When trying to conceive, it’s important to stay active and make exercise a part of your weekly routine.
Studies continue to show the importance of exercise and how it supports fertility and increases the chances of achieving pregnancy.
Regardless of your current fitness level, this day-by-day approach to exercise, with a daily schedule consisting of walking and a few exercises to be completed each day, is easy, fun, and effective.
This workout is intended for all women who want to introduce exercise into their weekly routines and fertility efforts.
It’s designed to be completed five times per week.
Regardless of where you are in your journey, you’ll be able to complete and enjoy these exercises on your way to being fit and fertile.
Walking
Walking is a gentle, low-impact exercise consisting of the right balance of ease, accessibility, and physical benefit for improving your overall health and fertility.
More energy, decreased stress, and weight loss are just some of the benefits you can expect when beginning a weekly walking plan.
If you’re already running, swimming, taking Spinning classes or attending CrossFit, excellent!
Continue with what you’re already doing and perhaps consider adding walking to your current exercise plan.
What matters most is that you’re getting in some form of cardio exercise 5 times per week.
Get your walking done first thing in the morning. Not only will this give you more energy throughout the day, but you’ll also be rewarded with a healthy body that’s fit for pregnancy.
If first thing in the morning isn’t an option, make it a lunch time or evening walk. What matters most is that it gets done.
Make 30 minutes of walking 5 times per week part of your weekly exercise routine.
Exercise
In addition to walking, incorporate exercises into your weekly plan, focusing on two specific exercises per day for all five days.
Day One – Aerobic Exercise
Aerobic exercise increases heart rate and circulation throughout the body and as a result, it not only improves metabolism and circulation, both of which contribute to better egg production, but it also optimizes your reproductive system which secrete hormones that help eggs grow.
Two aerobic exercises to focus on today are Jumping Jacks and Low Laterals.
Complete these two exercises right before your daily walk or right afterwards if you feel more comfortable doing so. For a video demonstration on how to do each exercise, please see below:
Jumping Jacks Demonstration Video
Low Laterals Demonstration Video
Day Two – upper Body Exercises
Our upper body muscles consist of the chest, back, shoulders, biceps, and triceps. While each of these muscles is responsible for different movements, they’re all required to work together for overall fluid, effective, and injury-free movement.
Strengthening your upper body muscles, especially the shoulders and back, gives us the strength necessary to maintain proper form and posture with all activity, avoiding potential injury.
Working the upper body muscles also has its benefits when it comes to strengthening the abs and core muscles which both play a pivotal role when it comes to pregnancy.
Two upper body exercises to focus on today are Push-Ups and Single Arm Tricep Press.
These two exercises work all 5 upper body muscle groups. For less intensity, do each exercise from your knees. For added intensity, do them both from your toes.
Complete these two exercises right after your daily walk or beforehand if you feel more comfortable doing so. For a video demonstration on how to do each exercise, please see below:
Single-Arm Tricep Press Video Demonstration
Day Three – Lower Body Exercises
Our lower body muscles are the largest in the body. They provide a base of support as you walk, run and jump. They’re also essential for movements you perform in day-to-day activities.
Performing regular lower body exercises also helps to increase bone strength, improves balance, and helps you focus on letting go of daily stresses associated with your fertility.
The two lower body exercises to focus on today are Squats and Alternating Lunges.
These two exercises will work all of the major lower body muscle groups. Complete these two exercises right after your daily walk or beforehand if you feel more comfortable doing so. For a video demonstration on how to do each exercise, please see below:
Alternating Lunges Video Demonstration
Day Four – Core Exercises
Our core is made up of a series of different muscle groups including your abdominal muscles, back muscles and the muscles around the pelvis. Our core muscles are incorporated in almost every movement we make.
Exercising these core muscles leads to better balance and stability and plays a pivotal role when it comes to child birth. While strong core muscles make it easier to do everything from getting in and out of your car to bending down to tie your shoes, weak core muscles leave you susceptible to poor posture and lower back pain, a no-no in preparation for pregnancy.
The two core exercises to focus on today are Abdominal Bicycles and Plank.
Both of these exercises target all of the different muscle groups that make up your core muscles. Complete these two exercises right after your daily walk or beforehand if you feel more comfortable doing so. For a video demonstration on how to do each exercise, please see below:
Abdominal Bicycle Demonstration
Day Five – Agility Exercises
One of the most common reasons why people stop exercising is because they find their current exercise routine boring, making it a challenge to make the time for something that provides little-to-no enjoyment.
Agility exercises will make your workouts more challenging and engaging. They can be done at the gym, in your neighborhood park, running around cones, jumping over hurdles, literally anywhere.
The two agility exercises to focus on today are Squat-Jab-Punch and Hill Climbers.
Both of these exercises are more challenging than the previous four days and require lots more effort and coordination. Complete these two exercises right after your daily walk or beforehand if you feel more comfortable doing so. For a video demonstration on how to do each exercise, please see below:
Here’s a breakdown of what an entire week looks like following this exercise plan:
Monday
30 Minutes of Walking / 1 Minute of Jumping Jacks / 1 Minute of Low Laterals
Tuesday
30 Minutes of Walking / 20 Push-ups / 20 Single Arm Tricep Presses (10 each side)
Wednesday
30 Minutes of Walking / 20 Squats / 20 Alternating Lunges
Thursday
30 Minutes of Walking / 20 Abdominal Bicycles / 1 Minute Plank (or until fatigue)
Friday
30 Minutes of Walking / 20 Squat-Jab-Punch / 20 Hill Climbers
Saturday
Active Day – Do something fun like a hike, swim, surfing, tennis, bike ride, etc. for 60 minutes
Sunday
Rest Day – Focus on rest, eating healthy, hydrating, and getting ready for another week ahead.
This seven day plan is the perfect balance between exercising the body enough to help support fertility and not too vigorous where you risk lowering fertility and the chances of conceiving.
Follow this seven day plan and you will be well on your way to being fit and fertile.
You’re awesome!
Mike
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