t exercise
There are some warning signs during exercise that you shouldn’t ignore. And there are some medical conditions which may warrant no exercise at all during pregnancy.
You can find all the details here:
Head over here for tips on exercising during pregnancy and some of the common complaints women experience:
Finally, if you want more information about activity during the later trimesters, then check out these posts:
Conclusion
I’m not going to lie. The first trimester is the hardest time for most women to muster up the energy to exercise. But if you can summon the power to get out there and move you will feel much better for it.
Even if you didn’t exercise pre-pregnancy, starting with a simple exercise routine in the first trimester will set you up perfectly for the rest of the pregnancy.
Do what you can. Something is better than nothing. OK, you might not have the energy to run a marathon right now, but even getting outside for an easy jog or power walk will make you feel better.
How is your first trimester going? Have you been able to continue (or start) exercising?