Wendy Mahon - pre & post natal personal trainer

I am a qualified personal trainer, registered and insured to instruct one to one and group exercise by Fitness Australia. I have an additional certificate in Pre & Post Natal Exercise, allowing me to work with this very specialist group. 

I am 33 years of age and I gave birth to my first child, Jemima on 24/1/13. I was able to apply my knowledge of pre natal exercise to maintain a regular workout program, which I believe was of great benefit to both my developing baby and myself. I have found that exercise contributed hugely to a sense of physical and emotional wellbeing throughout my pregnancy. It was necessary to make adaptations along the way, due to the physical changes my body undergoes. These changes are different for each individual so I am a great believer in listening to your own body and working within the realms of what it tells you it is capable of. You can find a detailed diary of my training on this blog.

I continued to work as a personal trainer and group exercise instructor into my third trimester of pregnancy and took some part time work again when Jemima was nine months old. 

Healthy eating during pregnancy

Pregnancy - nutrition myths and challenges explored

Nutritionally speaking, pregnancy and the period you spend trying to conceive will be the most important times in a woman’s life. There are so many reasons to take excellent care over the fuel you are giving yourself and the new life you are growing:

Research shows that a mother’s weight before conception and the weight gain experienced during pregnancy can have a profound effect on the birth weight of her baby and the longer-term weight and health of the child. Research has been prompted by the increase in infant birth weights and child obesity, the findings showing that gaining too much weight is placing both mother and child in danger.  A child’s metabolism and likelihood of being obese is being programmed in the womb – we ought to be giving more consideration to this area of the baby’s development when making our nutritional choices.

Aside from your baby’s health, the pre & post-natal period is a crucial time to maintain optimum health for yourself – after all, you want to enjoy this wonderful experience! Consuming a healthy diet will help you to avoid conditions such as gestational diabetes, have sufficient energy to remain active and ultimately to feel good about your body.

It is important to abolish any thoughts of ‘eating for two’ in terms of the number of calories you consume.  Only in the third trimester will your actual energy needs increase and even at this time, only by approximately 200 calories.  Your thoughts of ‘eating for two’ should always focus on the quality of food you are eating and the nutrients you are drawing from these foods for you and your baby.  

Alongside nutrition, keeping fit and active is an essential ingredient to a healthy pregnancy. No matter where your fitness levels currently sit, there is some for of physical activity you can take part in to benefit yourself and your baby. 

From personal experience, I can appreciate the difficulty of maintaining good nutrition during pregnancy, especially in the first trimester. The overwhelming tiredness and often nauseous feelings you experience, make visits to the supermarket and cooking meals a greater challenge.  Many times I experienced wanting to eat a nutritious meal but feeling at a loss when trying to decide what I wanted to eat. Secondly being unable to stomach the smell of food cooking and lingering in the house afterwards. Often, when someone else had done the hard work, I was able to enjoy eating the meal and more importantly make nutritional gains. If, like me, you feel terrible in first trimester, it’s far from too late to make improvements to your nutrition further on in your pregnancy when the baby experiences its greatest growth.

Pregnancy Training Diary

Pregnancy Training Diary 

13 weeks (incomplete)

30/7/12 - 25 minute density circuit

31/7/12 – 2x sets Superhero circuit (Full Body One)

1/8/12 – Teaching spin class

14 weeks

14 weeks

2/8/12 to 7/8/12 - Trip to NZ

2x 45-minute beach walks

2 x gym visits - weights circuits with plyometric exercises

1x gentle swim

15 weeks

8/8/12 – Teaching spin class

9/8/12 – weights circuit

A x3 sets– walking lunge, squat jump, step up with knee drive, row 1 minute.

B x 3 sets – Deadlift, 30 sec skip, hamstring curl, 30 sec skip.

17 weeks

Week 16 – 17

18/8/12 to 26/8/12 – Trip to Port Douglas

8km walk on the beach

Beach circuit x 2 – fast jog, squats, lunges, push-ups, super-mans, lateral lunge to press

Run/fast walk intervals

Week 19

4/9/12 – Weights circuit

A x 3 - 1 min row, sumo deadlift, press up, reverse lunge off box, plank on knees

B x 3 – Medicine ball slams, step ups, bodyweight 45 row, squats, super-mans

5/9/12 – Teaching spin class

6/9/12 – Teaching spin class

7/9/12 – 7.5 km walk along Yarra and around the tan

9/9/12 – Circuit x 4 sets x 12 reps – kettlebell swings, 1 minute row, bodyweight row, medicine ball slams, cleans, Bulgarian split squat

Week 20

11/9/12 – Weights circuit

A x 3 – TRX single leg squat, DB chest press on swiss ball, TRX bodyweight row, 1 min cycle, super-mans

20 weeks

B x 3 – Step-ups, elevated push ups, single arm row, 1 minute X-trainer, plank on knees

12/9/12 – Teaching spin class

13/9/12 – Teaching spin class

14/9/12 – 20 minute continuous circuit of 20 deadlifts and 400m row on repeat. Upper body circuit x 3 – push-ups, 45 bodyweight row, super-mans

15/9/12 – 50 minute walk around lake

17/9/12 – Teaching spin class

 Week 21

19/9/12 – Teaching spin class

20/9/12– Teaching spin class

21 weeks

21/9/12 – Weights circuit

A x 12 x3 – Step-ups, elevated press ups, bodyweight row, plank from knees

B x 12 x3 – Deadlifts (30kg), single arm row (8kg), skull-crusher tricep extension (12.5kg), super-mans

22/9/12 – walk at lake 30 minutes

23/9/12 – 1 hour tennis

24/9/12 – weights circuit x 15 reps x 3 sets

(A) – Step-ups (10kg) & Seated cable row (23kg)

(B)– Static lunge (10kg) & Bodyweight row

(C) – BB Romanian Deadlifts (30kg) & Lat pulldown (27kg)

22 weeks

Week 22

26/9/12 – Teaching spin class

27/9/12 – Teaching spin class

29/9/12 – Teaching spin class

30/9/12 – Gym circuit

(A) – 20 minutes of 24 step ups (no weight on to v. high box) followed by 400m row – as many times as possible in 20 mins

(B) 3 sets x 12 reps – Static lunge (10kg), elevated push up, 45 bodyweight row

2/10/12 – Weights circuit

(A) – BB RDL (30kg), lat pull-down, push up

(B) – Reverse lunge from box, DB chest press (7kg), DB single arm row (7kg)

(C) – Step up (12.5kg BB mid box), bent over row (12.5kg), 45 bodyweight row

Week 23 (incomplete)

3/10/12 – Teaching spin class

4/10/12 – Teaching spin class. 5km walk at lake with 5 x 1min bursts of running (painful shins)

8/10/12 – weights circuit

Week 24

24 weeks

10/10/12 – Teaching spin class

11/10/12 – Weights circuit x3 sets x 12 reps

(A) – TRX single leg squat, elevated push up, lat pull-down, supermans

(B) Single leg RDL (10kg), cable tricep extension(23kg), TRX bodyweight row, supermans

(C) Step ups (12.5kg BB mid box), elvated oush ups, bent over row (12.5kg), supermans

12/10/12 – Teaching spin class

13/10/12 – 60 minutes tennis

15/10/12 – Weights circuit x 3 sets x 12 reps

(A) – Static lunge off box (7.5kg), elevated push up, 45 bodyweight row, supermans

(B) Single leg RDL (10kg), bent over row (12.5kg), cable tricep extension (23kg), supermans

Week 25 (pelvic instability and discomfort begins)

17/10/12 – Teaching spin class

18/10/12- Weights circuit x 3 sets x 12-15 reps

(A) – Reverse lunge from box (7.5kg), elevated push up, bent over row (12.5kg)

(B) Single leg TRX squat, cable tricep extension, TRX bodyweight row

(C) Step up mid box (10kg), Lat pull down (27kg), Supermans

20/10/12 – 45 minute walk around lake

22/10/12 – Weights circuit x 3 sets x 12 reps

(A) – Step ups (12.5kg), Elevated push ups, 45 bodyweight row

(B) – Single leg RDL (10kg), cable tricep extension (23kg), seated cable row (23kg), supermans

(C) X-trainer intervals 30” sprint, 30” recovery x 5

Week 26

26 weeks

24/10/12 – Teaching spin class (my last one!)

25/10/12 – 20 minutes X-trainer.

Upper body weights x3 sets x 12 reps (A) elevated push ups, single arm row, supermans

26/10/12 – Weights circuit x3 sets x 15 reps

(A) – Leg press (80kg), cable tricep extension (27kg), lat pull-down (27kg)

(B) – Good Mornings (15kg), Elevated push ups, seated cable row (23kg)

(C) – Seated leg extension, Bodyweight row, DB incline bench press (6kg)

28/10/12 – Swim approx. 1000m freestyle and backstroke (discomfort due to pelvic instability)

Week 27 (stopped teaching spin, due to pelvic discomfort. Trying to manage discomfort with modified exercise routine and physio)

27 weeks

31/10/12 – Swimming 1500m freestyle no kicking

2/11/12 – Weights circuit

(A) – Leg extension, elevated push up, 45 body weight row

(B) – Leg curl, single arm row, cable tricep extension

(C) – Leg press, seated cable row, bent over row

4/11/12 – 1000m swim freestyle no kicking (Boy Charlton Pool, Sydney)

6/11/12 – 40 min Walk at Bondi beach (not comfortable)

 Week 28

7/11/12 – Weights circuit x 15 reps x 4 sets

28 weeks

(A) – Cable tricep extension (27.5kg), bent over row (8kg), leg extension, leg curl (50kg)

(B) – Elevated push up, 45 bodyweight row, bodyweight squat to bench, good mornings (10kg)

10/11/12 – Weights circuit x 15 reps x 3 sets

(A) – Elevated push ups, single arm row (7.5kg), leg extension, good mornings

(B) – Cable tricep extension, 45 bodyweight row, wall squats with swiss ball, seated hamstring curl

(C) Lat pulldown (27kg), leg press, seated cable row

11/11/12 - 1500m swim (freestyle no kick)

13/11/12 – weights circuit (detail not recorded)

Week 29

14/11/12 - 1500m swim (freestyle no kick)

16//11/12 - 1500m swim (freestyle no kick)

17/11/12 – bike ride along river to watch rowing event

18/11/12 – Weights circuit x 15 reps x 3 sets

(A) – Elevated push ups, bodyweight squat to bench, 45 bodyweight row, good mornings (10kg)

(B) Single arm row (8kg), seated leg extension, cable tricep extensions (27.5kg), seated hamstring curl

(C) Med ball squat to slam, bent over row (15kg), seated leg press (180kg), seated cable row

19/11/12 – 1500m swim (freestyle no kick) – time approx. 38 mins

20/11/12 – 1000m swim (freestyle no kick)

Week 30

21/11/12 – 1500m swim (freestyle no kick)

23/11/12 -  1500m swim (freestyle no kick)

25/11/12 - Weights circuit x 15 reps x 4 sets

(A) – Elevated push ups, bodyweight squat to bench, 45 bodyweight row, good mornings (10kg)

(B) Single arm row (8kg), seated leg extension, cable tricep extensions (27.5kg), seated hamstring curl

26/11/12 -  1500m swim (freestyle no kick)

27/11/12 - Weights circuit x 15 reps x 4 sets

(A) – Elevated push ups, bodyweight squat to bench, 45 bodyweight row, good mornings (10kg)

(B) Single arm row (8kg), seated leg extension, cable tricep extensions (27.5kg), seated hamstring curl

Week 31

28/11/12 – 1500m swim (freestyle no kick)

29/11/12 - 1500m swim (freestyle no kick)

2/12/12 - Weights circuit x 15 reps x 4 sets

(C) – Elevated push ups, bodyweight squat to bench, 45 bodyweight row, good mornings (10kg)

(D) Single arm row (8kg), seated leg extension, cable tricep extensions (27.5kg), seated hamstring curl

3/12/12 – 30 minute swim approx. 1250m

4/12/12 - Weights circuit x 15 reps x 4 sets

(A) – Elevated push ups, bodyweight squat to bench, 45 bodyweight row, good mornings (10kg)

(B) Single arm row (8kg), seated leg extension, Push press (10kg), seated hamstring curl

Week 32

6/12/12

Weights circuit x 15 reps x 4 sets

(A) – Elevated push ups, bodyweight squat to bench, 45 bodyweight row, Dumbbell RDL (16kg)

(B) Lat pull down (27kg), seated leg extension, Push press (10kg), seated hamstring curl

7/12/12 – 1300m swim (freestyle no kick)

9/12/12 – Weights circuit 15-20 reps x 3 sets

(A) Elevated push ups, bodyweight squat to bench, 45 bodyweight row, seated hamstring curl

(B) Single arm row (8kg), Tricep extensions (27.5kg), Dumbbell RDL(16kg), seated leg extension

10/12/12 - 1300m swim (freestyle no kick)

33 weeks

Week 33

13/12/12 - 1500m swim (freestyle no kick)

15/12/12 - 1000m swim (freestyle no kick)

17/12/12 - 40 min beach walk Noosa

 Week 34

19/12/12 - 1000m swim (freestyle no kick)

20/12/12 - 600m swim (freestyle no kick)

23/12/12 -  40 min beach walk Noosa

34 weeks

Week 35

26/12/12 - 1000m swim (freestyle no kick)

27/12/12 - Weights circuit x15 reps x 3 sets

(A) - elevated push ups, single arm row, Dumbell RDL, bodyweight squat to bench

(B) - leg press, hamstring curl, lat pull down, seated cable row

29/12/12 - 1000m swim (freestyle no kick)

30/12/12 - 1000m swim (freestyle no kick)

31/12/12 - Weights circuit x15 reps x 3 sets

(A) - elevated push ups, bodyweight row, seated leg extension, good mornings

(B) - hamstring curl, lat pulldown, tricep extension, bodyweight squats

1/1/13 - 1000m swim (freestyle no kick)

Week 36

3/1/13 - 1000m swim (freestyle no kick)

4/1/13 - 1000m swim (freestyle no kick)

6/1/13 - 1300m swim (freestyle no kick)

7/1/13 - 1100m swim, 30 minutes (freestyle no kick)

Week 37 

9/1/13 - 1250m swim (freestyle no kick)