Struggling with not working out in early pregnancy

[hibernos]

I’m exactly 8+0 today and I’m not doing well mentally with being so nauseous and exhausted. Before pregnancy, I was in the gym 6 days a week. Now, I’m lucky if I go on a walk after work. I struggled with severe nausea and vomiting but began unisom + vitamin b6 and that’s helped with vomiting, but not nausea.

I do have a very active job, but I haven’t been able to lift weights in a full week. Please tell me I’m not going to ruin my physical health by “listening to my body” and staying home after work most days? And does this awful feeling go away soon?

 

[lamaria]

@hibernos Just take it easy. It’s not worth forcing it. Sleep, puke, eat what you can, whine, and feel sorry for yourself. It will probably be better in a few weeks. Once you feel better, you’ll wonder why you were so hard on yourself during the first trimester.

 

[agentofgod]

@lamaria Literally me! I cried so much because I felt so horrible and then guilty about not working out but after the symptoms subsided I got back into the groove again! Now 5 months postpartum and I am completely active and back to pre-pregnancy weight!

 

[kendraschannel1]

@lamaria Happy cake day!

 

[kaykennz]

@hibernos I used to be very active as well (and honestly naively thought I was so active I’d set up a good base for myself and would be able to continue undisturbed in early pregnancy). Around week 6 my body made it clear that wasn’t happening. I felt like you and even walking was hard. I’m now 11 + 5 and haven’t worked out since then except walking. I am starting to feel better lately and am hopefully going to try to start building up my workouts again! I don’t regret the time off though. It was a really good lesson for me to listen to my body (in the past I’d get mad at myself for even missing a single day ).

 

[ray2089]

@kaykennz Same. I’ve just tried to listen to my body but said about the progress/strength that I’ve lost. It’ll come back, eventually.

 

[kaykennz]

@ray2089 Yeah I feel that too. I will say I don’t feel or look as different as I expected at least. I’m going to try and look at the regaining part as a “fun new challenge” but probably easier said than done lol

 

[loida]

@hibernos Yeah I didn’t work out weeks 6-10 cause I was sooo sick and tired. This is my third pregnancy and it’s been like that every time. Once the 2nd trimester got closer I felt better and I’ve been averaging twice a week. Might move it up to 3 times a week depending on how I feel. I rely a lot on exercise to feel good mentally! So it’s tough. But in the big scheme of things pregnancy is such a short time in our lives and we will get back to our regular exercise routines one day. In the meantime just listen to our bodies and do what we can!

 

[sylarv]

@hibernos I'm 8+1 weeks and this post sounds like it was written by me (other than having an active job - so a bit worse for me here). I try to workout lightly when I do feel well (which has gone from 5-6 days a week to 1-2 if that - last week I didn't even do walks because I was so nauseas). I'm trying to remind myself that my body is busy building literal organs right now, so it's okay to take it easy. My understanding is that the placenta starts taking over soon & HCG levels start dropping after 10 weeks, so we should *hopefully* feel better very soon! (and back to working out again if we can).

 

[marshalynn3]

@hibernos I was right where you are, now I’m 17w + 5. It is SO much better. I started working out again around week 15 and am now in the gym lifting HEAVY weights and doing the Brianna Battles Pregnant Athlete Program. I feel amazing, strong, and am clearly showing. The second trimester is your time to shine! For now, just know it does get better and you are in the absolute hardest part of pregnancy.

 

[feurefest]

@marshalynn3 Woah! I’m a couple weeks behind you and I really wish I was showing. My midwife said it might be awhile because I’m tall and have strong ab muscles. Mean people tell me I’m showing but I’m not I just gained weight from 3 months of inactivity. Is this your first pregnancy?

 

[slav22]

@hibernos You won't ruin your health by resting and it will go away! I felt so exhausted the first trimester that I was leaving work early to go home and nap. I couldn't stay awake or do anything.

Almost exactly at 12 weeks I started to feel a lot better. Nausea stopped and I was able to get back to walking (my pre-pregancy routine). I felt 100% by the second trimester except I had a bump.

Unsolicited Tip: where supportive athletic shoes throughout pregnancy even in the house. I was always on my feet but go barefoot in the house and wear casual shoes but not athletic supportive shoes at work and out/about. By the time I had baby I couldn't walk cuz I got plantar fasciitis! A lot of different things are happening to your body and it's important to slow down and take care of yourself!

 

[alyssapettey]

@hibernos You’ll get back into the swing of things. It just takes some time. Hopefully after the first trimester you’ll feel much better and get back into it!

 

[agentofgod]

@hibernos Take it easy! It’ll be okay, friend. I had horrible morning sickness and felt overall shitty the first trimester (and even a bit of the second), so I stopped working out. But once I felt better, I began working out again and I really didn’t feel like I lost too much progress. Listen to your body, it’ll be okay. Your body needs you to rest! It’s creating organs and body parts. Also do not compare yourself to other mamas, we are all different and you just got to focus on what will make you feel good.

 

[joygurl]

@hibernos I am sorry you are also going through this. I was also in the gym 6 days a week and until week 6, at which point it hit me super hard and sadly lasted until week 15/16 (But that's not that typical, i hope it resolves earlier for you!) But after week 12 or so, I was well enough to start working out again and its getting better and better. So cut yourself lots of slack and view it as a temporary situation! It will get better and you will adjust to different types of activity and workouts!

 

[feurefest]

@hibernos You’re not alone! I was completely inactive my first trimester, it really bummed me out I had to start seeing a social worker for the mental challenges of not being able to do my favourite hobby. Now I’m almost a month in to my second trimester and can finally start working out again. Way less intense than before and if I work out during the day I need a minimum 2 hour nap after. If I work out in the evening I go to bed right after. Honestly, I wish I could tell myself then that it would all be ok. My body clearly needed me to rest so it could spend every spare bit of energy making my baby. You’ll get your energy back and you’ll be able to leave your house without throwing up again too if that’s affecting you. Second trimester is still no picnic but you will probably be able to get back at it easily.

 

[tappaw]

@hibernos I also was working out 4-5 times a week before pregnancy. I've had to really lower my expectations in the gym. If I can get there 2-3 times a week that's better than nothing. If all I can do is 3 sloppy sets, that's all I can do. As someone who was very skinny before my first pregnancy I'm so glad I gained those 16kg because I really needed it. Breastfeeding really requires the extra storage of fat, and I was dropping weight very quickly. My aims for this pregnancy is to do as much as I can. I can regain my fitness once baby has arrived and my body heals.

 

[amichan]

@hibernos Rest! I was lucky to have a pretty easy first trimester so I kept working out but then in the 2nd trimester I was diagnosed with placenta previa and put on total pelvic rest which meant no gym/no exercise outside of normal walking. My placenta didn’t shift into a safe place until 28 weeks, meaning I went 15 weeks with no working out at all. By the time I could start again at 28 weeks I didn’t have the energy I used to have. Im 37 weeks now and the last ten weeks have been hit or miss.

All that to say: it’s totally fine. Even though i didn’t get the “fit” pregnancy I wanted I was assured that I did what was best for my body and my baby and that’s all that matters!!

 

[roylee777]

@hibernos I did IVF and wasn’t cleared to workout from when we started the process through week 10 of pregnancy. Once I was cleared, I started running (3-4 miles) and lifting (not super heavy) 4-5 days a week. At week 21 now and still going strong! Listen to your body but don’t lose hope. I was soooo exhausted and at week 12 it magically went away.

 

[calliney]

@hibernos I wasn't even as active as you pre pregnancy but still got regular workouts in, and averages about 8,500 steps a day.

I'm 7 weeks and this past week.. I got 5 days with over 10k steps but no workout and feeling guilty. Between work and being exhausted and trying to make all the doctor appointments I already have (I'm high risk pregnancy) I just haven't gotten in a workout.