This post is in partnership with Nalgene, thank you for supporting brands who support TCM. As always, all thoughts, opinions, experience, and advice is my own.

When I found out I was pregnant, I knew I wanted to stay fit. Largely because I think labor and delivery can be a marathon (read my positive natural birth story in a hospital here!), and having the endurance and mind body connection from working out are an asset when having a baby (IMO)!. Anyway, I started working out during early pregnancy, the first trimester, all the way until I was around 36 weeks pregnant!

All of these workouts are pregnancy approved (of course check with your doctor!) but for any workout during pregnancy step one is to find a good water bottle and make sure you're staying hydrated! I'm loving the reusable water bottles from Nalgene! They come in a bunch of sizes, but I love the 500ml / 16 ounce and 1000 ml/32 ounce to ensure I'm reaching my daily H20 quota. They even have graduated lines to help me keep track of my daily intake! Plus they are BPA free and dishwasher safe.

Tucker's into the reusable Nalgene water bottle too

How to actually make your workouts happen:

Knowing yourself is SO important IMO. I hate working out in the evening. I can go for a long walk but that's it. As relaxing as I find yoga, I really have no desire to do it in the evening. Oh, and you can forget about doing anything that's more intense than yoga that late in the day! And the mornings?! Forget about it! There was a period in my life, I would roll out of bed at 8:25 and walk across the street to my favorite barre studio for the 8:30 class – I think that worked because there was group accountability, and I could get myself there before waking up enough for my brain to talk me out of it! Seriously, I essentially slept walked into class.

Instead I'm a mid-morning/early afternoon kind of person. I love nothing more than waking up, getting in my me time followed by some productive work time. Then at 11 I'll hop on my bike and go for a spin or turn on a yoga class. My husband has to get a workout in early in the morning or he won't get to it. His dad prefers to workout at 6 or 7 in the evening before he eats dinner. Everyone is different so really knowing yourself is essential!

Once you know the time of day you respond best to working out, make sure to schedule it in for at least a month! This way you can really form a habit and it becomes instinctual.

5 Fun Fall Workouts To Get Back Into Your Fitness Routine

that you can really do anytime of the year or pregnant (but check with your doctor of course!)

Spin

Spinning is my go to workout typically since I have a spin bike in my office that has full classes connected to it. Anytime I am feeling a little uninspired or lethargic and have an hour to kill, I try to hop on the bike. Normally I'll push myself to the max, but being pregnant, I find myself only reaching around half my typical output numbers which is totally okay. It's more about getting in a solid 20-30 min of movement a day than breaking my previous records!

Weight training

#REALTALK: I picked up a couple of 2 lb weights (those little guys at the back of my bike above) while I was on my spin bike to just do some bicep curls during the warm up and holy moly! It burned!! I realized then I needed to get serious about my weight and resistance training! Like how am I supposed to hold a baby for an extended period of time if I can barely handle 2 little pounds in each arm?! Personally, weight training has always been the toughest thing for me to get into, so I try to take a page out of Becca and Jojo's book and fit it in where it makes sense.

Check out my 9 At Home Workout Essentials You Need From Amazon where I link my weights!

Since I'm not going full tilt in my spin classes like usual, I typically incorporate the weights there today. Otherwise, a lot of time I'll use a weight while watching tv, or clean the kitchen counters with one hand while curling with the other. Especially as a woman, I care more about strength and toning than looking jacked, so frequent repetitive movements works well for me rather than just doing 10 reps at 50 lbs!

Yoga

I feel like fall is that time of year to really connect back in with Mother Nature and when I think of ways to honor our planet, I always think about yoga? Maybe it's all the yoga classes outside in the fall or that fact that so many of the poses are inspired by nature (tree and mountain pose I'm looking at you!). Either way, yoga is another favorite workout this time of year. I try to crack open some windows or get outside and let the good vibes flow.

Swimming/ Water aerobics

Okay, maybe this isn't a fall workout in your neck of the woods? But in FL it's still 80+ degrees out so water activities are at the top of my list (especially being 6 months pregnant). Even when I'm not pregnant though, water aerobics are legit my favorite workout ever. I'll even take a book in the pool with me and do different leg exercises under the water while reading or I'll just walk back and forth for hours (mixing it up of course and side stepping, walking backwards, and forwards).

Walking / Running

Now that it's finally starting to cool off some I loveee to squeeze in a good workout outside! I don't run anymore though. I've had a lot of nerve and bone issues over the years, so it's too intense on my body. But I do walk every day! I typically walk anywhere from 1 to 4 miles depending on the weather. When it's nice out I can literally walk foreverrrr! Fall is the perfect time IMO for long walks (especially on the beach!). I really like the Nalgene water bottles for this because of the little loop near the cap, it makes it easy to hold without spilling!

Be safe & stay hydrated!

While it may be cooling down, don't forget to stay hydrated and always bring your Nalgene water bottle with you! I love that they are durable and I can toss into the dishwasher for daily use. And after the baby comes, I can toss into a diaper bag or stroller and they won’t leak. Listening to your body is key! As always, it's so important to consult with a doctor before making any changes to your physical routine. If you feel light headed, dizzy, or out of breath stop pushing yourself and take it easy. There's nothing worse for your health and overall well being than pushing yourself harder than you can actually go IMO. Especially when you're just falling back into a fitness routine! Too often, I've gone to get back into my workout routine, only to push myself so hard and have to take a week off then found myself back at square one!

Fall Back Into A Fitness Routine: Tips & Workouts (Pregnancy Friendly)