Not having any luck getting pregnant? Try these exercise & fitness tips.
Are you neglecting your exercise regime due to a demanding work schedule? It’s time to make your fitness a priority – because failing to do so will negatively impact your fertility, and reduce your chances of getting pregnant. Here’s what you need to know about exercising and keeping fit when you’re trying to conceive:
#1: Do not engage in vigorous exercise
Running, aerobics, and intense bicycling are all out of the question. According to a study involving 3,000 participants by the Boston University School of Public Health, engaging in as little as five hours of vigorous exercise per week actually reduces your chances of getting pregnant by almost 50%.
The only exception is in the case of overweight women – for these participants, vigorous exercise did not have any impact on the time they took to get pregnant.
#2: Go for moderate-intensity cardiovascular exercise
Instead of running, switch to power walking, jogging, or leisurely cycling. According to the same study by the Boston University School of Public Health, women who engaged in moderate intensity exercises such as the abovementioned saw small decreases in the time they took to get pregnant. This was consistent across all body types.
#3: Take up swimming if you want to keep exercising throughout your pregnancy
For those who are concerned about continuing their exercise regimes throughout pregnancy, look for a low or zero-impact activity such as swimming. Of course, pregnant women should not push themselves too hard and attempt to do laps for hours on end. Instead, swim leisurely and ensure that you don’t become breathless at any point in time.
#4: Work on your core
Due to their belly and breasts growing in size, pregnant women often experience back pains and strains. If you want to reduce the strain that you’ll probably be experiencing during pregnancy, start strengthening your abdominal and back muscles by doing core work such as crunches and planks.
#5: Get your partner involved
In order to maximize your chances of conception, get your partner to exercise so that he produces higher quality sperm. This doesn’t mean squeezing in a workout a few days before you try to conceive – it takes 90 days for sperm to completely develop, so ideally, he should be keeping fit during that entire time period!
For best results, weight-lifting is recommended. According to a study by the Harvard School of Public Health, men who spent just 90 minutes a week lifting weights increased their testosterone, resulting in a 25% increase in sperm count.
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Engaging in suitable forms of exercise is critical for women who are trying to conceive; however, for a more holistic and thorough approach, other factors such as sleeping patterns and more should also be taken into consideration.
Want to speak with an experienced fertility coach who can guide you on your journey to conceiving naturally? Contact us here!
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