Fertility Workouts: Fact or Fiction?

While there’s no such thing as an exercise to get pregnant or a physical fitness program that directly boosts your ability to conceive, some people’s fertility could benefit from working out. Namely, individuals who are overweight or underweight may increase their odds of getting pregnant if they regularly engage in exercise.

Although weight is by no means an indicator of fertility, overweight and underweight people are more likely to have hormonal imbalances and other health issues that can make getting pregnant more difficult.

If you’re overweight, shedding fat may assist in your efforts to conceive. In particular, research indicates that two forms of exercise are most effective at shedding fat:

• Aerobic exercise
• Resistance training

If you’re underweight, strength training workouts that focus on building muscle (and therefore, putting on weight), may help raise your BMI (body mass index) and thus improve your fertility. You can also work with your healthcare provider to develop an eating plan that supplements your workout routine.

How Physical Exercise Impacts Fertility

If you’re wondering how to increase fertility and get pregnant, but you and aren’t sure what forms of exercise to engage in to support your journey, it’s helpful to know some of the ways exercise impacts your body—and by extension, your reproductive health.

Impact 1: Your Body Weight

As mentioned, weight can play a contributing role in your likelihood of conception if you’re at an extreme end of the spectrum.

When it comes to fertility, body weight interacts with your hormones and reproductive health in two key ways:

• Having excess body fat can result in higher levels of estrogen, which can interfere with your monthly hormonal cycles.
• Having too little body fat can suppress hormone cycles altogether, leading to skipped ovulation (anovulation) and missed periods (amenorrhea).

In other words, being overweight and underweight can both make it harder to get pregnant. That said, it’s best to consult with a healthcare provider before losing or gaining weight expressly for the purpose of your fertility status.

If you’re concerned about your body size, and you notice irregularity in your monthly cycles, your healthcare provider can run a complete health assessment during a preconception checkup. They may also recommend fertility testing.

Impact 2: Cardiovascular Health

Regular exercise plays a pivotal role in supporting cardiovascular well-being. When circulation runs smoothly and your cardiovascular health is in order, your body can better supply nutrients to your reproductive system.

Moreover, the cardiovascular system undergoes massive changes over those 9 months of pregnancy. The healthier it is before you conceive, the more readily it can adapt to shifts in blood pressure, blood volume, and the like.

Impact 3: Stress Levels

Physical activity is known to have marked benefits on stress levels. Active people feel the effects almost immediately in the form of endorphins, but exercise also helps even out stress over time.

So, does stress affect conception? While the relationship between fertility and stress remains unclear, studies do show that women who reduce their stress levels have higher success rates in getting pregnant. Exercise is just one simple, effective tool for doing so.

Impact 4: Sleep Quality

Sleep is foundational for overall health, both mental and physical. It’s thought that exercise has been shown to improve sleep quality by acting as a kind of stress pressure release valve, which may indirectly support fertility.

5 Workouts to Try When You’re Trying for a Baby

If you’re a cardio enthusiast or love vigorous exercise in general, don’t worry—plenty of people engage in high-intensity exercise when trying for a baby and are still able to conceive with success. Remember, there are many things that can make it harder to get pregnant and impact infertility, from not knowing when you ovulate to living with a chronic reproductive condition. Your doctor, along with fertility specialists, are your most reliable sources for determining what could be impeding your ability to get pregnant.

That said, if they recommend modifying your current exercise regimen, experimenting with lower-impact, lower-stress forms of movement could help! The following workouts are sure to raise your heart rate without putting too much unnecessary stress on your body—which is the name of the game when you’re trying to conceive.

#1 Walking

You read that right! Walking and other forms of low-impact cardio are ideal for boosting cardiovascular health without putting too much pressure on your body.

Brisk walks outside, on a treadmill, or related workouts like using an elliptical are all excellent, low-stress options for regular physical activity. Cycling is a higher-intensity option that’s also low-impact, which means you can reap the benefits of cardio without putting undue stress on your joints.

#2 Strength Training

Strength training is known to provide a host of benefits, including:

• Building and maintaining muscle mass
• Strengthening the joints
• Supporting bone health
• Managing weight

Even better? Low-intensity strength training is excellent for defending hormonal health—and you don’t necessarily need to head for the weight section of your gym to do it. Strength training can be performed using body weight alone, or using lightweight tools like resistance bands or free hand weights.

#3 Pilates

Pilates incorporates strength and resistance training with other areas of fitness like:

• Balance
• Flexibility
• Precision
• Body awareness (proprioception)

It also tends to emphasize core and pelvic floor strength, which could help prepare your body for pregnancy in the future. Like walking or cycling, Pilates tends to be lower impact and even mentally decompressing.

#4 Yoga

It’s a myth that yoga actively increases fertility, but it can nevertheless be an excellent fitness option if you’re preparing to conceive. Plus, certain fertility yoga poses may be helpful during pregnancy and in the postpartum stages by stretching muscles that bear the weight of your rapidly-changing body.

Postures to keep an eye out for include:

• Seated head-to-knee pose
• Reclined bound angle pose
• Legs-up-the-wall pose
• Garland pose (squat)

And if you enjoy pre-pregnancy yoga, you may love taking a prenatal yoga class during pregnancy!

#5 Swimming

Swimming is a relaxing, full-body form of exercise that’s uniquely easy on the joints. You’ll get some cardio while strengthening your respiratory system, and you may discover it’s tremendously calming to the nervous system.

For this reason, swimming is an excellent fertility workout to try if you struggle with irregular cycles and chronic stress. If swimming becomes your go-to workout, you’ll be happy to learn you can safely continue swimming while pregnant.

Key Guidelines for Working Out During the Preconception Stage

With a better grasp of what exercises are ideal pre-pregnancy, it’s also helpful to know how to get the most out of them. These suggestions can serve to support (rather than derail) your fertility journey as you discover what works for you:

• Try to stay consistent – If you’re adopting a regular workout routine—especially to shed fat—it’s important to aim for as much consistency as possible. Not only will this help you stay motivated, but it’s also gentler on your hormones and the most effective way to build strength over time.
• Make adequate time for recovery – Athletes and committed fitness enthusiasts know that adequate recovery time is a feature of exercise plans, not an afterthought. While getting at least 30 minutes of movement a day is encouraged, it’s equally important to dedicate time to letting your body recover. This allows you to replenish fluids, prioritize sleep, avoid overtraining your muscles and joints, and support your hormone health.
• Prioritize low-impact options and active recovery days – High-intensity exercise, or types of exercise in extreme climatic environments, may add undue stress to your body. For this reason, it’s best to prioritize lower-impact options before you conceive (and continue low-intensity exercises for pregnancy as well). Exercises like yoga and walking are also ideal for days when you need to recover but still want to get in some gentle movement.

If you’re trying to balance your need for physical activity with lowering stress levels, it might be helpful to create a new “relaxation routine” to complement your workout routine. In doing so, you can build a total-body-and-mind wellness regimen that works for your lifestyle and family plans.

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When it comes to the preconception stage, creating an atmosphere of compassion and tenderness toward your body is critical—even if you’re trying to level it up in the fitness department!

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