I often have requests from my clients to provide safe exercise routines along with nutrition during their pregnancy. This is the pregnancy workout plan I am currently using.

I wanted to wait until I was far enough along my own pregnancy to justify my responses and document how I have been feeling along the way. I am approaching 20 weeks now and wanted to give you my thoughts/opinions on how to stay fit and also stay sane throughout your pregnancy.

I don't know about all of you but exercise is definitely my stress relief. I am a firefighter full time but since I have been pregnant I have been pulled off the truck and placed on light duty, meaning, 8-5 monday through friday. I, for one, am not used to being placed on such a strict regimented schedule. I typically work 24 hour shifts and have 24 hours on for three days in a row then have 4 days off. I never had to stress about IF i was going to get my workout in, it was just when. Now, working 8 to 5 or actually 7.30 to 4.30, then taking clients from 5.00 to 7.30 nightly, I am pretty pooped after I am done for the day. Also, I don't love getting up early and working out, for one, it's cold and for two, I would rather sleep in.

I have, however, been pushing myself when and where I can. I have gotten up a few times before work to go for a jog, but for the most part I squeeze in my workouts on my lunch hour, between clients, or if I have the energy, when I get home at the end of the day. This brings me to the type of workouts I have been doing. I have been sticking to mostly circuit type workouts. I try to incorporate as many body parts into one workout as I can. I.e. bent over rows with tricep extensions, into squats with shoulder presses, into lunges with bicep curls, etc.

I do about 15 reps every set and usually 3-4 sets. I can not say that I do something every day, as my schedule sometimes does not allow, but I will try to do a circuit type workout 5-6 times a week lasting 30-40 minutes. I can hit several body parts and my heart rate will be up the entire time so I don't necessarily have to do cardio along with it. It is considered a HIIT circuit, or high intensity interval training type circuit. There are so many you can do, as long as you're keeping your heart rate up to a point where you are still carry on a conversation, you are doing good.

Many people have asked me if I am overdoing it, but I have double and triple checked with my doctor and she continues to say that as long I have been working out the whole time, then continue to do so. Do not just start a regimen without having been doing one, but as long as you have been, then you're ok. I will often do split squats, with lunges, then step ups with push ups and tricep dips, then using the battle ropes to keep my heart rate up in between sets. I have been doing a lot of running, then stopping to do step ups in the park, with lunges, push ups and tricep dips on the benches. I will do 3 sets and then continue to jog. I have not been doing many sprints like I was pre-pregnancy, mainly because I am saving my energy to be able to do the resistance training portion of the workout.

As far as diet, I am at 18 1/2 weeks along and have gained 5 pounds. I am keeping a close eye on what i eat and logging all of my food.

My normal days looks like this:

<h4>Daily Log</h4>
Meal 1:
4 egg whites
1 full egg
40g (weighed dry) steel cut oats
1 serving fiber DX

Meal 2:
1/2 cup daisy low fat cottage cheese
5oz strawberries
12 almonds

Meal 3:
3oz chicken, 99% ground turkey, or white fish
1 cup any rice or 7oz any potato
5oz green veggies

Meal 4:
1 apple, banana, 5oz blueberries
32g peanut butter
1 scoop protein powder (with water)

Meal 5:
3 white corn tortillas
4oz chicken, 99% grnd turkey, or white fish
2oz avocado
2 serve grated parmesan cheese

Daily Macronutrient Numbers: 145g protein 170 grams of carbs and 60 grams of fats

Total Calories For The Day: 1806

I have ventured off of this a few times. Obviously I am not perfect, but for the most part this is the meal plan I try to follow and keep my macros within those numbers even if I do have a cheat meal here and there. I haven't had too many cravings, but when I do, I listen to them, making sure I log it in my journal for the day.

You will definitely have good days and bad, but I think that if you can stick to a good workout regimen and meal plan 90 percent of the time, you will have a healthy, happy pregnancy and be able to bounce back quicker than if you do not workout and eat whatever you want during your pregnancy. You only need about 300 additional calories per day for the baby, which is about 1 more meal, not a whole separate meal each sitting, one extra meal all day!! And watch what you eat, but definitely give in and splurge now and then, because for gosh sakes, you deserve it 🙂