Iya Villania Is NOT Exercising To Keep The Pregnancy Weight Off

It's not a surprise that Iya Villania, who has always been active pregnant or not, has been sharing her workout videos on Instagram. She has done so from her first pregnancy with Primo, then with Leon, and now on her third.

But Iya still gets "well-meaning" comments about her pregnancy exercises, saying it's not safe. They said Iya should be focusing her efforts on avoiding an emergency because hospitals today are already busy dealing with COVID-19 patients.

"No, I'm not working out to try and keep the weight off [because] no matter what I do, I WILL GAIN! I'm pregnant, yo!" Iya set the record straight on her Instagram. She stressed that gaining weight is the "healthiest" for both herself and her baby.

The Mars Pa More co-host also revealed that she's much bigger and heavier now in her third pregnancy than when she was pregnant with Primo and Leon. "Not sure if it's because it's the third already," she said. Women in their second or succeeding pregnancies show a lot earlier than their first pregnancy because their abdomen muscles have been stretched before.

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Iya admitted that she has gained about four kilograms so far and also acknowledged that she will gain a lot more as her pregnancy progresses — and it's okay.

"What I'm trying to do is avoid excessive weight gain that could possibly lead to complications such as preeclampsia or gestational diabetes," Iya explained. Studies have shown this, too, which is why doctors encourage healthy pregnant women to keep active.

"This mama will keep moving as long as I can for as long as my body permits," the mom of two said. She's "gotta be able to keep up with my three children and crazy husband who always has extra energy," Iya added.

Doctors encourage pregnant women to work out and listen to their body

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) advises all pregnant women who are having a healthy, low-risk pregnancy to engage in 20 to 30 minutes of light to moderate intensity exercises daily or at least most days of the week.

Many preggos do walking for their exercise, but can't do so because of the ECQ. That doesn't mean they can't work out at home. If you're pregnant and looking for exercises you can do at home, first, make sure that you have your doctor's permission.

Iya's pregnancy workouts are based on her Crossfit training. To an ordinary non-active person, it may look like Iya's home preggo workouts may look intense. Remember to always listen to your body and stop whenever you feel tired or uncomfortable.

You can follow Iya's exercises even without the machines or weights that she uses. You can do forward lunges and squats without weights, especially if you're a beginner. You can also replace kettlebells with items that are of the same weight. For step-ups, you only really need a sturdy box (or the stairs.)

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If you're looking for less-intense pregnancy workouts, Max Collins, who is expecting her first child, also shares her workout videos. She also does prenatal yoga at home.

The general rule is if you can carry a conversation while moving, then you're doing okay. If you can't talk, then that means you are overexerting yourself. You need to stop or slow down.

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