Easy At-Your-Desk Workouts To Keep You Fit During Pregnancy

Pregnancy today, doesn’t mean you put your life and job on hold and sit at home!

Women today are balancing the boardroom and (an upcoming) baby, just as easily. But pregnancy can take a toll on your energy and fitness levels, which is why it’s essential to stay active and get enough exercise. And no, you don’t need a fancy gym or pilates studio to get your daily dose of fitness. Here’s a bunch of office friendly stretches and exercise routines that will keep those pregnancy aches and pains at bay:

Kegels

Named after gynaecologist Arnold Kegel, this set of exercises are one of the most important during your pregnancy. Labour puts a huge strain on your pelvic muscles and Kegels can help with a shorter labour, quicker recovery and prevent urinary incontinence. As your little bub grows larger inside you, it puts a lot of pressure on your bladder, often leading to urine leaking if you laugh, cough or sneeze. You can easily pack in a few sets of Kegels at your desk without anyone even knowing your pelvic muscles are getting a workout!

Simply start by tightening your pelvic muscles (as if you were trying to prevent the flow of urine). Hold for 5 seconds and release. Do it a couple of times a day, increasing the duration up to 10 seconds gradually. Remember to keep all other muscles of your body relaxed and breathe normally.

Walk the Talk

Make sure you take frequent “walking breaks” to ensure circulation and prevent stiffness. In fact, instead of dashing off an email from your desk, why not walk up to your colleague’s desk. You can even opt to do meetings on the go, strolling along your office corridors (as long as it doesn’t disturb other people of course!). A good rule to follow is for every hour at your desk, walk for five minutes.

Shoulder, wrist and ankle rotation

Increased water retention can lead to puffy hands and feet. Do these simple rotation routines a couple of times a day to reduce the swelling and prevent discomfort. Hold our hands and feet away from your body and gently rotate your wrists and ankles – first clockwise and then anti clockwise. Do the same with your shoulders too, while sitting on your chair. If your fingers are getting too puffy, hold your hands straight out in front and clench and unclench your palms several times.

Torso Twists

Pregnancy puts a lot of strain on your back muscles and as your bump increases in size, so do your chances of lower back ache. Try these simple twisting exercises to stay flexible and guard against any stiffness.

While sitting, grab the back of your office chair with your right hand, and grab the arm of the chair with your left hand, moving your head to face the back of the room. Repeat on the other side as well, ensuring you inhale every time you twist and exhale when you return to the starting position.

Back stretches

Sitting long  hours slouched over a laptop can strain your spine. Couple that with those extra inches around your waist and it can lead to a lot of stiffness and pain. Do a couple of basic back stretches every few hours to ensure your spine stays supple – simply interlock your fingers and raise them above your head, inhaling you you pull your spine up straight. Bring your hands down as you exhale and repeat this routine a few times.

Don’t limit your fitness routine to just the office though. Nothing quite like staying active right through your pregnancy – provided your doctor has given you the green signal!

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Take regular walks or just learn yoga at home from yoga instructors near you who can guide you through breathing and exercise techniques. And most importantly, relax, smile and enjoy this amazing phase of your life!

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