How to Stay in Shape While Pregnant - 3 Tips

Trying to stay in shape while pregnant is no mean feat, and until recently had been considered somewhat taboo.

However, with the press coverage of many celebrity moms and moms-to-be like Britney Spears, Ashlee Simpson, Halle Berry and Angelina Jolie showing off their in-shape bodies, many women would like to discover what the secret is on how to stay in shape while pregnant.

Now, I don't want to dwell on these celebrity moms, 'cos let's not forget that they are surrounded by some of the most highly paid personal trainers, nutritionists, doctors and the like, who make their money from keeping these women in tip top shape - basically their career depends on helping them to stay in shape while pregnant. So comparing yourself to them is not the way to start.

However, there are some simple steps that you can follow to help you to stay in shape while pregnant, making you and your baby healthier, and having an easier labour and delivery. Below, I've highlighted the top 3 things you can do to stay in shape while pregnant.

1. Control Your Cravings

Controlling your cravings is one of the most important things you'll need to do if you're looking to stay in shape while pregnant.

Pregnancy cravings are perfectly natural as your hormones are going haywire, and your body is telling you it needs certain foods. However, unbridled eating and submission to those cravings is one of the main reasons for excessive weight gain during pregnancy.

Choosing foods that have a low Glycemic Index (GI), like oatmeal will give you a slow and sustained energy release throughout the day, as opposed to sugary foods like chocolate that give quick bursts of energy and then trail off quickly, giving you that tell-tale emotional "drop" that always accompanies high-glucose, high-fat foods.

Try substituting some of the high GI, high fat foods for others that are lower on the scale. For example, eating a cold fruit smoothie or non-fat frozen yogurt instead of ice-cream; whole grains breads with a little jam instead of doughnuts and pastries...things like that.

Eating good regular meals will help you to avoid unnecessary snacking which often contributes to consuming high sugar foods, and making it more difficult to stay in shape while pregnant.

Feel free to indulge sometimes though, your baby needs it. And pregnancy is about the best excuse you'll ever get! ;)

2. Diet = Bad....Eat More = Good!

If you only take one piece of information away from this article, let it be this...Pregnancy is NOT the time to be dieting. Going on specific diets in order to stay in shape while pregnant is dangerous and can harm your baby's health as well as your own. Most diets were never designed to be used during pregnancy, so please avoid using them.

However, there are some things you can do concerning what you eat and when you eat it, that can help you to stay in shape while pregnant.

We've already discussed the importance of controlling your cravings, but did you know that eating more regularly can be more beneficial to you than eating less when trying to stay in shape while pregnant?

Snacking is probably the single biggest reason for excessive weight gain during pregnancy, so how can you beat it? Try eating smaller meals more regularly.

You see, the traditional 3 meals a day works well in theory, but as you know, with such hectic lifestyles these days the practice is very different. If you miss one of those meals, let's say lunch, you are now going several hours without eating...at which point the snacking begins.

Start your day with a good healthy breakfast that will set you up for the rest of the day. Make sure you eat a good lunch and dinner, but slightly smaller portions than normal. In between the 3 meals you can set designated times to have another "meal" - not really a full cooked meal as such, but something like a banana, small salad, pasta...stuff like that. This should help you to stay in shape while pregnant without the need for dangerous diets.

3. Exercise

Beyond making better food choices, getting regular exercise will help you to stay in shape while pregnant.

The amount of exercise you should be doing while pregnant depends on your situation and whether you were particularly active before your pregnancy. Therefore I recommend you consult your doctor before going straight out and busting your tail in the gym or something.

Types of exercises for pregnant women vary, but there is general agreement that stomach crunches and sit-ups are at best risky, and at worst dangerous, and should not be performed. As are any exercises that require you to lie on your front or put pressure on your belly.

Swimming is excellent and there are many pools with classes that cater for pregnant women. Yoga can also be performed which will help you to relax and relieve the back pains that are common while pregnant. Again, make sure you find a qualified Yoga instructor that specialises in pregnant women.