Alexandra Engler is the senior magnificence and way of life 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 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 vitamin and accomplished an integrative medication residency program by way of 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 would 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 harm in 2015, a yr she was thought-about a favourite to take the title.
Now, Foucher brings that drive and fervour to her observe—the place she focuses on the right way to marry health, vitamin, and medication for full-body well being.
I spoke along with her about her time competing, “retirement” from the video games, and what her wellness routine appears 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 way 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 indicate up when you have got a variety of followers and also you’re on a giant stage, however it’s more durable to indicate up day-to-day.
I went by way of many various phases of studying and development throughout my competitors years, and nearly all of it was within the psychological facet of competitors.
Whenever you begin, it is simple to do one thing if you’re good at it—you simply wish to maintain going as a result of, properly, you are good at it. It is easy to suppose, In fact, I am going to maintain going.
As soon as issues bought actually troublesome—which is once I began medical faculty, so my total life was coaching and going to highschool—I spotted 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 lots—even simply feeling motivated to observe. 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 father or mother. It is necessary to spend time honing in on why you are doing what you are doing—that is the way you get by way of the times which might be arduous as a result of not every single day is simple and enjoyable.
mbg: What did you study your self by way of that journey with CrossFit competing?
Foucher: The opposite side 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 at all times 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 at all times 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 gained the CrossFit video games. And I believe the most important cause for that’s as a result of I did not really imagine 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 thing in life and that each one people battle 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 battle 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 lots for me to be taught, however I used to be doing properly—and I used to be able to profitable that yr, or at the 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 lady who had gained the yr prior was proper behind me. And for some cause in the midst 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 imagine that it was as a result of subconsciously I did not imagine 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 faculty. 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 bit misleading to say I used to be doing each your complete time as a result of it was just one yr during which I used to be really full velocity forward on each. It was throughout my first yr 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 might compete. Then from there, there have been occasions once I would take off competing or I centered on analysis and prolonged my med faculty.
So, one factor to recollect is that if you have a look at people who’re doing issues that appear to be inconceivable—properly, are they really doing them? As a result of it sounds so intense—med faculty 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 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. Numerous 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 understand, faculty, residency, competing, and achievement—I lastly took a deep breath and took time away. I spotted how I had a variety of this backward when it comes to placing achievement above every thing 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 perhaps I did not have my precedence rankings fairly proper. It is arduous to inform within the second since you suppose you make the proper selections.
Foucher: That is what the world needs you to imagine: It’s a must to work so arduous and make a lot cash and obtain, obtain, obtain. And generally if we pay an excessive amount of consideration to these messages, we lose the issues which might be really necessary to us.
mbg: I wish to speak about the way you care for your self. I do know you are retired, however I will assume you are still superb 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 operate. I assume I did it once I was in faculty: I keep in mind going by way of prolonged durations of sleeping 5 – 6 hours an evening and pulling all-nighters. However since then, no, I can’t operate after an evening or two like that.
I believe a variety of it comes from trial and error during which you notice what you really want to have the ability to operate at your finest. I might like to be rather more in line 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 believe I used to be definitely rather more strict on my vitamin—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 entire meals and prioritize fiber, fruits, greens, and protein. So so long as I am getting these issues every single 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 have 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 device that creates a high-altitude atmosphere. There is 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 every week to enhance my cardio capability. I solely did that in my final season, so it is arduous 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 strategy to keep match.
However for me, it appears very completely different as of late. I might say the exercises I do now are mainly 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 rather more about how I really feel and about my psychological well being. It is nearly feeling good.
Numerous occasions 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 neighborhood and the category atmosphere.
Then I additionally combine in different issues. I stroll lots, go to yoga as soon as every week, and have began taking part in pickleball. Even generally I do Pilates, which is completely completely different.
mbg: What’s your favourite strategy to decompress? It would not must have something to do with wellness both…
Foucher: I might say this has lots 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 ladies or ladies who’re excited by turning into athletes themselves? Not simply CrossFit however any form 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 attempt a variety of completely 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 major sport rising up.
Even after gymnastics was completed, 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 might say simply maintain an open thoughts and maintain attempting issues till you discover what you’re keen on.
mbg: That is nice recommendation… So many athletes have commented on the way it’s so necessary 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 instructed 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 pals who instill that of their children—for instance, each morning earlier than faculty, all of them do a exercise collectively. I like occupied with it that means. So, simply ask your self: how do you progress your physique every single day and that is one thing you get pleasure from?
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 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 in case you simply go to the health club and run on the treadmill by your self.
I believe one of many major classes that I realized by way of 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 if you have a look at an total 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 could be damaged down by weeks, however then you definately see the entire issues that you must try this week. You begin to get anxious.
However in case you simply give attention to what you might be doing proper now and what’s subsequent, it turns into a lot clearer. Give attention to doing the perfect you can within the second—do not take into consideration the 5 different issues you need to do later.
I apply that in my life on a regular basis. I at all times wish to have a highway map and purpose of the place I am going—regardless of if it is work, private life, or household—so I can have 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 as we speak that is getting me nearer to my purpose?
