“Did you exercise during IVF?” “Do you stay active the whole time?”
I get these questions all the time. The IVF process is so fragile when I am making a specific decision during this journey and I am always weighing risk versus reward. Is this worth the risk?
Exercise is a big piece of that puzzle.
During certain phases of IVF, your physical anatomy is changing. So, what was a normal level of exercise or activity for you in the past – just may not be safe.
Here’s what worked for me!
The most important thing to remember here is that everyone is different, and at the end of the day, you just need to do what is right for you and talk with your medical team.
Movement in Phase One
In the early days of IVF, not much is changing physically. For my protocol, I did multiple weeks of birth control, and so I did not need to modify my exercise routine at all during those weeks.
I lifted heavy, pushed myself with cardio, and really had fun with my workouts. I did this because I knew a period of time was coming where I really was going to have to modify. I knew I would miss the tougher workouts. So, I kind of got it out of my system.
I do home workouts from my on-demand fitness library – my Fit Camp girls have access to thousands of workouts and all different varieties. [ Click here if you’re interested in joining an upcoming fit camp. ]
Early in my IVF protocol, I did a really tough workout called ‘6 Weeks of the Work’ – it’s extremely challenging. I’ve been working out for years – and this style of workout is not new to me.
This probably goes without saying, but it’s probably not a good idea to start a brand new difficult workout routine if you’re not used to this type of exercise. Don’t stress your body out or risk injury by doing something you’re not used to.
There are many ways to exercise and stay active without going too extreme. Our digital library has workouts for all different levels.
The workout I was doing involved heavy lifting, interval training, and dynamic movement.
My only goal is to finish that challenging program before starting the Ovarian Stimulation phase.
Staying Active During Ovarian Stimulation
When you transition to Ovarian Stimulation – that is when your physical anatomy begins to change. You are injecting medications that physically grow your ovaries much bigger than they are used to being.
Everyone is different, but these medications may also make you feel different. Some people have headaches, some are extremely tired, some have a lot of pelvic soreness, and a ton of other various symptoms.
This phase usually lasts up to two weeks.
When I started Ovarian Stimulation – I already finished the super challenging workout program but felt fine to continue my workouts.
As I was injecting medications and my ovaries were starting to grow bigger — the main concern is avoiding twisting.
You do not want to do any workouts that include a lot of twisting or lower pelvic pressure. I eliminated yoga, Pilates, squats, and lunges. Again: RISK vs. REWARD?
But I did stay active. I continued to do interval training, light cardio, upper body lifting, light spin classes, some modified barre home workouts, long walks, and regular outdoor biking for the first week of “stims.” My main symptom was daily headache during this first week.
I always listened to my body. I am very in tune with myself and always modified.
I approached fitness differently this week.
My main goal is not results. My main goal is not weight loss. My main goal is not to work as hard as I possibly can.
My main goal: SAFE & HEALTHY MOVEMENT.
Week Two Of Ovarian Stimulation
At about day 8-9 of my stimulation phase, my pelvic fullness was very noticeable.
Each day I had a goal for movement – but I didn’t make the plan for the day until I checked in with my body and my symptoms.
Many days towards the end of “stims” my movement was a walk early in the day and a slow bike ride at the end of the day. My digital fitness library has stretch and recovery workouts and I often included those too! [I just eliminated any twisting movement.]
I feel best when I’m active.
I love having a digital library that I can just click through and find a great 30-40 minute workout to commit to that matches my goals.
Many days, all I have to do is show up, log in, and push a couple of buttons until I find a great workout that gets my blood moving.
Find What Works For You
This is my second time doing a full round of IVF + ovarian stimulation.
The first time: my clinic gave me specific instructions on what to do and what to avoid when it came to exercise.
Interestingly, this time, my new clinic didn’t say a word. Not a single recommendation. So, you may or may not receive instructions from your medical team. I’m here to encourage you to weigh risk vs. reward, remember this is a very small season, and to listen to your body.
On the flip side, DO NOT FEAR MOVEMENT!
Movement is good for your body, your heart, and your mind.
My first round was of stims, I was really worried I’d do something wrong. I did a lot of upper body light weight lifting programs back then. This time, I incorporated a lot more variety and trusted myself to modify – and I really enjoyed the process much more.
Find what works for you!
Even after stims, exercise modifications are still crucial because it takes 2-3 weeks usually for your ovaries to shrink back down to normal size.
We all know (or can assume) how stressful this process can be. Our minds are always wondering about all the things: is my body responding well to this protocol, is my clinic calling me with results now, what do I do next, am I setting myself up for the best chance of success, is this right, or is that wrong, etc etc etc. Movement (especially outside) is just so good for your mental health!
I hope you’ll commit to moving your body in a way that feels right to you.
My Favorite Activities During Stims
- Walking
- Light upper body weight lifting *
- Modified barre *
- Modified stretching *
- Low impact cardio *
- Light spin
- Outdoor bike rides
*= all from my digital fit camp fitness library
If you’re interested in joining my fit camp but want to learn more, you can also email me at sayhey@brittanylegette.com. I would be happy to answer any questions about staying active during IVF! I cannot give you fitness advice but I can walk you through the available programs so you can find the perfect fit to help you reach your fitness goals.
