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
December 16, 2024
Retiring could be difficult for anybody keen about their work. Nevertheless it’s notably arduous for elite athletes, who typically need to retire younger and maybe not beneath the circumstances they select.
However for the actually tenacious and decided, they arrive out the opposite facet able to tackle extra challenges. Such is the case with two-time Olympian and eight-time World Champion swimmer Katie Hoff.
Hoff gained three Olympic medals complete however retired at 26 on account of a pulmonary embolism in her lung. After, she mentioned she launched into a years-long therapeutic journey that led her to the place she is right now: Co-host of a profitable sports activities podcast, speaker, entrepreneur, and fortunately married to her longtime associate.
Right here, how she takes care of herself right now.
mindbodygreen: I actually love speaking with athletes in any respect levels of their careers, however I’ve discovered a number of the most significant conversations have been with retired athletes, as a result of they provide such a singular perspective. What has been essentially the most thrilling a part of your profession and life transition submit swimming?
Katie Hoff: It’s fascinating, as a result of on our podcast [Unfiltered Waters, which she cohosts with fellow former swimmer Missy Franklin] essentially the most precious conversations usually are not individuals who have simply retired, however individuals who have been retired for a number of years.
I believe whenever you first retire, it is this whirlwind of what the heck do I do now? Who am I with out swimming or with out my sport? However now that I am 10 years eliminated, I’ve extra readability. Though, generally it nonetheless looks like I am figuring it out.
General, essentially the most thrilling half is that I can create no matter I need. I don’t say that frivolously as a result of it may be a double-edged sword, proper?
For the longest time—when you’re coaching for and competing in your sport—you’re advised what to do and easy methods to do it. You simply comply with orders in some methods. So whenever you retire, for the primary time in your grownup life, you will have the chance to do no matter you need.
For me, it was the belief that I had all these wonderful talent units that I’d discovered by means of swimming, so then I obtained to consider what I might do it with. I might ask myself: What’s my ardour? What’s my goal? Whereas that may be overwhelming, in the event you body it the appropriate manner it may be thrilling.
mbg: It’s fascinating since you tackle one of many largest challenges I can consider—the Olympics—after which after, you get to take all that ambition, and take into consideration what’s subsequent. So what has been the toughest a part of transitioning submit swimming?
Hoff: Truthfully, the identical factor! You say it is a problem to go to the Olympics, however I really suppose it is extra of a problem to really feel such as you’re beginning over.
I embraced my sport at such a younger age. I imply, at actually 9 years previous, I used to be like, I wish to go to the Olympics. I wish to be an Olympian. I wish to win medals. So it was simply this clear-cut path for me: Observe the method, work your butt off, and issues labored out.
So I believe the toughest half once I was accomplished was being an grownup and feeling like I used to be simply utterly beginning over—and I used to be beginning over behind everyone else. I used to be virtually 26 once I retired; it wasn’t of my very own accord. It was due to a pulmonary embolism in my lung. So the toughest half is discovering my ardour and goal once more—and, most significantly, not making an attempt to copy what I simply did.
If you retire from sports activities, ardour and goal are going to look very completely different. After you have that realization, it could actually really feel very overwhelming and scary. So it’s about pushing by means of these moments to actually really get to the opposite facet.
mbg: Your podcast, Unfiltered Waters, has been an enormous a part of what you’re keen about now, I think about. What’s that have been like?
Hoff: It’s been actually rewarding—extra rewarding that I might have probably imagined. On a private entrance, it was an enormous deal that I used to be even enthusiastic about doing the podcast and coming again to sports activities. After I retired, it was most likely six or seven years of doing my very own therapeutic journey with my relationship with swimming and the Olympics. So on that finish, it was actually thrilling that I felt open and able to come again to the game ultimately.
Then on the visitor entrance, it’s been actually fulfilling to listen to these visitors really feel snug to get weak. I really feel like Missy and I actually create this enjoyable environment: It’s such as you’re sitting on a sofa with your mates consuming espresso. We don’t have an agenda, we simply wish to foster a very sincere dialog about no matter that individual is feeling at that second. aAnd the stuff I hear folks say, I’ve not heard them share it earlier than in different interviews.
mbg: You talked about you went on a “therapeutic journey,” which I think about is one thing a variety of elite stage athletes need to undergo after stepping away from their sport. What was that point like?
Hoff: The largest piece of recommendation I give folks is which you can’t skip steps. You possibly can’t drive it. You don’t know when that second of decision goes to occur. It’s such a irritating reply, nevertheless it’s true.
Once I retired, I by no means thought I’d have the ability to get again to the game. I ended my profession, nevertheless it wasn’t alone phrases, and I believed that was it. I believed that chapter was closed and I’m by no means going to have the ability to revisit it.
Ultimately, I went on a week-long intensive with The Hoffman Course of. The objective of it wasn’t to search out decision. I used to be simply actually hurting, depressed, and I wanted one thing. I got here out of that and inside a month I had messaged Missy asking her to start out a podcast. I might by no means plan that out.
Belief me, I”m not saying I’m totally healed from every thing, nevertheless it was sufficient therapeutic the place I used to be like, OK I’ve some lightness in me and I’ve some stage of decision. I really feel able to face every thing once more and face my fears.
I used to be an enormous aid as a result of I by no means thought it could occur.
mbg: Yeah, I believe that’s very relatable — not only for athletes, however for everybody. Most people have been in a state of affairs the place they arrive to the tip of a journey, and there’s a stage of grief and harm there. So it’s hopeful that there’s an finish there.
Hoff: I additionally really feel just like the anxiousness and worry that arises in these moments is since you really feel like it will final ceaselessly. There are moments the place you’re similar to, Oh my, I can not face up to this sense for the remainder of my life. The factor I’ve discovered is it is not ceaselessly.
Sadly, you do not have a crystal ball to know that tomorrow you are going to be healed, nevertheless it’s simply sort of taking the time, going by means of the steps, being in it, and leaning on the folks in your life that love you it doesn’t matter what. That’s what is going on to get you thru, nevertheless it’s not ceaselessly.
Picture by mbg Artistic / courtesy of supply
mbg: I wish to pivot and discuss your well-being routine these days. Let’s begin with diet. What meals show you how to really feel your strongest?
Hoff: I really like a very good grass fed steak. And carbs for me are large. I might by no means do keto. I’m hangry every time I haven’t got carbs. Nevertheless it’s about having good carbs, like Japanese candy potatoes or complete grain pasta. After which I am obsessive about Brussels sprouts.
So I simply really feel like a very good hearty meal is once I really feel essentially the most simply glad and fulfilled.
mbg: What are your sleep ideas?
Hoff: I undoubtedly have an skilled round to assist [her husband, Todd Anderson, sleep and performance expert and founder of Dream Recovery & Performance]. However I’m most likely somebody that individuals hate as a result of I can sleep it doesn’t matter what. A twister might be down the road and I can sleep. If I’m confused or one thing actually unstable is going on in my life, I can sleep. I’m simply very lucky that it doesn’t take me rather a lot to sleep.
However I additionally really feel like I’m placing within the work. I train daily. I exploit mouth tape. I don’t have caffeine late within the day. So clearly I’m doing a variety of issues that contribute to with the ability to sleep nicely. It’s all of these customary ideas that you simply typically hear, that I most likely take as a right that I do.
So if individuals are struggling, undoubtedly be sure you’re checking all these bins.
mbg: What’s your favourite exercise or option to transfer your physique?
Hoff: That has been a journey since retiring, for positive. I’d say now I actually like all sort of boot camp. I really like Barry’s Bootcamp, which I can go to show my mind off. I’ve not too long ago began doing energy coaching with a pal. I hate understanding alone, and need to do it with different folks. I would like neighborhood.
I’ve accomplished two marathons and some half marathons. I’ll now not being doing any extra marathons, however what it has taught me is that I really like doing 5-6 miles to maneuver my physique.
So a mixture of these three elements—energy coaching, boot camps, and operating like 5 days per week—is the right factor for me.
mbg: How do you construct psychological resilience? As a result of for athletes, that a part of it’s simply as essential as bodily toughness…
Hoff: I’ve all the time been somebody who believes the proof is within the pudding. Every day affirmations and issues like that aren’t my cup of tea. As a substitute, I very a lot take a look at the physique of labor. So whether or not that was once I was competing, whether or not that is now and I’m going to go do a pitch to an investor for a corporation, it’s about how a lot work I’ve put into it. What number of reps have I accomplished? What number of cellphone calls have I made? How a lot info do I do know?
It is arming myself with the information to gasoline my confidence. That is how I can be mentally powerful in conditions the place I won’t be as assured, or have anxiousness.
mbg: Everybody wants a decompressing exercise. What’s yours?
Hoff: Watching a very good sequence with my canine and my husband. That’s the one sleep rule we break, is we do have a TV in our bed room. However the primary factor that helps longevity and creates a lengthy, comfortable life is relationships. So for us, watching an episode of a present, we’re into snuggling with our Frenchie, being collectively, and speaking by means of the day, that’s what actually issues.
mbg: We’re on this nice second within the zeitgeist wherein girls athletes are getting extra consideration than ever. Hopefully which means extra ladies will get into and persist with sports activities. What recommendation may you will have for these younger ladies?
Hoff: Discover a mentor. That’s one thing I discovered later in life, however I want that I had the attitude and understanding to do this earlier on. There’s simply so many issues that get thrown at you. It’s arduous to have that individual be your mother and father or your coach. I believe having that third social gathering perspective, recommendation, and belief is absolutely, actually essential to navigate by means of the ups and downs of not solely being a feminine, but additionally being a feminine athlete.