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 Faculty. 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 primarily based 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 vitamin and accomplished an integrative drugs residency program by means of the College of Arizona.
Oh, and I ought to add: She’s additionally some of the 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’d add). At her peak, she completed second in 2012 and third in 2014—and by no means completed outdoors the highest 5 in all 4 years of competing. Her profession ended with a devastating Achilles tendon damage in 2015, a yr she was thought of a favourite to take the title.
Now, Foucher brings that drive and keenness to her follow—the place she focuses on how one can marry health, vitamin, and drugs for full-body well being.
I spoke together with her about her time competing, “retirement” from the video games, and what her wellness routine seems to be like now. Right here, her insights.
mindbodygreen: I have been speaking to numerous 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 means of? Not simply in competitions however day-to-day?
Julie Foucher, M.D., M.S.: I believe it’s the day-to-day that is the toughest, proper? It is easy to point out up when you have got numerous followers and also you’re on an enormous stage, however it’s tougher to point out up day-to-day.
I went by means of many alternative phases of studying and progress throughout my competitors years, and the vast majority of it was within the psychological facet of competitors.
Whenever you begin, it is simple to do one thing while you’re good at it—you simply need to preserve going as a result of, properly, you are good at it. It is easy to assume, In fact, I am going to preserve going.
As soon as issues bought actually troublesome—which is after I began medical college, so my total life was coaching and going to highschool—I spotted 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 grew to become very difficult for me. I struggled quite a bit—even simply feeling motivated to follow. I additionally developed numerous 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 believe 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 means of the times which can be laborious as a result of not day-after-day is straightforward and enjoyable.
mbg: What did you study your self by means of that journey with CrossFit competing?
Foucher: The opposite facet of my progress 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 properly, however I do not assume I ever actually knew that I used to be ok or what I used to be able to. I at all times ended up shocking myself.
And I believe that is what held me again from in all probability doing higher. I used to be on the rostrum twice however by no means gained the CrossFit video games. And I believe the largest purpose 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, after 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 believe that is one thing that is true for every little thing in life and that every one people battle with it doesn’t matter what it’s that you just’re pursuing. That confidence and that perception in your self is so key to with the ability to obtain no matter it’s that you just’re getting down to obtain.
mbg: I discover that so relatable. I really feel lots of people battle with these limiting beliefs about themselves.
Foucher: I can provide 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 quite a bit for me to be taught, however I used to be doing properly—and I used to be able to successful that yr, or a minimum of 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 spotted that the girl who had gained the yr prior was proper behind me. And for some purpose in the course 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 ought to 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 huge impact 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 should have been…
However initially, it is somewhat misleading to say I used to be doing each the whole time as a result of it was just one yr by which I used to be actually full velocity forward on each. It was throughout my first yr of med college after 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 after I would take off competing or I targeted on analysis and prolonged my med college.
So, one factor to recollect is that while you have a look at of us who’re doing issues that appear to be unattainable—properly, 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 happy with how I dealt with it, as these two issues had been my sole focus. Quite a lot of different issues dropped to the background. For instance, I did not spend money on numerous relationships.
As soon as I exited that stage of my life—, college, residency, competing, and achievement—I lastly took a deep breath and took time away. I spotted how I had numerous this backward when it comes to placing achievement above every little thing else.
I’ve needed to do numerous 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 believe numerous us can look again at our lives and assume, Hmm possibly I did not have my precedence rankings fairly proper. It is laborious to inform within the second since you assume you are making the correct decisions.
Foucher: That is what the world desires you to imagine: It’s important to work so laborious and make a lot cash and obtain, obtain, obtain. And typically if we pay an excessive amount of consideration to these messages, we lose the issues which can be actually necessary to us.
mbg: I need to speak about the way you maintain your self. I do know you are retired, however I’ll assume you are still superb at taking good care of your self. Let’s begin with sleep. How are you prioritizing sleep?
Foucher: Effectively, 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 assume I did it after I was in school: I keep in mind going by means of prolonged intervals of sleeping 5 – 6 hours an evening and pulling all-nighters. However since then, no, I can’t operate after an evening or two like that.
I believe numerous it comes from trial and error by which you notice what you really want to have the ability to operate at your greatest. I might like to be far 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 believe I used to be definitely far more strict on my vitamin—particularly when it comes to the standard of meals—after I was competing. I might barely eat any sugar. I keep in mind at one level my cheat meal was like a sq. of darkish chocolate.
I am definitely not like that anymore; I actually attempt to eat simply complete meals and prioritize fiber, fruits, greens, and protein. So so long as I am getting these issues day-after-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 performed 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 surroundings. There is a tent that you just 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—however it felt fairly excessive.
mbg: When it comes to motion these days, what are you doing?
Foucher: I’ll at all times do CrossFit. I believe it’s the greatest, best approach to keep match.
However for me, it seems to be very totally different today. I might say the exercises I do now are principally 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 far more about how I really feel and about my psychological well being. It is nearly feeling good.
Quite a lot of occasions that appears like a fast exercise that I do in my storage gymnasium. And I nonetheless love going to CrossFit associates after I can and being in that group and the category surroundings.
Then I additionally combine in different issues. I stroll quite a bit, go to yoga as soon as per week, and have began enjoying pickleball. Even typically 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 might say this has quite a bit to do with wellness, however with the ability to spend time in nature. Nature is a very nice approach to decompress. I discover being away from expertise is what brings me again to myself.
mbg: What recommendation would you give younger ladies or girls who’re fascinated by turning into athletes themselves? Not simply CrossFit however any form of sport…
Foucher: I believe the primary piece of recommendation is to maintain attempting issues till you discover one thing that you just like. I used to be fortunate sufficient in that my dad and mom inspired me to strive numerous totally different sports activities after I was youthful. Then I noticed some ladies on the playground on the bars and requested my mother to signal me up for gymnastics—and that grew to become my fundamental sport rising up.
Even after gymnastics was performed, 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 might say simply preserve an open thoughts and preserve attempting 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 keenness are there from an early age.
Foucher: The opposite recommendation I’ve comes from a lady who competed in CrossFit earlier than I began, Lindsey Smith. She as soon as informed me that she thinks about train or transferring your physique simply the identical approach she thinks about brushing your tooth: It is simply one thing that you just do each morning.
Motion is a part of being a human. I’ve pals who instill that of their children—for instance, each morning earlier than college, all of them do a exercise collectively. I like serious about it that approach. So, simply ask your self: how do you progress your physique day-after-day and that is one thing you take pleasure in?
mbg: I believe 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 have utilized in different areas of your life?
Foucher: One of many causes I like CrossFit is as a result of it permits each one who participates the expertise of being an athlete—extra so than you would possibly in the event you simply go to the gymnasium and run on the treadmill by your self.
I believe one of many fundamental classes that I realized by means 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 believe while you have a look at an general objective, it may be very overwhelming. For instance, you would possibly say, “I need to compete within the CrossFit video games a yr from now,” and so your coach offers you this program. It might be damaged down by weeks, however you then see all the issues it is advisable do this week. You begin to get anxious.
However in the event you simply give attention to what you’re doing proper now and what’s subsequent, it turns into a lot clearer. Concentrate on doing the perfect that you could within the second—do not take into consideration the 5 different issues you need to do later.
I apply that in my life on a regular basis. I at all times need to have a street map and objective of the place I am going—irrespective of if it is work, private life, or household—so I can have a look at the massive plan, however then I break it down into what are the steps. I simply ask myself: What am I doing at present that is getting me nearer to my objective?
