mbg Magnificence Director
mbg Magnificence Director
Alexandra Engler is the sweetness 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 Wealthy Polk / Stringer x mbg Inventive / Getty Photos
April 19, 2024
We love celebrating girls on prime of their recreation. In our new collection, Recreation On, we’re interviewing prime athletes about their well-being routines—overlaying all the pieces from diet that makes them really feel robust to the moments that carry them pleasure.
Like many individuals, I used to be first launched to Gabby Douglas over a decade in the past, throughout the 2012 Summer time Olympics in London. That summer time, the nation grew to become enamored with the “Fierce 5” who took residence the crew gold in girls’s gymnastics for the USA.
Douglas’ star-making performances and gravity-defying power earned her one other gold within the particular person all-around. And in doing so, she made historical past: Douglas is the primary African American girl to turn out to be the Olympic particular person all-around champion and the primary U.S. gymnast to win gold in each the person all-around and crew competitions on the similar Olympics.
I used to be an intern at Sports activities Illustrated that summer time and was assigned to analysis all issues girls’s gymnastics. Meticulously following Douglas’ meteoric rise to gold endeared me to her—and I’ve adopted her profession since.
“I am blushing,” she stated, as she laughed once I advised her about our small, largely one-sided connection. I advised her it was in all probability simply her pure glow.
I used to be thrilled to have the ability to test in along with her all these years later, study how she’s presently caring for herself and her physique, how she mentally prepares for giant competitions, and what recommendation she has for younger athletes with massive desires.
mindbodygreen: You are somebody who’s been competing on the worldwide scale for a very long time—in a famously intense sport at that. How do you mentally put together for a giant competitors?
Gabby Douglas: Truthfully, I preserve my routines fairly easy. That is been my routine for a very long time now—I do not do loads. I needn’t as a result of we achieve this a lot preparation within the health club main as much as [competitions]. For instance, we do strain units, which is when everybody comes over to look at you do your set. That means, by the point you get to a contest, it feels second nature.
So, on the day of a contest, I stand up, eat breakfast, hearken to music on the best way, and get within the mindset of “OK—let’s do that.”
mbg: What meals allow you to really feel strongest and nourish your physique?
Douglas: My favourite is baked salmon, mashed potatoes, and asparagus. Good protein — you gotta have it!
mbg: How do you go to sleep—particularly earlier than a giant competitors? I imply I am unable to think about making an attempt to go to sleep earlier than one thing as massive because the Olympics!
Douglas: To be sincere, on the finish of the day, my physique is simply so drained. Gymnastics may be very exhausting. For instance, just lately we went like 30 days straight of observe within the morning and at evening. So I simply really feel like our our bodies are naturally drained as a result of we’re waking up early within the morning for observe, then coming again later within the day for one more.
So our our bodies are drained—we actually do want the remainder.
mbg POV
mbg: Gymnastics is notoriously exhausting on the physique. How do you take care of it after?
Douglas: I do lots of icing. I additionally do loads with my toes. I actually grind and pound my toes a lot. I really like utilizing Dr. Scholl’s Callus Remover Digital Foot File, which removes all of the hardness and dryness. I really like having my toes very, very easy on the beam. The chalk will dry pores and skin out, so I really like utilizing a extremely hydrating foot cream, like Dr. Scholl’s Dry Cracked Foot Restore Extremely-Hydrating Foot Cream as a result of it offers moisture again into the pores and skin and again into my toes. You see a lot of our toes in gymnastics, so actually foot care is so necessary.
mbg: Being knowledgeable gymnast comes with a lot strain. How do you discover that childlike pleasure that made you fall in love with the game to start with?
Douglas: It is so true—so typically mother and father will say to me, “Hey, how can I get my daughter to be at your stage?” I am like, “No—let her get pleasure from it first. She’s a child.”
Generally we [professional gymnasts] want we might return and begin that journey once more, when it’s joyous and glad. While you become old is once you begin considering, Oh that is one thing else.
However we do attempt to preserve it enjoyable within the health club with me and my teammates. We like to search out other ways to snicker and be joyful and have banter right here and there. As a result of if not, the game is simply that a lot more durable—and gymnastics is already actually exhausting. It is necessary to search out other ways to maintain it enjoyable.
So typically mother and father will say to me, “Hey, how can I get my daughter to be at your stage?” I’m like, “No — let her get pleasure from it first. She’s a child.”
mbg: That is a extremely nice perception. It’s important to discover the enjoyment first! What about for younger girls who wish to take their sport extra critically—what recommendation do you may have for them, as somebody who grew to become knowledgeable athlete?
Douglas: Do not quit. Irrespective of if it is gymnastics or basketball, simply don’t quit.
And you do not have to take it to the skilled stage, however I do encourage women to remain in some type of sport. There are such a lot of advantages of being concerned in one thing. Gymnastics has taught me time administration, self-discipline, perseverance, and teamwork.
mbg: Talking of teammates—what qualities make a fantastic teammate? How do you present up on your teammates?
Douglas: I simply attempt to meet everybody the place they’re. Some instances which means not pushing somebody too exhausting—and as a substitute, simply actually being there for them. In the event that they want a shoulder to cry on, right here you go. In the event that they want somebody to encourage them, I am right here for you. So simply assembly people the place they’re.
I used to be all the time taught to by no means finish on a nasty day.
mbg: What qualities about your self are you most happy with and why?
Douglas: My perseverance and drive. I used to be all the time taught to by no means finish on a nasty day. So I all the time attempt to preserve going and ensure I depart all the pieces on a excessive observe.
Like, even when you did not make it—however you gave it your all—on the finish of the day, you might be happy with the outcome as a result of you realize you place your all into one thing. For me, I wish to be certain I put my all into one thing and by no means have regrets on the finish of the day.
