Senior Magnificence & Way of life Director
Senior Magnificence & Way of life Director
Alexandra Engler is the senior magnificence and way of life director at mindbodygreen and host of the wonder podcast Clear Magnificence College. Beforehand, she’s held magnificence roles at Harper’s Bazaar, Marie Claire, SELF, and Cosmopolitan; her byline has appeared in Esquire, Sports activities Illustrated, and Attract.com.
Picture by mbg Artistic / courtesy of supply
October 21, 2024
After chatting with doctor and former CrossFit athlete Julie Foucher, M.D., M.S., I do not know if I am going to ever complain about being busy once more. The board-certified household doctor, who’s now based mostly in Kentucky, has a level in biomedical engineering from the College of Michigan and completed her residency coaching on the Cleveland Clinic. She additionally has a grasp’s in diet and accomplished an integrative medication residency program by way of the College of Arizona.
Oh, and I ought to add: She’s additionally probably the most profitable girls athletes to ever compete within the CrossFit video games. From 2010 to 2015, Foucher competed within the video games (whereas persevering with her training, I would add). At her top, she completed second in 2012 and third in 2014—and by no means completed exterior the highest 5 in all 4 years of competing. Her profession ended with a devastating Achilles tendon harm in 2015, a yr she was thought of a favourite to take the title.
Now, Foucher brings that drive and fervour to her apply—the place she focuses on marry health, diet, and medication for full-body well being.
I spoke along with her about her time competing, “retirement” from the video games, and what her wellness routine seems like now. Right here, her insights.
mindbodygreen: I have been speaking to quite a lot of athletes about psychological toughness and psychological resilience that goes into being an athlete—not simply bodily. CrossFit is famously difficult. How did you get your self in that mindset to have the ability to push by way of? Not simply in competitions however day-to-day?
Julie Foucher, M.D., M.S.: I feel it’s the day-to-day that is the toughest, proper? It is easy to indicate up when you will have quite a lot of followers and also you’re on a giant stage, but it surely’s more durable to indicate up day-to-day.
I went by way of many various phases of studying and development throughout my competitors years, and the vast majority of it was within the psychological facet of competitors.
Once you begin, it is easy to do one thing whenever you’re good at it—you simply need to maintain going as a result of, nicely, you are good at it. It is easy to suppose, After all, I am going to maintain going.
As soon as issues obtained actually troublesome—which is once I began medical college, so my whole life was coaching and going to high school—I noticed I hadn’t requested myself why I used to be doing this or why competing was necessary to me.
And till I answered that query, it turned very difficult for me. I struggled loads—even simply feeling motivated to apply. I additionally developed quite a lot of anxiousness and was even depressed for some time. What helped me essentially the most was actually figuring out why I needed to do that.
And I feel that is true for something in life, whether or not it is a competitors, your work, or turning into a guardian. It is necessary to spend time honing in on why you are doing what you are doing—that is the way you get by way of the times which might be laborious as a result of not each day is straightforward and enjoyable.
mbg: What did you study your self by way of that journey with CrossFit competing?
Foucher: The opposite facet of my development was how I realized and grew each single yr. I used to be constructing upon my very own confidence in competing. I used to be at all times somebody who did fairly nicely, however I do not suppose I ever actually knew that I used to be adequate or what I used to be able to. I at all times ended up shocking myself.
And I feel that is what held me again from most likely doing higher. I used to be on the rostrum twice however by no means received the CrossFit video games. And I feel the most important cause for that’s as a result of I did not actually imagine I used to be able to it deep down—that’s till my final yr, once I tore my Achilles [so I couldn’t compete in the final competition that year].
So for me, it is simply been about build up my confidence. I feel that is one thing that is true for every thing in life and that each one people wrestle with it doesn’t matter what it’s that you simply’re pursuing. That confidence and that perception in your self is so key to having the ability to obtain no matter it’s that you simply’re getting down to obtain.
mbg: I discover that so relatable. I really feel lots of people wrestle with these limiting beliefs about themselves.
Foucher: I may give one instance. It was the 2011 CrossFit video games. The yr earlier than, my first yr as a rookie, I had positioned fifth. There was loads for me to study, however I used to be doing nicely—and I used to be able to profitable that yr, or no less than being on the rostrum.
There was a particular occasion the place we needed to push a sled throughout the stadium, and there have been three rounds. The primary two rounds I used to be main the occasion and had no drawback pushing the sled. Then within the third spherical, I noticed that the lady who had received the yr prior was proper behind me. And for some cause in the midst of that spherical, I ended pushing the sled to shake my arms out. She handed me after which I completed.
Trying again on it, I actually imagine that it was as a result of subconsciously I did not imagine that I must be in entrance of her as a result of she was the reigning champion. It is loopy how these unconscious beliefs then drive our behaviors and people little day-to-day selections which have a big effect on our lives.
mbg: You talked about balancing each CrossFit and going to med college. How did you do it? I am unable to think about how difficult that will need to have been…
However to begin with, it is somewhat misleading to say I used to be doing each all the time as a result of it was just one yr during which I used to be actually full pace forward on each. It was throughout my first yr of med college once I was competing. And through that point, I used to be very fortunate to have the ability to juggle some issues in med college so I may compete. Then from there, there have been occasions once I would take off competing or I targeted on analysis and prolonged my med college.
So, one factor to recollect is that whenever you take a look at of us who’re doing issues that appear to be not possible—nicely, are they really doing them? As a result of it sounds so intense—med college and CrossFit. And positive, it was actually laborious, however there was solely that one yr that I used to be all in on each endeavors.
The opposite facet—one which I do not like—is there have been so many areas of my life that suffered. I am not pleased with how I dealt with it, as these two issues have been my sole focus. Numerous different issues dropped to the background. For instance, I did not spend money on quite a lot of relationships.
As soon as I exited that stage of my life—you recognize, college, residency, competing, and achievement—I lastly took a deep breath and took time away. I noticed how I had quite a lot of this backward when it comes to placing achievement above every thing else.
I’ve needed to do quite a lot of work personally by reinvesting in these relationships—spending time repairing, therapeutic, and making them proper. I needed to work on my true priorities and put relationships on the prime.
Picture by mbg Artistic / courtesy of supply
mbg: Once more, I really feel like that is very relatable. I feel quite a lot of us can look again at our lives and suppose, Hmm perhaps I did not have my precedence rankings fairly proper. It is laborious to inform within the second since you suppose you are making the fitting decisions.
Foucher: That is what the world desires you to imagine: It’s a must to work so laborious and make a lot cash and obtain, obtain, obtain. And generally if we pay an excessive amount of consideration to these messages, we lose the issues which might be actually necessary to us.
mbg: I need to speak about the way you care for your self. I do know you are retired, however I will assume you are still superb at caring for your self. Let’s begin with sleep. How are you prioritizing sleep?
Foucher: Nicely, I at all times have been somebody who simply has to prioritize sleep as a result of if I do not, I do not operate. I suppose I did it once I was in faculty: I bear in mind going by way of prolonged intervals of sleeping 5 or 6 hours an evening and pulling all-nighters. However since then, no, I can not operate after an evening or two like that.
I feel quite a lot of it comes from trial and error during which you understand what you really want to have the ability to operate at your finest. I’d like to be way more per my bedtimes, however, fortunately, I’m a great sleeper, so so long as I permit time for it, I get sufficient.
mbg: What do you eat to really feel your strongest?
Foucher: I feel I used to be actually way more strict on my diet—particularly when it comes to the standard of meals—once I was competing. I’d barely eat any sugar. I bear in mind at one level my cheat meal was like a sq. of darkish chocolate.
I am actually not like that anymore; I actually attempt to eat simply entire meals and prioritize fiber, fruits, greens, and protein. So so long as I am getting these issues each day, I really feel like I am in a great place.
mbg: This goes again to your coaching days, however I like asking athletes this query: What’s essentially the most intense factor you’ve got ever completed in hopes of optimizing your efficiency?
Foucher: This was proper on the finish of my competitors profession. Somebody I labored with on the time discovered a instrument that creates a high-altitude setting. There is a tent that you simply put over your mattress so that you’re sleeping at a excessive altitude at night time. And there was this factor that you’d put on whereas using a stationary bike that mimicked a excessive altitude. So I did {that a} couple occasions per week to enhance my cardio capability. I solely did that in my final season, so it is laborious to say what influence it had—but it surely felt fairly excessive.
mbg: When it comes to motion these days, what are you doing?
Foucher: I’ll at all times do CrossFit. I feel it’s the finest, best approach to keep match.
However for me, it seems very totally different nowadays. I’d say the exercises I do now are mainly the warm-ups I used to do. However the focus has shifted. So as an alternative of my focus being on my efficiency and the numbers that I am placing up, it’s so way more about how I really feel and about my psychological well being. It is nearly feeling good.
Numerous occasions that appears like a fast exercise that I do in my storage health club. And I nonetheless love going to CrossFit associates once I can and being in that group and the category setting.
Then I additionally combine in different issues. I stroll loads, go to yoga as soon as per week, and have began enjoying pickleball. Even generally I do Pilates, which is completely totally different.
mbg: What’s your favourite approach to decompress? It does not have to have something to do with wellness both…
Foucher: I’d say this has loads to do with wellness, however having the ability to spend time in nature. Nature is a very nice approach to decompress. I discover being away from know-how is what brings me again to myself.
mbg: What recommendation would you give younger women or girls who’re interested by turning into athletes themselves? Not simply CrossFit however any type of sport…
Foucher: I feel the primary piece of recommendation is to maintain making an attempt issues till you discover one thing that you simply like. I used to be fortunate sufficient in that my mother and father inspired me to strive quite a lot of totally different sports activities once I was youthful. Then I noticed some women on the playground on the bars and requested my mother to signal me up for gymnastics—and that turned my foremost sport rising up.
Even after gymnastics was completed, I actually felt this deep need to proceed competing and proceed creating my health. However I did not know the place to go till I discovered CrossFit a pair years later.
So I’d say simply maintain an open thoughts and maintain making an attempt issues till you discover what you’re keen on.
mbg: That is nice recommendation… So many athletes have commented on the way it’s so necessary that the love and fervour are there from an early age.
Foucher: The opposite recommendation I’ve comes from a girl who competed in CrossFit earlier than I began, Lindsey Smith. She as soon as advised me that she thinks about train or transferring your physique simply the identical approach she thinks about brushing your enamel: It is simply one thing that you simply do each morning.
Motion is a part of being a human. I’ve mates who instill that of their children—for instance, each morning earlier than college, all of them do a exercise collectively. I like enthusiastic about it that approach. So, simply ask your self: how do you progress your physique each day and that is one thing you take pleasure in?
mbg: I feel there are such a lot of classes from enjoying sports activities that may apply to on a regular basis life. What has competing in CrossFit taught you that you’ve got utilized in different areas of your life?
Foucher: One of many causes I really like CrossFit is as a result of it permits each one who participates the expertise of being an athlete—extra so than you may in case you simply go to the health club and run on the treadmill by your self.
I feel one of many foremost classes that I realized by way of competing in CrossFit and coaching CrossFit that I apply in the remainder of my life is how it’s so necessary to interrupt issues down into the following step.
I feel whenever you take a look at an general aim, it may be very overwhelming. For instance, you may say, “I need to compete within the CrossFit video games a yr from now,” and so your coach provides you this program. It could be damaged down by weeks, however then you definately see the entire issues it’s good to do this week. You begin to get anxious.
However in case you simply concentrate on what you’re doing proper now and what’s subsequent, it turns into a lot clearer. Deal with doing the perfect you could within the second—do not take into consideration the 5 different issues it’s important to do later.
I apply that in my life on a regular basis. I at all times need to have a highway map and aim of the place I am going—irrespective of if it is work, private life, or household—so I can take a look at the large plan, however then I break it down into what are the steps. I simply ask myself: What am I doing as we speak that is getting me nearer to my aim?
