1) Who is Kayleigh Walsh? (where are you from, what do you do, a bit about yourself (hobbies, etc)
I am originally from Massachusetts and moved down to Florida after finishing college. I was a Division 1 cheerleader at Providence College and found CrossFit when I was missing being competitive after college. I am now also a part of the Florida Grid League, which is a semi-pro CrossFit league, where I play for the Palm Beach Breakers. I work a full-time 9-5 job, so I train only at nights or weekends and balance training with work.
2) How many years have you been training? (Including how you got started, etc)
I have been doing CrossFit for a little over 8 years now. I was bored with going to the regular gym, and a friend recommended trying CrossFit and I fell in love instantly, and never looked back. I dabbled in some periods of strictly Olympic Weightlifting, but other than that have been training in CrossFit since 2014.
3) Whats been the most challenging/hardest part of your journey so far? and how have you overcome them (set backs, rejections, injuries, basically anything difficult that you have had to overcome)
Injuries have always been the most challenging part to overcome in training. Sometimes everything is going right, and an injury happens at the most inopportune time. I have broken my foot, fingers, had disc issues, and tendinitis among many other minor injuries. Finding creative ways to stay active and train around the injured body part is what helps get through those times and keeps me sane!
The Pandemic shutdowns also were a rough period for me. I use my training time to blow off stress from work and everyday life, and when gyms were closed, I had to get creative with workouts and training at home. I have now been lucky enough to have most of the gym equipment I would need at home so that I am able to train even when I cannot make it to the gym.
4) What does your typical workout/diet routine look like? (With any particular protocols you rate).
I am currently following Mayhem Programming, and I add in additional weakness work, like working on specific gymnastics skills or adding in second sessions when I have the time.
During the Pandemic, I took up studying Nutrition through Precision Nutrition and I now calculate and tweak my own macros. Learning how the science behind food and how it fuels us in workouts is super fascinating to me!
5) What new knowledge have you learned over this past year regarding training, lifestyle and nutrition? (And How has it changed your focus for the future)
Nutrition and sleep are the most important recovery tools you can possess. You cannot out-train a bad diet, and without proper sleep, you cannot recover correctly. Prioritizing sleep has provided me with the biggest gains in my training.
6) Whats your favourite cheat/Treat meal?
Anything chocolate, and tacos, definitely tacos!
7) What is one supplement that you could not live without?
Bubs Collagen. I started taking Collagen back when I started getting tendonitis and found that it really helped with my joint issues and kept the inflammation down from periods of overtraining.
8) If you had to start your Journey from scratch with both your health & physique what would you do differently and why?
I would start earlier and definitely dial in my nutrition earlier in the process. You can not out-train a bad diet, even if you try!
9) Who do you look up to in the fitness industry and why?
This is a hard one! There are so many super talented athletes in the CrossFit and Olympic Lifting space. Currently, I would have to say it is Annie Thorisdottir. Being a new mom and absolutely crushing the CrossFit Games this year along with the Rogue Invitational is super inspiring. She has been highly competitive for many years, which is a feat in itself, but coming back after less than a year from having a baby and PRing lifts is incredibly inspiring.
10) If you had to give one bit of advice to people starting out what would that be?
Do not be afraid of failure. We get caught up comparing all the progress and PRs of others’ highlight reels on social media that we sometimes fail to see our own achievements. Focusing on how far you have come and being present in your current journey will lead to further growth.
11) What new goals do you have on the horizon?
Trying to make it back to Semifinals in CrossFit on a team would be my goal for 2022. Also, this will be my first year competing in CrossFit as a Masters athlete so I am excited to continue to see how I progress in that new category.
12) Where can people find you? (website, social media accounts)
They can find me on Instagram at @KayleighW7 and Facebook at Kayleigh Walsh – CrossFit Athlete!
