Senior Magnificence & Life-style Director
Senior Magnificence & Life-style Director
Alexandra Engler is the senior magnificence and way of life director at mindbodygreen and host of the sweetness 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 do not know if I am going to ever complain about being busy once more. The board-certified household doctor, who’s now based mostly 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 schooling, I’d add). At her top, 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-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 a variety 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 believe it’s the day-to-day that is the toughest, proper? It is simple to indicate up when you have got a variety of followers and also you’re on an enormous stage, however it’s more durable to indicate up day-to-day.
I went by many various phases of studying and development throughout my competitors years, and nearly all of it was within the psychological aspect of competitors.
Whenever you begin, it is easy to do one thing once you’re good at it—you simply need to maintain going as a result of, properly, you are good at it. It is simple to suppose, In fact, I am going to maintain going.
As soon as issues received actually troublesome—which is once 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 necessary to me.
And till I answered that query, it turned very difficult for me. I struggled loads—even simply feeling motivated to follow. I additionally developed a variety 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 turning into a mum or dad. 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 arduous 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 all the time somebody who did fairly properly, however I do not suppose 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 received the CrossFit video games. And I believe the largest purpose for that’s as a result of I did not really consider 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 part 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 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 loads for me to study, however I used to be doing properly—and I used to be able to successful that yr, or at the least 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 noticed that the lady who had received the yr prior was proper behind me. And for some purpose in the midst 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 consider that it was as a result of subconsciously I did not consider 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 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 to begin with, it is a little bit misleading to say I used to be doing each your entire time as a result of it was just one yr wherein 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 occasions once I would take off competing or I centered on analysis and prolonged my med college.
So, one factor to recollect is that once you take a look at people who’re doing issues that appear to be not possible—properly, are they really doing them? As a result of it sounds so intense—med college and CrossFit. And positive, it was actually arduous, 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 put money into a variety of relationships.
As soon as I exited that stage of my life—you realize, college, residency, competing, and achievement—I lastly took a deep breath and took time away. I noticed how I had a variety of this backward when it comes to placing achievement above every part else.
I’ve needed to do a variety 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 is very relatable. I believe a variety of us can look again at our lives and suppose, Hmm possibly I did not have my precedence rankings fairly proper. It is arduous to inform within the second since you suppose you are making the appropriate decisions.
Foucher: That is what the world needs you to consider: It’s important to work so arduous 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 really necessary to us.
mbg: I need to discuss the way you deal with your self. I do know you are retired, however I’ll assume you are still excellent at caring for 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 school: 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 operate after an evening or two like that.
I believe a variety of it comes from trial and error wherein you understand what you actually need to have the ability to operate at your finest. I’d like to be way more according to 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 believe 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’d barely eat any sugar. I keep 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 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 executed 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 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 occasions every week to enhance my cardio capability. I solely did that in my final season, so it is arduous to say what affect it had—however it felt fairly excessive.
mbg: By way of motion these days, what are you doing?
Foucher: I’ll all the time do CrossFit. I believe it’s the finest, most effective technique to keep match.
However for me, it seems very totally different nowadays. I’d 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 way 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 once I can and being in that group and the category setting.
Then I additionally combine in different issues. I stroll loads, go to yoga as soon as every week, and have began enjoying pickleball. Even typically I do Pilates, which is completely totally different.
mbg: What’s your favourite technique to decompress? It would not have to have something to do with wellness both…
Foucher: I’d say this has loads 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 know-how is what brings me again to myself.
mbg: What recommendation would you give younger ladies or ladies who’re all in favour of turning into athletes themselves? Not simply CrossFit however any type of sport…
Foucher: I believe 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 a variety of totally 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 turned my fundamental sport rising up.
Even after gymnastics was executed, 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’d say simply maintain an open thoughts and maintain 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 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 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 mates 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 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 really 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 gymnasium and run on the treadmill by your self.
I believe one of many fundamental 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 believe once you take a look at an general aim, it may be very overwhelming. For instance, you may say, “I need to compete within the CrossFit video games a yr from now,” and so your coach provides you this program. It might be damaged down by weeks, however you then see all the issues you’ll want to do this week. You begin to get anxious.
However for those who simply concentrate on what you might be doing proper now and what’s subsequent, it turns into a lot clearer. Concentrate on doing the perfect that you may within the second—do not take into consideration the 5 different issues it’s a must to do later.
I apply that in my life on a regular basis. I all the time need to have a highway map and aim 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 in the present day that is getting me nearer to my aim?
