Natalya "Nattie" Neidhart-Wilson, a Canadian-American professional wrestler, has carved a remarkable career in WWE and on the independent circuit. A two-time women's world champion, Neidhart is a member of the legendary Hart wrestling family. Beyond her in-ring accomplishments, Natalya’s enduring success stems from her dedication to fitness and health. This article delves into Natalya Neidhart's approach to diet and exercise, exploring how she maintains peak performance.
Natalya Neidhart: A Legacy of Wrestling Excellence
Born on May 27, 1982, Natalya Katherine Neidhart-Wilson is a third-generation wrestler. She trained in the Hart family Dungeon under the tutelage of her uncles Ross and Bruce Hart. Her career began with Matrats in 2000, followed by Stampede Wrestling in 2003. She wrestled abroad in England and Japan. Neidhart signed with WWE in 2007, and spent time in Deep South Wrestling, Ohio Valley Wrestling, and Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) developmental territories.
Neidhart debuted on the main roster in 2008. The following year she and Wilson were joined by Smith to form The Hart Dynasty. In 2010, Neidhart won the Divas Championship. In 2017, she became the SmackDown Women's Champion after defeating Naomi at SummerSlam. From 2013 to 2019, Neidhart appeared in the reality television series Total Divas, She has captured both the WWE Divas Championship and the WWE SmackDown Women's Championship.
Evolving Approach to Training and Nutrition
Neidhart's approach to fitness has evolved significantly. In the past, she followed a restrictive regimen. “I would get up and work out, and do cardio on an empty stomach, and eat 1,200 calories a day, and kill myself, struggling and fighting,” Neidhart admits. Now, she embraces a more balanced and sustainable approach. “I don’t do crazy amounts of cardio. I don’t lift extremely heavy weights. I don’t beat myself up if I have a cheat meal,” Neidhart says. “If I can only get to the gym three days a week, that’s fine. If I get to the gym six days a week, that’s even better. I used to beat myself up if I had a cheat meal. The next day I’d be doing crazy amounts of cardio trying to burn off what I ate the night before.
Diet and Nutrition Strategies
Morning Ritual
Neidhart starts her day with a cappuccino made with skim milk. “I always like to have a little bit of coffee in the morning - it’s more of a ritual for me than the taste,” she says.
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Meal Delivery Services
For convenience, Neidhart uses meal delivery services. “Every week I get a meal prep kit from a company that a lot of WWE superstars use - it’s called Nutrition Solutions,” she says. “They give me about eight meals a week. My husband and I are both on the road a lot so we try to share them. One meal will have like 350 calories in it and will be something like turkey breast with veggies and a little bit of rice.
Food Journaling
Neidhart started a food journal to keep a tight rein on her nutrition, and she became aware of every food item entering her body that she overlooked each day. “When I kept the food journal in my iCloud notes, it really made me more accountable,” Neidhart says. It really helped me lose weight and keep it off.
The Importance of Diet
Neidhart emphasizes the importance of diet in maintaining her physique. “The thing about WWE is we’re on year-round, there’s no off-season,” she says. “So bodybuilders can diet down for a show, and then eat normally, but we have to maintain our physiques 365 days a year. And 90 percent of the struggle is in the diet. I love to exercise, but you can’t outwork a bad diet.
Exercise and Training Regimen
Olympic Lifting
Neidhart focuses on Olympic lifting at the gym. “You’re lifting weight off the ground and you’re throwing it up, so you’re giving your body a whole-body workout,” she says. For the strength-building portion of her workout, Nattie focuses on compound exercises that start from the ground up and heavily tax her leg muscles. “This style of training helps me with wrestling, because wrestling is a lot about explosive movements, especially when I do a suplex or if I’m doing a powerbomb,” Neidhart explains.
Compound Exercises
For the strength-building portion of her workout, Nattie focuses on compound exercises that start from the ground up and heavily tax her leg muscles.
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Outdoor Activities
Neidhart loves being outdoors in nature. “Not all of us have the resources to build a garage gym or personal home gym,” she says. “You can do a workout anywhere! I love using a deck of cards and my own body weight. There’s also nothing like throwing on a pair of sneakers, hitting the ground running (or walking!), and exploring a new trail or bike path. My favorite place in the world to run outside is along the Bow River when I’m visiting Calgary. It has a heavenly view of the Rocky Mountains.
Balanced Workout Approach
Neidhart incorporates a mix of Olympic lifts, bodybuilding workouts, and cardio into her routine. “I have days where I do heavier Olympic lifts, and then I have days where I kind of do bodybuilding workouts,” Neidhart says. “I do two days a week of Olympic lifting, and then I’ll incorporate a little bit of cardio into each workout. Then I’ll have three days a week that I’ll do a bodybuilder-type workout where it’s just dumbbells and exercises like biceps curls and triceps extensions.
Supplements and Recovery
Supplementation
Neidhart emphasizes the importance of supplements for overall health. “I’m always looking for really good supplements for my hair, for my skin, for my nails, and for my brain,” Neidhart explains. “I love fueling my body with the best of the best. I’ve only had one surgery in 16 years. I’ve been wrestling for 16 uninterrupted years in the company, and I feel like all these vitamins and supplements help me so much.
Recovery Protocols
The physical demands of professional wrestling require significant investment in recovery. “When I’m on a plane for a long period of time, or when I’m in a car driving from a show to the next show, that’s what gets locked up more than anything,” Neidhart explains about her hip tightness. “I work with multiple massage therapists,” she adds. “I work with an active-release therapist. I work with a renal specialist. I’m getting a hyperbaric chamber installed in my house next week. I used to buy really expensive clothes from Louis Vuitton and splurge here and there.
Overcoming Body Image Issues
Natalya said she was inspired by former SmackDown Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss, who has been open about her own struggle with anorexia. “I actually talked to Alexa Bliss about it when she came forward and said she had gone through this. I said, ‘I just give you so much credit because it takes a lot of courage to talk about it.’ You know, since that happened I just never ever shared that publicly with anyone. It was just something I just didn’t want to have to relive, but then I also thought, you know, again, now that Alexa has talked about her situation, it made me really respect her more. “It’s actually becoming a lot more common with body image. It’s something lots of people go through, whether it’s bulimia or anorexia or binge-eating disorder.
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Career Highlights and Achievements
- WWE Divas Championship (1 time)
- WWE SmackDown Women's Championship (1 time)