Preconception and Exercise

Keeping active and exercising during pregnancy brings a whole host of benefits, but what about exercise when you’re trying to conceive? This is something I am often asked about by women who I train, who I meet online and also by friends and family. It’s something many of us will wonder about, and for good reason. Exercise, for all its benefits, is a stress on the body and it is important we recognise and support our needs during an already potentially stressful time of our lives. 

In this newsletter I want to keep things simple and reassure you about what is safe to do when it comes to exercise during preconception. The body is an amazing thing and there is so much we can do during this time, however it is important to know your limits and recognise when you need to adapt your training to suit your current needs.

It is SAFE to exercise when you're trying to conceive:

I want to start by reassuring you that it is absolutely safe to exercise during this time. You will not be doing any harm or reducing your chance of conception by exercising. Research even shows that exercise can increase fertility and you’ll also be preparing your body for pregnancy, so there are already huge benefits of continuing your training. If you’re not currently very active and are thinking about starting to exercise whilst trying to conceive, this is also safe to do, however I would ease yourself in and start slowly. There’s no need to go mad trying to get super fit super quickly (and to be honest I advise this to anyone who wants to start exercising!). As I mentioned above, exercise is a stress on the body and we want to make sure we aren’t further adding to any stress you may be going through both physically and mentally when trying to conceive. Consider what sort of exercise you would enjoy, a type of exercise that will fit into your schedule easily and which you can sustain. Small steps done consistently are what make the difference when it comes to seeing the positive effects of exercise. Even 10 minutes, 3 x per week is a great start!

Monitor your training intensity: 

Although I can confirm that exercise is safe during the preconception period, I would advise that you monitor the intensity of your training. Essentially, moderation is key and if you know that you go ‘hard’ with your training, this is the time to take things down a notch. When it comes to fertility, excessive and very high intensity exercise can have a negative influence if your menstrual cycle is affected. This can happen when a woman’s body fat percentage is very low and her period changes or even stops. Also, during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle (the time after ovulation), excessive strenuous exercise can cause low levels of progesterone which may affect the implantation of the egg. These are things to consider if you push yourself regarding the intensity and the duration of your training. A good rule of thumb which I advise all of my clients for pre, during and post-pregnancy is to work at a 70% effort level. This is a level in which you could still talk when exercising. So if you run, or you do HIIT classes, or heavy strength training - it’s absolutely OK to continue however ask yourself ‘could I talk at the same time as doing this?’.

Exercise can be anything you want it to be:

Just because we are talking about the positive effects of exercise during preconception, it doesn’t mean you have to immediately sign up to the gym or buy a peloton. Exercise can be any sort of activity. From walking (which I highly recommend during all phases of life!), swimming, dancing, yoga, pilates, weight lifting...you name it, if it involves movement then it counts! The one thing I always advise to anyone who asks me for help is to ‘find a form of exercise you enjoy!’. It really makes a difference when it comes to feeling (and seeing) the physical and mental benefits.

I hope this has helped clear a few questions up if you’re currently trying to conceive, or if you’re considering conception in the future and wonder what your training routine will look like. Or maybe you could pass this onto a friend who may be in this position. 

Remember, listening to your body really is important, so do what makes you feel good, do it consistently and think about that ‘70%’ if you’re unsure about how hard to push yourself.

Let me know if you have any other questions relating to this topic that you’d like me to cover in future posts! I’m always happy to help.