How to Tone Your Abs During Pregnancy

Video Transcript

"Not one week goes by in the gym that I don't have an expectant mother come by and ask me how can she try to maintain those good abs during pregnancy? Hi my name is Jani Roberts and I'm a Certified Personal Trainer and also graduate of the American Academy of Nutrition. You know one of the great things when I am working with pregnant moms is that there are already really aware of nutrition. They started paying attention and making the changes that they need to because they are really concerned about the baby's health and of course this is a win/win for them as well. So you are already going to be on better track as far as what you are taking in food because we do know that in order to really maintain a good core we have got to look at what we are taking in as far as food is concerned so you are on your way there. Let's take a look at the exercises that you can do comfortably during your pregnancy. Come all the way down and just remember whenever it feels uncomfortable, don't do it, just listen to your body. Certainly during your first and second trimester crunches are fine unless your physician has told you otherwise. So feet are flat on the floor and we are going to do what we call a roll up in pilates. We are going to start in the finishing position because I want you to really feel how that feels to sit up really straight without rounding the back out at all, pulling the chest through and supporting with the fingertips so as the belly gets a little bigger you've got some support here and you don't really have to try to control that extra weight all the way down. Now just take a nice easy roll, walk it back, keep supporting with your hands down your legs and all the way back. We are going to tuck the chin. We are going to roll all the way up, hold, squeeze, and again walk it all the way back. Really no problem during the first and second trimesters. Now as you move through and you get a little bit more uncomfortable, you don't have that full range of motion feel free to take it back to that crunch and do some light and small little leg lifts to approach from the bottom. This is going to help during delivery as well and also to approach from the upper abs and just lift comfortable but be sure and support that neck, that is going to be really important. Enjoy the pregnancy, keep those abs there is no reason why you should give them up. I'm Jani Roberts. Thanks for joining me."