Finally we are able to cross “home gym refresh” off of our to-do before baby list! We may have a tiny, basement room, but having a home gym is very important to us. Fitness is a big part of our life, and we hope to continue that after our baby girl arrives. Someone else who prioritizes fitness in her mommy life is my trainer, Abbie from @shortfitneverquit. She is a certified prenatal exercise trainer which was super important to me when choosing a trainer. She is so awesome that she has agreed to guest appear in this blog post to share her three best tips for pregnant women wanting to stay active. Make sure you follow along for that!
Let’s start with our empty, “before” space.
Ugly, right?? This room was mostly storage and a dumping ground. The first thing we did was clean it out and paint the floors gray. You can see that transformation here. It made such a big difference in cleaning it up. Without further hesitation, it’s time to share our humble home gym!
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Now, it may not look like it should be featured in a magazine, but it’s a heck of a lot better in my opinion! The only things we bought for this refresh were:
- These Puzzle Exercise Mats – we used two full packs for this area
- These door mirrors from Walmart
I very much wanted to do an inexpensive refresh of this space so that we would feel more comfortable, but wouldn’t break the bank. These weights were something that my husband had from years ago, the bands were leftover from my previous physical therapy trips, and we got a few hand-me-down yoga mats.
We definitely have more plans for this space. One thing I would LOVE to add is a TRX. They are so versatile and my girl Abbie has one that I use when I train in her gym. We are also on the hunt for some sort of cardio machine that we could have at home. We aren’t sure whether we want a spin bike, rower, elliptical or treadmill, but my husband and I both agree having something would be pivotal to our healthy lifestyle. We’ve been looking on Facebook Marketplace, so fingers crossed!
Hi there from my baby bump! In the background you can also see a set of shelves that my husband made for all of our “junk.” This room needed to perform double duty, and we sure fit a lot of storage in here without feeling cramped.
Anyway, back to the baby bump. I have been working with Abbie Overbeek ever since finding out we were pregnant. She is so knowledgeable and fully certified, which was something that I really needed. She has agreed to share with you all her top three tips for exercising while pregnant. For more awesome tips – pregnant or not – make sure you check out her Instagram page and show her some love!
Abbie’s top three pregnancy tips!
1) Do not stop working out while pregnant!
You are still able to workout, but just be mindful. Your body is constantly shifting during pregnancy.
If something begins to hurt or becomes uncomfortable while exercising. Stop, and seek out help from a certified pre & post natal corrective exercise specialist.
2) Look at food as fuel more than ever!
Your body needs protein; for your body is needing energy more than ever. Nutrient dense foods rich in Omega3’s, such as wild caught salmon, are crucial for babies brain and eye development; as well as decreasing inflammation in your body.
3) One of the most common symptoms of pregnancy is swelling. The best way to combat swelling is to walk, stretch and drink water!
Too often when that uncomfortable swelling seems to get the best of us during pregnancy we put up our feet in hopes of swelling to disappear. The best way to help that fluid build up, is to move!
If there are any questions or concerns regarding your nutrition, pregnancy or postpartum recovery; please feel free to reach out to me at [email protected]
