Senior Magnificence & Way of life Director
Senior Magnificence & Way of life Director
Alexandra Engler is the senior magnificence and life-style 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 don’t know if I’ll 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 Medication Residency program by means of the College of Arizona.
Oh, and I ought to add: She’s additionally some of the profitable ladies athletes to ever compete within the CrossFit video games. From 2010 to 2015, Foucher competed within the video games (whereas persevering with her schooling, I’d add). At her peak, she completed 2nd 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 damage in 2015, a yr she was thought of a favourite to take the title.
Now, Foucher brings that drive and fervour to her observe—the place she focuses on how one can marry health, vitamin, and medication for full physique well being.
I spoke together with her about her time competing, “retirement” from the video games, and what her wellness routine appears like now. Right here, her insights.
Mindbodygreen: I’ve been speaking to a number 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 means 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 simple to point out up when you may have a number of followers and also you’re on an enormous stage, nevertheless it’s tougher to point out up day-to-day.
I went by means of many alternative 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 simple to do one thing while you’re good at it—you simply wish to maintain going as a result of, nicely, you’re good at it. It’s straightforward to assume, After all, I will maintain going.
As soon as issues bought actually troublesome—which is after I began medical faculty, so my whole 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 vital to me.
And till I answered that query, it grew to become very difficult for me. I struggled rather a lot—even simply feeling motivated to observe. I additionally developed a number 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 dad or mum. It’s vital to spend time honing in on why you are doing what you are doing—that’s the way you get by means of the times which might be onerous, as a result of not every single day is simple and enjoyable.
mbg: What did you study your self by means of that journey with CrossFit competing?
Foucher: The opposite facet of my development was how I discovered and grew each single yr. I used to be constructing upon my very own confidence in competing. I used to be all the time somebody who did fairly nicely, however I don’t assume I ever really knew that I used to be adequate or what I used to be able to. I all the time ended up shocking myself.
And I feel that’s 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 didn’t really 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’s simply been about build up my confidence. I feel that is one thing that is true for the whole lot in life and that every 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 with 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 rather a lot 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 selected 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 downside pushing the sled. Then within the third spherical, I spotted that the lady who had received the yr prior was proper behind me. And for some cause in the course of that spherical, I finished pushing the sled to shake my arms out. She handed me after which I completed.
Wanting 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’s loopy how these unconscious beliefs then drive our behaviors and people little day-to-day choices which have a big effect on our lives.
mbg: You talked about balancing each CrossFit and going to med faculty. How did you do it? I can’t think about how difficult that should have been…
However to begin with, it’s a little bit misleading to say I used to be doing each your complete time, as a result of it was just one yr through which I used to be really full pace forward on each. It was throughout my first yr of med faculty after I was competing. And through that point, I used to be very fortunate to have the ability to juggle some issues in med faculty so I might compete. Then from there, there have been instances after I would take off competing or I targeted on analysis and prolonged my med faculty.
So one factor to recollect is that while 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 faculty and CrossFit. And certain, it was actually onerous, however there was solely that one yr that I used to be all in on each endeavors.
The opposite facet—one which I don’t like—is there have been so many areas of my life that suffered. I’m not happy with how I dealt with it, as these two issues had been my sole focus. A number of different issues dropped to the background. For instance, I didn’t put money into a number of relationships.
As soon as I exited that stage of my life—you understand, faculty, residency, competing, and achievement—I lastly took a deep breath and took time away. I spotted how I had a number of this backwards when it comes to placing achievement above the whole lot else.
I’ve needed to do a number 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 high.
Picture by mbg Artistic / courtesy of supply
mbg: Once more, I really feel like that’s very relatable. I feel a number of us can look again at our lives and assume, Hmm perhaps I didn’t have my precedence rankings fairly proper. It’s onerous to inform within the second, since you assume you’re making the fitting selections.
Foucher: That is what the world desires you to imagine: it’s important to work so onerous and make a lot cash and obtain, obtain, obtain. And generally if we pay an excessive amount of consideration to these messages, we get lose the issues which might be really vital to us.
mbg: I wish to discuss the way you maintain your self. I do know you’re retired, however I’m going to imagine you’re nonetheless superb at taking good care of your self. Let’s begin with sleep. How are you prioritizing sleep?
Foucher: Effectively, I all the time have been somebody who simply has to prioritize sleep as a result of if I do not, I do not perform. I assume I did it after I was in school: I bear in mind going by means of prolonged durations of sleeping 5 – 6 hours an evening and pulling all-nighters. However since then, no, I can not perform after an evening or two like that.
I feel a number of it comes from trial-and-error through which you notice what you really want to have the ability to perform at your greatest. I’d like to be rather more in line with my bedtimes, however, fortunately,I’m sleeper, so so long as I enable time for it, I get sufficient.
mbg: What do you eat to really feel your strongest?
Foucher: I feel I used to be actually rather more strict on my vitamin—particularly when it comes to the standard of meals—after 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 every single day, I really feel like I am in 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 ever accomplished 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 device that creates a excessive altitude atmosphere. There’s a tent that you simply put over your mattress, so that you’re sleeping at a excessive altitude at evening. And there was this factor that you’d put on whereas driving a stationary bike that mimicked a excessive altitude. So I did {that a} couple instances per week to enhance my cardio capability. I solely did that in my final season, so it’s onerous to say what affect it had—nevertheless it felt fairly excessive.
mbg: when it comes to motion these days, what are you doing?
Foucher: I’ll all the time do CrossFit. I feel it’s the greatest, best technique to keep match.
However for me, it appears very totally different today. I’d say the exercises I do now are mainly the warmups I used to do. However the focus has shifted. So as a substitute of my focus being on my efficiency and the numbers that I am placing up, it’s so rather more about how I really feel and about my psychological well being. It’s nearly feeling good.
A number of instances that appears like a fast exercise that I do in my storage fitness center. And I nonetheless love going to CrossFit associates after I can and being in that group and the category atmosphere.
Then I additionally combine in different issues. I stroll rather a lot, go to yoga as soon as per week, and have began taking part in pickleball. Even generally I do pilates, which is completely totally different.
mbg: what’s your favourite technique to decompress? It doesn’t have to have something to do with wellness both…
Foucher: I’d say this has rather a lot to do with wellness, however with the ability to spend time in nature. Nature is a very nice technique to decompress. I discover being away from expertise is what brings me again to myself.
mbg: What recommendation would you give younger ladies or ladies who’re all for turning into athletes themselves? Not simply CrossFit, however any kind 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 dad and mom inspired me to attempt a number of 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 accomplished, I actually felt this deep want to proceed competing and proceed growing my health. However I didn’t 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’s nice recommendation… so many athletes have commented on the way it’s so vital that the love and fervour 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 advised me that she thinks about train or shifting your physique simply the identical method 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 pals who instill that of their youngsters—for instance, each morning earlier than faculty, all of them do a exercise collectively. I like excited about it that method. So simply ask your self: how do you progress your physique every single day, and that’s one thing you take pleasure in?
mbg: I feel there are such a lot of classes from taking part in sports activities that may apply to on a regular basis life. What has competing in CrossFit taught you that you simply’ve utilized in different areas of your life?
Foucher: One of many causes I like CrossFit is as a result of it permits each one that participates the expertise of being an athlete—extra so than you may when you simply go to the fitness center and run on the treadmill by your self.
I feel one of many fundamental classes that I discovered by means of competing in CrossFit and coaching CrossFit that I apply in the remainder of my life is how it’s so vital to interrupt issues down into the following step.
I feel while you take a look at an general aim, it may be very overwhelming. For instance, you may say “I wish 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’s good to try this week. You begin to get anxious.
However when you simply give attention to what you might be doing proper now and what’s subsequent, it turns into a lot clearer. Concentrate on doing the very best you can within the second—don’t take into consideration the 5 different issues it’s important to do later.
I apply that in my life on a regular basis. I all the time wish to have a roadmap and aim of the place I am going—irrespective of if it’s work, private life, or household—so I can take 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 this time that’s getting me nearer to my aim?
