How much Exercise is too much?
pregnancy-article.jpg"/>Remember that old exercise motto "no pain, no gain"? Forget it — the last thing you need when you're pregnant is more pain. Whether you're doing cardio, strength, or stretching exercises during pregnancy, it's important not to overdo it. There are easy ways to tell when you're approaching the limit, and it's not as complicated as taking your pulse and calculating your maximum heart rate. During a pregnancy cardio workout, the best way to monitor yourself is to use what experts call a "Rate of Perceived Exertion" (chances are you've seen it posted at the gym — but maybe you've never given it a second glance). Think of a scale that goes from 6 to 20, where at 6 you're snoozing on the couch and at 20 you're working out as hard as you can. Your goal is to keep your exertion rate between 12 and 14 on that scale — as if you were walking briskly, at the rate of about three to four miles per hour. Still too complicated? Just remember the "talk" test: You should be working hard enough so that you feel yourself breathing more heavily, but you should never be so out of breath that you aren't able to talk, sing, or whistle while you work. If you're the type (type A) who thinks of calculating your ideal pregnancy heart rate as a fun science project, consult the American College of Sports Medicine's brochure for calculating your heart rate (see Resources page) , or buy (or borrow) a heart-rate monitor. Ideally, the right exercise will get your heart beating anywhere from 60 percent to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate for a minimum of 30 minutes, depending on your age and fitness level. Strength training during pregnancyhas an easy scale for measuring how hard is too hard. If you need to strain or grunt to lift your load, it's too heavy. Flexibility exercises during pregnancyshouldn't cause pain, so stop if something hurts. (During relaxation exercises, if you fall asleep you've gone too far.) The Risks of OverheatingA special word for all you type A exercisers (and you know who you are): There are good reasons why more is not better (or can easily become too much) when you're pregnant and exercising. Your baby's temperature is already a little warmer than yours (maybe that's where all those bun-in-the-oven comments got started!), and exercise raises your core temperature and warms the baby even more. Exercising intensely — or even moderately in hot, humid conditions — can get you too hot, and medical experts worry about pregnant women overheating.
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