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 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 drugs residency program by way of the College of Arizona.
Oh, and I ought to add: She’s additionally probably the most 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 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 damage in 2015, a yr she was thought-about a favourite to take the title.
Now, Foucher brings that drive and keenness to her follow—the place she focuses on marry health, diet, and drugs 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 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 way 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’ve got lots of followers and also you’re on a giant stage, nevertheless it’s more durable to point out up day-to-day.
I went by way of many various phases of studying and progress throughout my competitors years, and nearly all of it was within the psychological facet of competitors.
While you begin, it is simple to do one thing whenever you’re good at it—you simply need to maintain going as a result of, effectively, you are good at it. It is easy to assume, After all, I am going to maintain going.
As soon as issues obtained actually troublesome—which is once I began medical college, so my total life was coaching and going to high school—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 so much—even simply feeling motivated to follow. I additionally developed lots of anxiousness and was even depressed for some time. What helped me essentially the most was actually figuring out why I wished to do that.
And I believe that is true for something in life, whether or not it is a competitors, your work, or changing into a guardian. It is vital 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 are onerous as a result of not day by day is simple and enjoyable.
mbg: What did you find out about your self by way of that journey with CrossFit competing?
Foucher: The opposite facet of my progress 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 effectively, however I do not 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 stunning myself.
And I believe that is what held me again from most likely 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 really 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 believe that is one thing that is true for every thing in life and that each 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 having 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 so much for me to study, however I used to be doing effectively—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 downside 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.
Wanting 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 choices 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 will need to have been…
However to start with, it is just a little 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 really 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 instances 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 have a look at of us who’re doing issues that appear to be unattainable—effectively, are they really doing them? As a result of it sounds so intense—med college 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 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. Quite a 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 recognize, college, residency, competing, and achievement—I lastly took a deep breath and took time away. I spotted how I had lots of this backward by way of placing achievement above every thing 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 believe lots of us can look again at our lives and assume, Hmm perhaps I did not have my precedence rankings fairly proper. It is onerous to inform within the second since you assume you make the suitable decisions.
Foucher: That is what the world desires you to imagine: It’s a must 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 lose the issues which are really vital to us.
mbg: I need to speak about the way you care for 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: Properly, I all the time 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 once I was in faculty: I bear in mind going by way of prolonged durations 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 believe lots of it comes from trial and error by which you understand what you actually need to have the ability to operate at your greatest. I might like to be way more according to my bedtimes, however, fortunately, I’m a very good 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 believe I used to be actually way more strict on my diet—particularly by way of 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 entire 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 a very good 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 device that creates a high-altitude setting. 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 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 onerous to say what influence 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 believe it’s the greatest, most effective technique to keep match.
However for me, it seems 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.
Quite a lot of instances that appears like a fast exercise that I do in my storage gymnasium. 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 so much, go to yoga as soon as every week, and have began taking part in pickleball. Even generally I do Pilates, which is completely completely different.
mbg: What’s your favourite technique to decompress? It would not must have something to do with wellness both…
Foucher: I might say this has so much to do with wellness, however having the ability to spend time in nature. Nature is a extremely 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 occupied with changing into athletes themselves? Not simply CrossFit however any kind of sport…
Foucher: I believe the primary piece of recommendation is to maintain making an attempt issues till you discover one thing that you just like. I used to be fortunate sufficient in that my mother and father inspired me to attempt lots of completely different sports activities once 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 important sport rising up.
Even after gymnastics was performed, I actually felt this deep want 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 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 vital 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 shifting your physique simply the identical approach she thinks about brushing your enamel: It is simply one thing that you just do each morning.
Motion is a part of being a human. I’ve associates 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 by day and that is one thing you take pleasure in?
mbg: I believe 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 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 when you simply go to the gymnasium and run on the treadmill by your self.
I believe one of many important classes that I discovered by way 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 subsequent step.
I believe whenever you have a look at an total purpose, 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 then you definately see all the issues it’s essential do this week. You begin to get anxious.
However when you simply concentrate on 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 all the time need to have a street map and purpose of the place I am going—regardless of if it is work, private life, or household—so I can have 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 this time that is getting me nearer to my purpose?