It’s difficult enough for expectant moms to schlep over to the gym on a normal day, much less on a chilly winter day. Luckily for moms who want to stay fit throughout their nine months of pregnancy, a host of DVDs can guide you through workouts tailored to each of the three trimesters. And it’s not just about the extra baby pounds–some routines even target muscles involved in delivery or those that bear the weight of the pregnancy. Here are five great choices for breaking a sweat.
1. Knocked Up Fitness with Erica Ziel
Specializing in Pilates, nutrition, and personal fitness, Erica Ziel helps mothers-to-be prepare their bodies for the labors of child birth. This pregnancy guru teaches women how to strengthen key muscle groups that are responsible for delivering children during birth alongside exercises to help heal the body post labor. Erica offers a Pilates-Infused Workout disc and a Core Pilates Workout disc, each comprising short workouts designed for mothers in each trimester. Bonus: her site features video exercises, tips on staying active during pregnancy, and a treasure trove of other great advice.($37.99, knocked-upfitness.com)
2. 10 Minute Solution: Prenatal Pilates with Lizbeth Garcia
Busy moms on a time crunch might find these clock-friendly routines to be the solution for their fitness problems. Lizbeth Garcia, a lifetime dancer and Pilates instructor, guides expecting mothers through a series of five 10-minute workouts that can either be broken up throughout the day or done at all once. Lizbeth’s workout includes Pilates for Buns & Thighs, Standing Pilates, Core Pilates, Pilates for Flexibility, and Total Body Pilates. The DVD includes a bonus workout called Postnatal Bonus Workout: Flat Belly Fast, by instructor Suzanne Bowen. ($13.77, barnsandnoble.com)
3. Body by Trimester with Joy Southworth
With the belief that each trimester brings new challenges for both body and mind, Joy guides women through each stage of pregnancy with tailored strength exercises. The DVDs target primary muscle groups that bear the weight of pregnancy, with weight circuits that help raise heart rates and stabilize pregnant bodies. Body by Trimester comes with three discs, one for each trimester, offering two 25-minute routines and one 15-minute express routine. To complete the collection, a special post-natal routine with four 10-minute, high-intensity workouts helps moms quickly shed those extra baby pounds after birth. ($34.24 trimester set, $16.99 post-natal; bodybytrimester.com)
4. Crunch Yoga Mama – Prenatal Yoga with Sue Elkind
Instructed by Sue Elkind of CRUNCH Fitness in New York, this session demonstrates how pregnant women can practice yoga safely in the comforts of their homes. Sue demonstrates each pose herself, then has participants in her class demo adjustments each trimester on film. What’s more, this yoga session welcomes yogis of all experience levels–so feel free to grab a mat even if you’re new to yoga! ($5.99; Amazon.com)
5. The Pregnancy Project with Tracy Anderson
Take a journey with Tracy Anderson in The Pregnancy Project, in which Tracy not only tells expectant mothers how to remain active throughout their nine months but also advises them on what to expect from their health and bodies. Filmed when she pregnant with her second child, each of Tracy’s DVDs focus on a new muscle group and body part each month, encouraging moms to keep their hearts pumping no matter where they are in their pregnancy. ($19.86; Amazon.com)
