Happiness is a Skill

My passion stems from being able to share with people the tools I use to get me to my goals. For so long I struggled with depression, insecurity, and the inability to be happy in my own life. Over the last year I have fought back against those emotions and negative things. I sought out to be better, to do better, and to make my dreams a reality. Part of the process for me is sharing with other people the things that helped me in an effort to help solve the problems people have that are similar to my own.

Though I feel healthy nutrition and exercise play a great roll in how far I have come and how far someone else is able to go, I believe equally in the power of self confidence. Without confidence I doesn't matter how much time or effort you have put in at the gym or how many meals you have made on your own.

Happiness is directly related with how confident I am. Also, how much I am able to give to other people depends a lot on my own happiness and self confidence. I place as much importance on my mental happiness as I do my physical happiness. A lot of time, I am more concerned with how confident, happy, or relaxed I am before I worry about how many squats or hours I completed at the gym. 

I devote and schedule time specifically for self improvement and relaxation. I said a week or so ago in my Video Blog Post that maintaining my stress is going to be a key element in the progress I am able to make over this next year. The same way I tell myself I will go to the gym at 5:30am, I also tell myself I will spend 30 minutes to an 1 hour working on myself internally. Many people skip this step!! It is crucial... You cannot expect to change your habits or get better results on the outside if you haven't worked on the inside. For those people that consistently make no progress...perhaps you start something and never finish it... I encourage you to look inward and be honest... are you really working on the mental and internal part of being healthy and happy?!? 

Here are a few things I have found that help me with self improvement...

1.) Love, love, LOVING positive quotes lately! Positive quotes on my bathroom mirror, positive quotes on my desk at work, positive quotes on my phone screen saver. I am focusing intently on changing the way I think, also. If I start thinking in a negative context, I quickly switch it to a positive. This is taking work, but when I focus on it it is helping me. 

2.) I am loving Happify right now!!! Happify is an online website that walks you through activities (or tracks as they are called on the website) that improve your happiness and own self awareness. The same way you work through exercises at the gym, is the same thing you do here. You answer a series of questions and receive custom activities to improve your Happiness. I devote an additional 15-30 minutes each morning to Happify. I devote time to it because it improves my ability to be more positive and happy throughout the day! Start with every other day just 15 minutes and see how it improves your happiness.

3.) I am writing more!!! Writing has become my #1 defense against negative thoughts or moving backwards. I have my spiral notebook where I keep notes and journal my thoughts. My Happify profile also has prompted questions that I write a few sentences about when I do my activities. The questions and prompts are written in a way that force me to find happiness or solutions in what I am doing. It is helpful in keeping my thoughts moving in a positive direction. 

Fit Wife- Brooklyn Mar

Welcome to this week's Fit Wife Wednesday! This week Miss Brooklyn Mar is our featured FIT WIFE! Wife, mom, bikini competitor, Brooklyn is sharing her story as a healthy fit wife and mom! 

Follow Brooklyn on Instagram for motivational posts!

Fit Wife Wednesday...

Hi! My name is Brooklyn Mar, I am a 32 year old mom of two kids, Olivia and Brian. My husbands name is Hector, we have been together for 11 years this year and married for almost 2. 

My fitness journey started around the time I started seeing my husband, I was a cardio bunny! I was scared of lifting heavy, scared I would get too bulky. Oh man was I wrong and wish I had started way back when. But I have learned to eat well, lift right and thus began my competing life!

I have competed in both an NPC bikini competition in November of 2013 and also a WBFF show, in both divisions they offer, which are bikini and fitness. I didn't place in either of those shows, yet I find myself still driving towards becoming the best version of me I can.

Finding a balance in a lifestyle like this can be very difficult, especially having growing kids in the house and a husband who eats for bodybuilding as well, even though he doesn't compete. Thankfully we do all eat very similar, except my husband and I like brown rice and our kids like white rice!


I do most of the grocery shopping and can eat pretty much the same things daily, which makes it easier while I am on a prep, which lasts around 3-4 months or to make it sound a little better 12-16 weeks.

My food choices for proteins consist of egg whites, lean red meats, ground turkey, chicken breast and protein powder, usually from Cellucor. For my carbs I love the simple stuff like oats-rolled or steel cut, I just find their texture really good! Also, I like brown rice, sweet potato, Ezekiel bread or P28 bread. I love any type of vegetable but find I do very well with green beans, asparagus, zucchini, cucumber, squash spinach and all kinds of lettuce. I don't really count my veggies as an intake of calories, since most of them are very low in calories and very filling, so I never really go hungry. 


I prepare my food in bulk about three times a week to try and keep my prep times in check, especially since I work night shift I like to just measure out my ounces, pack it up and go! I do have a 6-pack bag that makes carrying my meals so much easier. If you are serious about a healthy lifestyle, competing or just getting your metabolism going, then you will want to carry your meals with you! It saves money, the frustration of what you're going to eat and you are never stuck somewhere and hungry! Also, start carrying water with you, I never leave without my gallon! 

Finding a balance between being a mom, a wife, a student as well as working nights while in competition prep is hard, but can be done with just a little preparation for your week ahead! My next show is about 14 weeks away, so I am already planning again! I am happy to share in my healthy journey to the stage, I hope to share everything I know about being a fit wife with a fit life! 

Fresh Out of the Oven

I could not wait to get back home from my last competition so I could get in to the kitchen and start on some healthy recipes for you all!! Well... Actually... for my fiance, but I was excited to share them!
Last night's dinner was a healthy take on one of my favorite meals and one of my favorite indulgences...
Meatloaf Cupcakes with Cauliflower Mashed-'tatoes Frosting!!

Cute, right?!
The recipe for both came from Danielle Walker's newest cookbook, Against All Grain!!! Completely grain free, dairy-free, and gluten free. I made my own ketchup (meatloaf topping) and almond milk (in my cauliflower mash)!!! Recipes are also in the cookbook!

The recipe made 12 meatloaf cupcakes and plenty of Cauliflower Mashed-'tatoes which left me with a few leftovers to send to work with Nick today for lunch!

If you haven't tried Cauliflower Mashed-'tatoes, I suggest you try it out!! They are the perfect substitution for starchy mashed potatoes! You will be surprised how a few simple ingredients can make such a tasty dish. I added rosemary infused olive oil instead of standard extra virgin olive oil. I find the best selection of infused olive oils and balsamic vinegars at the local Farmer's Market. I had to change a couple things from the recipe in the book because I forgot a whole garlic at the grocery store! Recipe for Cauliflower Frosting is below!! Let me know what you think and pick up Danielle's book Against All Grain for other AMAZING recipes!

 

I find my asparagus is best steamed using a steamer rack in a pan of boiling water. I put the asparagus on the steamer rack, put the lid on the pot, and let the water at the bottom of the pain boil creating enough steam to steam my veggies. I steam my asparagus for about 10-15 minutes. Just enough for them to cook slightly, leaving them with a little crunch. I don't like mushy asparagus!!

 

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Mashed Cauliflower (Cauliflower Frosting)

Adapted from Danielle Walker's Recipe in Against All Grain Cookbook

2 Crushed Garlic Cloves

1 Tablespoon Rosemary Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Head of Cauliflower, trimmed in to florets

1/4 cup almond milk, warmed (I made my own from the recipe in Against All Grain)

3 Tablespoons Soy-Free, Dairy-Free Butter Alternative (Found at Sprouts Farmer's Market)

1/2 teaspoon sea salt (Recipe in book calls for 1 1/2 teaspoon)

Dash of Cracked Black Pepper (I added more than a dash!)

 

-Put cauliflower in a sauce pan with 1/2 inch of water. Cover and steam about 10 minutes.

-Drain water and put cauliflower in food processor

-mix in olive oil, crushed fresh garlic, almond milk, butter alternative, salt, and pepper. Process until smooth and fluffy.

 

I let the cauliflower frosting cool about 10-15 minutes, put in a quart size Ziploc, and snipped a small hole in the corner. I topped the Meatloaf Cupcakes as if I were frosting a cupcake with a pastry bag. Simple, easy, and my fiance LOVED it!

 

Thank you Danielle for such an amazing book!!