By Zinhlezonke Zikalala
“Labour is hard work and so is recovery, I want to go into it as strong as I can possibly be.”
Rozanne was already 35 weeks into her pregnancy and she has no plans to stop training until the very end. “I’d consulted my doctor about it, and medically there is no reason for me not to carry on,” she says.
Rozanne McKenzie, 35, mother to three-year-old James, is expecting a baby girl in this month of September.
Her Routine
Having been an avid trainer before falling pregnant, Rozanne has had to take her training routine down a notch, “I used to train six times a week, but now I’m training between 4 to 5 times a week,” she adds. And she calls that down a notch! She trains at Switch Playground in Lonehill, where she part takes in a variety of exercises like yoga, cardio training, HIIT, functional training and a bit of boxing. However, she’s had to scale down on the exercises she does, “I don’t jump anymore and my weights are a lot lighter,” she admits. Rozanne still boxes with her trainer, they just don’t do any contact stuff anymore, “I work on the bag and with the pads now and at my own pace,” she adds. Otherwise, a walk on the treadmills and working with kettle bells are her staple workouts.
Read More: Why You Shouldn’t Be Afraid Of Exercising When Pregnant
Is it worth all the trouble?
You’ll feel a whole lot heavier with each day that passes and probably very tired too; more especially when you have to wake up in the morning to go train. But from someone whose don’t this before, Rozanne vows for its worth. “I trained throughout my last pregnancy too and it was definitely helpful – this time round, I noticed I didn’t experience swelling and the endorphins are also helping me keep my mood swings from the pregnancy under control,” she says. Ultimately, you’re in control of your own body and training helps you focus and gives you the mental strength that helps you get through anything.
Reactions at the gym
Best believe mom-to-be’s at the gym go through the most! And Rozanne knows this all too well. “I get questioning looks of disapproval every other random day, especially from people I don’t know,” she says. Just the other day a fitness consultant on the gym floor came up to her while she was working with kettlebells and said, “You shouldn’t be doing that! Your baby will have a small brain.” She had to tell him that she and her trainer know what they’re doing. And, trust us, they really do know what they’re doing.
Read More: Everything You’ve Ever Needed To know About Morning Sickness
Tash King shares with us why you shouldn’t be afraid of working out while pregnant. Get inspired by many more women on our website who lost weight in just a few months: Read Toffo’s Zulu’s story – she says “I Lost 20 Kilos Of Baby In Just 3 Months Just By Changing My Diet”.
