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 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 Medication 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’d add). At her top, she completed 2nd 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 damage in 2015, a 12 months she was thought-about a favourite to take the title.
Now, Foucher brings that drive and keenness to her apply—the place she focuses on the best way to marry health, diet, and medication 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 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 feel it’s the day-to-day that is the toughest, proper? It is easy to point out up when you’ve got loads of followers and also you’re on an enormous stage, nevertheless it’s tougher to point out up day-to-day.
I went via many various phases of studying and development throughout my competitors years and the vast majority 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 wish to hold going as a result of, effectively, you’re good at it. It’s straightforward to assume, After all, I am going to hold going.
As soon as issues acquired actually troublesome—which is once I began medical faculty, so my complete 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 essential to me.
And till I answered that query, it grew to become very difficult for me. I struggled quite a bit—even simply feeling motivated to apply. 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 feel that is true for something in life, whether or not it is a competitors, your work, or turning into a dad or mum. It’s essential to spend time honing in on why you are doing what you are doing—that’s the way you get via the times which are onerous, as a result of not each day is simple and enjoyable.
mbg: What did you find out about your self via that journey with CrossFit competing?
Foucher: The opposite facet of my development 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 all the time somebody who did fairly effectively, however I don’t assume I ever actually knew that I used to be adequate or what I used to be able to. I all the time ended up shocking myself.
And I feel that’s 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 feel 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 12 months, once 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 feel that is one thing that is true for every little thing 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 with 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 quite a bit for me to study, however I used to be doing effectively—and I used to be able to successful that 12 months, or no less than 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 girl who had received the 12 months prior was proper behind me. And for some cause in the course of that spherical, I finished 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 must 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 choices which have a huge impact on our lives.
mbg: You talked about balancing each CrossFit and going to med faculty. How did you do it? I can’t think about how difficult that will need to have been…
However to start with, it’s just a little 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 faculty once I was competing. And through that point, I used to be very fortunate to have the ability to juggle some issues in med faculty 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 faculty.
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—effectively, are they really doing them? As a result of it sounds so intense—med faculty 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 facet—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 have been my sole focus. A variety of different issues dropped to the background. For instance, I didn’t spend money on loads of relationships.
As soon as I exited that stage of my life—you recognize, faculty, residency, competing, and achievement—I lastly took a deep breath and took time away. I noticed how I had loads of this backwards when it comes to 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 prime.
Picture by mbg Artistic / courtesy of supply
mbg: Once more, I really feel like that’s very relatable. I feel loads of us can look again at our lives and assume, Hmm possibly I didn’t have my precedence rankings fairly proper. It’s onerous to inform within the second, since you assume you’re making the suitable decisions.
Foucher: That is what the world needs you to consider: it’s important 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 get lose the issues which are actually essential to us.
mbg: I wish to speak about the way you maintain your self. I do know you’re retired, however I’m going to imagine you’re nonetheless superb at taking good care of your self. Let’s begin with sleep. How are you prioritizing sleep?
Foucher: Effectively, 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 via prolonged intervals of sleeping 5 or 6 hours an evening and pulling all-nighters. However since then, no, I can’t operate after an evening or two like that.
I feel loads of it comes from trial-and-error by which you understand what you really want to have the ability to operate at your finest. I might like to be way more in step with my bedtimes, however, fortunately,I’m a great 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 feel I used to be definitely way more strict on my diet—particularly when it comes to the standard of meals—once 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 complete meals and prioritize fiber, fruits, greens, and protein. So so long as I am getting these issues each day, I really feel like I am in a great 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 instrument 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 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’s onerous to say what impression 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 feel it’s the finest, best method 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 way 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 health club. 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 quite a bit, go to yoga as soon as per week, and have began taking part in pickleball. Even typically I do pilates, which is completely totally different.
mbg: what’s your favourite method to decompress? It doesn’t have to have something to do with wellness both…
Foucher: I might say this has quite a bit to do with wellness, however with 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 ladies or girls who’re thinking about turning into athletes themselves? Not simply CrossFit, however any kind of sport…
Foucher: I feel 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 loads 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 grew to become my major sport rising up.
Even after gymnastics was completed, I actually felt this deep need 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 making an attempt issues till you discover what you like.
mbg: That’s nice recommendation… so many athletes have commented on the way it’s so essential 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 instructed me that she thinks about train or shifting your physique simply the identical approach 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 mates who instill that of their children—for instance, each morning earlier than faculty, all of them do a exercise collectively. I like fascinated with it that approach. So simply ask your self: how do you progress your physique each day, and that’s one thing you get pleasure from?
mbg: I feel 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 like CrossFit is as a result of it permits each one that participates the expertise of being an athlete—extra so than you would possibly in the event you simply go to the health club and run on the treadmill by your self.
I feel one of many major classes that I discovered via competing in CrossFit and coaching CrossFit that I apply in the remainder of my life is how it’s so essential to interrupt issues down into the subsequent step.
I feel whenever you take a look at an general purpose, it may be very overwhelming. For instance, you would possibly say “I wish 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 you want to try this week. You begin to get anxious.
However in the event you simply concentrate on what you might be doing proper now and what’s subsequent, it turns into a lot clearer. Deal with doing one of the best you can within the second—don’t take into consideration the 5 different issues it’s important to do later.
I apply that in my life on a regular basis. I all the time wish to have a roadmap and purpose of the place I am going—regardless 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 right now that’s getting me nearer to my purpose?
