photo from babyzone.com

You’re pregnant and you may feel like staying in bed and eating Crispy Creme donuts. But pregnancy is no excuse to indulge in high-calorie junk food and couch-potato behavior.

James Pivarnik of Michigan State University in East Lansing led a team that has written new physical activity guidelines for pregnant women as part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines.

He has studied the topic for more than 20 years, so I guess he’s the expert on pregnancy and exercise. His advice: at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week.

“There has been quite a dramatic change in regards to pregnancy and exercise,” Pivarnik said in a statement. “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.”

Bottom line: Stay active. It’s good for you and it’s good for your baby. And when you finally give birth, you won’t be one of those women moaning about how to loose all the extra baby weight.

source: UPI.com