Name: Hanna Öberg
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
Height: 158 cm
Birthday date: 09/03/1989
Can you share more about yourself? When and how did you discover your passion for fitness (and health)?
I’ve always been an active person, performing sports such as soccer. It wasn’t until the end of high school that I started going to the gym. You see, my dad was and is a police officer, so he and his colleagues had a basement gym near the policemens’ facilities. My dad brought me there and I started to train and learn from him and the other policemen! I was sold on the gym training and started going there more frequently. However, I didn’t know much about the exercises and their names, in the beginning, so to prepare for my sessions, I made schedules where I drew stick drawings performing the exercises. We all start somewhere!
What is your biggest achievement?
One might think my answer would be being a big fitness influencer with a huge following, but it’s not! What I see as my biggest achievement is that every day I can help and inspire people all around the world to a healthier and stronger life. This is truly the biggest benefit of my work. I’m so honored that I can reach out to so many people and, hopefully, make a change.
What is your secret recipe for motivating yourself to work out?
LOVE what you do! Make sure you train in a way that you truly enjoy, don’t make it a thing where you force yourself to work out just because you “have to”. Find the joy in your training – try different workout methods, schedules and exercises to see where your passion genuinely lies. Find a balanced lifestyle which you feel is sustainable and enjoyable in the long run. No quick fixes!
What are the best 3 advices you would give to your supporters and the people inspired by you?
First of all, I just want to say thank you to all the people following me and who are inspired by my work. From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much!
1. As I mentioned before – do this because you enjoy it, not because you have to! This will help you create a balanced diet and lifestyle which you can live by in the long term.
2. Do get inspired by others – but don’t compare yourself to others! We are all so different, and we have very different backgrounds and experiences. Comparing yourself to others will just make you set unrealistic goals. I often get questions about how much weight I lift in certain exercises, or how much food I eat for one day. And I never answer these questions! Because what I lift and need is most likely very different from you. We have different types of bodies, we train in different ways, maybe one of us has trained longer than the other, etc. Don’t focus on others – focus on yourself and your own journey! Learning and being inspired by others is one thing, I do this every day! But remember to do your thing too and set goals according to you.
3. Don’t be afraid to eat! I see this mistake so often, and for those who followed me for a while, you know I’m a strong advocate for this. If we want to work hard in the gym, lift heavy and challenge ourselves we need energy! Simple as that. We also need building blocks to grow our muscles stronger. The food is our energy and our building blocks – the food is our friend! Don’t be afraid of good carbs and fats, they will help you in the gym.
What are your favorite 3 fitness exercises?
Hip thrust, the Romanian deadlift, and lateral raises!
How often do you work out a week? And what is your workout routine/schedule?
I work out 5 days a week and rest for 2 days. Since a few years back I have ALWAYS had 2 rest days a week. My rest days are just as important as working out. It is when I have the chance to recover both body and mind for future workouts.
My workout schedule is updated about every third month by my coach Mark Carroll. The plan was to do a bit of a heavier building phase this fall and lean out at the start of 2020. But since I’ve now got a little baby boy in my belly, I had to adapt my training to pregnancy. In my training, together with coach Mark I usually do a lower body and upper body split, which have been working great for me.
What does your diet look like? Do you commit to a special diet? (e.g. vegetarian, vegan, low carb, low fat)
I usually call myself a pescatarian, I haven’t been eating meat or chicken for over 2 years, but I’m occasionally eating fish, eggs and milk products.
For those of you who are following my YouTube channel and have seen my “What I eat in a day” videos know I always fill my plates with plenty of carbs, protein, and good fat. You also know I never count calories, a decision which has made me feel so much better about food. It’s easy to let the calories and the numbers get into year head and stress you out. Instead, I eat until I feel full, train hard and feel happy!
Do you have cheat days? If yes, what is your most favorite cheat meal?
No, I don’t. But I have TREAT days! I don’t really like the term cheat days because it feels like you’ve done something bad or wrong. Instead, I think treat days is a more suitable name because that’s what you do. You treat yourself and that’s something you shouldn’t feel bad about!
When you work hard and eat healthy during the week you should be able to treat yourself on the weekends. At least that’s what I do! I have so many good treats, it’s hard to pick a favorite… But I love to go out and eat my vegetarian burgers with sweet potato fries, OMG! Also, I love popcorn and chocolate. Some slices of pizza are never wrong either. Oh, and Swedish candy, wow!
What supplements do you use? And what is your favorite Women’s Best product?
I mostly use the BCAA Amino, Whey protein and some Amino & Energy! My favorite product is the BCAA with Iced Tea Peach flavor! Also, the Whey Protein with Salted Caramel flavor is a MUST in my home.
Many people find it hard to eat healthy on a daily basis. How do you make sure to keep a healthy diet in your everyday life?
1. Food prep – Make sure you have food ready in the fridge to eat! Working out itself can be hard to manage during a stressful week. Cooking food atop on that can make it even harder! So, I always prepare a lot of food in advance and store it in my fridge.
2. Search for inspiration online! There are lots of great recipes and food ideas on Instagram and YouTube. Eating healthy doesn’t have to be boring or tasteless. There’s so much you can do. For example, I have my series on YouTube called “Hanna’s Healthy Kitchen” where I introduce my followers to different and new recipes.
3. If you find yourself in a position, where you can’t eat enough protein for one day, I’d suggest adding a protein shake as a compliment to your daily diet. Whey protein is also great to bring with you when you are stuck at work and short in time, or when you are traveling. It’s so easy to just mix a shake and drink it!
What has inspired you towards social media? When/how did you start it? And what is your favorite platform (Instagram / YouTube / Facebook etc…)?
I started with Instagram just for fun, in a non-professional matter. I think I always liked the interaction with other people, and now as an Influencer, I love the fact that I can reach out to such a large audience and make a difference. So, I’m active on Instagram and YouTube, and I think I love them equally in totally different ways. Instagram is always going to be the platform where I once started and where my journey began. On the other hand, the format on YouTube allows me to show my followers more of the personal side of me and my life.
How has your exercise routine and diet changed since you know that you are pregnant?
I am now training a day less each week, and avoiding a few exercises, like for example sumo squats. Other than that, I push myself in the gym like I always do. My training is all according to the plan my coach set up for me to do during my pregnancy.
What are your future goals?
My future goals and focus will be to continue to inspire and help people from all around the world, who was an interest in health and fitness. Of course, my baby boy will also have the biggest focus moving forward. I can’t say enough how filled with happiness and excitement I am!
