07/14/2026
Emily here! š Owner of Emerge Fitness, and Iām just about out of the first trimester of my second pregnancy. I wanted to share a few survival tips for navigating fitness during those first 14-ish weeks.
The hardest part of the first trimesterāfor meāis simply managing the symptoms. I was extremely sick with my first pregnancy, and while this one has been a little better, Iāve still spent more free time napping than working out (being fully transparent š
)⦠and thatās okay.
Prioritize rest. Manage your symptoms. Train when you feel good enough to train.
Some weeks that might look like 2ā3 workouts. Other weeks it might be 0ā1. This is just a season, and your fitness will be waiting for you when you feel like yourself again.
One thing that helped me tremendously was accountability.
Right before getting pregnant, I started weekly physical therapy sessions to address some recurring aches and pains. Having those appointments on my calendar made it so much easier to show up because self-motivation is HARD when youāre nauseous and exhausted. (Shoutout to .pt)
Whether itās a trainer, a workout buddy, or simply scheduling workouts ahead of time, having someone expecting you can make all the difference.
There arenāt any mandatory exercise changes during the first trimester for most healthy pregnancies, but that doesnāt mean every movement will feel good.
A few modifications Iāve personally made:
⢠Swapped flat bench exercises for an incline because lying flat made my nausea much worse.
⢠Skipped barbell hip thrusts because the pressure across my abdomen just wasnāt comfortable. Instead, I opted for banded or single-leg hip thrusts.
⢠Avoided anything with a meaningful risk of falling. If I didnāt feel 100% stable, Iād hold onto something or choose a different exercise.
Pregnancy isnāt the time to prove anything. Thereās almost always another exercise that accomplishes the same goal with less risk.
Lastlyā¦
⨠Keep snacks with you. (Watermelon Sour Patch Kids and carby snack bars were my MVPs. š)
⨠Stay hydrated. (Flavored water was WAY easier for me than plain water.)
⨠&&& Give yourself grace. ā¤ļø
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