If you've made the decision to embark on the journey of pregnancy, you probably have a million questions and concerns running through your head as you move into this phase of planning and trying. And as a busy, parent-to-be who values fitness and well-being, you may be wondering about how this is all going to affect and change you body. I know for me, personally, it was the reason I got into this work. I spent 10 years in NYC as a professional modern dancer and the changes my body was going to go through during pregnancy was a big concern. That may sound vain, but my body was my business. I had spent my entire life training and strengthening it to be able to rehearse and perform. I wasn’t willing to risk injury or not being able to return to dancing in postpartum. And here’s the most important thing I learned: PREVENTION IS KEY. If you are thinking of becoming pregnant or already trying, now is the time to start taking some proactive steps to physically prepare your body f
Pregnancy and postpartum can be an exciting and challenging time for your body. You may be looking for safe and effective workout options that will help you maintain your fitness and health during this period. However, there are many misconceptions and outdated advice out there that can make it difficult to know what is safe and effective. One such outdated advice is the recommended heart rate for exercise during pregnancy. The old advice used to be 140 beats per minute, but recent studies have shown that it may not be the best approach. Following this advice may lead to over-restriction of physical activity and limit the benefits that exercise can provide during pregnancy and postpartum. So, what's the alternative? The answer is the talk test. This method is a simple and fun way to monitor your heart rate during exercise. All you have to do is chat with your workout buddy while exercising and make sure that you are not huffing and puffing so hard that you can't hold a conver