Senior Magnificence & Life-style Director
Senior Magnificence & Life-style Director
Alexandra Engler is the senior magnificence and life-style 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 Inventive / 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 diet and accomplished an integrative medication residency program by the College of Arizona.
Oh, and I ought to add: She’s additionally one 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 would 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 harm 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 you can marry health, diet, and medication 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 lots 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? 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 point out up when you have got lots of followers and also you’re on an enormous stage, however it’s more durable to point out up day-to-day.
I went by many alternative phases of studying and development throughout my competitors years, and nearly all of it was within the psychological aspect of competitors.
While you begin, it is easy to do one thing while you’re good at it—you simply wish 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 acquired actually tough—which is once 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 observe. I additionally developed lots of nervousness and was even depressed for some time. What helped me probably 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 changing into a father or mother. It is necessary to spend time honing in on why you are doing what you are doing—that is the way you get by the times which are exhausting as a result of not day by day is straightforward and enjoyable.
mbg: What did you find out about your self by 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 ok 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 in all probability 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 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, 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 all the pieces in life and that every one people battle 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 battle 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 quite a bit for me to study, however I used to be doing nicely—and I used to be able to successful that yr, or at the least 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 received the yr prior was proper behind me. And for some purpose in the course of that spherical, I finished 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 huge impact on our lives.
mbg: You talked about balancing each CrossFit and going to med college. How did you do it? I can not think about how difficult that should have been…
However initially, it is somewhat misleading to say I used to be doing each your complete 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 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 instances once I would take off competing or I targeted on analysis and prolonged my med college.
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 college and CrossFit. And positive, it was actually exhausting, 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 have been my sole focus. A whole lot of different issues dropped to the background. For instance, I did not spend money on lots of relationships.
As soon as I exited that stage of my life—you understand, college, residency, competing, and achievement—I lastly took a deep breath and took time away. I spotted how I had lots of this backward when it comes to placing achievement above all the pieces else.
I’ve needed to do lots 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 Inventive / courtesy of supply
mbg: Once more, I really feel like that is very relatable. I feel lots of us can look again at our lives and suppose, Hmm possibly I did not have my precedence rankings fairly proper. It is exhausting to inform within the second since you suppose you make the suitable decisions.
Foucher: That is what the world needs you to imagine: It’s a must to work so exhausting 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 are actually necessary to us.
mbg: I wish to speak about the way you deal with your self. I do know you are retired, however I’ll assume you are still excellent at taking good care of 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 perform. I assume I did it once I was in faculty: I bear in mind going by prolonged intervals 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 lots of it comes from trial and error by which you understand what you actually need to have the ability to perform at your greatest. I might like to be way more in keeping with my bedtimes, however, fortunately, I’m 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 might 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 complete meals and prioritize fiber, fruits, greens, and protein. So so long as I am getting these issues day by 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 probably the most intense factor you have 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 software that creates a high-altitude atmosphere. 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 driving a stationary bike that mimicked a excessive altitude. So I did {that a} couple instances every week to enhance my cardio capability. I solely did that in my final season, so it is exhausting 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 feel it’s the greatest, best option to keep match.
However for me, it seems to be very completely different today. I might 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.
A whole lot of instances that appears like a fast exercise that I do in my storage fitness center. And I nonetheless love going to CrossFit associates once I can and being in that neighborhood and the category atmosphere.
Then I additionally combine in different issues. I stroll quite a bit, go to yoga as soon as every week, and have began enjoying pickleball. Even typically I do Pilates, which is completely completely different.
mbg: What’s your favourite option to decompress? It does not must 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 option 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 ladies who’re concerned with changing into athletes themselves? Not simply CrossFit however any type of sport…
Foucher: I feel the primary piece of recommendation is to maintain attempting 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 lots of completely 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 grew to become my foremost sport rising up.
Even after gymnastics was performed, I actually felt this deep need to proceed competing and proceed growing my health. However I did not know the place to go till I discovered CrossFit a pair years later.
So I might say simply maintain an open thoughts and maintain 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 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 informed me that she thinks about train or transferring your physique simply the identical means 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 associates who instill that of their youngsters—for instance, each morning earlier than college, all of them do a exercise collectively. I like fascinated about it that means. So, simply ask your self: how do you progress your physique day by day and that is one thing you get pleasure from?
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 like CrossFit is as a result of it permits each one that participates the expertise of being an athlete—extra so than you may if you happen to simply go to the fitness center and run on the treadmill by your self.
I feel one of many foremost classes that I realized by 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 while you take a look at an general objective, 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 could be damaged down by weeks, however then you definitely see all the issues it’s worthwhile to do this week. You begin to get anxious.
However if you happen to simply deal with what you’re doing proper now and what’s subsequent, it turns into a lot clearer. Concentrate on doing the most effective which you can within the second—do not take into consideration the 5 different issues you must do later.
I apply that in my life on a regular basis. I at all times wish 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 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 at the moment that is getting me nearer to my objective?
