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 wonder 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 don’t know if I’ll 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 means of the College of Arizona.
Oh, and I ought to add: She’s additionally one of the 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 training, 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 yr she was thought-about a favourite to take the title.
Now, Foucher brings that drive and keenness to her observe—the place she focuses on the best way to 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 appears to be like like now. Right here, her insights.
Mindbodygreen: I’ve 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 means 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 a variety 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 means of many alternative phases of studying and development throughout my competitors years and nearly all of it was within the psychological facet of competitors.
If you begin, it is easy to do one thing whenever you’re good at it—you simply wish to maintain going as a result of, nicely, you’re good at it. It’s straightforward to suppose, After all, I will maintain going.
As soon as issues obtained actually tough—which is after I began medical college, so my total life was coaching and going to highschool—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 turned very difficult for me. I struggled loads—even simply feeling motivated to observe. I additionally developed a variety of anxiousness and was even depressed for some time. What helped me probably 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 mother or father. It’s vital to spend time honing in on why you are doing what you are doing—that’s the way you get by means of the times which are onerous, as a result of not daily is simple and enjoyable.
mbg: What did you find out about your self by means of that journey with CrossFit competing?
Foucher: The opposite side of my development 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 at all times somebody who did fairly nicely, however I don’t suppose I ever actually knew that I used to be adequate or what I used to be able to. I at all times ended up shocking myself.
And I believe that’s 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 most important cause 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 yr, after I tore my Achilles [so I couldn’t compete in the final competition that year].
So for me, it’s simply been about build up my confidence. I believe that is one thing that is true for the whole lot in life and that every 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 yr earlier than, my first yr as a rookie, I had positioned fifth. There was loads for me to be taught, however I used to be doing nicely—and I used to be able to successful that yr, or not less than 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 drawback pushing the sled. Then within the third spherical, I noticed that the girl who had gained the yr prior was proper behind me. And for some cause in the midst 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 needs 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 should have been…
However to start with, it’s just a little 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 actually full pace forward on each. It was throughout my first yr 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 occasions after I would take off competing or I centered on analysis and prolonged my med college.
So one factor to recollect is that whenever 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 onerous, however there was solely that one yr 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. Lots of different issues dropped to the background. For instance, I didn’t 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 backwards when it comes to placing achievement above the whole lot 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 prime.
Picture by mbg Artistic / courtesy of supply
mbg: Once more, I really feel like that’s very relatable. I believe a variety of us can look again at our lives and suppose, Hmm possibly I didn’t have my precedence rankings fairly proper. It’s onerous to inform within the second, since you suppose you’re making the correct selections.
Foucher: That is what the world desires you to consider: 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 get lose the issues which are actually vital to us.
mbg: I wish to speak about the way you care for 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: Properly, 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 school: I keep in mind going by means of 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 believe a variety of it comes from trial-and-error wherein you understand what you really want to have the ability to perform at your finest. I might like to be far more according to my bedtimes, however, fortunately,I’m a superb 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 definitely far more strict on my diet—particularly when it comes to 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 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 daily, I really feel like I am in a superb place.
mbg: This goes again to your coaching days, however I like asking athletes this query: what’s probably the most intense factor you’ve ever achieved 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 instrument that creates a excessive altitude surroundings. There’s a tent that you just 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 occasions per week to enhance my cardio capability. I solely did that in my final season, so it’s onerous to say what affect it had—nevertheless 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 believe it’s the finest, most effective approach to keep match.
However for me, it appears to be like very totally 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 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’s nearly feeling good.
Lots of occasions 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 neighborhood and the category surroundings.
Then I additionally combine in different issues. I stroll loads, go to yoga as soon as per week, and have began enjoying pickleball. Even generally I do pilates, which is completely totally different.
mbg: what’s your favourite approach to decompress? It doesn’t must have something to do with wellness both…
Foucher: I might say this has loads to do with wellness, however having the ability to spend time in nature. Nature is a extremely nice approach to decompress. I discover being away from expertise is what brings me again to myself.
mbg: What recommendation would you give younger ladies or girls who’re interested by turning into athletes themselves? Not simply CrossFit, however any form 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 strive a variety of totally different sports activities after 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 foremost sport rising up.
Even after gymnastics was achieved, I actually felt this deep want to proceed competing and proceed growing my health. However I didn’t 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’s 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 girl 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 means she thinks about brushing your tooth: 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 fascinated with it that means. So simply ask your self: how do you progress your physique daily, and that’s 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 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 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 believe one of many foremost classes that I discovered by means 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 take a look at an general purpose, 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 might be damaged down by weeks, however then you definitely see all the issues you could do this week. You begin to get anxious.
However if you happen to 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 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 purpose of the place I am going—irrespective of if it’s 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 this time that’s getting me nearer to my purpose?
