How I Worked Out with Peloton During my First Trimester (and my 2nd Trimester Plans)

When I found out I was pregnant I had already signed up for the Power Zone Pack Winter Challenge so my goal was keep going with the challenge and working out as much as I could. I was ok if I needed to skip a workout or take it a little easier, but I at least wanted to give the challenge a fair chance and try it.

I’ll be honest – my first trimester was rough, possibly even rougher this 2nd time around than my first pregnancy. I’m lucky and didn’t have any morning sickness, but I did get hit with exhaustion and food aversions – I basically lived off of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for a few weeks!

The Power Zone challenge ended up being a perfect first trimester workout for me because it created a schedule for me that was achievable. I always gave myself the option of doing the rides at lower zones or giving myself extra recoveries (I also kept an eye on my heart rate with a heart rate monitor), but generally found that because the zones were already tailored to my fitness level – they actually were manageable. The only thing I did start to struggle with was the length of workouts and I quickly found anything over 60 minutes was a little too much for me.

Before I get too far: please make sure you consult with your doctor before starting any exercise routine. My doctor was ok with me doing this because it’s something I had been doing prior to being pregnant.

Pregnancy Modifications

For the most part I didn’t end up really needing to make any modifications to my rides or frequency, except taking an extra recovery here and there if I needed it.

I did start to modify some of the strength exercises towards the end of the first trimester – like core – but for the most part I did all the regular rides and workouts.

My First Trimester Peloton Workout Calendar

Since I was primarily doing the winter challenge, my workout scheduled was pretty much the same every week. The weeks generally looked like:

• Monday: 45-60 Min Power Zone Endurance Ride, 5 Min Post Ride Stretch
• Tuesday: 30 Min Fun Peloton Ride, 45 Min Total Body Workout (usually a Jess Sims one), 5 Min Stretch
• Wednesday: 45-60 Min Power Zone Endurance Ride, 5 Min Post Ride Stretch
• Thursday: 30 Min Power Zone Endurance Ride, 30 Upper Body Workout, 5 Min Stretch
• Friday: 60 Min Power Zone Endurance Ride, 5 Min Post Ride Stretch

Saturdays and Sundays I didn’t have anything planned since my daughter was home (which in itself should count as exercise lol) so either took these as rest days or did something small like a walk.

Related Post: Everything You Need to Know About Peloton’s Prenatal Program

Related Post: Complete List of Prenatal Classes and Links!

My Second Trimester Workout Plans

As I enter into my second trimester I want to start focusing on more strength training and less on long cardio sessions, as well as make my strength classes more well rounded – I tend to stick to upper body workouts.

I’m finishing out the last few weeks of the Power Zone Challenge and adding on the unofficial Peloton strength training schedule, Hardcore on the Floor (which is amazing if you haven’t checked them out yet – they provide free monthly calendars with recommended classes). Generally, the workouts will look like 20 minute cardio followed by 30-45 minutes of targeted strength training.

I also like this calendar because it does include scheduled active recovery days with yoga and stretching, which is something I usually tend to skip. I know how good yoga can be for me but I tend to gravitate towards high intensity workouts over slower workouts – something I need to work on.

Related Post: How to Stack Peloton Classes

Related Post: Why I’m Doing Stronger U While Pregnant

My Peloton Workout Goals

My number 1 goal for working out is to be healthy and have a healthy pregnancy. I love how Peloton instructors always remind us that we’re training for life, and this is the mantra I’m using for my pregnancy and working out.

I’ll admit this is something I do need to remind myself of pretty often. I’m a competitive person and it does get to me sometimes seeing my running pace slow down or my output not as high as it used to be. I just try to remind myself that I’ll be back at my pre-pregnancy paces and output again eventually and not be hard on myself.

Update: Here’s how it’s going during my second trimester!

First Trimester Workout Gear

A few of my must haves this trimester were:

• Heart Rate Monitor – I really like to use a heart rate monitor to keep an eye on my heart rate and make sure I’m not over doing it.
• Workout Clothes – I was able to use my current workout clothes for most of the first trimester, but I’m quickly growing out of it. My favorite places to get maternity workout gear is Pink Blush and Old Navy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a Peloton Prenatal Program?

Yes! There’s a new Prenatal collection by Robin that has 10 different prenatal classes.

You can also filter when searching for classes and select prenatal to have them pop up.

Can I Exercise While Pregnant?

This is something you’ll want to ask your doctor, but according to the CDC if you’ve been working out before you got pregnant it’s ok to continue during pregnancy – with some modifications. The CDC recommends doing at least 150 minutes (about 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week) of moderate intensity workouts.