2 - Prenatal and Postnatal Fitness: Staying Active for You and Baby with Biceps After Babies Amber Bruseke

Amber Bruseke, founder of Biceps After Babies, discusses nutrition and exercise during pregnancy. She emphasizes the importance of exercise during pregnancy and challenges the notion that pregnant women are fragile. She shares her own fitness journey and the normalization of exercise during pregnancy in her upbringing. Amber recommends starting with 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week and incorporating resistance training. She also highlights the significance of protein intake and the challenges for vegan or vegetarian diets. Amber discusses the benefits of prenatal vitamins, particularly folate, and the importance of a diverse diet. She also touches on the use of macro counting as an educational tool during pregnancy. In this conversation, Amber Bruseke discusses the importance of counting macros for awareness of food intake and adjusting it for different goals. She also emphasizes the benefits of cardio and weightlifting during pregnancy to prepare the body for the physical demands of pregnancy and delivery. Amber explains the importance of waiting until the postpartum period to engage in intense exercise and the need for patience and grace in the healing journey. She also addresses the safety of rapid weight loss methods during pregnancy and postpartum. Amber encourages women to embrace their unique journeys and release expectations of what postpartum should look like.

CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction and Background of Amber Bruseke
06:05 Exercise Recommendations During Pregnancy
10:51 Preparation for Pregnancy: Exercise and Nutrition
15:17 The Importance of Prenatal Vitamins and a Diverse Diet
22:28 Using Macro Counting as an Educational Tool During Pregnancy
24:43 Counting Macros and Food Awareness
25:38 The Importance of Cardio and Weightlifting During Pregnancy
31:06 Exercise as a Tool for Labor Induction and Early Stages of Labor
33:44 Approaching Postpartum Exercise with Patience and Grace
36:36 The Safety of Rapid Weight Loss Methods During Pregnancy and Postpartum
41:18 Embracing the Uniqueness of Your Postpartum Journey

RESOURCES

Pregnancy Belt