It don’t mean a thing if you ain’t got that swing…

Posted in Fitness & well-being, Uncategorized by hannahbryan91

Celebrating after doing out 4,433rd & final swing of the month!

So after 143 swings every day, 1,001 a week and 4,433 in total, Kettlebell Month is officially over. It has been a great challenge and I think we chose the best one to kick-start 2015.

To jog your memory Dane and I decided that instead of creating new year’s resolutions this year we would take on monthly challenges, starting with kettlebell swings.

On certain days, namely those when I had the previous days swings to do as well, it was tough but over the past 31 days I’ve seen changes in my body as well as a definite increase in strength and endurance.

Throughout the challenge I used a 20kg kettlebell whilst Dane used a 24, 32 or even a 48kg bell and we did Russian swings which you can see a video of later in this post.

Swings are such a simple exercise but when done correctly they provide fantastic benefits. Here’s a little bit of what I love about kettlebell swings.

Simplicity – You don’t need a gym or a whole lot of space to do swings. All you need is this one piece of equipment and 10-15 minutes out of your day. Kettlebell workouts needn’t be 30-40 minutes long- they don’t even need to be 20 minutes long! Build them in to an EMOM (every minute on the minute) workout or a Tabata set which is eight rounds of 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off for four minutes.
Increased aerobic and anaerobic capacity – Because they’re such a good HIIT (high intensity interval training) exercise, kettlebell swings will boost your anaerobic capacity whilst your lungs and heart will get a good workout with high reps.
Combines cardio and strength training – What more could you want from a workout?!
Strengthen your core muscles – With every swing you do you are engaging your core and a strong, stable core will transfer in to success in other sports/fitness areas as well as aesthetically.
Tighter glutes – ‘nuff said.
Increased power – Because the swing is a hinge movement, kettlebell swings will increase the power in your glutes and hammies as your thrust forward.
No more back problems – Swings help to reduce neck, shoulder and lower back pain as they develop the hamstrings, glutes, core and back.
Fat burner – Not only are kettlebell swings a great HIIT exercise, they also boost your metabolism post workout when done with a decent weight.

Now here’s what I noticed:

My core was definitely stronger and this in turn has helped with my running as well as exercises such as toes to bar at CrossFit and keeping my core tight in other exercises and lifts.
Tighter glutes which has also helped with my running.
They got easier! When I first started CrossFit swinging a 16kg was mega tough but now I know that I can do 20 swings at 20kg EMOM for 10 minutes.
Endurance – my endurance improved and it became easier to hit 12 swings per round in a Tabata set and basically just to keep swinging!!
Time – I learnt that no matter how busy I might convince myself I am, the reality is that there’s always time to get something done. On days when I thought I didn’t have time I just did a Tabata set and within four minutes I’d got 96 done. Easy.

Here’s a video of the last day of swings 20 EMOM, my grip was GONE by the end!

We’re now moving on to yoga month which I am SO excited about. I don’t do anywhere near enough stretching as I should do so I’m excited to improve my flexibility and strength and hopefully I’ll find it relaxing as well.

Dane’s getting in to the swing of things already!

I have downloaded the Pocket Yoga app on to my phone and iPad and here are some of the poses I’m going to try and master by the end of the month -apparently I’ve picked some of the hardest ones – go hard or go home, ey!

28Jan2015

Clean & lean turkey burger stack

Posted in Recipes, Uncategorized by hannahbryan91

So…this just happened! This is my take on the classic burger and chips and to be honest it’s even better than the original.

For most people burger and chips is an indulgent meal and a treat to have once in a while but this meal is totally guilt free, not to mention filling and nutritious.

The bun has been replaced with portobello mushrooms and sweet potato whilst the chips are my ultimate favourites, roasted parsnip chips – I’m obsessed with them! You can easily make this more low carb as well if fat loss is your goal by leaving out the sweet potato and switching the parsnip chips for kale crisps.

This meal is also fairly cheap to rustle up, using ingredients and basic kitchen cupboard store items – you’ll only need to get the mince in and other fresh ingredients. These burgers were turkey and apricot spiced with cumin and coriander and the flavours are amazing. Apricot also works well with pork mince.

For speed I didn’t actually follow a strict recipe with specific quantities but I’ve added some quantities below if you do prefer following a strict recipe but honestly, it does just work if you throw it all in!

You will need:
For the burger
– 500g lean turkey mince
– 1 red onion, chopped
– 1 garlic clove, chopped
– Salt and pepper
– Sweet chilli sauce
– Coriander, chopped
– 2 tsp cumin
– 1 free range egg (to bind ingredients together)
– 1 tsp coconut oil
– 2 portobello mushrooms (more depending on how many people you’re feeding)
– 1 large sweet potato, chopped width ways
-1 medium avocado
-1 large beef tomato
-50g dried apricots, chopped

For the “chips”
– 4/5 parsnips, chopped
– 1 tsp coconut oil

For the slaw
– Red cabbage, chopped length ways
– Cabbage, chopped length ways
– 2 tsp Dijon mustard
– 2 tbsp balsamic glaze
– 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Method:
– Start by pre-heating the oven to 180 degrees and put the chopped parsnips and sweet potato on a baking try and into the oven to roast.
– Put the turkey mince, chopped onion, garlic and seasoning in a large bowl before adding the chopped apricots, coriander, egg, sweet chilli sauce and the cumin. Stir together until well combined.
– Sprinkle a little flour on to a chopping board and shape the burgers (using your hands) on to the tray. Heat a little coconut oil in a frying pan and fry the burgers for about 15-20 minutes until thoroughly cooked.
– To make the slaw, add the chopped cabbage to a bowl and add the vinegar, mustard and balsamic glaze and stir well. I was in charge of the coleslaw and overdid it on the Dijon mustard, oops, so just stick to two tsp of that!
– When the sweet potato/parsnip chips are about 5-10 minutes from being done, add the mushrooms to the tray to roast slightly.
– Once everything is cooked, place one mushroom on a plate followed by a sweet potato circle, then the burger, tomato and avocado before topping with another sweet potato circle and finally the last mushroom top!

I am officially STUFFED now but thoroughly content – it’s all about fuelling your body right after all isn’t it! Enjoy 🙂

27Jan2015

Healthy date & banana flapjacks

Posted in Recipes, Uncategorized by hannahbryan91

Yes, you read that right, these are healthy, no added sugar banana flapjacks.

These flapjacks are made with dates, rather than sugar and coconut oil instead of butter to cut that calorie content and provide a more nutritious treat than the average flapjack.

Flapjacks are such a strong snack and are also ridiculously easy to make and these are no exception. They are perfect to take as an afternoon snack, post work-out treat or as a healthy pudding.

In reality though we know that no flapjack is entirely healthy but in my opinion these are as good as they get! They held their shape well and the ingredients bound the oats and banana together perfectly.

You will need:
– 300g oats
– 100g chopped dates
– 2 ripe bananas
– 50g sultanas
– 4 tbsp raw honey (I like the Groovy Food raw honey)
– 50g coconut oil (I use Lucy Bee extra virgin organic raw coconut oil)

Method:
– Melt the coconut oil in the microwave and then add to a large bowl containing the oats. Add the honey and stir well.
– Add the dates, sultanas and mashed banana and stir until well combined. The dates will help the oats to stick together.
– Line a baking tray with foil and spread the flapjack mixture on to the tray.
– Bake in the over for about 20 minutes at 180 degrees or until golden brown.
– Leave to cool before cutting in to squares and enjoying with a cup of tea.

Don’t be afraid to play around with the ingredients either. Why not try adding some nuts or pumpkin seeds or…dare I say it…a couple of spoonfuls of crunchy peanut butter! (Meridian’s is my drug!!)

25Jan2015

Thai pork mince lettuce wraps

Posted in Recipes, Uncategorized by hannahbryan91

As you may have seen from some of my previous recipes I love Thai food.

This is a super easy dish to make and you’ll be surprised by just how much flavour it packs with just a few, simple ingredients.

Make this as a quick tea when you get in from work or during Sunday night meal prep to have for lunch or dinner for the rest of the week.

You can also use turkey or beef mince but these flavours work really well with pork. What’s more, it is low carb but you can also add brown rice to the lettuce wraps before adding the mince to get some healthy carbs in there if you want to.

You will need:
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tbsp fish sauce
Juice of two limes
1 red chilli, chopped
1 green chilli, chopped
500g lean pork mince
1 orange pepper, chopped
1 tsp coconut oil
Handful of coriander, chopped
1 large Chinese lettuce

Method:
– Start by heating the coconut oil in a large frying pan before adding the garlic and the pork mince. Cook thoroughly until the pork mince is almost done and then add the chopped chilli, fish sauce and the chopped pepper.
– Cook on a high heat until the mince is thoroughly cooked then add the fresh lime juice and stir in some fresh coriander.
– To prepare the lettuce leaves simply peel them away and chop off the end before arranging artistically (we tried!) on a plate. If you’re having rice with your wraps then add that in to the lettuce leaf before adding the mince.
– Wrap up the leaves as you eat them (I’d suggest with your hands!) and there you have it, Thai pork mince lettuce wraps.

Serve them with a sprig of fresh coriander on top and a wedge of lime on the side. I guarantee these will go down a treat any night of the week and it is a perfect meal to make in bulk to keep you going for the rest of the week.

25Feb2014

2014’s big challenge – Climbing Kili for kids

Posted in Uncategorized by hannahbryan91

IN SEPTEMBER 2011 this happened:

GO CHILDREACH! We did it!

Celebrating at EVEREST BASE CAMP!

A group of 21 students from The University of Sheffield, including myself, reached Everest Base Camp, all proudly wearing our fetching yellow Childreach International t-shirts, the charity we had raised more than £40k for.

It was possibly the most demanding challenge, both physically and mentally, I have ever experienced. There were times when you were so cold you thought why am I doing this, times when all you wanted was a pizza or some sausages (which was well documented in my diary!) but had to make do with plain rice and there was even a face swelling incident which made any happy trekking pictures almost impossible.

That said, it was the most amazing experience of my life and I can hand on heart say that the downs were worth the spectacular highs and that overwhelmingly feeling when we finally reached base camp after a gruelling 12 day trek.

The highs didn’t stop after reaching base camp either. The following day, still giddy, albeit a bit tired and groggy from our achievement, we were woken up in the early hours of the morning to climb Kala Patthar at an impressive 5,545m. It was definitely head torches at the ready as we scrambled over rocks and all I could think about was taking in those panoramic views of Everest and trying to demolish my frozen Mars bar at the top – but it was so worth it (the views and the experience more than the Mars bar I mean!).

After the trek we had some time off to explore Kathmandu. I fell in love with it and it became my second favourite place I have been lucky enough to see so far – sorry but Australia just pips it to the post. Since then my desire to travel and explore has continued to bubble away.

This year I have finally found an outlet for it. I’ve taken on an even bigger challenge of climbing Kilimanjaro at 5,895m high, the highest free-standing mountain in the world.

Once again I am taking on this challenge for Childreach International, an amazing and extremely worthwhile cause dedicated to providing children in poorly developed countries with the same opportunities any other child would have. Whilst in Tanzania (I fly out on August 25 EEK!) I will spend some time working on a Childreach project to witness first-hand the amazing work they do and what a difference the money I raise will make.

I truly cannot wait. Those who know me will know that if I’m going to do something, I want to do it right, so my training is already in full swing and I’ve got lots of ideas for my fundraising. With a fundraising target of £2,650, slightly higher than it was for Everest, I will be giving it my all.

My most successful fundraiser for Everest was a curry night held at my local pub but my bravest (or most stupid as my mum called it) was this…

Braving the snow and freezing cold temperatures in just our underwear to raise money in a street collection.

We raised so much money in just one (albeit very cold) day thanks to the generous people of Sheffield.

I’ll be taking on various random challenges for my fundraising – first up is a street collection and I want to know what fancy dress costume YOU think I should do it in. Submit your ideas using the form at the bottom of this post.

Other events to come:
– Sheffield Half-marathon
– Cake sales
– Ebay sales
– Auction of promises
– Blind date night

Any donations anyone could spare would be massively appreciated for this great, great cause. Here’s a link to my fundraising page:

https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/hannahbryan2

Thank you 😀

Go back

Your message has been sent

10Feb2014

Experimenting with vegan

Posted in Uncategorized by hannahbryan91

Since Beyoncé published pictures of her and her hubby Jay Z’s 22 day vegan challenge just before Christmas veganism has seen a rise in popularity.

Apparently she enjoyed it so much that she has started it again. It would appear she isn’t alone either, with more and more people wanting to try either going vegan or vegetarian for a couple of days a week.

Campaigns such as Meat Free Monday have taken off after research showed that having a vegetarian diet at least one day a week comes with health benefits.

Eager to feel these health benefits after a pretty extravagant weekend in London (which put significant stress on my back balance as well!) I decided to try out some vegan recipes.

I could never be vegetarian – I love meat too much – so for me it wasn’t an ethical change, it was purely to see if the health benefits the expert’s claim you feel are true.

It was a lot easier to avoid meat than I thought, especially at tea time. Dinner time was when I struggled though as I usually have salads so at first it was quite tricky to give up my favourite salmon salads and Nando’s chicken. But I stocked up on tofu and made a really tasty broad bean, bean sprout, cucumber and spring onion salad which was very tasty.

After a week I did start to feel the benefits which I was surprised at. I felt full of energy and generally less sluggish on a morning which was great and I found that I hadn’t really missed red meat all that much. Plus, I saved money from not buying chicken as well which was an added bonus.

Here are two examples of vegan dishes I made for tea:

The first is Mediterranean veg and bean mash.
I used:
– aubergine
– courgette
– pepper
– mushrooms
– artichoke
– haricot beans
– vegetable stock
– garlic

Whilst the vegetables are roasting, boil a tin of haricot beans in some vegetable stock with the garlic and simmer for about 10 minutes. When it starts to thicken, take the beans off the heat and mash until you’ve got a consistency you like and voila – a simple, really tasty and surprisingly filling tea.

Vegan Mediterranean veg and bean mash

The second was my favourite of the week – apricot and orange baked quinoa with roasted vegetables.

See above for the roasted veggies recipe, but you can add whatever you want to roast and whatever flavouring you fancy.
I’m a big fan of quinoa (or keen-wa as my flatmate recently told me it was pronounced) but I had never baked it before.
Add the quinoa to a casserole dish with the juice of one orange, fresh apricots and vegetable stock. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, stirring once in between.

Baked quinoa with apricot and roasted veg

And there you have it – two really simple, tasty and healthy meals made in less than 30 minutes.
I liked the results and the new tasty dishes I had tried so much that I’m trying out more this week. I’ll post my new recipes as the week goes on.

If you’ve got any vegan/vegetarian recipes you think I should try let me know.

20Jan2014

Homemade hummus

Posted in Uncategorized by hannahbryan91

You’ll never need to buy hummus again with this recipe. It’s so easy and so quick to make and just as tasty.

What you will need:
– one 200g can of chickpeas in water (drained) – keep a couple back for decoration
– 2 tbsp lemon juice
– 1 garlic clove
-1 tsp cumin
-100ml tahini (optional)
-4tbsp water
-2tbsp olive oil (or sesame oil if you don’t have tahini)
-1 tsp paprika

How to make it:

-Put the chickpeas, lemon juice, cumin, tahini (if you have it), garlic and water in to a food processor and blend until smooth – or if you’re a fan of chunky hummus just blend until your desired texture.
-Smooth out with a back of a spoon and drizzle with oil and finish by decorating with the remaining chickpeas and a sprinkle of paprika.

Done!

2Dec2013

Meat free Monday

Posted in Nutrition, Uncategorized by hannahbryan91

Every Monday morning when I get in to work my Twitter feed is scattered with #meatfreeMonday Tweets.
Intrigued, I decided to check it out.

As a devoted meat eater I personally think I would struggle to be vegetarian but this initiative, of going meat free for one day a week, seemed like it could be doable and with added health benefits I decided to give it a go.

Not only that, but the campaign is dedicated to helping the planet by reducing carbon emissions of meat production.

I’ve often heard that too much red meat is bad for you yet too little can leave your iron stores depleted meaning you are left feeling tired with little energy. It’s a tough balancing act but according to Oxford University’s department of public health eating meat a maximum of three times a week could prevent an astounding 31,000 people dying from heart disease.

Added incentives to join Meat Free Monday include the cost. By skipping your daily meat one day a week you could save some pennies as meat free alternatives are noticeably cheaper – an ideal time to save money with the festive season ahead.
And of course there are the animals to consider as well.

With all that in mind, I checked out the McCartney’s website and my meat free Monday began.

My meals today were far from inventive but were more quick and easy due to being back at work after a week off and a training session to cram in – but I’m looking forward to trying out some new and exciting recipes, many of which can be found on the website, next week.

So today, I had:
Breakfast: Porridge with blueberries
Morning snack: banana and raisins
Lunch: Cottage cheese salad
Afternoon snack: carrot sticks and rice pudding
Dinner: Spinach, mushroom and tomato omelette with vegetables

The recipe I’m going to be trying next week is Deep Dark Black Bean Soup. Check it out here and I’ll post how I got on with making it next week.

Have you tried meat free Monday? Have you felt any health/bank balance benefits? Comment below and let me know 🙂

17Nov2013

Turkey and apricot burgers

Posted in Uncategorized by hannahbryan91

If you’re caving a burger but looking for a healthier alternative then this tasty creation is perfect.

Lean turkey mince is lower in saturated fat than beef mince but still makes a proper burger and teamed with these ingredients it’s packed full of flavour.

You will need:

– 500g lean turkey mince

– 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

– 1 red onion, finely chopped

– 1 pepper, finely chopped

– Ginger

– Coriander

– 250g pack of soft apricots, finely chopped

– Black pepper to season

– Oil for brushing

Ingredients for turkey and apricot burgers

To make:

– These burgers could not be easier to make – you basically put all of the ingredients, except for the oil, in to a big bowl before mixing together.

– It’s easiest to mix it all together with your hands to really make sure it’s combined.

– Make six burgers before brushing with oil and putting under the grill.

– Cook for 6-8 minutes on each side until they are thoroughly cooked and the meat is no longer pink.

Ready to go under the grill

They really are that simple. I served mine with roasted vegetables but they would be great served in a toasted wholemeal pitta with salad for lunch as well.

Enjoy.

Tastier then they look – I promise!

4Nov2013

Winter running essentials

Posted in Uncategorized by hannahbryan91

It’s that time of year again when you wake up in the dark and get home in the dark. The days of an evening run at dusk as the sun goes down are fast becoming a distant memory now and runners have no choice but to hit the streets in the dark.

If you’re training, running in the dark over the winter months will be second nature but if you’re new to the game I’ve put together some tips for keeping safe whilst running in the winter months, as well as some of the gear you may find useful. It could also help if you’re struggling for Christmas present ideas as well.

Jackets:
Without doubt the first essential you need for running in the dark is a reflective jacket.
Most running trainers have reflective strips on them somewhere but I find, for peace of mind if nothing else, a reflective jacket is much better.

Ladies Nike Vapor Jacket:
– £54.99
– Water repellent properties to keep you dry
– Perforated side panels
– Reflective strips
– Removable hood
– Machine washable

Nike Vapor Jacket

Karrimor Running Jacket:
– £14.99
– Drawstring for a comfortable fit
– 2 pockets with zips- perfect for you i-pod, energy gels and other running essentials.
– Ventilated mesh panel
– Reflective logo and strips on the arms and back
– Machine washable

Karrimor Running Jacket

And if you’re feeling really fancy….

Nike M Allover Flash Jacket:

– £319.99
– Storm-FIT fabric which blocks out the wind and rain
– Dri-FIT fabric
– Laser-cut perforations for breathability
– Reflective detailing

Gloves:
Warmth is essential too during the winter months, you don’t want to find you’re having to turn home early because you’re so cold you can’t feel your limbs.

Gore MYTHOS SO Gloves – Neon Yellow
– £34.99
– Windproof
– Reflective material
– Fabric insert on index fingers and thumbs- meaning you can still work your touch screen phone or i-pod with them on.
– Fleece lining
– Silicone-coated palm for grip
– Absorbent material on thumb and back of the gloves for wiping away sweat

Gore MYTHOS SO Gloves

Head wear:

The majority of our body heat is often lost through our head so some runners find it beneficial to wear a hat or a headband of some kind. Personally, I prefer to run without but if you suffer with ear problems or headaches from the cold then a hat is definitely a must have for winter running.

Routes:
Stick to well-lit routes, especially if you’re running alone. Make sure you tell someone where you’re going and how long you roughly expect to be.

When you return, it’s inevitable that as soon as you enter your house and the warmth hits you you’ll want to strip off. Hold off until you have stretched though or you will find you’ll cool down extremely quickly and then be at risk of a sudden chill.

Got any winter running tips?
Share them here and comment below.

Hannah's Happy Pace

Category Archives: Uncategorized

It don’t mean a thing if you ain’t got that swing…

Clean & lean turkey burger stack

Healthy date & banana flapjacks

Thai pork mince lettuce wraps

2014’s big challenge – Climbing Kili for kids

Your message has been sent

Experimenting with vegan

Homemade hummus

Meat free Monday

Turkey and apricot burgers

Winter running essentials