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 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 Inventive / 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 vitamin and accomplished an Integrative Medication Residency program via the College of Arizona.
Oh, and I ought to add: She’s additionally one of the vital 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 would 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 harm in 2015, a 12 months she was thought of 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, vitamin, and drugs for full physique 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’ve been speaking to plenty 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 simple to point out up when you will have plenty of followers and also you’re on a giant stage, but it surely’s more durable to point out up day-to-day.
I went via many alternative phases of studying and progress throughout my competitors years and nearly all of it was within the psychological facet of competitors.
While you begin, it is simple to do one thing if you’re good at it—you simply need to hold going as a result of, effectively, you’re good at it. It’s simple to assume, After all, I am going to hold going.
As soon as issues bought actually troublesome—which is after I began medical college, 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 vital 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 plenty of nervousness 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 turning into a father or mother. 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 onerous, as a result of not on daily basis is straightforward and enjoyable.
mbg: What did you study 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 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 received the CrossFit video games. And I believe the most important 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 part 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 be taught, however I used to be doing effectively—and I used to be able to profitable 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 received the 12 months 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.
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 big effect 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 start with, it’s slightly misleading to say I used to be doing each all the time, as a result of it was just one 12 months during 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 might compete. Then from there, there have been occasions after I would take off competing or I targeted on analysis and prolonged my med college.
So one factor to recollect is that if you take 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 onerous, 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. Numerous different issues dropped to the background. For instance, I didn’t put money into plenty of relationships.
As soon as I exited that stage of my life—you already know, college, residency, competing, and achievement—I lastly took a deep breath and took time away. I spotted how I had plenty of this backwards by way of placing achievement above every part else.
I’ve needed to do plenty 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 Inventive / courtesy of supply
mbg: Once more, I really feel like that’s very relatable. I believe plenty 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 proper selections.
Foucher: That is what the world needs you to consider: you need 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 can be actually vital to us.
mbg: I need to speak about the way you handle your self. I do know you’re retired, however I’m going to imagine you’re nonetheless superb at caring for your self. Let’s begin with sleep. How are you prioritizing sleep?
Foucher: Effectively, 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 after I was in school: I keep in mind going via 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 plenty of it comes from trial-and-error during which you notice what you really want to have the ability to operate at your greatest. I might like to be way more in line with my bedtimes, however, fortunately,I’m a very good 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 vitamin—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 complete 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 a very good 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 finished 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 atmosphere. 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—but it surely 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 greatest, best approach to keep match.
However for me, it seems very totally different today. I might say the exercises I do now are mainly 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 way more about how I really feel and about my psychological well being. It’s nearly feeling good.
Numerous 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 group and the category atmosphere.
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 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 quite a bit to do with wellness, however with the ability to spend time in nature. Nature is a extremely nice approach to decompress. I discover being away from know-how is what brings me again to myself.
mbg: What recommendation would you give younger women or ladies who’re all in favour of turning into athletes themselves? Not simply CrossFit, however any kind 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 dad and mom inspired me to attempt plenty of totally 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 predominant sport rising up.
Even after gymnastics was finished, 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 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 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 instructed me that she thinks about train or transferring 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 mates who instill that of their youngsters—for instance, each morning earlier than college, all of them do a exercise collectively. I like interested by it that means. 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 would possibly in case you simply go to the fitness center and run on the treadmill by your self.
I believe one of many predominant 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 following step.
I believe if you take a look at an general purpose, it may be very overwhelming. For instance, you would possibly say “I need to compete within the CrossFit video games a 12 months from now” and so your coach provides you this program. It could be damaged down by weeks, however then you definitely 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. Deal with doing one of the best that you may within the second—don’t 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 need 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 massive plan, however then I break it down into what are the steps. I simply ask myself: What am I doing at present that’s getting me nearer to my purpose?