December 16, 2024
Senior Magnificence & Way of life Director
Senior Magnificence & Way of life Director
Alexandra Engler is the senior magnificence and life-style 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
December 16, 2024
Retiring will be difficult for anybody obsessed with their work. But it surely’s significantly arduous for elite athletes, who typically should retire younger and maybe not below 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 whole however retired at 26 as a consequence of a pulmonary embolism in her lung. After, she stated she launched into a years-long therapeutic journey that led her to the place she is at the moment: 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 at the moment.
mindbodygreen: I actually love speaking with athletes in any respect phases of their careers, however I’ve discovered a few of the most significant conversations have been with retired athletes, as a result of they provide such a novel perspective. What has been probably the most thrilling a part of your profession and life transition submit swimming?
Katie Hoff: It’s attention-grabbing, as a result of on our podcast [Unfiltered Waters, which she cohosts with fellow former swimmer Missy Franklin] probably the most priceless conversations should not individuals who have simply retired, however individuals who have been retired for a number of years.
I believe while 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, typically it nonetheless looks like I am figuring it out.
General, probably the most thrilling half is that I can create no matter I need. I don’t say that calmly as a result of it may be a double-edged sword, proper?
For the longest time—whilst you’re coaching for and competing in your sport—you’re informed what to do and how one can do it. You simply comply with orders in some methods. So while you retire, for the primary time in your grownup life, you could 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 realized by way of swimming, so then I received to consider what I might do it with. I might ask myself: What’s my ardour? What’s my objective? Whereas that may be overwhelming, in the event you body it the precise approach it may be thrilling.
mbg: It’s fascinating since you tackle one of many greatest 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 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 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 carried out was being an grownup and feeling like I used to be simply utterly beginning over—and I used to be beginning over behind all people 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 objective once more—and, most significantly, not making an attempt to duplicate what I simply did.
If you retire from sports activities, ardour and objective are going to look very completely different. Upon getting that realization, it might really feel very overwhelming and scary. So it’s about pushing by way of these moments to essentially actually get to the opposite facet.
mbg: Your podcast, Unfiltered Waters, has been an enormous a part of what you’re obsessed with 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 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 friends really feel comfy to get weak. I really feel like Missy and I actually create this enjoyable ambiance: It’s such as you’re sitting on a sofa with your folks consuming espresso. We don’t have an agenda, we simply wish to foster a very trustworthy dialog about no matter that particular person 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 plenty of elite degree athletes should undergo after stepping away from their sport. What was that point like?
Hoff: The largest piece of recommendation I give individuals is that you may’t skip steps. You’ll be able to’t power it. You don’t know when that second of decision goes to occur. It’s such a irritating reply, but it surely’s true.
After I retired, I by no means thought I’d have the ability to get again to the game. I ended my profession, but it surely 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 aim 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 absolutely healed from all the pieces, but it surely was sufficient therapeutic the place I used to be like, OK I’ve some lightness in me and I’ve some degree 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 will occur.
mbg: Yeah, I believe that’s very relatable — not only for athletes, however for everybody. Most folk have been in a scenario the place they arrive to the top of a journey, and there’s a degree 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 concern that arises in these moments is since you really feel like it will final perpetually. There are moments the place you’re identical to, Oh my, I am unable to stand up to this sense for the remainder of my life. The factor I’ve realized is it isn’t perpetually.
Sadly, you do not have a crystal ball to know that tomorrow you are going to be healed, but it surely’s simply form of taking the time, going by way 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, but it surely’s not perpetually.
Picture by mbg Artistic / courtesy of supply
mbg: I wish to pivot and discuss your well-being routine these days. Let’s begin with vitamin. What meals aid you really feel your strongest?
Hoff: I really like a great 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. 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 once I really feel probably the most simply glad and fulfilled.
mbg: What are your sleep ideas?
Hoff: I positively have an knowledgeable 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 could possibly 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 loads to sleep.
However I additionally really feel like I’m placing within the work. I train on daily basis. I take advantage of mouth tape. I don’t have caffeine late within the day. So clearly I’m doing plenty of issues that contribute to with the ability to sleep properly. It’s all of these normal ideas that you just typically hear, that I in all probability take as a right that I do.
So if individuals are struggling, positively be sure you’re checking all these bins.
mbg: What’s your favourite exercise or solution to transfer your physique?
Hoff: That has been a journey since retiring, for positive. I’d say now I actually like several kind 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 power coaching with a pal. I hate understanding alone, and should do it with different individuals. I would like group.
I’ve carried out two marathons and some half marathons. I’ll 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—power coaching, boot camps, and operating like 5 days every week—is the proper factor for me.
mbg: How do you construct psychological resilience? As a result of for athletes, that a part of it’s simply as necessary as bodily toughness…
Hoff: I’ve at all times been somebody who believes the proof is within the pudding. Each day affirmations and issues like that aren’t my cup of tea. As an alternative, 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 carried out? What number of telephone calls have I made? How a lot info do I do know?
It is arming myself with the info to gasoline my confidence. That is how I can be mentally powerful in conditions the place I won’t be as assured, or have nervousness.
mbg: Everybody wants a decompressing exercise. What’s yours?
Hoff: Watching a great 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, glad life is relationships. So for us, watching an episode of a present, we’re into snuggling with our Frenchie, being collectively, and speaking by way 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 meaning extra ladies will get into and stick to sports activities. What recommendation would possibly you could 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 angle and understanding to try this earlier on. There’s simply so many issues that get thrown at you. It’s arduous to have that particular person be your dad and mom or your coach. I believe having that third celebration perspective, recommendation, and belief is de facto, actually necessary to navigate by way of the ups and downs of not solely being a feminine, but additionally being a feminine athlete.
