A good workout can set the tone for your entire day, helping you relieve stress, stay active and feel stronger in your body. But when you’re trying to conceive, even a familiar fitness routine can raise new questions. Is it safe to continue your daily runs? Could lifting heavy weights affect your chances of getting pregnant ? And how can you tell if your exercise routine is supporting your health or pushing your body beyond its limits?
“If you’re constantly tired and not eating enough, adding another workout may not be the answer. Sometimes, adjusting your routine and giving your body time to recover can make a real difference. If you’re trying to conceive, talk to a doctor before cutting calories sharply, particularly when your training load is already heavy.”
“Rest is part of training, not a break from making progress,” Deepti stresses.
In a conversation with HT Lifestyle, Deepti Sharma, director of MultiFit and an ACPT Level 5-certified professional, explains, “Often, the workout itself isn’t the problem. Most health guidelines suggest roughly 150 minutes of moderate cardio a week, plus a couple of strength sessions. Sitting on the couch won’t help you, and staying active is probably one of the best ways to prepare for pregnancy,” emphasises Deepti.
Fertility seems to depend more on the mix of how hard you train, how well you eat and how much you sleep. Running yourself into the ground rarely helps. She encourages women to tune in to their bodies rather than chase the next personal best. Hard training on too little food puts the body under pressure. “No. Cycling, swimming, walking and lifting can all stay in your routine. However, paying attention to how you feel afterwards is important. Plenty of women pair tough workouts with a strict diet, especially when they also want to lose a few kilos. That combination can backfire. Running a tired body on too little food is widely linked to fertility trouble. Sleep does a lot of quiet work here as well. She cautions, “Women with PCOS don’t necessarily need to exercise harder to see improvements in their health. Consistency, adequate nutrition and a routine they can maintain are important. If periods remain irregular or conception is taking longer than expected, it’s worth speaking to a healthcare professional.”
Energy is limited, so it sends what it has to the organs that keep you alive and may scale back everything else, according to Deepti. Your body needs carbohydrates for fuel, protein to repair muscle and healthy fats to support hormone production, according to Deepti.
