The pregnant workout guide

Alternative excercising

Sleep problems, your increased weight, and a smorgasbord of other pregnancy-related aches and pains may be taking their toll on your energy level. While you might be tempted to throw in the towel, grab that towel and head to the pool for an aquafit class instead!

You'll reap plenty of benefits by remaining physically active throughout your pregnancy. According to the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology, exercising during pregnancy improves your overall health and fitness, provides you with an energy boost, makes it easier for you to cope with stress, and it can help to improve your posture, balance, and coordination.

It can also help to relieve back pain and muscle tension; prevent varicose veins, leg cramps, hemorrhoids, and such pregnancy-related complications as gestational diabetes and preeclampsia; keep your weight gain on target; encourage you to accept -- perhaps even celebrate! -- your changing body size and shape; reduce the length of your recovery after the birth and (perhaps the best reason ever invented for hitting the gym) reduce the amount of time you spend in labour. So hit the pool instead of the couch. Your body will thank you for it.

Eating for two

Exercising for two also means eating for two. Here's how to tackle the biggest nutritional challenge you'll face during each trimester.

First trimester: Morning sickness
Don't hit the panic button if you're unable to stomach anything more exciting than soda crackers. Your body will draw upon its nutritional stores to meet the needs of your growing baby. Besides, according to Toronto dietitian Leslie Beck, R.D., your body only needs an extra 100 calories per day during the first trimester -- the equivalent of the proverbial apple a day.

Second trimester: A ravenous appetite
Now that you're feeling a little less queasy, this is the perfect time to make healthy eating a priority again. That means following Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating and zeroing in on nutrient-rich foods. You have an extra 300 calories to "spend" on food each day during the second and third trimesters, so try to get maximum bang for your nutritional buck.

Third trimester: Feeling full
You'll feel full sooner because your uterus is pressing up against your stomach. The solution? Try eating small quantities of food throughout the day rather than trying to shovel down large quantities of food all at once.