Hi DanceBody Babes, My name is Alex, I’m the Senior Director of Business Development at DanceBody, and I’m pregnant! I’m so excited to share my pregnancy with you in a series of blog posts about how DanceBody is an important part of my prenatal journey and my go-to prenatal workout. While the 1st trimester wasn’t necessarily easy, I found the music, community, and familiarity of DanceBody made it one of the best dance workouts when pregnant. I hope that this article resonates with our fit DanceBody moms and moms to-be.
A Bit About Me:
I’ve been streaming DanceBody workouts since 2016. Even though I live in NYC, I didn’t take my first in-studio class until 2018. Later that same year I joined the DanceBody team where I oversee strategic initiatives, operations, and Human Resources. When I’m not working (or working out!) with my DB fam, I’m enjoying life with my husband Eric and our puppy, Cooper.
How it Started:
In May 2021, we got the exciting news that we were having a baby! We waited until my first OB appointment (5 weeks later) to tell our families and after the successful completion of my 1st trimester to tell friends.
My Pre-Pregnancy Routine:
Movement and exercise are a huge part of my life. Pre-pregnancy, I worked out at least 6 days a week for 45-60 minutes/day. Here is a sample of my previous weekly routine:
- Signature Class (2x a week) - as a former dancer, I love the brain stimulation and joy of this class.
- Dance Express and/or Sculpt Express Class (1x a week) - when I didn’t have as much time, this class is perfect for a great burn in less time.
- Sculpt Class (2x a week) - easily my favorite class because you lose yourself in the music, and when it’s over you know you’ve hit it all.
- Running or Yoga (1-2x a week) - when the weather allows, I like to run outdoors or mix in a yoga class.
1st Trimester Modifications:
When I found out I was pregnant, I was grateful to continue my existing workout routine (albeit cautiously)*. By mid-May the 24/7 nausea and exhaustion kicked in BIG TIME and my prenatal workouts routine was reduced to a few days a week. I also had to eat every couple hours to keep the serious nausea at bay.
However, I quickly discovered that some movement, even if it was far less, really helped me combat my nausea symptoms. Instead of doing a full class, I would do 10-20 minutes and then call it a day. Thanks to the LIVE schedule of classes and On Demand library on DanceBody LIVE, I had a lot of choices!
1st Trimester Takeaways:
- No shame: I modified many of the moves and still got a great workout
- Movement helped my nausea
- I stopped doing abdominal exercises after ~week 7
- I listened to my body and wrapped up workouts early when they no longer felt good
*I spoke to my doctor who said I could continue doing whatever I did pre-pregnancy as long as I felt OK throughout and wasn’t getting my heart rate up to where I couldn’t talk. I’m in NO way a professional giving you health advice, simply sharing how I was able to make DanceBody work well for me - always check with your doctor first.
How it’s Going:
In all honesty, the 1st trimester was physically and mentally very TOUGH. I felt terrible most of the time, my body was changing in ways I couldn’t understand, and it was this big secret I was holding onto. Despite the ways my world was changing, the music of DanceBody, seeing the energy of the people in class, and secretly getting motivation from #DBTrainers made every single workout, no matter how big or small, WORTH IT. I genuinely looked forward to that familiarity and I couldn’t wait to tell the team the news.
I can’t wait to share more about my 2nd trimester in my next blog!
Join my Workouts:
Last week I joined CEO, founder, and dear friend Katia for a DanceBody LIVE prenatal workout: low impact cardio and full body Sculpt. Check out my debut and workout with me!
I hope that my journey inspires you to Keep Moving through your pregnancy at whatever level feels right to you. Feel free to connect with me on Instagram or schedule a Prenatal Private Session with one of our amazing Trainers - they are the best.
Xx,
Alex
