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 sweetness 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
December 16, 2024
Retiring will be difficult for anybody enthusiastic about their work. Nevertheless it’s notably arduous for elite athletes, who typically should retire younger and maybe not beneath the circumstances they select.
However for the actually tenacious and decided, they arrive out the opposite aspect 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 immediately: 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 immediately.
mindbodygreen: I actually love speaking with athletes in any respect levels 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 singular 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 invaluable conversations aren’t individuals who have simply retired, however individuals who have been retired for a number of years.
I believe once 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.
Total, probably the most thrilling half is that I can create no matter I would like. 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 informed what to do and learn how to do it. You simply observe orders in some methods. So once you retire, for the primary time in your grownup life, you have got the chance to do no matter you need.
For me, it was the conclusion that I had all these superb talent units that I’d realized via swimming, so then I obtained 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, should you body it the correct 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: 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: Comply with the method, work your butt off, and issues labored out.
So I believe the toughest half once I was achieved 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 making an attempt to duplicate what I simply did.
Once you retire from sports activities, ardour and objective are going to look very totally different. After you have that realization, it may possibly really feel very overwhelming and scary. So it’s about pushing via these moments to essentially actually get to the opposite aspect.
mbg: Your podcast, Unfiltered Waters, has been an enormous a part of what you’re enthusiastic about now, I think about. What’s that have been like?
Hoff: It’s been actually rewarding—extra rewarding that I might have presumably 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 in a roundabout way.
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 consuming espresso. We don’t have an agenda, we simply need 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 loads of elite degree 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 you could’t skip steps. You’ll be able to’t pressure it. You don’t know when that second of decision goes to occur. It’s such a irritating reply, however it’s true.
After I retired, I by no means thought I might have the ability to get again to the game. I ended my profession, however it wasn’t by myself 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 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 the whole lot, however 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 reduction as a result of I by no means thought it might 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 harm 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 is going to final ceaselessly. There are moments the place you’re similar to, Oh my, I am unable to face up to this sense for the remainder of my life. The factor I’ve realized is it isn’t ceaselessly.
Sadly, you do not have a crystal ball to know that tomorrow you are going to be healed, however it’s simply type of taking the time, going via 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, however it’s not ceaselessly.
Picture by mbg Inventive / courtesy of supply
mbg: I need to pivot and speak about your well-being routine these days. Let’s begin with diet. What meals aid you really feel your strongest?
Hoff: I 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. 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 glad and fulfilled.
mbg: What are your sleep suggestions?
Hoff: I positively 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 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 harassed or one thing actually risky is going on in my life, I can sleep. I’m simply very lucky that it doesn’t take me lots to sleep.
However I additionally really feel like I’m placing within the work. I train every single day. I exploit mouth tape. I don’t have caffeine late within the day. So clearly I’m doing loads of issues that contribute to with the ability to sleep effectively. It’s all of these normal suggestions that you simply typically hear, that I in all probability take without any consideration that I do.
So if individuals are struggling, positively 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 might say now I actually like several sort of boot camp. I like Barry’s Bootcamp, which I can go to show my mind off. I’ve just lately began doing power coaching with a pal. I hate figuring out alone, and should do it with different individuals. I would like neighborhood.
I’ve achieved two marathons and some half marathons. I’ll now 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 features—power coaching, boot camps, and working 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 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 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 achieved? What number of cellphone calls have I made? How a lot data do I do know?
It is arming myself with the info to gas my confidence. That is how I will be mentally powerful in conditions the place I may not be as assured, or have nervousness.
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, blissful life is relationships. So for us, watching an episode of a present, we’re into snuggling with our Frenchie, being collectively, and speaking via the day, that’s what actually issues.
mbg: We’re on this nice second within the zeitgeist during which girls athletes are getting extra consideration than ever. Hopefully meaning extra women will get into and stick to sports activities. What recommendation may you have 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 angle and understanding to do 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 occasion perspective, recommendation, and belief is admittedly, actually necessary to navigate via the ups and downs of not solely being a feminine, but in addition being a feminine athlete.
