You know how they say, "just make it to your second trimester—you'll feel human again"? "They" speak the truth! In the first trimester you might be battling morning sickness {aka, all day nausea}, you lose your breath much easier {HOW did I used to do 10 jumping jacks...in a row?!}, and the bloat - oh god, the bloat. Fun fact: your body is now pumping 40 percent more blood to allot for baby - and that's werk on your body.
But, by the second trimester, you get the pep back in your workout step. You feel—dare I say—normal. You're able to catch your breathe a bit more, your energy levels are back to the norm, and you can fit a workout into your day because you're not crashing at 8pm...okay, fine, 7pm. This is your shining trimester, so e m b r a c e it - while you can {I'm striking that part for good reason—because I hate the negative "just wait"-esque sayings. If you push and stay healthy, your "while you can" will turn into, "there's nothing you can't do" - no matter how many weeks you are or how many babies you're carrying. Don't let anybody tell you it's too hard to handle - because it's up to you{and your doctor}, not them. I digress...}
In the second trimester I mostly jumped back into one of my favorite BeachBody workouts - PiYo. I followed that and running...until I was put on "light rest" around Week 23 due to my cervix shortening. It set "me" back, but I'm no longer the priority - these babes are. You'll notice a break in my schedule, but then a reamping-up, slowly but surely. In the first trimester you listen to your body - in the second, you listen to your doctors. Trust.
Here's every workout I did for each day that I worked out in the second trimester - including links to almost every workout!
142.9 lbs
Day 1: 3.5 mile run at my own pace—getting harder because I have to jump off an pee so often! & 2:00 plank & Thigh Challenge Day 5 {I love throwing a 30-day challenge in every now and then as a workout supplement. Recruit all of your friends to join you and check-in with each other every day!} Day 2: Tone It Up {TIU} Beach Babe 3 Arms DVD & Arms/Abs Circuit Pin - Circuit 1, all with 10lb. weights, & Thigh Challenge Day 6 Day 3: PiYo Sweat & Thigh Challenge Day 7 Day 4: 21Day Fix Cardio & Thigh Challenge Day 8 {TIP: I signed up for BeachBody On Demand so I could access TONS of BeachBody workouts whenever and wherever I wanted. This majorly came in handy for me to switch things up when I got bored! It's worth it for the Autumn Calabrese Maternity Workouts alone.} Day 5: PiYo Strength Intervals Day 6: TIU Cardio Abs {13 minutes} & TIU Beach Yoga {20 minutes} & Thigh Challenge Day 9 Day 7: REST
145.4 lbs
{Can you tell my appetite was back?}
Day 1: Thigh Challenge Day 10 was all I could manage {I worked and was on my feet all day and was exhausted! Needed a break - so I listened to my body and did not feel bad about it for one second.} Day 2: 3 mile HIIT = 29:01! Felt good enough to modify harder a little bit! & Thigh Challenge Day 11 Day 3: Jillian Michaels Yoga Meltdown 1 {modified last move of the circuit - did crab dips instead and arched my back to work my back muscles} Day 4: PiYo Core {no modification - but HARD!} & Thigh Challenge Day 13 Day 5: 1.8 mile walk outside with 5lb. weights & Thigh Challenge Day 14 Day 6: On vacation! But fit in Thigh Challenge Day 15
Day 7: On vacation! But fit in Thigh Challenge Day 17
147.9 lbs
Day 1: REST Day 2: PiYo Sweat & 1:30 plank Day 3: PiYo Buns & :30 side planks each side {with 10 raises and hold throughout the :30} Day 4: PiYo Core {no modification - but HARD!} Day 5: 2 mile run at my pace & TIU BB3 Arms Day 6: REST Day 7: 3 mile HIIT = 29:40! & TONS of housework that had me up and down the stairs all day {yes, this counts as a workout!}
149.7 lbs
Day 1: PiYo Sweat & 1:00 plank Day 2: PiYo Core & 1:00 plank Day 3: PiYo Buns & 1:00 plank Day 4: PiYo DRENCH!! {All the way through, NO modifications, few child poses needed, felt great!! A little tired/shaky at the end - but that's not a preggers thing, that's a PiYo Drench thing} & 1:00 plank Day 5: 2 mile run at my pace{not a lot of time today but squeezed something in!} Day 6: REST Day 7: Kayaking for two hours
149.3 lbs
Day 1: 3.5 mile HIIT {Sore and exhausted afterwards! Back is starting to kill after runs. Might be time for a belly band soon...} Day 2: PiYo Sweat {Plank section getting tough! Modified to less burpees.} Day 3: PiYo Core & 1:10 plank Day 4: PiYo Buns & 1:20 plank Day 5: PiYo DRENCH! {All the way through, little mods!} Day 6: REST Day 7: 3 mile HIIT {Had a little big of very light pink, very light blood afterwards - but no pain. Still, something to mention to doc...} & Tricep Pin with 10lb. weights, 10-20 reps each move
150 lbs
Day 1: PiYo Sculpt {Yowza, I forgot how tough this one was, in general! Works those triceps!} Day 2: PiYo Sweat Day 3: PiYo Core {Getting tougher to do floor exercises. Feels weird and tougher to maneuver bicycle section.} Day 4: PiYo DRENCH! {Definitely getting HARD-er, especially the plank section!} Day 5: PiYo Buns Day 6: REST Day 7: PiYo Strength Intervals - After going nonstop all day on house stuff, I chose to squeeze this in at 7:30pm at night. Proof that you can squeeze something in at some point - especially when it's only 22 minutes!
151.5 lbs
Day 1: PiYo Sweat {Core section is tough, but busted out all burpees at the end, and all push-ups in the last segment!} & Tank Top Arms Challenge Day 1 {Followed a friend's challenge, but here's a good one to try!} Day 2: 3 mile HIIT Day 3: PiYo Buns & Arms Challenge Day 2 & 3 {Played catch-up. Exhausted today, but pushed through!} Day 4: PiYo DRENCH until Flow {didn't have enough time!} & Arms Challenge Day 4 Day 5: PiYo Sculpt Day 6: REST Day 7: PiYo Strength Intervals & Arms Challenge Day 5
This is also the week I decided I finally needed a belly band. It took just a little getting used to, but all-in-all it was a great investment. Really worked wonders when I was running! Kept the pressure of my bladder and back, and didn't slip or get uncomfortable. I used this for week to support my back during runs and lower body workouts {like buns & legs}. Stopped using after the second trimester when it got harder to wrap around my belly - but I also slowed back on workouts {doc's orders} so I didn't need it as much. Bottom line, I would recommend this for the start of the second trimester and throughout! Even though you may not be caring that much more weight {yet}, your back still overcompensates and this really helps!
153.7 lbs
Day 1: PiYo Sculpt & 1:30 plank Day 2: PiYo Sweat {No mods - felt great! Proof that how you feel and how your body performs will ebb and flow.} Day 3: PiYo Core {Did great until bicycle segment - felt like I could barely breathe! Did the second round standing - and I felt like I got the same effect! Cramps in my lower abdomen when trying to do floor exercises - I think it's officially time to retire PiYo Core - womp.} Day 4: PiYo Buns Day 5: PiYo DRENCH {Definitely getting a little too big for this workout - things are crunched in certain positions. Pushed through, though! I think I might have ONE more full Drench left in me!} Day 6: REST Day 7: 3 mile HIIT = 29:42 & 1:30 plank & :30 plank each side with 10 dips each {Noted to myself: "GREAT MONTH!!" I really stuck to my PiYo schedule and added in some challenges. Felt great most of the time, and felt like "me" through workouts.}
155.3 lbs
Day 1: PiYo Buns & 1:30 plank & :30 side planks with 10 dips each side Day 2: PiYo DRENCH {Woo-wee - tough, but I did it!} Day 3: Triceps Pin {15-20 reps} & 1:30 plank & :30 side planks with 10 dips each side Day 4: 2.25 mile run outside at the beach {ROUGH start - didn't think I would be able to do it, but I paced myself, concentrated on breathing, and pushed over the hump at .5 miles. Ended up feeling great!} & 1:30 plank & :30 side planks with 10 dips each side Day 5: Yoga on the beach - 1 hour {Very relaxing and chill vinyasa} Day 6: Stand-up Paddle Boarding Bootcamp - crazy!! First time paddle boarding and did not expect the extent of this workout. Did intervals and "sprints" on board - burned over 400 calories in an hour! Day 7: 3.5 mile HIIT {Pushed through and felt good. Some side pains in the beginning just when I was trying to get loose and find a rhythm - but they quickly dissipated. Note to self: push through the first mile to get into the rhythm!}
156.6 lbs
Day 1: Turbo Fire 40 {Some modification - less hopping/jumping and more "shuffling." It was LONG and rough at times, but I stuck through! Great cardio workout. Fire 40 takes the "fire drills" out of Fire 45, which I likely couldn't do anyway because of the intensity of them, so it worked out perfect.} & 1:30 plank & :30 side planks with 10 dips each side Day 2: TIU BB3 Beach Bombshell DVD - drop set of weights 10, 8 and 5lbs. {Light modifications but mostly stuck through it! Reverse plank dips were rough - mostly did crab dips.} Day 3: 30 minute treadmill HIIT Day 4: SkinnyGirl Yoga 40 minutes {Hadn't done this one in a while - it's much tougher now! Have to remember that I'm lifting a lot more weight now. Modified a bit, especially at the end, but was able to do a 3-count wheel!} Day 5: Diary of a Fit Mommy Bun in the Oven Prenatal workout -30 minutes at my own pace {Did all the way through but modified on side planks when needed - they were tough!} Day 6: REST Day 7: 3.5 mile HIIT {Felt great!! No pains, had good energy, felt like I could keep going! Which is ironic, since...}
157.6 lbs
Day 1: Put on "light rest" due to cervix trying to "funnel" open. Will be kept under a close eye from here on out. Best case scenario - we're told we'll make it to 28 Weeks. You'll notice over the next few weeks that I ween back in to workouts - this is only due to my doctor's permission. Little by little I could add things back in, and if my cervix remained stable then I could add a little more back in. LISTEN to your doctors - they are the only reason I got as far as I did! Day 2: REST Day 3: REST Day 4: REST Day 5: Booty Blast Day 1 {Friend's challenge, but here's another good one!} & Tricep Pin - 10lb. weights for 15 reps per move {Took it super slow and easy, but had to do something. Promised myself I would stop immediately if anything felt off.} Day 6: REST Day 7: REST
156.2 lbs
Day 1: Booty Blast Day 2 & Tricep Pin - 10lb. weights for 10-15 reps per move Day 2: Booty Blast Day 3 & TIU Bikini Arms - 8lb. weights for 10-20 reps per move, no swimmers - did lateral raises instead Day 3: Booty Blast Day 4 & TIU Arm Routine x3 - 10lb. weights for first two rounds, then 8lb. weights for third round Day 4: 1.8 mile walk outside with 5lb. weights Day 5: REST {on feet all day working - that was enough!} Day 6: TIU BB3 Arms - 8lb. weights {Not bad considering it's been a while - hung it and it flew by!} Day 7: TIU Thigh Pin & Short Triceps Pin - 8lb. weights for 15-20 reps per move & My own made-up triceps workout with band - 25 minute workout total
159.9 lbs
Day 1: 20 minute walking incline treadmill workout - 1.25 miles {Backed off to 3.5mph when needed!} & Diary of a Fit Mommy 15-minute Abs & Core workout - 30 reps each move Day 2: REST {Pains - listen to your body!} Day 3: TIU BB3 Arms with 8lb. weights Day 4: 1.8 mile walk outside with 5lb. weights Day 5: REST Day 6: Autumn Calabrese Maternity First Trimester workout with 8-10lb. weights {GOOD workout!! I was expecting way less, but it worked me!} Day 7: TIU Bikini Arms Pin x1 with 10lb. weights - no swimmers
No pics from Week 27 - Whoops!
160.7
{Gained 17.8 pounds in the second trimester. Up 21.8 pounds total!}
Day 1: Autumn Calabrese Maternity Second Trimester workout with 10lb. weights {Modified jumping jacks and side planks, but otherwise quick and great!} Day 2: REST Day 3: Autumn First Trimester workout with 8-10lb. weights Day 4: TIU Bikini Arms x2 - first round with 8-10lb. weights for 20 reps, second round with 8-10lb. weights for 14-15 reps {Pelvis pain! So I took it easy.} Day 5: Cize Crazy 8's! {Fun and low impact cardio workout!} Day 6: REST Day 7: 1.8 mile walk outside with 5lb. weights
While I started out strong in the second trimester, I am still so happy that I got to do something to finish it out - even if the workouts weren't close to my normal level. At the end of the day, the twinlets are more important than some toned arms. Still, being able to ween back into some modified and low-impact workouts kept my mind sane, my body moving, and me and the babes healthy. Always, always, always listen to your doctor. They are not trying to jeopardize your healthy lifestyle - they are trying to kickstart your babes' health, period. Until the third trimester wrap-up... {Which, P.S. Has a lot more Autumn Calabrese Maternity, andShaun T's Cize - because nothing is funnier than seeing a mega-preggo dance around the living room.}
Psst...more workout-aholic posts:
First Trimester Fitness: Complete Workout Schedule
A Beginner's Guide to Workout DVDs
