Exercise: How much is too much?



I have been feeling a lot better about the health and well-being of my little one lately. No cramping, no spotting, and a strong heartbeat whenever I want to hear it. This is all good news in my second trimester! And I know I need to exercise more than just walking the dogs every day (which is hard when I work from morning to evening). So when this weekend came, I was so exctied to find an easy, flat, 4-mile hike around Twin Lakes. The colors are changing, the time is right, and I couldn't wait to get out of town and into the mountain air.

I live at about 5,400 feet; Twin Lakes is at about 9,000. So, yes, there is a bit of an elevation gain. But the hike is almost completely flat and I took my time completing the four miles. I made sure my heartrate never went above the 140 bpm limit. I ate a great breakfast, a healthy lunch, and we even stopped at my favorite coffee shop for a bowl of cheesy garbanzo and artichoke soup (amazing, by the way!). Nevertheless, I was definately fatigued at the end of the day. I slept like a rock for 9 hours last night.

Today I am TIRED. I seriously hope that I didn't push too hard yesterday. I couldn't have hurt my little one, could I? Some women train for and run 5Ks during pregnancy, right? Sheesh, just when I think I'm confident and content, I get nervous again. I just can't wait to get to the stage that a kick or a punch will reassure me that everything is just peachy in there.

If you are in the Buena Vista, Colorado area, I highly recommend this hike. It's called the Interlaken trail and is part of the Colorado Trail near Granite on Hwy 82.