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 sweetness 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 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 training, I’d add). At her peak, 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 12 months 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 the way to marry health, diet, 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 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? 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 indicate up when you’ve got 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 many various phases of studying and progress throughout my competitors years, and nearly all of it was within the psychological facet of competitors.
If 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, nicely, you are good at it. It is simple to assume, After all, I am going to preserve going.
As soon as issues obtained actually troublesome—which is after I began medical college, so my total 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 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 observe. I additionally developed quite a lot of nervousness 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 changing into a dad or mum. It is vital to spend time honing in on why you are doing what you are doing—that is the way you get by the times which can be onerous as a result of not on daily basis is simple and enjoyable.
mbg: What did you find out about your self by that journey with CrossFit competing?
Foucher: The opposite side of my progress was how I discovered and grew each single 12 months. 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 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 stunning 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 largest purpose for that’s as a result of I did not actually consider I used to be able to it deep down—that’s till my final 12 months, after I tore my Achilles [so I couldn’t compete in the final competition that year].
So for me, it is simply been about increase my confidence. I feel that is one thing that is true for all the things 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 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 12 months earlier than, my first 12 months as a rookie, I had positioned fifth. There was so much for me to be taught, however I used to be doing nicely—and I used to be able to profitable that 12 months, 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 downside pushing the sled. Then within the third spherical, I noticed that the lady who had received the 12 months 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 consider that it was as a result of subconsciously I did not consider 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 big effect 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 will need to have been…
However initially, it is a bit misleading to say I used to be doing each all the time as a result of it was just one 12 months by which I used to be actually full pace forward on each. It was throughout my first 12 months 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 might compete. Then from there, there have been instances 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 take a look at of us who’re doing issues that appear to be unattainable—nicely, 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 12 months that I used to be all in on each endeavors.
The opposite side—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 put money into quite a lot of 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 noticed how I had quite a lot of this backward by way of placing achievement above all the things 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 Inventive / 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 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 needs you to consider: It’s a must to work so onerous 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 vital 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 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 after I was in faculty: I keep in mind going by 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 quite a lot of it comes from trial and error by which you understand what you really want to have the ability to perform at your finest. I’d like to be far more in line with my bedtimes, however, fortunately, I’m a very good 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 definitely far more strict on my diet—particularly by way of the standard of meals—after I was competing. I’d 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 entire meals and prioritize fiber, fruits, greens, and protein. So so long as I am getting these issues on daily basis, 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 have ever carried out 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 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 is onerous to say what impression it had—but it surely felt fairly excessive.
mbg: By way of motion these days, what are you doing?
Foucher: I’ll at all times do CrossFit. I feel it’s the finest, most effective strategy to keep match.
However for me, it seems to be very completely different today. I’d say the exercises I do now are principally the warm-ups 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 far 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 fitness center. And I nonetheless love going to CrossFit associates after 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 per week, and have began enjoying pickleball. Even typically I do Pilates, which is completely completely different.
mbg: What’s your favourite strategy to decompress? It does not must have something to do with wellness both…
Foucher: I’d say this has so much to do with wellness, however with the ability to spend time in nature. Nature is a extremely nice strategy 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 focused on changing 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 attempt quite a lot of completely different sports activities after 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 most important sport rising up.
Even after gymnastics was carried out, I actually felt this deep want 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’d say simply preserve an open thoughts and preserve making an attempt issues till you discover what you like.
mbg: That is 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 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 approach she thinks about brushing your tooth: 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 children—for instance, each morning earlier than college, all of them do a exercise collectively. I like fascinated by it that approach. So, simply ask your self: how do you progress your physique on daily basis 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 like CrossFit is as a result of it permits each one that participates the expertise of being an athlete—extra so than you may for those who simply go to the fitness center and run on the treadmill by your self.
I feel one of many most important classes that I discovered by 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 feel while you take a look at an total objective, it may be very overwhelming. For instance, you may say, “I need to compete within the CrossFit video games a 12 months 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 for those who simply deal with what you’re doing proper now and what’s subsequent, it turns into a lot clearer. Give attention to doing the perfect that you would be able to 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 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 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 immediately that is getting me nearer to my objective?