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 Artistic / courtesy of supply
December 16, 2024
Retiring might be difficult for anybody obsessed with their work. Nevertheless it’s significantly onerous for elite athletes, who usually 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 received three Olympic medals whole however retired at 26 as a consequence 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 this 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 right this moment.
mindbodygreen: I actually love speaking with athletes in any respect levels 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 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] probably the most precious conversations will not be individuals who have simply retired, however individuals who have been retired for a number of years.
I feel 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, generally it nonetheless appears 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 frivolously 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 advised what to do and methods to do it. You simply observe orders in some methods. So while 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 way of swimming, so then I bought 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, in the event you body it the appropriate 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 submit swimming?
Hoff: Actually, 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 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: Observe the method, work your butt off, and issues labored out.
So I feel the toughest half once I was executed was being an grownup and feeling like I used to be simply fully 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 attempting to copy what I simply did.
Whenever you retire from sports activities, ardour and objective are going to look very totally different. After getting that realization, it might probably really feel very overwhelming and scary. So it’s about pushing by way of these moments to essentially really get to the opposite facet.
mbg: Your podcast, Unfiltered Waters, has been a giant 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 may have presumably 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 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 not directly.
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 folks ingesting espresso. We don’t have an agenda, we simply need to foster a very sincere 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 a whole lot of elite degree athletes need to undergo after stepping away from their sport. What was that point like?
Hoff: The largest piece of recommendation I give individuals is you can’t skip steps. You may’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 might 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 seek 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 totally healed from the whole lot, nevertheless it 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 the whole lot once more and face my fears.
I used to be an enormous aid as a result of I by no means thought it will 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 degree of grief and damage there. So it’s hopeful that there’s an finish there.
Hoff: I additionally really feel just like the anxiousness and concern that arises in these moments is since you really feel like it may final eternally. There are moments the place you’re identical to, Oh my, I am unable to face 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 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, nevertheless it’s not eternally.
Picture by mbg Artistic / courtesy of supply
mbg: I need to pivot and speak about your well-being routine these days. Let’s begin with diet. What meals make it easier to really feel your strongest?
Hoff: I really like a great grass fed steak. And carbs for me are large. I may 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 entire 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 happy and fulfilled.
mbg: What are your sleep ideas?
Hoff: I undoubtedly have an professional 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 pressured or one thing actually unstable is occurring 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 day-after-day. I exploit mouth tape. I don’t have caffeine late within the day. So clearly I’m doing a whole lot of issues that contribute to with the ability to sleep nicely. It’s all of these customary ideas that you simply usually hear, that I most likely take with no consideration that I do.
So if persons are struggling, undoubtedly ensure you’re checking all these bins.
mbg: What’s your favourite exercise or approach to transfer your physique?
Hoff: That has been a journey since retiring, for positive. I might say now I actually like every sort of boot camp. I really like Barry’s Bootcamp, which I can go to show my mind off. I’ve lately began doing power coaching with a buddy. I hate figuring out alone, and need to do it with different individuals. I want group.
I’ve executed 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—power coaching, boot camps, and working 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 vital 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 a substitute, I very a lot have 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 an organization, it’s about how a lot work I’ve put into it. What number of reps have I executed? What number of telephone calls have I made? How a lot data 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 anxiousness.
mbg: Everybody wants a decompressing exercise. What’s yours?
Hoff: Watching a great 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, pleased 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 by which ladies athletes are getting extra consideration than ever. Hopefully meaning extra women will get into and persist with 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 particular person be your dad and mom or your coach. I feel having that third social gathering perspective, recommendation, and belief is actually, actually vital to navigate by way of the ups and downs of not solely being a feminine, but additionally being a feminine athlete.
