Kinesiology professor James Pivarnik and doctoral students Lanay Mudd and Erin Kuffel wrote the section on pregnancy and postpartum activity as part of the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines unveiled Oct. 7 in Washington, D.C., by the Department of Health and Human Services. Pivarnik, president-elect of the American College of Sports Medicine, attended the event and spoke on behalf of the organization and MSU.

“There has been quite a dramatic change in regards to pregnancy and exercise,” said Pivarnik, who has studied the topic for more than 20 years. “While it used to be thought that avoiding exercise meant avoiding harm to the fetus, research now shows physical activity can not only improve health of the mother but also provide potential long-term benefits for the child.”

Specifically, the guidelines call for women to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week during pregnancy and the postpartum period, preferably spread throughout the week. In addition to health benefits, moderate physical activity also may reduce the length of labor, evidence suggests. The guidelines call for women to avoid doing activities that involve lying on their back after the first trimester and activities with high risk of falling or abdominal trauma.

During the postpartum period, regular physical activity continues to benefit a woman’s overall health, according to Pivarnik’s research, by increasing her cardiorespiratory fitness and improving her mood. Physical activity after pregnancy also helps women achieve and maintain a healthy weight, and when combined with appropriate caloric restriction, promotes weight loss.

“In the time I have been performing research on exercise during pregnancy, we have shifted from cautious conservatism to the current guidelines, which encourage women to be active throughout gestation,” Pivarnik said.

Also as part of the new guidelines, the government recommends 150 minutes of activity for adults per week. The move toward measuring recommended exercise by overall minutes as opposed to specific time and frequency requirements mirrors research recently published by Mudd, Pivarnik, Mathew Reeves from MSU’s Department of Epidemiology, and Ann Rafferty from the Michigan Department of Community Health.

That study, published this month in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, used a broader approach toward calculating compliance with exercise requirements and found when measured by the amount of energy expended, the number of respondents who met guidelines was significantly higher.

“We found that by following the letter of the law many people who may be getting enough physical activity were not being counted,” Mudd said. “But we still have a majority of people who are inactive or are not active enough.

“The new guidelines can help shape people’s behaviors and get them on the right track to being healthy,” she added. “They allow individuals more flexibility in how and when to perform their activities.”

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What are kettlebells exactly? Kettlebells are designed very differently from free weights. The weight distribution of a kettlebell is in a form of a ball with a handle on it. The handle allows you to swing it around smoothly through your hands and the ball is able to rest gently on your wrist and forearm. When doing exercises such as Windmills, Turkish Get Ups, Presses, and Snatches, the ball slightly pulls your arm back which allows your shoulder to become more flexible and develops the internal stabilizer muscles. You can swing a dumbbell but it does not feel as natural and powerful as it would when swinging a kettlebell.

Check out Lauren Brook’s new  ketttlebell DVD: “The Ultimate Body Sculpt and Conditioning with Kettlebells”. She is the ultimate fitness mommy and great motivation!  Check out the trailer here!

Lauren with her baby!

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I officially became a mother on January 8, 2009. My son Christian was born a healthy 7lbs and 14oz with a full head of hair! Throughout my pregnancy I monitored my food intake in a journal, I performed light-resistant workouts 3-4 times a week and I supplemented daily with prenatal vitamins and protein shakes. As a result, I gained a healthy 35lbs and didn’t experience water retention or excessive stretch marks.

Two weeks post-labor I lost 20lbs. Four weeks later I lost an additional 10lbs. Now, I’m working on those last five pounds to get to my pre-pregnancy weight. My belly has flattened, my hips are tightening and my body confidence is rising again. While it feels empowering to regain a body that was not ‘mine’ for ten months, getting my physique back still comes with varying emotions of frustration, dissatisfaction and fatigue.

Since my son’s birth, I haven’t been able to sleep through one night without him crying in need of food or a diaper change. My entire schedule revolves around his feedings and what I call his ‘fussy moments’. In addition to the baby, I have laundry, meals, dishes, articles, work and working out to complete on a daily basis. Life has definitely changed, however, with these changes comes a stronger need to focus on my physical goals even though time is often scarce.

For many mothers, exercising can be seen as a ‘selfish act’, a time they could be spending finishing chores or spending with their children. However, I’ve always viewed exercise as an essential daily act, for in order to be strong mentally, physically and spiritually for everyone around you, you must strengthen and maintain the temple your soul exists inside: your body.

I workout every morning around 6am after I nurse Christian. During my 1.5 hour session I perform approximately 45 minutes of weight training and anywhere between 30-45 minutes of cardio. It’s a dedicated act that requires a lot of personal motivation. However, once it’s done, it’s done! Then you can focus on all the other priorities you have for the day, including caring for your little children.

Here are my top 6 tips to becoming fit fast after having a baby:

1) Breastfeed! It will contract and shrink your uterus.

2) Plan to be fit before you become pregnant.

3) Write down everything you eat in a food journal. Do this during pregnancy and post-labor.

4) Do not focus on strict dieting. Focus on nourishing your body with healthy foods for your baby.

5) Go on high intensity, run/walks with your baby outside when you can.

6) Take your supplements. I personally consistently consumed my multivitamin, calcium, EFA’s, and protein shake throughout my whole pregnancy and post-labor.

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