Just because you’re pregnant don’t feel daunted by Christmas, here we have some useful tips on how to enjoy both.
Health on Female First
Pregnancy fitness specialists FittaMamma share their top ten tips to enjoy a healthy, active festive season:-
Strictly speaking browsing around the shops buying presents doesn’t count as cardio-exercise but nevertheless you’ll be on your feet and walking. Wear something to support the weight of your bump and your shopping day will last longer.
With alcohol off limits you can still enjoy a glass of something refreshing and sparkly. Mix up a batch of Ginger and Lime Sparkler which not only tastes good, sparkles almost like champagne and can help with pregnancy nausea as well.
Stay hydrated. Christmas is tiring, you get out of your normal routines and it’s easy to forget your usual bottle of water.
Turkey is a good low fat, high protein food and is also a useful source of iron, zinc and potassium. A 5oz serving provides almost half the recommended daily intake of folic acid. Make sure it’s cooked all the way through and stored carefully in the fridge for Boxing Day.
Avoid shop bought pates (they can contain listeria) and say no to soft unpasteurised, blue-veined or mould-ripened cheeses. Hard cheeses such as cheddar or processed cheeses are fine and full of essential calcium. Don’t miss out on Christmas pudding – all that dried fruit is good for you and the amount of alcohol left in an individual portion after cooking is unlikely to be harmful.
If you can’t fit in your usual exercise regime don’t forget that walking is good for you too! Whilst an hour in the gym might be difficult if you’re entertaining the in-laws a good bracing walk is a sociable way to maintain your cardio.
Use your fit-ball to sit on whilst you’re watching the Christmas movies – you can strengthen your core and work your abs without even noticing it! Circling your hips on the ball can help alleviate back ache whilst leaning across it give you a lovely relaxing back stretch.
Find time to stretch out with some yoga poses. Ten minutes of yoga can do much to make you feel more relaxed and energised. If you’ve eaten too much and are suffering from heartburn sitting in ‘Easy Pose’ can help by lengthening your spine and opening up the space in your diaphragm. Simply sit on the floor, cross your legs with feet beneath your knees, lengthen your spine and sit up tall. Relax your shoulders, inhale deeply into your belly and press your chest forwards.
Enjoy! Make the most of being pregnant and accept offers of help - let other people carry the shopping and do the cooking! Eat well, try and fit in some exercise, keep your bump supported and find time to put your feet up too!
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