Katie Wiltsey Fitness

post. January was pretty productive as far as 2 of 3 of my 2023 intentions. Made good progress on reading challenge. I’m almost done with the book portion, and still working through the activities. Short books appear to be a doghouse item of mine. So obviously I’ll be reading a few more to test the hypothesis. I’ll dedicate a separate post just to the books.

As far as my fat loss/body recomp goal, I’m working through steadily. I’m down 9lbs as of this morning. That is a very healthy and sustainable weight loss of about 2lbs/week. Anything beyond 1-2lbs/week isn’t always the most sustainable. Meaning more likely to yo-yo, and gain it all back. Tracking has been helping, in part bc I knew it wasn’t energy expenditure that was my problem. Energy consumption was. I like to eat 😆 I haven’t restricted anything from my diet, I’ve just been more intentional about what I eat. As a non-nutrition qualified professional I cannot and will not provide anyone nutritional advice. As a normal person I can share with anyone interested what I have been doing based on what I know as a fitness professional.

My third goal, professional development, has been a little slower going. Chasing toddlers while balancing a currently very unpredictable military schedule means finding time for that work has been more challenging.

Progress is progress no matter how small 🍻

Today I ran my first mile in almost 2.5 years. And I’m as fast now as I was then 😂 the other day I shared a lifetime PR in barbell shoulder press; lifting more since having babies than I ever did before babies. Fitness looks different in every season of life. Everyone has different strengths when it comes to their chosen form of fitness. I can look at a barbell and gain strength, but ask me to run a mile and I always feel like a turtle in frozen molasses 🐢. Will that stop me? No. It’s the act of doing that is more important.

Quick chat about . One of my 2023 plans is to lose weight. I’m currently hovering around 195. This is a fact as confirmed by the scale. It is a number. Despite my ability to move fairly comfortably at this weight, my 5’2 frame is not designed to carry this much load. So my goal is to reduce load, by about 40lbs. This is a more manageable load for my body. Goals can be lofty, but they also need actionable steps. What steps must I take to accomplish this?

I’m a data nerd. Both blessing and curse. I know that if I’m going to track anything, I’m going to track *everything*. Let’s just lean in to the . I’m wearing my . I’m tracking my water, my food, my workouts, my sleep (by wearing Fitbit to bed). The more information I have the better able I am to achieve my goal.

Does this work for everyone? No. Tracking can be very triggering for some. It has been for me in the past. I become obsessed with tracking, which is unhealthy. But I know that I need this information. I’m walking a fine line. I’ve tracked nothing before and it’s been fine. I’ve tracked all the things before and it’s been bad, obsessive. I know this about myself.

My hope is that this time, because I have a defined purpose behind tracking all the things, I stay on my tight rope and do what I need to do.

I’m not usually one for New Year’s resolutions. I usually set intentions/goals/whatever word you use around my birthday (in April). This year the new year is speaking to me as the time to start making change.

One of my goals is weight loss 🫢 a common new years goal to be sure. Although the reality is that it’s as much about strength *gain* as it is fat *loss*. During both of my pregnancies I gained a combined 110lbs (50 with G, 60 with P). I’m now 1 year + postpartum and done breastfeeding. I am in a position in my life to reclaim my body and nourish only myself. Just today I hit a lifetime PR on strict barbell press. I can now say that I am stronger postpartum than I was before babies 💪🏾

I am a reader. A reader who normally doesn’t do reading challenges. I don’t even set official book goals. But this year, has a challenge that is speaking to me (2nd slide). My first book of the year (3rd slide) doesn’t fit any of the categories in the challenge, but the challenge seems doable enough to allow for more freedom of books outside the goals.

Finally, on a practical note, my personal trainer certification expires in 2024. I need to hit a required number of CEUs to renew and maintain. Starting now ensures I have enough time to complete enough courses to hit the requirement.

At the end of October I decided I wanted to reintroduce walking back to my life. I used to do a lot of walking when we got our first dog, Sasha, years ago. Exercise for her, exercise for me. Turning into a gym rat and then chasing babies pushed walking out of the exercise rotation. November was my first full month of getting my walks in. These are just me and my podcasts. The only requirement I gave myself was at least 30 min of walking.

I made it out 7 times, each time for about 40 min. The competitor in me wants my pace to improve, but I’m also pretty happy w a 17 min walking mile 🙂

I was catching up with a good friend who just had a baby. As we’re saying bye to get back to our respective circuses, I reminded her: “you are allowed to grieve your old life.”

My kids are only slightly older, and I still remember being freshly postpartum from my first, googling something to the effect of “missing my old life”. And *every* *single* *result* was something about getting my body back 😑🙄

I wasn’t missing my old body (well, I was, but I already knew how to handle that). I was missing my old *life*, the one without kids, the one with freedom to do what I wanted when I wanted. And no one I could find was talking about it. Mom pages on Instagram talk about it now, and that’s where I found it.

So here’s my reminder to any mama who needs it: You are allowed to grieve your old life. Mourn it. Grieve it. Miss it. Your new life, this one with kids, is a different life.

I still miss my old life. But whereas before I was ugly crying grieving, I’m now starting to look back more fondly. The waves of grief and jealousy are a little lower and farther between. I still miss my life before kids. But I’m starting to enjoy this new life too.

Been a long hot minute since I’ve posted anything here. The long and short of it is:
* 2 under 2 kicked my ass (still kicking my ass)
* let’s throw in a cross country move bc
* started therapy for postpartum depression in august, but therapy is working and I feel more like myself than I have in a while

I feel enough like myself again that I can throw more challenge my way! Started pre- and postnatal coaching certification this week!

I’m excited to continue building my knowledge base on things pregnancy and postpartum. And I’m excited to feel like my self again 🤓 not just professionally, but personally as I delve back into the extensive personal library my husband and I have developed.

Lots of things here that can serve as fodder for more posts. Maybe I’ll be more consistent than once every 8 months but let’s not get ahead of ourselves yet 😉

Congratulations!! You have delivered your new baby! They may be your first, second, or sixth. Your labor and delivery may have gone exactly as you wanted it, or maybe you had some unexpected experiences. Maybe you’re home enjoying all the new baby snuggles, or maybe you’re in the nicu getting snuggles when you can while balancing the rest of your responsibilities. Whatever your circumstances, welcome to the . This is the period immediately after birth until your new baby is about 3 months old.

Those aren’t typos on the second image. This timeframe is a period for healing and learning about this new person and how to navigate this major life change.

Recovery will look different for each person, but all recovery should incorporate breathing and core/pelvic floor considerations. Ideally, after you’re “cleared” by your medical team, you will also visit a pelvic floor physical therapist who will assess your parts and provide a course of action.

The activities you did prior to this pregnancy will still be there for you after you’ve recovered. There is no prize for fastest recovery. Pregnancy was temporary. Postpartum is forever. Play the long game. Starting now.

I’m writing my post well into my but life, and babies, happen. Baby girl was born on December 5 and right now is doing wonderfully. She deserves her own post 🙂

During the third trimester, the belly continues to grow and the body continues to adjust and make room for baby. You may find yourself discovering new aches and pains every morning based on baby’s position and movement. These last few weeks are more about preparing for labor and delivery than sweet moves in the gym.

Walks are perfect. Chasing your other kids around is perfect. A pregnancy approved version of DT is perfect. Sitting on your couch having a Netflix binge is perfect. Doing DT while watching Netflix is perfect. We want to continue to honor your energy levels and movement needs up to delivery day. Since we know babies have a mind of their own and show up when they’re ready 😉

Hello ! and it’s been a minute since I’ve posted on this page. There is light at the end of the tunnel, and yes, I AM so ready! For this pregnancy to be over.

So far, the physical symptoms have been fine. I’ve been through this before, I know what to expect in that department. The mental component to a second pregnancy has thrown me for a complete loop. Watching this belly grow has been hard. Not because it’s growing and I’m getting bigger. That’s supposed to happen. But that it’s happening *differently* vs last time. Cognitively, I knew this. “Every pregnancy is different”. You hear it all the time. But to actually experience it? Whew 😅 talk about a mind$&?!

I’m still moving , and thanks to my own coaches (remember, ), I’ve moved more this month than I have in a while. has been doing a for the month of September, and I’ve found it particularly motivating. Spending a lot more time on my bike, doing several leisurely 10ks and listening to podcasts. That movement has helped tremendously to alleviate pregnancy aches and to manage the mental rabbit holes I try to avoid.

Am I ready to be a mom? Jury’s still out on that one. But I’ll let you know in December 😉

.postpartum.athlete

First workout in several weeks because this is kicking my ass in a different way

The adjustment to managing pregnancy and a super active toddler was something I figured would just happen. It’s my daily life, it’s what we do. But working out took a big back seat to everything else. Until this week, when my ob expressed concern about my weight. Spent a few days grumbling at home (“this baby’s gonna do what she’s gonna do” 🤷🏽‍♀️) before agreeing that yes, I should do something.

Ended up doing a workout from April that’s been in my notebook, untouched for months.

Do I feel better? We’ll give it a few days 😉 My goal is to bring back and

.postpartum.athlete

The second trimester! Commonly referred to as the “honeymoon period” of pregnancy, this is usually the time when energy levels return to pre-pregnancy levels, and the nausea of the first trimester has abated.

These changes also bring about more changes to your training. As the belly gets bigger, movements and range of movement will need to be adjusted to accommodate. The pelvis is also changing to accommodate the uterus.

Weights should be lowered to a point where breath holding (the valsalva maneuver) is not necessary to move the weight.

Ab-specific movements, such as toes-to-bar and sit ups, should be replaced by other movements that don’t tax the midline the same way (ex: weighted carries, pallof presses, glute bridges/hip thrusts).

As always, Can I vs. Should I and the risk-reward analysis should be top of mind.

This is also a good time to schedule a preventative visit with a Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist (or women’s health therapist). Maybe you have some symptoms, maybe you don’t. They are a fantastic resource to speak with about these changes happening to you body on what may feel like an almost daily basis.

As always, honor your energy levels and your symptoms, if you have any. The barbell will always be there waiting for you. Pregnancy is temporary, even if it doesn’t feel like it.

Never stop learning. A subtle change to the social media bio, and a happy improvement to the chosen career. 🥂

. The most exciting thing happening right now is that I’m averaging about 1 workout a week. Maybe 2 if I’m feeling ambitious. And that’s ok ✅ Hubby is home on leave and we’re wrangling 2 floofers and a . And it’s summer 🌞 The gym will always be there. I workout when I want to/can and do it for fun. Tis the season for babies and diapers.

Hello ! . Made it to the gym today 🙌🏾💪🏾 for some and . The Wod called for ab mat situps, but even with this early belly I wasn’t feeling that. I opted for elevated . Made the workout an extra special burner.

Energy levels have been pretty good the last few weeks, but most of that energy has been spent chasing after a very active and curious toddler. At least the crazy toddler activity is lining up with the second trimester energy increase!

There’s still some minor nausea, but only when I have to change a particularly poopy diaper 💩🤢😆

As this belly grows, there will be more and more workout modifications, not always by movement, but volume and rest windows too. The important thing is and . Pregnancy is a season and I’m 1/3 through!

with number 2. The nausea is worse, and I feel like I already look (and feel) bigger than last time. I didn’t enjoy being pregnant last time and this time is shaping up to be the same thing 😆

If only we all could like that

In news, I’ve signed up for the this summer and can’t wait to dive in! Also, if you need/want printouts/manuals like this for yourself is the way to go 😎

I had my first OB appointment yesterday. As part of the appointment I told my doc “I’m a crossfit coach and personal trainer, and certified in pregnancy and postpartum fitness. Assuming no complications, I intend to workout this entire pregnancy.”

One of my take home pages was an faq doc. The first photo is all there is on the faq page about exercise during pregnancy. “Exercise a moderate amount”. “No specific recommendation against abdominal muscle exercising as long as it does not cause significant discomfort.” “Do not do any high impact or jarring exercise.” That’s it. If I want more information, I guess I’m on my own, right? No! That’s where a can come in and work with you and help guide you through this phase of your fitness journey.

Recommendations for exercise change as your pregnancy progresses. Swipe ➡️ for some approved considerations while navigating your first trimester. While the paragraph I received is actually pretty good advice, it doesn’t do enough to help for the whole season. Pregnancy is temporary. Postpartum is forever.

What’s some of the advice you’ve seen? Share ⬇️ or DM

What is a .postpartum.athlete coach? A is a certified individual who understands the unique season a woman goes through that is and early postpartum. We try to help our athletes (yes, you are an athlete) navigate the noise about what they “should or shouldn’t” be doing and provide information that enables a woman to make informed choices. While I won’t specifically say, “do x” or “don’t do y”, I will help you navigate the pros and cons of doing X or Y in the context of pregnancy and postpartum. Pregnancy is temporary. Postpartum is forever. What we do during pregnancy can help set up our postpartum to be everything it could possibly be. The above slides are the Pregnancy & Postpartum Athleticism Manifesto. These 9 statements are the ethos behind every . If anything you read resonates with you DM or drop a comment below ⬇️

When I turned 33, I was in a hospital bed, recovering from an , trying to figure out this new life, and trying to celebrate as best we could in a tiny recovery room at less than 24 hours postpartum. The entire year I’ve had to remind myself how old I was and that I would, in fact, be turning 34 this year. Well, when I turned 34, I was staring at 2 blue lines telling me that we were about to join the club.

I might be on the early side for an announcement, and that’s ok. My first pregnancy led me to becoming a certified .postpartum.athlete coach. Why wouldn’t I use any subsequent pregnancy as a way to easily combine my knowledge with my experience?

I remember thinking to myself, “The next time around, I need to take it easier in the first trimester than I did this time.” I still had some ego last time, driving me, convincing me, that I should still be RXing class wods and going as hard as I was capable. Periodically that ended with me catching my breath in the gym bathroom next to the toilet bc I had made my nausea worse 🤦🏽‍♀️

This time around, my nausea actually is worse, overall. I’m honoring that. And life looks different. I’m no longer just a wife with two dogs to look after, who can go to the gym whenever I want. I have a young’un to take care of too. I’m honoring that. My husband is TDY, so I’m holding down the fort. I’m honoring that.

First trimester modifications for me right now include honoring my energy levels and nausea. Technically speaking I can still perform all movements without modification. But I find myself nauseous at the idea of food, so most of my energy right now is going towards making sure I eat (something, anything) and keeping up with my toddler and dogs. Workouts, when they do happen, are in the vein of . Moving is more important than . Workouts will always be there. So will the gym and the barbell. Pregnancy is a season and I’m just beginning this one. Questions or comments about pregnancy and/or postpartum fitness? DM or drop’em below ⬇️