'Til Next Time: life lessons learned from IWTL

It feels like it was just the other week that I left Chapman University in beautiful Southern California (where part of my heart will always lie), but in only a couple of weeks, I'll be starting up class at the University of Houston as a new transfer. And thus, I’ve decided to take an indefinite hiatus from the blog (cue waterworks).

Intrigued With The Lean has truly become a part of me, being a project that I’ve taken immense pride in over nearly the past two years. That said, writing the blog turned out to be a larger time commitment than I could have ever imagined. Given all of the new opportunities that lie ahead, I’d like to dedicate myself wholeheartedly to the remainder of my college experience and all it has to offer. Though one could argue that each person's experience is unique, I think it’s about time that I join in on the tailgates, leisurely hangouts, and weekends spent sleeping in. I only have so much time left to take advantage of these luxuries!  

By no means will I be signing off on a sad note; rather, I'd like to share some of the tremendous lessons I've taken from my experience with IWTL:

Don't accept the first (or even second) piece of information you read as truth, especially when it comes to shaping your health (i.e. carbs are bad for you, or that we need to go on cleansing programs to detox our bodies). There are tons of theories out there for dropping pounds, toning up, and living an all-around healthy lifestyle, but not all of the info circulating the web is based on fact. When reading any given article, do a little digging and find out from where the writer is pulling their information.

I’ve stumbled upon a good number of seemingly legit articles, only to find that their info is sourced from mere gossip sites, or that they don’t include any links or citations whatsoever to back their findings (I’ve been guilty of this myself in the past). Resources such as Greatist and The New York Times Health News do a great job of including their sources, many of which come directly from published scientific studies. But even with all of the solid studies conducted, I was quick to learn that the world of health and fitness is incredibly controversial; there are plenty of well-researched ideas that contradict one another. The only way, then, to logically mold your own opinions is by doing your research.

If you feel passionately about something, don't let that zeal go to waste! Without a doubt, there are tons of people that share the same interest as you (no matter how small the niche), and it's those that feel strongly about a given subject that can make the most substantial of impacts on those around them. Have the passion but lack the motivation to pursue your endeavor? Make a point of factoring time towards pursuing it into your schedule. It could be a weekly, bimonthly, or even quarterly commitment; the key is to make it a priority. For me, that meant allocating a given amount of hours throughout the week to research, write, and edit. This ensured that I would have the week's post ready to go by the Friday evening deadline I’d set for myself.

You'll want to create a goal that's realistic so that you don't find yourself throwing in the towel a week in. Rest assured, you can readjust if you overshoot your abilities. I started out posting 3x per week and found that to better manage my other engagements, I had to reduce my output to 2x per week, and then again to 1x. After testing the waters, you may find that your venture just isn't doable at the given time, and that's all right! You can always come back to it at a later date!

If you’re stumped on how to utilize your passion, take some time to brainstorm. If you want to improve the environment, consider starting up a group that meets bi-monthly to do volunteer park cleanups or that speaks with local businesses to offer ways of running their respective companies more efficiently. Have a penchant for all things interior design? Inspire others by showcasing your home-decor style via Polyvore Home, Pinterest, or a blog of your own. Into cooking? Snap some aesthetically pleasing photos of your favorite, self-made meals and post them onto Instagram with your recipes typed up in the comments section (and don’t forget to #hashtag it up!). Have a knack for pottery? Get to crafting and set up an Etsy shop to sell your goods, or consider making YouTube tutorials geared toward aspiring potters. Enjoy making others laugh? Create a Snapchat account to send out movie clips and photos whenever a moment of hilarity strikes. There are countless mediums in which to express yourself—get creative!

Before putting your work out there, ask for an outsider's opinion. Whether you're writing a blog post, drafting a paper, or putting together a presentation, it's never a bad idea to run your work by a couple of proof readers or a mock audience. They can be incredibly helpful when checking for grammatical error, clarity, or to see if what you've drawn up is interesting to others beside yourself. If possible, try to choose a judge that will be able to connect with the audience you'll be presenting to (i.e. if you’re tailoring your piece toward children, your 30-something-year-old co-worker may not be the best option).

I can't express how many times I've presented my finished product to a couple of trusted friends, only to have them tell me that they were lost on what I had been trying to explain. For a while, I'd often get defensive and argue why it should make sense to them, but that didn't change the fact that they didn't understand the material without my additional explanation. I've also been told before that one of my post topics appeared to be thrown together at the last minute (I mean, who's really thinking about hot chocolate in the spring?). The post had actually taken a decent amount of time to compose, but after taking a step back, I could completely understand where my friend was coming from. I had to go into overdrive mode to get another post written up before my quickly approaching deadline, but the frenzy was well worth it. Case in point: don't be afraid of criticism—it will only help to improve your final product! 

And, last but not least:

Own what you do, but stay humble. Don't be afraid to put yourself out there and showcase your strengths to others; doing so will help create lasting impressions among peers and superiors. I have a tendency to devalue my work, and I’ve had to learn to give myself due credit. I know I’m not the only one out there with this inclination, but having such a mindset can be just as damaging as having a ‘know-it-all’ attitude. In this respect, we must always remember that there's much we can learn from others, no matter their background or level of expertise. Have confidence, but always remain open-minded!

Thank you so much to my loyal readers and my many proofreaders. You’ve all played a huge role in making my IWTL experience one of immense joy. I may be going M.I.A. from the blog, but I'm not saying good-bye for good! In the meantime, I’ll be keeping up with the IWTL Instagram and Pinterest accounts, so be sure to follow and stay tuned!

Rest Days: why factoring them into your workout plan is crucial

When it comes to getting in shape and toning up, many assume that by maximizing their workout plan, they can maximize their results. It all sounds logical enough, but the process isn't as black and white as one might think. 

Putting continuous stress on our muscles from cardio and strength-training tears our muscle fibers. In order for them to repair and make way for greater strength and improvement, our muscles need rest. That's right— it's during the resting period that change is made! Without the chance to recover, all of that hard work can backfire in the form of overtraining syndrome (OTS). By overtraining, one becomes increasingly prone to injury, a weakened immune system, decreased exercise performance, depression, and chronic fatigue, among other ailments. 

So, how do you know if you're overdoing it in the exercise department? There are a slew of symptoms associated with OTS, many of which affect one's physiological, psychological, and immunological wellbeing. Such signs include disrupted sleep patterns, reduced appetite, irregular resting heart rate, emotional instability, and soreness that fails to cease, but symptoms can differ among each individual. If you think you're overtraining, take some time off (perhaps a week or two, though recovery time will vary based on individual need). Once you've recuperated, consider reducing the intensity of your workouts and then gradually work your way back up—and always remember to take those rest days!

There isn't a magic number when it comes to the number of rest days each of us needs. As noted by Greatist, age and fitness level can help determine how much rest-time any individual might require. Generally speaking, as you age, your rate of muscle growth and recovery is slowed, and the fitter you are, the less time is typically needed for recovery to take place. A minimum of one to two rest days is a popular consensus, but if you're still feeling horribly sore after a couple of days has past, consider giving yourself an additional day to recharge those muscles; the key is to listen to your body. 

Allow your body the time it needs to adapt to and heal from intensive workouts, in addition to getting in an adequate amount of rest to overcome illness or fracture. As someone who has a difficult time slowing down, I had to learn this lesson the hard way (i.e. extended amounts of recovery time from bouts of sickness and a bad ankle sprain). A couple of days off is nothing compared to a month or more away from your favorite workout!