Customer Reviews

Pregnancy Fitness: Mind Body Spirit (Health & Fitness)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I purchased this book because I want to know how I should work out now that I'm pregnant. It's marginally helpful in that it calls attention to abdominal exercises and indicates when to stop running and when to start up again. Beyond that, it's not very helpful. The exercises are described, but the suggestions for reps or sets are sporadic at best. I saw only a few exercises that gave recommended reps, and none of them talked about sets. There's no way to chart or plan your workout schedule or progress. I realized this book wasn't aimed at women like me when I read that I shouldn't feel bad if I can't do more than 3 or 4 bench presses with a 3-pound weight.

I think this book tries to be too many things: It tries to be a fitness book, and introduction to exercise book, and an overview of pregnancy. It goes into loving detail about how much of your body will be destroyed, and refers to you as a 'breastorant.' I would prefer a book that treated me as a thinking, fit woman who wants to optimize her fitness regimen for carrying, giving birth, and recovering.

If you've never exercised and you want to start during pregnancy, go for it! And maybe this book will be helpful for you, although you'll have to do some additional research to optimize your fitness. If you are already in good shape, or know how to work out, skip this book.

I bought this book as a gift to my wife and she found it to be an excellent, straight-forward exercise guide. She likes the way that the book is split into trimesters and the fact that the exercises are simple to do. We recommend it highly to all expectant mothers.

Usually when I buy an exercise book I expect clear concise directions and maybe a picture to illustrate what exactly the correct form would be. Well, if you are expecting this out of this book you my as well forget it. Although it was very informative, black and white pictures that aren't even shown for all exercises is not going to cut it. For example for a tricep kickback it doesn't really show you the ways that it would be wrong which can lead to an injury. If you are looking for information go for it; but if you want something that will show you the right way with pictures, skip it.

I have used this book throughout my third pregnancy and the exercises and tips it has for all the pregnancy aches were absolutely wonderful! My doctor was little or no help answering simple questions about how to take care of my body and how to feel better physically. This book took care of all my normal pregnancy fitness questions. A MUST-even if you are not a fitness-type person!

Since I've bought this book, I've referred to it numerous times. What I like about it, is that it includes other "health" items such as meditation and nutrition. It divides each trimester up with a short synopsis in each trimester with "Your changing body", then "Cardio. fitness", "Getting Stronger" and "Enhancing Flexibility". The last chapter is for post partum fitness. Within each chapter, there are little quips about common ailment during each trimester and how to deal. I also appreciate that it uses the "percieved exertion" scale to help you figure out if your working out enough/too hard. It also gives info on heart rates. Love this book. Very easy to read and informative.

This book has been very useful during my pregnancy. There's only one thing that I don't like. There are not enough pictures. I have been reluctant to do some of the exercises, as I fear I am not doing the exercise correct.

The advice for exercising and breastfeeding is wrong. It says breastfeeding hurts. It is out of date. It quotes that study that purported to show that exercise made milk taste bad/be less good for babies, and then recommends a complicated regimen not feeding that milk to your baby. It treats formula feeding as a reasonable strategy, despite how dangerous formula is for babies. It urges very tight, compressive, supportive exercise bras for breastfeeding mamas, and does not allow for the probability that might lead to plugged ducts/mastitis in many women.

The duck squat line drawing is laughable. In addition to not showing a form of the squat that would allow for a pregnant belly, it shows a woman in a very deep squat, with feet flat on the floor, not leaning forward and not holding onto anything or supported at her back. Physics sezs: Not Possible!

Overall: mostly useless, pretty dull, unhelpful if you exercise out of doors by engaging in interesting activities. Get Aneema Van Groenou's book instead.

Pregnancy Fitness will encourage you to lead a more active lifestyle during pregnancy, regardless of your pre-pregnancy lifestyle. Unlike some other pregnancy fitness books, which can be a bit intimidating, this book is suitable for beginners as well as very active women. The book is divided into four sections:

- The first trimester
- The second trimester
- The third trimester
- Recovering your body.

Each section includes a discussion of nutrition, flexibility, cardio, and the ergonomics of pregnancy. This is a terrific book that any mom-to-be will enjoy.

I thought this book was very good but the only concern I had was the fact that throughout the entire book, stomach crunches were talked about and even said to be done through each trimester.
Now, my OB and two other OBs told me that under no circumstances should AB exercises be done. I thought that the book was decieving in that way because it was saying something totally different than my OB did. I am concerned about that in the book.
Other than that, I thought the book was very helpful and informational.

Whether you were in top physical condition prior to pregnancy or you want to adopt a more active lifestyle now that you are pregnant, you will find this book very useful. The authors have done a great job of summarizing the latest research on prenatal fitness and offering recommendations on the types of exercise that are best suited to mothers-to-be. The book is easy to read and highly motivating. An excellent source of information on prenatal fitness.