Leah Christine

(SISS) Hi Leah, where are you from and where are you currently spending your time? (Leah) Hi! I’m from San Diego, but currently living in Fort Lauderdale. (SISS) What was one of the hardest things that you had to go through? What advice would you give someone going through the same struggle? (Leah) One of the most difficult things I’ve gone through is the loss of people. Whether it be due to death or particularly hard breakups, losing someone from your life with whom you resonate, and have forged so many wonderful memories with, is incredibly painful. The advice I would give to someone in that position is to experience your pain and embrace it as a part of the healing process, but know that it will be finite. One day, the pain will give way to fondness for the time you shared. (SISS) Adventurer, philosopher, athlete, student physician, etc.. who is Leah Christine and what are you most proud of? (Leah) Ha! Shout out to my IG tagline, there. I am unhinged, overly confident, loving, tenacious, brave, and sometimes vulnerable – I’m just a person comfortable with their imperfections who wants nothing more than to live a full life. I am most proud of my dedication to a life of learning. I’ve been fortunate enough to attend prestigious universities via my hard work, to learn from some of the most forward-thinking scientists and lecturers, and to garner the support of amazing mentors. I could not be more thankful for that. (SISS) How dedicated are you to fitness? What is your fitness goal? On your body, what is your favorite body part and what is your least favorite? (Leah) I’ve been an athlete since I was a child and played through college. So, fitness is—quite literally—ingrained in who I am. Being in medicine means that I also value my own fitness as an example to my future patients – very important. My fitness goals are usually in flux, but my current goal is to deadlift, four reps, 225 lbs. I can do it now, one time, and then have to promptly take a break – HA! My favorite part of my body is my legs and glutes because they’ve carried me on many adventures :) My least favorite is…. Hmmmm…. I would say my big feet, but I’ve learned to embrace those. (SISS) What makes you the happiest? (Leah) Two things: (1) My dogs. They are so wonderful to come home to. (2) Making people smile. I’ve always been the class clown, and I love to watch people laugh – joy begets joy. (SISS) How do you deal with disappointment? (Leah) Initially? I work out. Nothing quite like breaking through PRs, fueled by emotion. Then, after the endorphins wear off, I take some time to reflect on the disappointment – find the cause, and understand how to learn from it. (SISS) In 2017 what was your biggest win and your biggest loss? (Leah) My biggest win was the undertaking of medical school – something I’ve worked so hard for. The competition to become a doctor, these days, is staggering – I am honored to be in this position. My biggest loss was the death of one of my dogs… I was crushed. But, again, the pain passes and I remember my little guy so fondly. (SISS) What’s your biggest goal for 2018? (Leah) My biggest goal for 2018 is to end it being a better version of myself – to know myself better, to acquire a new skill, and to get better at an established skill. (SISS) Can you tell us four things people don’t know about you? (Leah) (1) I attempted the 10,000 calorie challenge, tapped out at 7,200. But, I still beat my friend who is 6’5” and has about 100 lbs. on me :) (2) I partially tore through both of my ulnar collateral ligaments, boxing. (3) I drink about ½ gallon of green tea, per day. (4) I really want a house pig. (SISS) Can you tell us where else can our readers follow you and your daily inspiration? (Leah) Instagram is likely the best bet: @gnarlybygnature – access to all of my misadventures. (SISS) What’s your favorite quote? (Leah)  "The tragedy of life is not so much what men suffer, but rather what they miss.” (SISS) At Smart is so sexy we love to see women who are thriving in their career or business. What are you most passionate about? (Leah) I am passionate about human health and science. Before I went into medicine, I was a research associate in academia and for start-up biotechnology. Innovation and discovery are what fuels human progress and it’s something I always want to be a part of. (SISS) Who was the most influential person in your life and why? (Leah) I have been fortunate enough to collect some of the most outstanding mentors through the years. I would say that – as a group – they each contributed to the vision of what kind of doctor I want to be. (SISS) Where were you five years ago? What advice would you tell your five years younger self? (Leah) Five years ago, I had just moved to Florida with a couple of suitcases and my dog. I would tell myself to never forget my integrity, and to always remember that I am more powerful than I know. (SISS) Can you take us through a typical day? From Waking up to going to bed, Can you give us a play by play of a typical day for you? (Leah) On a typical weekday: I roll out of bed around 6:00 or 7:00am, then sleepily stumble to the front door and take my dogs outside. I make breakfast, boil some water, and look around for my scrubs. I try to review (or catch-up) in whichever class has the next exam. At about 8:00 or 9:00am, I drive to class and sit through lecture – sometimes I have meetings with student government or executives from my club. On early days, I head to the gym right after class at 3:00pm. I lift for an hour to an hour and half, then come home at about 5:00pm and take my dogs to the dog park to play. At 6:00pm or so, I make dinner, shower up, then buckle down to study until midnight (or later, depending on my exam schedule). Then, I tuck my pit bulls into bed, and head to sleep! (SISS) What is your favorite meal? What is your favorite book and/or the latest one you’ve read? What is your favorite song? When do you feel the sexiest? (Leah) My favorite meal is an entire sushi boat! Bonus points if it has extra sashimi! My favorite book is Crime and Punishment, by Dostoevsky; most recent I’ve read is Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari (excellent read). I listen to so much music that it’s difficult to pick a favorite song, but I’ve been listening to “Single” by Lil Wayne, on repeat. I feel sexiest after a workout and right out of the shower – fresh and clean with a muscle pump. (SISS) Can you name someone on social media that inspires you and is a great follow? (Leah) I really like Nikki Blacketter. She works incredibly hard and her sense of humor is awesome. I feel like we’d be friends. (SISS) What does Smart is so Sexy mean to you?  (Leah) It means embracing intellectualism rather than physical beauty – looks fade, but popular belief would have you think that the way someone looks is vastly important. It’s not. Physicality is cheap attraction; creativity, passion, drive, and wonder are undeniably sexy and last a lifetime (even longer if you’ve made an impact on the world).  (SISS)  Thank you so much Leah for sharing with us, you are the definition or epitome of Smart is so Sexy. Follow her @gnarlybygnature