December 16, 2024
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 sweetness 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 Inventive / courtesy of supply
December 16, 2024
Retiring will be difficult for anybody captivated with their work. But it surely’s notably onerous for elite athletes, who typically should retire younger and maybe not underneath 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 at this time: Co-host of a profitable sports activities podcast, speaker, entrepreneur, and fortunately married to her longtime accomplice.
Right here, how she takes care of herself at this time.
mindbodygreen: I actually love speaking with athletes in any respect phases of their careers, however I’ve discovered among the most significant conversations have been with retired athletes, as a result of they provide such a singular perspective. What has been probably the most thrilling a part of your profession and life transition publish swimming?
Katie Hoff: It’s fascinating, as a result of on our podcast [Unfiltered Waters, which she cohosts with fellow former swimmer Missy Franklin] probably the most useful conversations are usually not individuals who have simply retired, however individuals who have been retired for a number of years.
I feel 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 seems like I am figuring it out.
Total, probably the most thrilling half is that I can create no matter I need. I don’t say that evenly 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 informed what to do and the best way to do it. You simply comply with orders in some methods. So whenever you retire, for the primary time in your grownup life, you’ve got the chance to do no matter you need.
For me, it was the belief that I had all these superb talent units that I’d discovered by means of swimming, so then I received to consider what I may do it with. I may ask myself: What’s my ardour? What’s my objective? Whereas that may be overwhelming, should you body it the suitable means 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 publish swimming?
Hoff: Truthfully, the identical factor! You say it is a problem to go to the Olympics, however I truly assume 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 outdated, I used to be like, I need to go to the Olympics. I need to be an Olympian. I need to win medals. So it was simply this clear-cut path for me: Comply with the method, work your butt off, and issues labored out.
So I feel the toughest half after I was completed was being an grownup and feeling like I used to be simply fully beginning over—and I used to be beginning over behind everyone else. I used to be nearly 26 after 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 objective once more—and, most significantly, not attempting to duplicate what I simply did.
Whenever you retire from sports activities, ardour and objective are going to look very totally different. After you have that realization, it will probably really feel very overwhelming and scary. So it’s about pushing by means of these moments to essentially actually get to the opposite facet.
mbg: Your podcast, Unfiltered Waters, has been a giant a part of what you’re captivated with now, I think about. What’s that have been like?
Hoff: It’s been actually rewarding—extra rewarding that I may have probably imagined. On a private entrance, it was a giant deal that I used to be even enthusiastic about doing the podcast and coming again to sports activities. After I retired, it was in all probability 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 not directly.
Then on the visitor entrance, it’s been actually fulfilling to listen to these company really feel comfy to get susceptible. I really feel like Missy and I actually create this stress-free ambiance: It’s such as you’re sitting on a sofa with your folks ingesting espresso. We don’t have an agenda, we simply need to foster a very trustworthy dialog about no matter that individual is feeling at that second. aAnd the stuff I hear individuals 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 numerous elite stage athletes should undergo after stepping away from their sport. What was that point like?
Hoff: The most important piece of recommendation I give individuals is that you may’t skip steps. You possibly can’t power 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.
Finally, I went on a week-long intensive with The Hoffman Course of. The purpose 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 begin a podcast. I may by no means plan that out.
Belief me, I”m not saying I’m absolutely healed from all the pieces, 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 all the pieces once more and face my fears.
I used to be an enormous reduction as a result of I by no means thought it might occur.
mbg: Yeah, I feel that’s very relatable — not only for athletes, however for everybody. Most people have been in a scenario the place they arrive to the top of a journey, and there’s a stage of grief and damage there. So it’s hopeful that there’s an finish there.
Hoff: I additionally really feel just like the nervousness and worry that arises in these moments is since you really feel like it will final eternally. There are moments the place you’re similar to, Oh my, I can not stand up to this sense for the remainder of my life. The factor I’ve discovered is it is not eternally.
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 individuals 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 eternally.
Picture by mbg Inventive / courtesy of supply
mbg: I need to pivot and discuss your well-being routine these days. Let’s begin with diet. What meals assist you really feel your strongest?
Hoff: I like an excellent grass fed steak. And carbs for me are big. I may by no means do keto. I’m hangry every time I haven’t got carbs. But it surely’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 after I really feel probably 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 in all probability somebody that folks 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 careworn or one thing actually unstable is occurring 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 take advantage of mouth tape. I don’t have caffeine late within the day. So clearly I’m doing numerous issues that contribute to with the ability to sleep properly. It’s all of these customary ideas that you simply typically hear, that I in all probability take as a right that I do.
So if individuals are struggling, undoubtedly be sure to’re checking all these packing containers.
mbg: What’s your favourite exercise or approach to transfer your physique?
Hoff: That has been a journey since retiring, for positive. I’d say now I actually like all kind of boot camp. I like Barry’s Bootcamp, which I can go to show my mind off. I’ve just lately began doing energy coaching with a pal. I hate understanding alone, and should do it with different individuals. I would like neighborhood.
I’ve completed two marathons and some half marathons. I’ll not being doing any extra marathons, however what it has taught me is that I like doing 5-6 miles to maneuver my physique.
So a mixture of these three points—energy coaching, boot camps, and operating like 5 days every 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 vital as bodily toughness…
Hoff: I’ve at all times 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 have a look at the physique of labor. So whether or not that was after I was competing, whether or not that is now and I’m going to go do a pitch to an investor for an organization, it’s about how a lot work I’ve put into it. What number of reps have I completed? What number of telephone calls have I made? How a lot data do I do know?
It is arming myself with the information to gas my confidence. That is how I will be mentally robust in conditions the place I may not be as assured, or have nervousness.
mbg: Everybody wants a decompressing exercise. What’s yours?
Hoff: Watching an excellent collection 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, joyful 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 by which girls athletes are getting extra consideration than ever. Hopefully which means extra women will get into and follow sports activities. What recommendation may you’ve got for these younger women?
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 onerous to have that individual be your mother and father or your coach. I feel having that third occasion perspective, recommendation, and belief is de facto, actually vital to navigate by means of the ups and downs of not solely being a feminine, but in addition being a feminine athlete.