Should you exercise during pregnancy?

There are many misconceptions regarding what is considered suitable exercise for pregnant women. What forms of movement are „safe” to do during this life period and what should you avoid? According to WHO guidelines “women who, before pregnancy, habitually engaged in vigorous-intensity aerobic activity or who were physically active, can continue these activities during pregnancy and the postpartum period”. This means, that if you had been sedentary before your pregnancy, it’s probably not the right time to pick up a new gym routine, but if you had been engaging in regular physical activity before, you don’t have to – and you shouldn’t – stop exercising.

The myth that you need to be sore after your workout for it to be effective, has long been present in the fitness industry. And the lack of muscle pain after an intense training session can truly be discouraging. The occurrence of DOMS is most present in novice trainees or after longer periods of inactivity. It is also common when a new training stimulus such as a new exercise or activity has been introduced. For example, you might be going to the gym five times a week, but you go on a 5 km run and experience the worst DOMS in your legs even though you regularly train them. However, you might have noticed that the pain associated with DOMS tend to decrease as you stick to a workout routine. This explains why we experience less and less soreness in subsequent sessions on our fitness journey. But do we need to worry about it at all? DOMS has been an extensively researched topic in exercise science, and all evidence points to the fact that DOMS are not necessary to build muscle or achieve other fitness-related goals. On the other hand, they are neither detrimental to your progress, given that your recovery and sleep is sufficient. However, it can be beneficial to learn more about this phenomenon to better understand our bodies and its reactions to exercise. And what’s more important, instead of obsessing over DOMS, you will be able to objectively assess the effectiveness of your training sessions, thus becoming a better athlete.

Artificial sweeteners are one of the most controversial topics of the fitness and wellness space. Some fitness gurus and bodybuilders idolize them, almost as if they were a miracle cure or short-cut to the „perfect body”. Others, including naturopaths and wellness influencers deem them to be harmful and should be always avoided. It is difficult to find a middle ground since both sides argue so vehemently whether they are safe to consume. But what is the truth about artificial sweeteners?