Prenatal Workouts

I have always enjoyed running outdoors.  It's my workout of choice. There's something almost relaxing about being lost in my own thoughts while breathing the fresh air and getting in a great workout. There's a since of accomplishment achieved after a great run..something that can't be duplicated on a treadmill.

I gave up  running at 3 1/2 months pregnant.  Oregon City is full of hills and we live on top of one.  These hills are great for Hood to Coast training but not so good for a pregnant woman carrying extra weight and limited internal space. It became frustrating to me when the hills took my breath away and I didn't feel the sense of accomplishment after each run so early in my pregnancy. So, I boxed up my running shoes for the time being.

For awhile there, I wasn't sure what I was going to do for exercise during this time.  We no longer have a gym membership because the gym we belonged to in Oregon City went out of business last summer.

After a little research, I ordered a pregnancy yoga workout video and loved it! I didn't realize how inflexible I was until I started doing yoga (the last time I did yoga was back in college!).  My flexibility is improving, it has done wonders for my back and it's suppose to be really good for preparing for labor.  I have worked in a 30 minute yoga session into my morning scheduled 3 times each week.

Now that I am in a good morning routine with yoga, I recently decided I need to work in a weight routine into my schedule as well.  I have always had fairly strong legs and core with absolutely no upper body strength! So, I think it's time to start preparing these arms to lug around a baby and car seat :o)

This morning I kicked off my weights routine with a chest and bicep workout and actually really enjoyed it! So, I now hope to alternate yoga and lifting.