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 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 diet and accomplished an Integrative Drugs Residency program via the College of Arizona.
Oh, and I ought to add: She’s additionally one of the crucial profitable girls 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 top, 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 12 months she was thought-about a favourite to take the title.
Now, Foucher brings that drive and fervour to her follow—the place she focuses on how one can marry health, diet, and drugs for full physique 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’ve been speaking to loads 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 via? 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 gotten loads of followers and also you’re on a giant stage, however it’s more durable to point out up day-to-day.
I went via many various phases of studying and progress throughout my competitors years and the vast majority of it was within the psychological facet of competitors.
Once you begin, it is easy to do one thing whenever you’re good at it—you simply wish to hold going as a result of, effectively, you’re good at it. It’s straightforward to assume, In fact, I am going to hold going.
As soon as issues obtained actually troublesome—which is after I began medical college, so my whole 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 rather a lot—even simply feeling motivated to follow. I additionally developed loads 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 believe that is true for something in life, whether or not it is a competitors, your work, or changing 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 via the times which can be laborious, as a result of not on daily basis is straightforward and enjoyable.
mbg: What did you find out about your self via that journey with CrossFit competing?
Foucher: The opposite side of my progress was how I realized 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 effectively, however I don’t 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 believe that’s what held me again from in all probability 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 didn’t 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’s simply been about increase my confidence. I believe that is one thing that is true for every little thing in life and that each one people wrestle 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 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 rather a lot for me to be taught, however I used to be doing effectively—and I used to be able to successful that 12 months, or at the very 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 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’s 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’t think about how difficult that will need to have been…
However to begin with, it’s a little bit misleading to say I used to be doing each your entire time, as a result of it was just one 12 months through 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 may 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 whenever you have a look at of us who’re doing issues that appear to be unimaginable—effectively, are they really doing them? As a result of it sounds so intense—med college and CrossFit. And positive, it was actually laborious, however there was solely that one 12 months that I used to be all in on each endeavors.
The opposite side—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 variety of different issues dropped to the background. For instance, I didn’t put money into loads 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 spotted how I had loads of this backwards by way of placing achievement above every little thing else.
I’ve needed to do loads 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 believe loads of us can look again at our lives and assume, Hmm possibly I didn’t have my precedence rankings fairly proper. It’s laborious to inform within the second, since you assume you’re making the proper decisions.
Foucher: That is what the world needs you to consider: it’s a must to work so laborious and make a lot cash and obtain, obtain, obtain. And typically if we pay an excessive amount of consideration to these messages, we get lose the issues which can be actually vital to us.
mbg: I wish to discuss the way you handle your self. I do know you’re retired, however I’m going to imagine you’re nonetheless excellent at caring for 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 operate. I suppose I did it after I was in faculty: I keep in mind going via 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 loads of it comes from trial-and-error through which you notice what you actually need to have the ability to operate at your finest. I might like to be rather more in step 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 believe I used to be actually rather more strict on my diet—particularly by way of the standard of meals—after I was competing. I might 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 on daily basis, 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 completed 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 excessive altitude setting. There’s 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’s laborious to say what influence it had—however it felt fairly excessive.
mbg: by way of motion these days, what are you doing?
Foucher: I’ll at all times do CrossFit. I believe it’s the finest, most effective method to keep match.
However for me, it seems to be very completely different today. I might say the exercises I do now are principally the warmups 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 rather more about how I really feel and about my psychological well being. It’s nearly feeling good.
A variety of instances that appears like a fast exercise that I do in my storage gymnasium. 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 rather a lot, go to yoga as soon as every week, and have began taking part in pickleball. Even typically I do pilates, which is completely completely different.
mbg: what’s your favourite method to decompress? It doesn’t must have something to do with wellness both…
Foucher: I might say this has rather a lot to do with wellness, however having the ability to spend time in nature. Nature is a extremely nice method to decompress. I discover being away from expertise is what brings me again to myself.
mbg: What recommendation would you give younger women or girls who’re taken with changing into athletes themselves? Not simply CrossFit, however any type of sport…
Foucher: I believe the primary piece of recommendation is to maintain attempting 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 strive loads 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 major sport rising up.
Even after gymnastics was completed, I actually felt this deep want to proceed competing and proceed creating my health. However I didn’t know the place to go till I discovered CrossFit a pair years later.
So I might say simply hold an open thoughts and hold attempting issues till you discover what you like.
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 manner 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 mates who instill that of their children—for instance, each morning earlier than college, all of them do a exercise collectively. I like fascinated about it that manner. So simply ask your self: how do you progress your physique on daily basis, and that’s 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 just’ve 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 who participates the expertise of being an athlete—extra so than you may in case you simply go to the gymnasium and run on the treadmill by your self.
I believe one of many major classes that I realized via 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 aim, it may be very overwhelming. For instance, you may say “I wish to compete within the CrossFit video games a 12 months from now” and so your coach offers you this program. It might be damaged down by weeks, however you then see all the issues you might want to do this week. You begin to get anxious.
However in case you simply concentrate on what you might be doing proper now and what’s subsequent, it turns into a lot clearer. Concentrate on doing the very best that you would be able to within the second—don’t 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 at all times 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 have 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?
