I am an aspiring doctor and current fourth year medical student at NSUCOM in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. I graduated from the University of Miami with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and then obtained Masters in Public Health the following year. I have been interested in nutritional science and exercise since I was young, but throughout college is when my interest evolved into my sincerest passion.
Like many others, my family has a long history lifestyle diseases, such as obesity, heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes. Although I played sports my whole life, I was on the heavier size as a kid and ate processed foods deemed healthy because they were "low fat", simply because my family did not know better. Also being a New Yorker, pizza, bagels, and pasta were a staple in my Italian family's diet.
That is when I made the decision to move a 1000 miles away to the city of Miami for the next 4 years of college.
In my freshmen year, I weighed 159 lbs at 5'3", was a size 8-10, and felt extremely self-conscious of my body, which made me determined to change myself and take responsibility for my health now that I was on my own.
My zeal for lifting heavy began at the end of 2010 when I began recreationally powerlifting after never touching a barbell in the past. I went from squatting 95lbs to 190lbs in a matter of months, and my love for lifting has been unstoppable ever since. Setting a goal to shed my extra body fat, I began CrossFit in 2012, swapping my paycheck for partying to paying for my gym membership. This is when I started to learn more about nutrition and the Paleo Diet. Linking my research on this diet philosophy with my own knowledge of biochemistry and nutrition from my college science courses, I knew I needed to change the way I ate. I began eating more protein & healthy fats, and scaled down on the processed carbs & sugar. I have tried every "diet" from vegan and vegetarian to weightwatchers and the SAD, but nothing worked better to build muscle while lifting and improve my overall health than a Paleo lifestyle.
Currently while in med school, I follow IIFYM (if it fits you macros) and still utilize many of the healthy habits I developed while eating Paleo, such as eating vegetables at every meal with a high amount of protein, and limiting processed foods. However, I find that by including non-paleo foods into my diet like greek yogurt, rice, quinoa, whey protein, and the occasional good for your soul foods, as long as I track my macros my body composition stays the same and I enjoy what I cook & eat instead of worrying about following strict rules.
Like many others, my family has a long history lifestyle diseases, such as obesity, heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes. Although I played sports my whole life, I was on the heavier size as a kid and ate processed foods deemed healthy because they were "low fat", simply because my family did not know better. Also being a New Yorker, pizza, bagels, and pasta were a staple in my Italian family's diet.
That is when I made the decision to move a 1000 miles away to the city of Miami for the next 4 years of college.
In my freshmen year, I weighed 159 lbs at 5'3", was a size 8-10, and felt extremely self-conscious of my body, which made me determined to change myself and take responsibility for my health now that I was on my own.
My zeal for lifting heavy began at the end of 2010 when I began recreationally powerlifting after never touching a barbell in the past. I went from squatting 95lbs to 190lbs in a matter of months, and my love for lifting has been unstoppable ever since. Setting a goal to shed my extra body fat, I began CrossFit in 2012, swapping my paycheck for partying to paying for my gym membership. This is when I started to learn more about nutrition and the Paleo Diet. Linking my research on this diet philosophy with my own knowledge of biochemistry and nutrition from my college science courses, I knew I needed to change the way I ate. I began eating more protein & healthy fats, and scaled down on the processed carbs & sugar. I have tried every "diet" from vegan and vegetarian to weightwatchers and the SAD, but nothing worked better to build muscle while lifting and improve my overall health than a Paleo lifestyle.
Currently while in med school, I follow IIFYM (if it fits you macros) and still utilize many of the healthy habits I developed while eating Paleo, such as eating vegetables at every meal with a high amount of protein, and limiting processed foods. However, I find that by including non-paleo foods into my diet like greek yogurt, rice, quinoa, whey protein, and the occasional good for your soul foods, as long as I track my macros my body composition stays the same and I enjoy what I cook & eat instead of worrying about following strict rules.
I have been a competitive Olympic weightlifter since 2013.
Since beginning this life changing journey, I now weigh between 144-146lbs, am a size 4, and compete in the 138lb/63kg weight class. My body fat % has dropped 23% at ~133 lbs (when I was vegan and at my lowest weight) to ~18% at my current weight. Safe to say that I began caring less what the scale read when I gained enough strength to squat over 1.5x my body weight. I owe my fat loss and muscle gains to lifting heavy and educating myself on proper nutrition. Now I want to help as many people as possible who are looking to change their life by making crucial information and motivation more available and enjoyable to read.
Since beginning this life changing journey, I now weigh between 144-146lbs, am a size 4, and compete in the 138lb/63kg weight class. My body fat % has dropped 23% at ~133 lbs (when I was vegan and at my lowest weight) to ~18% at my current weight. Safe to say that I began caring less what the scale read when I gained enough strength to squat over 1.5x my body weight. I owe my fat loss and muscle gains to lifting heavy and educating myself on proper nutrition. Now I want to help as many people as possible who are looking to change their life by making crucial information and motivation more available and enjoyable to read.
On my blog you'll find my thoughts and tips on fitness and nutrition, along with simple and healthy recipes.
I hope to inspire, educate, and challenge you.
Never Quit, Never Be Satisfied,
Leighann
I hope to inspire, educate, and challenge you.
Never Quit, Never Be Satisfied,
Leighann