Keeping fit and healthy in pregnancy

When I found out I was pregnant I was determined to stay healthy and fit. My aim was to put on just the weight I needed to, and no more.

I soon discovered that my body had other ideas and due to extreme sickness for the first three months I had to adjust my healthy eating plan! You just can't predict what kind of pregnancy you will have and you have to adapt to whatever your faced with.

For me, it meant eating only what I could stomach for the first 5 months (mostly unhealthy things!). I soon realised that just eating healthy food throughout pregnancy wasn't going to be possible.

Everyone constantly tells you 'you're eating for two now' which makes you think you can just have double the food (I wish!). In actual fact, you shouldn’t really consume any more calories than normal until your third trimester, when you can have an extra 200 a day.

Watermelon was great for morning sickness and really helped with bloating as it’s a natural diuretic and is packed full of fibre. I also loved yogurts throughout my pregnancy and had a real craving for them, which was lucky as calcium is a key pregnancy nutrient that helps your baby develop strong bones and teeth. Whole grain foods are also a great source of fibre and vitamins.

Whatever kind of pregnancy you are faced with, try not to stress over every little thing you eat. If like me you suffer from sickness, just try and eat whatever you can manage, even if it is not the healthiest option. You can make up for not being super healthy as soon as you are over your sickness.

When it came to exercise, I set myself a goal to go for a 20 minute walk with the dog every day throughout pregnancy. I think this really helped me keep fit. I also did pregnancy pilates, which was great for relaxation and for soothing aches and pains. It gives you time to zone out a bit and focus on your body.

Later in pregnancy I enjoyed swimming. You're completely weightless in the water which makes it much easier to relax and exercise comfortably without feeling exhausted after a short time.

There are some exercises you should avoid if you're expecting, but do you know which ones? Take our quiz:

Hattie Bourn

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