My weekly workout recaps from 26 to 29 weeks pregnant

Oh hey there, my friends! It’s been a few weeks since I’ve had a weekly workout report for you, so I figured I’d bring it back today. I’ve been keeping track of my movement, as I always do, but with a babymoon to Santa Barbara and a week-long trip to Florida, let’s just say I’ve been off my routine slightly. I’m heading back to California today and expect to resume a more normal routine for the last couple months of my pregnancy. 

The reason I’ve always liked sharing my workouts (which up until just a few weeks ago, usually appeared on Mondays along with a weekend recap) is because it shows you that I’m mostly practicing what I preach with fitness in my life. For instance, I always include at least one or two rest days every single week; I try to fit in some resistance work, cardio and stretching as well; and I keep things balanced by seeking variety.

While none of that has changed since I became pregnant, I have had the need to slow things down slightly as my body is doing some major transformation. I’m 30.5 weeks today, and the babe is getting much bigger!

My latest four weekly workout recaps

Here’s a look at how I’ve been moving …

 At 26 weeks pregnant …

• Monday: Took a one-hour BODYPUMP class, 10 a.m.
• Tuesday: Taught a one-hour Bootybarre class, 12 p.m.
• Wednesday: Did 25 minutes of power-walking on the treadmill, 11 a.m.
• Thursday: Taught a one-hour BODYPUMP class, 8:30 a.m. and taught a one-hour Bootybarre class, 5:30 p.m.
• Friday: Taught a one-hour Bootybarre class, 4 p.m.
• Saturday: Rest day
• Sunday: Rest day

This week, I taught my last BODYPUMP class, because I was beginning to need a lot of modifications and felt it was just best to step away from the front of the classroom for a bit. At this point, I was having major trouble with push-ups on my toes and plank-work, because it caused too much strain in my core — not exactly fun issues for a BODYPUMP teacher. (Bumping and taking BODYPUMP? Here’s how to make modifications in a BODYPUMP class when you’re pregnant.)

I was also ready to stop teaching two classes on Thursdays, because it was a lot for me, during the extreme heat of summer and in my third trimester. Outside of giving up BODYPUMP, this week had a lot of exercise in it through the five weekdays, including teaching four full-hour classes. I still felt pretty good, but needed those two rest days on the weekend and enjoyed them.

 At 27 weeks pregnant …

• Monday: Did a 20-minute upper-body workout, 10 a.m.
• Tuesday: Rest day
• Wednesday: Did a 20-minute lower-body workout, 10 a.m.
• Thursday: Rest day
• Friday: Took 45 minutes of a BODYPUMP class, 12 p.m.
• Saturday: Took 30 minutes of a Bootybarre class, 10:30 a.m.
• Sunday: Rest day

This week, Dave and I were away in Santa Barbara for our babymoon. Most of the time when on vacation, I stay away from the gym and prefer to walk around, ride bikes or even try an outdoor yoga class if I’m going to do anything at all — or I just rest. However, Dave has a pretty regular workout schedule and wanted to at least do a little bit of movement while we were there, so we snuck in two short 30-minute workouts. We did those workouts in the resort’s gym, and for both, I did a five-minute incline walking warm-up on the treadmill, some mobility moves and then 20 minutes of upper-body one day (side raises, Arnold presses and bicep curls) and lower-body movements the other day (sumo squats, deadlights and reverse lunges), using various dumbbells. 

There were only two other short workouts this week, so it was pretty sparse, which is totally fine for a vacation week. But at least I picked up some weights. All good!

(A side shot after my hotel-gym workout at 27 weeks in this maternity workout top.) 

At 28 weeks pregnant …

• Monday: Took 30 minutes of a BODYPUMP class, 10 a.m. and took a 25-minute walk, 7 p.m.
• Tuesday: Took a one-hour The Dailey Method class, 12:15 p.m. and took a 25-minute walk, 7 p.m.
• Wednesday: Took a 25-minute walk, 6 p.m.
• Thursday: Taught a one-hour Bootybarre class, 5:30 p.m.
• Friday: Taught a one-hour Bootybarre class, 4 p.m.
• Saturday: Took a 25-minute walk, 10 a.m.
• Sunday: Took a leisure 25-minute walk, 7 p.m.

You’ll see that this week saw the addition of walks to my workout routine. While I had been walking here and there before, it was usually short leisure Rudy-dog walks. However, my new walking walks (is that a thing? walking walks?) are slightly longer and are at a slightly quicker pace. Not exactly power walks or anything, but enough that I work up a sweat. I must admit that fast walking doesn’t feel amazing on my body anymore — in fact, I feel a little pressure from my large tummy and may need to start wearing a maternity support belt to hold everything in place. Stay tuned for more on that.

As far as this week of workouts, it was well balanced and full with four classes involving weights and all of those walks. On Sunday, knowing it was more of a “rest day,” my walk was much more leisure. Why? Because I needed to rest, but I still wanted some light movement. (And here’s why and how you can talk yourself into taking a day off from exercise each week.)

(A red-faced selfie after teaching my last Friday afternoon Bootybarre class at 28 weeks and wearing these maternity workout crops.)

 At 29 weeks pregnant …

• Monday: Took a 25-minute walk, 7 p.m.
• Tuesday: Did a 30-minute full-body weights workout, 12 p.m.
• Wednesday: Rest day
• Thursday: Did 25 minutes of Bootybarre at home, 10 a.m.
• Friday: Did 25 minutes of Bootybarre at home, 10 a.m.
• Saturday: Rest day
• Sunday: Took a 35-minute walk, 7 p.m.

I had every intention of fitting in two full-hour workouts on Monday and Tuesday before leaving for my Florida trip, but I didn’t feel well on the first day, and then didn’t have the energy for more than 30 minutes on the second day. Then I spent all day traveling on Wednesday before arriving in Florida that night. Nonetheless, I still did some light cardio with the walking, some light resistance with the Bootybarre at my parent’s house (I brought a resistance tube with me for this purpose, even though technically you don’t use a resistance tube in an official Bootybarre workout), so the week turned out fine. (And if you want to know what Bootybarre is like, check out this class review — moral of the story, lots of isometric movements for the legs and butt, light arm work and plenty of flexibility.)

I probably would have gone on more walks during my Florida trip, but it was so darn hot and humid that there wasn’t a very good time to be outside.

Overview of the last four weeks of workouts 

The past few weeks have been much lighter than my usual workout routine leading up to pregnancy and throughout my first 25 weeks of pregnancy. However, I think that’s to be expected. While I used to strive for three resistance sessions, two cardios and a yoga class, those elements are not always making it into my weeks right now. I foresee a lot more walking and a lot more barre, as both of those movements are the perfect amount of effort for this growing gal. 

And with that, we’re all caught up with my workouts. Have a fabulous day, my friends! See you back here soon! I’m super sad to be leaving my parents in Florida, but also excited to hug Rudy and Dave when I get home.

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Questions of the day

How have your workouts been lately?

What’s the one workout that you do the most each week?

If you’ve been pregnant, what was your favorite workout during your pregnancy?