Week 23 & 24: staying in shape

Now that the morning sickness had subsided and food was no longer my worst enemy, it was time to lift my bottom off the sofa. At first, I was happy to see the numbers rising on the scale because I had lost weight early in the pregnancy… but as the numbers continued to rise, and my little bump turned into a not so little bump, I decided I should start getting some exercise!

I’ve never been a gym fanatic, but I do like to keep active. I looked into different activities in Hong Kong that were safe to do while I was pregnant and would keep my backside and legs in shape.

Prenatal Yoga
Let me start of by saying I don’t like yoga. I’ve tried several different kinds over the years, and I just never developed a liking to it. Instead of feeling more relaxed after leaving a class, I would actually feel more stressed than when I first entered the room! When I first started going to prenatal yoga, I didn’t get much out of the class, maybe because of my previous experience. As my baby got bigger and the pains and aches in my back and legs increased, I began to develop a true appreciation for the benefits yoga has to offer. I am able to stretch, strengthen and relax. The instructor is amazing and knows exactly what moves to show us pregnant girls for our aching bodies. It’s also become a great way to meet and socialize with other moms-to-be!

There are plenty of prenatal yoga classes in HK but my personal recommendation is the awesome Peggy at The Yoga Room (3/F, 4/F & 15/F Xiu Ping Building, 104 Jervois Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong, 2544 8398).

Swimming
I love to swim. I spent three weeks over the holidays visiting my parents in Florida, and my mom and I went swimming every day. It’s a great way to stretch out all of your muscles and really keeps your body toned at the same time! Best of all, the water provides support for your growing tummy and allows you to move without feeling awkward. Luckily, I have access to a private indoor pool here in Hong Kong, so I can keep up the routine. If you don’t have access to a private pool, try The Morrison Hill Public Indoor Swimming Pool (7 Oi Kwan Road, Wan Chai). You can pay per visit and stay as long as you want!

See the full list of all public swimming pools in Hong Kong here.

Walking
Walking indoors on a treadmill bores me. When I get a chance, and the pollution levels aren’t soaring out of control, I head over to the Bowen Road path. The views are lovely and the land is flat, making it easy on the knees. It’s a mostly pedestrian only path, so you don’t have to worry about getting run over by crazy taxi drivers… watch out for the strollers though!

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Exercise is very important for the expectant mother. Whether you schedule a specific time and type of exercise or build it into your daily routine, the benefits are worth the effort. There are some days when walking down The Peak from my flat to Central is my day’s worth of exercise and other days when food shopping, carrying packages, and putting it all away leaves me feeling like I went to the gym! On my lazy days, however, when I am lying in my warm, comfy bed, not wanting to do a thing, my baby will often remind me with his kicks that it’s time to get my legs moving as well!