General Checklist

This is a quick checklist of steps you can take to start feeling stronger and more confident during or after your pregnancy right away:

Define your needs: Ex. I need to get stronger, I need more time to workout, I need to eat healthier meals, I need to find more energy, I need to figure out how to workout safely during pregnancy

Boil down your needs to three big goals: Ex. I want to get strong enough to pick up my kids without hurting my back; I want to lose some fat so that I fit into my pre-pregnacy jeans; I want to feel like myself again
Break those big goals down into smaller, actionable steps: Ex.

Get stronger: 1. Strength train 2-3x/week, 2. Follow a science-backed program, 3. Find a gym with child care or lock down times where someone can look after your little ones, 4. Do the workouts, and make a plan B to be in place for when you might need to skip a day (like a baby-friendly workout)

Lose fat: 1. Look at what your current diet is lacking, 2. Choose 1-2 things to change this week, 3. Change 1-2 things per week and keep track of what’s working and what’s not

Feel like myself: 1. Make a list of the things that make you feel like you, 2. Think about how you can incorporate these things into your new life (for example, if you’re a dancer, can you sign up for some baby-and-mom dance classes? If you’re an artist, can you let your little one “help” you or do art with you?)

This is important: Write things down!: Write down all your workout details, how you felt after you worked out, and what areas you improved in. Write down what went well with your nutrition goals, and what could be improved next week. Write down what activity you did, and how it made you feel. This can be a journal-style entry. Think about it as a reflection and self-review for the coming week.

Exercise Checklist

This is a simple guideline for what your workouts should include, whether you’re pregnant or postpartum. Please note that this is a very general, bare-minimum snapshot, and does not encompass all of your specific needs.

Get cleared by your doctor to workout
Determine your overall starting level: 1: Total beginner (little to no experience), 2: Some general experience (classes, some weight training, cardio, etc.), 3: Intermediate (have some experience completing a strength training program, worked with a trainer before, etc.), 4: Advanced (have spent at least a couple years strength training and seeing consistent results. Are very comfortable with mind-muscle connection).
Include safe core exercises to warmup and incorporate into your lifts (this applies to pre- and postnatal women). Look up: Belly breathing, bird dogs, heel slides and heel taps (not for pregnant women in their 2nd + trimester), cat cow, Palof press, march varieties, baby “hugs”.
Keep the intensity at an 8 out of 10. Don’t try to go all-out. You will still make steady progress and increase your strength without testing your limits.
Monitor how you feel, and don’t overdo it. Some signs of too high intensity: excessive fatigue, shortness of breath, dizziness or lightheadedness, chest pain or discomfort, pelvic or abdominal pain, nausea, uncomfortably high heart rate, swelling or leg cramps, loss of fetal movement (if pregnant). If you notice any of these signs, stop exercising and consult your healthcare provider.
Stay hydrated!
Be flexible. Reremember, the journey of pregnancy and new motherhood are unpredictable. You should have a plan A, plan B, and plan C, for when (not if) things don’t go as planned. In my Empowered Mama Program, I literally give my clients three different workout options for each planned workout, and it significantly increases their workout adherence.

Bonus!:

As an extra added bonus, I’m offering you access to my private Empowered Mama Program, where I take the reins and do all of this for you. Everything on this checklist and more will be done for you; the program (yes, with a plan A, B, and C for every workout), the nutrition guidance, and the mindset journal will all be created for your specific needs and goals.

I limit this program to 20 spots, so that each mom gets the care and attention she deserves. This is also an exclusive offer, and once this season’s spots fill, the program will not be offered for this price again.

You can find all the details on what the program includes right here.

I hope that you found this checklist helpful. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions. And lastly, congratulations! <3

~Jasmin