Tag Archives: Fitness

Peanut butter, fruit & nut balls

Posted in Recipes by

I confess – I’m not the most organised person in the world, but when it comes to meals I plan them down to the last mouthful. Sunday evening consists of planning the following weeks meals, factoring in training sessions and of course starting that all important meal prep.

Main meals are usually the easiest to plan and with Sunday night meal prep, lunches are easy as well. I find that snacks are my downfall though. Once the afternoon slump hits I’m ready for a boost and I’ve been looking for a way to switch up my snack options.

This is when I decided to get creative. For those who don’t know me, I love peanut butter – on apples, in cookies and more often than not I am guilty of eating it straight out of the tub.
Instead of grabbing a couple of spoonfuls pre-gym, I thought why not incorporate my love of it in with my afternoon snack to give myself a healthy protein hit to keep me going all afternoon.
With that in mind, I created these peanut butter fruit and nut balls.

You will need:
– 1 cup sugar free coconut shavings
– 1 cup flaked almonds
– 2/3 cup sultanas
– ½ cup chopped dried apricots (or any other dried fruit you fancy, I just happened to have apricots)
-Sprinkling of cinnamon
-couple of heaped tablespoons of smooth peanut butter (organic preferably, I love Meridian smooth!) – You can also use chunky if you want a different texture although I found that smooth enables it to set better.

What to do:

-Combine the coconut, almonds, sultanas and apricots into a bowl and blend with a hand blender – this isn’t the easiest of tasks but it doesn’t take long and it helps the mixture to combine.
– Add the cinnamon and then start to add in the peanut butter a spoonful at a time. Add enough so that the mixture is sticking together but not too much that there is more peanut butter than mixture!
– Tip the mixture on to some Clingfilm and flatten out before putting in the freezer for about 20 minutes.
– Once set,  mould the mixture in to balls, sprinkle with an extra bit of coconut if desired and keep in the fridge.

And there you have it – a healthy, high protein and tasty snack for the rest of the week! Now there’s no excuse for me to eat peanut butter straight from the tub – well, at least for the next week anyway.

Peanut butter, fruit and nut balls - my latest creation!

Peanut butter, fruit and nut balls – my latest creation!

2014’s big challenge – Climbing Kili for kids

Posted in Uncategorized by

IN SEPTEMBER 2011 this happened:

GO CHILDREACH! We did it!

GO CHILDREACH! We did it!

Celebrating at EVEREST BASE CAMP!

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.

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.

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 😀

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

Experimenting with vegan

Posted in Uncategorized by

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

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

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.

Spicy black bean soup

Posted in Recipes by

I’ve been waiting all week to try  this spicy black bean soup I found on the meat free Monday website.

It didn’t disappoint that’s for sure.

20131208-210020.jpg

I did slightly adapt the recipe on the website though, substituting some ingredients which I didn’t have for others.

Here is what I used for my slightly adapted version of the recipe:
– dash of olive oil
– 1 red onion, chopped
– 2 cloves garlic, chopped
– 1 tablespoon cumin
– 1 teaspoon oregano
– black pepper to season
– 1 tin chopped toms
– 300g black beans
– 2 veg stock cubes
– 1 green chilli, finely chopped

What I did:
– Start by heating the oil and adding the onions, garlic and cumin until soft.
– Once softened add the rest of the ingredients and simmer gradually for 30mins.
– Depending on whether you like a smooth or chunky soup, use a hand blender to finish off the soup and voila, it’s done!

I topped mine with some rocket but the recipe on the website has loads of tasty suggestions.

The only down side was that the beans needed to be soaked in water for eight to 12 hours before you could cook them – but in my opinion it was definitely worth it.

Happy meat free Monday! If you have any vegetarian recipes you think I should try comment below and I’ll give them a go.

20131208-211230.jpg

20131208-211236.jpg

Meat free Monday

Posted in Nutrition, Uncategorized by

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 🙂

Winter running essentials

Posted in Uncategorized by

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

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

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

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. 

The running bug bites back

Posted in Uncategorized by

Ok, so not being able to run has finally driven me a little bit insane. Going to the gym, interval sessions on the cross trainer, it just isn’t the same as miles and miles of road in front of you.

If you’re a runner you’ll know what I mean.

I’ve got at least another month before I should even think about running a short three miler again, but running is on my mind. My next race is also at the forefront of my mind.

“Don’t try running if your knee hasn’t healed. It’s only going to get worse if you keep trying to rush back into training before it’s ready. All that will happen is it’ll reoccur and you’ll be doubly miffed about it.” – Wise words from my friend when I said I was considering skipping the gym and going for a run this weekend.

I know he’s right but it’s just more frustrating than anything else when I’ve  got my next race lined up and the time I want to complete it in.

Robin Hood Marathon 2013

Robin Hood Marathon 2013

I think it’s the fear as well; the fear that when I do start running again my injury will return and I won’t even be able to run a couple of miles.
I’m desperate to get back in to running but the fear of my knee hurting is holding me back as well which is equally frustrating.

Anyway, this post isn’t supposed to be a rant, it’s about finding new ways to channel the frustration of an injury in to something else.  So I decided to see what can help with the injury recovery process.

Earlier this week I was lucky enough to speak to star of Channel 4’s How Not To Get Old and author of Eat Yourself Young Elizabeth Peyton Jones. She’s all about eating clean and keeping young, offering up tasty recipes on how to restore your vitality.

I mentioned my knee injury and she advised me to add turmeric to my morning drink. So instead of going for that coffee or that fresh orange juice, have a really alkalizing drink to neutalise your body and set you up for the day.

Worth a shot isn’t it. I also bought a foam roller on the recommendation of a friend to help with muscle tension and stretching to help leg injuries. I must admit, I do need to get in to the habit of using it because when I do, it’s fantastic and I can almost feel my muscles thanking me.

Ice cold baths are another tip I’ve heard world-class Olympic athletes such as Jessica Ennis use after a training session. Unfortunately I can’t say I’ve tried this yet but I’ve had the occasional blast of icy water at the beginning of a shower for as long as I can handle. I’m also a big fan of icing an injury, even if it doesn’t hurt.

2012 Olympic gold medallist Jessica Ennis

2012 Olympic gold medallist Jessica Ennis

The truth is that what really works is what you don’t want to hear, what you’re scared to hear as a runner; rest.

It’s possibly one of the worst words a physio, doctor or trainer can say to you, especially when that rest is for a period of several months. However the truth is that it does work…..well, it had better work or else I’m going crazy for no reason!