Thanks for Your Opinion: CrossFit and Pregnancy

Please note: I am not providing health care, medical or nutrition therapy services and will not diagnose, treat or cure in any manner whatsoever any disease, condition or other physical or mental ailment of the human body. It’s always best, and recommended, to consult with your doctor when making any changes or choices to your diet and/or lifestyle.

When you combine these two words, people FREAK OUT!

Oh my goodness, you’re not still going to lift weights while you’re pregnant?

You’re going to be too tired to work out.

Did you know your heart rate can’t get high?

You’re going to change your workout routine, right?

They say walking is good.

Most of the concern has come from people that don’t do CrossFit. And while I so much appreciate everyone’s love and concern, I’d also love to put everyone at ease… CrossFit is scaleable for all ages, conditions and disabilities.

Yes, most of what you see is people doing some really cool stuff. Let’s face it, push-ups on your knees and ring rows don’t look as sexy as handstand push-ups and muscle ups. But there’s a scale for everything! EVEN RUNNING, PEOPLE! And no, it’s not walking…

And not only is there a scale for everything, but CrossFit has done a really good job in making sure that there’s plenty of material for all the badass pregnant mamas out there! I read these articles over and over again the moment we decided to start trying, because I knew I didn’t want to give up something I loved doing. Since I am not anywhere near an expert on this (just a person that has done ample research) check out this article from CrossFit Journal HERE and memorize this PDF which has already been so helpful.

So how do I feel 4+ months into pregnancy, while still maintaining an active CrossFit routine?

I am proud to say I haven’t missed a day yet. But that doesn’t mean every day has felt wonderful. In fact, most days I was just happy I showed up and sort of did the work out… if you can call it that and if you can say I was happy to do that.

The truth is… everything feels a little strange. I started slowing down around 14 weeks, not by choice, but because one day I showed up and was just moving slower.

At first I thought it was the fact that I basically put on a weight vest in 3 months. When the girls at the gym ask me how I feel working out, that’s exactly what I say jokingly. It feels like you’re working out with a weight vest! Suddenly heavier and a little harder to breath. Gaining weight is a mental battle when you’re pregnant, because you know it’s good for progress and baby, but you also just spent most of your adult life working hard to, well, not gain weight! You’re no longer at the gym to lose weight, but just to maintain a healthy fitness routine.

And of course, it’s a little disheartening when you have to start scaling movements. During the first trimester, nothing changed. I actually accidentally got a squat clean PR… accidentally because I’m bad at math.

Second trimester is where certain things had to stop, but it’s not as bad as I thought. I can still do my handstand push-ups and pull-ups for now. GHDs, toes-to-bar and all ab work stops around 3-4 months in, partly because your belly gets in the way and also so you don’t add to the risk of diastis recti (look it up, know the risks). Planks are an easy swap and this past week I scaled back to knees-to-elbow in place of toes to bar. According to CrossFit, backing off the weights to a general suggestion of 70% of your previous 1-rep max is also suggested. I feel this one out day by day to see how I’m feeling. Sometimes it feels great to RX a workout and other times I back off. When I just do weightlifting, I do make sure to keep it within a range where I don’t feel like I’m straining, but for me that’s been closer to 80%.

When I get to my third trimester, I fully plan on keeping you posted!

So at 17 weeks, my biggest suggestion is to listen to your body. Some may want to give up CrossFit and that’s okay. But the ones that want to keep at it, find a doctor that supports you, find a coach that will help you, lean on your CrossFit community, do your research and be smart!