Walk on

What’s the one workout that suits pregnant women of all stripes? “Walking,” chorused the group I interviewed for my book, Walking Through Pregnancy and Beyond (The Lyons Press, 2004). For everyone—from the Texas triathlete and coach who needed to scale back, to a Colorado woman who simply pledged to walk the short distance to work—walking was both as gentle and as challenging as they needed it to be.

“I recommend walking to most of my patients who are pregnant,” says Tanya Ghatan, M.D., an OB-GYN at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. “It’s easy entry for women who’ve never exercised and gives athletic women a way to stay active and maintain a sense of control without the high impact of other activities they’ve participated in.”

Our three-tiered program makes establishing a routine simple. Regardless of your fitness level, keep in mind that it’s not only fine, it’s also wise to swap days or shorten workouts according to how you feel. And whenever you’re increasing your walking time, be sure to do it gradually, adding a few minutes every other day or every few days. Already in your second or third trimester? Jump in at the relevant level, unless you’ve been inactive; if so, start with the trimester 1 plan for beginners.

Remember to get your doctor’s approval before starting this or any prenatal exercise plan. Slip on your favorite walking shoes, start with our simple warm-up and get ready to walk your way to a healthy pregnancy.

Warm-Up
Before each walk, take 2 minutes to warm up with these moves:
ANKLE CIRCLES Stand on one foot, holding a wall or rail for balance. Flex your ankle and slowly draw big circles with your toes, completing 6-8 circles in each direction. Switch feet and repeat.
LEG SWINGS Stand on one foot, holding a wall or rail for balance. Swing your free leg forward and back from your hip in a relaxed motion. Repeat 10-20 times; switch legs and repeat.
ARM CIRCLES Stand while holding arms straight out to the sides. Circle arms backward 10 times; repeat in opposite direction.

COOL-DOWN When you finish your walk, take 5 minutes to stretch your back, shoulders, hips, hamstrings, thighs and calves. You can do this while standing—essential as your pregnancy progresses.

Trimester 1** (0-12 weeks) **

Beginner
You’ve never exercised or do so rarely.
It’s important to approach this fitness program gradually and focus on sticking with it consistently.
• Start by walking 3 days a week, spread evenly over 7 days.
• Every 2-3 weeks, add another day of walking for 5-10 minutes, until you are walking 5 days a week.
• By week 10, your schedule should look something like this:

Monday - Off
Tuesday - Walk 20 Minutes
Wednesday - Walk 10 Minutes
Thursday - Walk 15 Minutes
Friday - Off
Saturday - Walk 20 Minutes
Sunday - Walk 10 Minutes

*_Intermediate
*_You’re active, but exercise may be sporadic.
The fitter you were before you became pregnant, the sooner you can ramp up to 5 or 6 walk days per week.
• Start by walking 4 days a week, adding a fifth day after 4 or 5 weeks. Begin with 15-minute walks. Then gradually increase the time, adding a few minutes every other day so that walks are 20 and then 30 minutes. By week 10, here’s what a typical week might look like:

Monday - Walk 25 minutes**
Tuesday - Walk 35 minutes, or take 2 walks: 15 & 20 minutes
Wednesday - Walk 20 minutes
Thursday - Walk 30 minutes
Friday - Off
Saturday - Walk 30 minutes
Sunday - **Walk 40 minutes

*_Advanced
*_You’re fit and exercise 4 or more times per week.
Even if you’re fit and a faithful exerciser, changing to a low-impact walking program might be just what you need to continue staying active and feeling good.
• Start by walking 6 days a week for 10-25 minutes.
• After 1 week, add a few minutes each day, until you are walking for at least 30 minutes per session.
• Around week 10, your schedule should look like this:

Monday - Walk 30 minutes**
Tuesday - Walk 40 minutes
Wednesday - Walk 20 minutes
Thursday - Take 2 walks: 20 & 30 minutes
Friday - Off
Saturday - Walk 60 minutes
Sunday - **Walk 25 minutes

Trimester 2
(13-25 weeks)

*_Beginner
*_You’ve never exercised or do so rarely.
During the “honeymoon” trimester—when energy peaks and nausea should be history—you’re ready to add a sixth walk day to your weekly regimen.
• Add a few minutes to your walks every several days.
• Pick 2 days that will become your longer-walk days. Gradually lengthen the walks on those days by adding a few minutes every few days. Toward the end of this trimester, your schedule should look like this:

Monday - Walk 15 minutes**
Tuesday - Walk 30 minutes
Wednesday - Walk 15 minutes
Thursday - Walk 20 minutes
Friday - Off
Saturday - Walk 30 minutes
Sunday - **Walk 20 minutes

*_Intermediate
*_You’re active, but exercise may be sporadic.
With a solid base established, you’re ready to gradually lengthen your walks and pick up the pace a bit at points. Just be sure not to push if you’re feeling tired, and avoid getting overheated.
• Gradually add minutes every other day so that each walk is at least 30 minutes. Once or twice a week, if you’re feeling up to it, increase your pace by 1 notch for 10-15 minutes after you’ve warmed up. By the end of this trimester, your schedule should look like this:

Monday - Walk 30 minutes**
Tuesday - Walk 40 minutes, with pace increase
Wednesday - Walk 30 minutes
Thursday - Walk 40 minutes
Friday - Off
Saturday - **Walk 60 minutes, with pace increase
Sunday - Walk 25 minutes

*_Advanced
*_You’re fit and exercise 4 or more times per week.
Provided you’re feeling good and heeding your body’s signals, it’s fine to continue to increase the duration of your walks and to pick up the pace a couple of times a week.
• Keep building minutes on your long Saturday walk, with a goal of 60 minutes.
• Continue adding to your shorter walks so that your total is at least 40 minutes on each of the four days (not counting Saturday).

Monday - Walk 30 minutes
Tuesday - Walk 45 minutes, with pace increase
Wednesday - Walk 30 minutes
Thursday - Take 2 walks: 30 & 40 minutes
Friday - Off
Saturday - Walk 60 minutes, with pace increase
Sunday - Walk 40 minutes

Trimester 3
(26-40 weeks)

Beginner
You’ve never exercised or do so rarely.
Try to stick with the 6-days-a-week goal, but listen to your body and be prepared to slow down as your belly gets bigger.
• Aim to maintain the same total walking minutes per week as at the end of the second trimester, but know that your pace—and thus the distance you cover—will naturally decrease.
• Break up walks into shorter, 10- or 15-minute sessions whenever that feels more comfortable.

Monday - Walk 15 minutes
Tuesday - Take 3 10-minute walks
Wednesday - Walk 15 minutes
Thursday - Take 2 10-minute walks
Friday - Off
Saturday - Take 2 15-minute walks
Sunday - Take 2 10-minute walks

Intermediate
You’re active, but exercise may be sporadic.
Speed and distance take a backseat to consistency now. The goal is to keep walking for the same number of minutes, whenever you feel that you can.
• Be ready to reduce the speed and distance of your walks as your pregnancy progresses.
• Break up walks into 2 or more shorter sessions whenever that feels more comfortable.

Monday - Walk 30 minutes
Tuesday - Take 2 20-minute walks
Wednesday - Walk 30 minutes
Thursday - Take 2 20-minute walks
Friday - Off
Saturday - Walk 60 minutes
Sunday - Walk 25 minutes

Advanced
You’re fit and exercise 4 or more times per week.
This trimester is all about staying comfortable, so try to let go of any plans to keep building fitness at this point, and focus on staying active regularly to enable you to bounce back more quickly after you deliver.
• Keep walking 6 days a week, but forget about speed, and don’t push beyond an RPE of 7. (See “How to Keep It Safe,” opposite page.)
• Switch to walks that are similar in length, and divide them into shorter sessions whenever that feels more comfortable.

Monday - Walk 30 minutes
Tuesday - Take 2 walks: 25 & 20 minutes
Wednesday - Walk 30 minutes
Thursday - Take 2 30-minute walks
Friday - Off
Saturday - Walk 60 minutes
Sunday - Walk 30 minutes

— Tracy Teare for FitPregnancy. Read more great articles at FitPregnancy.com.

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.