1) Who is Hannah Hardy? (where are you from, what do you do, a bit about yourself (hobbies, etc)
I am a CrossFit athlete and coach. I am a member of the CrossFit Westchase 2021 CrossFit Games team, and I’m a bodyweight specialist on the Southwest Florida Sharks in the Florida Grid League. Outside of CrossFit, I’m a third year chiropractic student at National University of Health Sciences. I’m originally from Petersburg, VA, just south of Richmond, VA and currently live in the Tampa Bay area in Florida.
2) How many years have you been training? (Including how you got started, etc)
I have been in sports of all kinds ever since I was five, primarily swimming. Through family friends, In 2015, I started CrossFit to help train for a future in NROTC or at the Naval Academy as well as redefining fitness after being hospitalized with anorexia nervosa. Though my life trajectory has changed immensely, CrossFit is something that has always been a mainstay ever since.
3) What’s been the most challenging/hardest part of your journey so far? and how have you overcome them (set backs, rejections, injuries, basically anything difficult that you have had to overcome)
When first training for the Navy, I went to a traditional fitness center and followed fitness and nutrition advice from sources online. I ended up being hospitalized three times from developing Superior Mesenteric Artery syndrome, a rare condition in which the superior mesenteric artery collapses on the small intestine from losing too much body fat, impairing digestion and absorption of food. Once being treated via a feeding tube, I developed anorexia nervosa and have struggled with eating, fitness, and appearance ever since. Without CrossFit, I do not think I would be here today. CrossFit has helped change my thoughts around fitness, nutrition, and self-compassion. Though I lost my NROTC scholarship and appointment to the Naval Academy, I found my passion for the CrossFit community, the sport of CrossFit, and my future career in chiropractic.
4) What does your typical workout/diet routine look like? (With any particular protocols you rate).
I normally train either twice per day for an hour and a half to two hours before and after school or a three to four hour block once per day five days per week. One day, I do a long conditioning piece for active recovery. One day, I give my body a break and tax my mind by catching up with school. For programming, I follow Misfit Athletics. I do a mix of everything from weightlifting, traditional CrossFit metcons and intervals, gymnastics skill work, aerobic conditioning (run, row, ski, bike, swim), and bodybuilding.
For my diet, I follow a macronutrient diet prescribed by a coach from M2 Performance Nutrition. I eat 425 grams of carbohydrates, 150 grams of protein, and 65 grams of fat. I like sticking to whole food, paleo sources but sprinkle in oats, rice, and sprouted grains. I also consider myself a coffee/espresso connoisseur.
5) What new knowledge have you learned over this past year regarding training, lifestyle and nutrition? (And How has it changed your focus for the future)
Volume isn’t always how you get better. Recently, my coach decreased my training volume since it’s the off season for CrossFit (mid-August to mid-February). I find myself hitting personal bests in lifting and conditioning pieces far more often. I have more intensity to give in my training pieces. I’m also not as banged up as I was with higher volume training. In the end, more isn’t better. Better is better.
6) Whats your favourite cheat/Treat meal?
Barbecue: brisket, pulled pork, burnt ends, turkey, pulled chicken, the whole plethora of proteins really haha and sweet potato fries
7) Whats one supplement that you could not live without?
Is coffee a supplement?
Beta Alanine. It’s been a game changer in my performance.
8) If you had to start your Journey from scratch with both your health & physique what would you do differently and why?
I would have started CrossFit a lot sooner. I do not think I would have developed an eating disorder if I was surrounded with such strong women and men when starting my fitness journey. The people you surround yourself with really make a difference in who you will become. Though I wouldn’t change my story because of where it has brought me today, finding people who are striving to become stronger, fitter, healthier, more loving versions of themselves is paramount.
9) Who do you look upto in the fitness industry and why?
Stefi Cohen: She has defined how to be a phenomenal athlete, coach, and healthcare professional in the fitness space. She has impacted so many lives from making incredible programs for powerlifting and bodybuilding to writing a book on lower back pain in athletes and how to treat it. I hope to make an impact in the space like she has.
10) If you had to give one bit of advice to people starting out what would that be?
Love the process. I actually love training more than competing. Though I’m scared of some of the training pieces my coach gives me, being in the gym is always my favorite part of the day. I love putting in the work to get 1% better. I know both the good and bad training days are making me a better athlete and human. The way to make something stick is to look forward to doing it each and every day!
11) What new goals do you have on the horizon?
Top 10 Team at the 2022 CrossFit Games with CrossFit Westchase. Win a championship with my fellow SWFL Sharks #finsup
12) Where can people find you? (website, social media accounts)
Instagram: @gosohardy
