Will Supplements Help With Depression?

Posted on July 7, 2017 by bmancine

I got this question today and was quickly hit with the urge to recommend 3 or 4 supplements that can help. But, this isn’t a simple yes or no questions. There are plenty of factors to be considered.

First; Start with your core nutrition. Supplement, by definition means, “In addition to…” Supplements were meant to fill gaps, not replace food. So if you’re not eating quality protein, veggies & healthy fats, then the supplements you take will be less effective than if you were.

Second: Sourcing & manufacturing are important. Do not look to cut costs when it comes to food and supplementation. Do your research and find quality supplements that are built to address your needs. This doesn’t mean that you’ll be spending a fortune or that more expensive products are better, but I can assure you that the cheapest products on the shelf are (for the vast majority) useless. Working with a Coach to find the best path for you & help you stay on it is advisable. Again, do your research to find a quality Coach.

Third: Make exercise & activity a priority. A properly progressed exercise program will do wonders for your mood. This has been proven in countless studies & can be proven by going outside right now and doing 5 rounds of :30 second sprints with :90 seconds or rest.

Lastly: Social interactions with quality people. There’s is an old saying (i don’t know who said it) but it goes, “Before you diagnose yourself as depressed, make sure you’re not surrounded by assholes.” We all will have to deal with one or two at some point, but do your best to purge them from your life. Move, quit your job, hang out in a different place, or just have an awkward conversation like, “Could you please stop doing X, Y, Z…” All this may seem difficult to initiate, but your well being is worth it.

To answer your original question: They can, but there is no magic pill.

If you have any further questions feel free to reach out & please share if you think this could help someone you know.

The 28 things I’ve learned in 39 years.

Posted on September 19, 2016 by bmancine

I turned 39 a few weeks ago and was asked if I was going to write a “40 things I’ve learned by 40” post. “HELL NO!” For 1, life is never that organized to teach you 1 thing a year (mine isn’t anyway) and 2, why wait for 40? There are sure to be a few you disagree with and probably some contradictions if you dig. If you do, I’d love to hear what you find. Also, while I consider these all to be true, some are comical and some will get dark. So fair warning. Here are the 28 things I’ve learned in 39 years:

Having a backbone isn’t about aggression, it’s about character.
There are 3 limitations in life. # 1 & 2, only you truly know. # 3 you’ll never know.
1. Your imagination
2. Your determination
3. You lifespan.
Don’t work for anyone but yourself. Work WITH others and be selective. This doesn’t mean you have to be self-employed, just make sure your value is understood.
Bring value.
When looking at past performance
1. Past performance is the best indicator for future performance.
2. Past performance is no guarantee of future performance.
Staying in a safe place makes you less healthy & fit. Progressing health & fitness makes you safer in more places.
Choose quality over quantity. While this sounds cliché, it covers everything: Goals, friends, food, experiences, opportunities… I have yet to find the exception.
Communication is paramount in all relationships. This has less to do about talking than you may think. Listening to understand others points of view is a skill that must be developed. Entertaining additional points of view should be practiced. (especially those opposed to yours)
Those that often point the finger at others as “bad communicators” are typically bad listeners.
There are only 3 times it’s appropriate to wear skulls on your/as clothes:
1. You have earned them…
2. They’ve been given to you as a gift…
3. You’re at Comicon.
Sex first thing in the morning is better than sex just before going to sleep.
Those complaining about a lack of work/life balance need to work on the balance in their life.
Regardless of what all the science & facts say; if something feels right, do it. If it feels wrong, don’t do it. Science once told us the world is flat, 9 out of 10 Doctors preferred Camel cigarettes, and the 4 minute mile was considered impossible.
If someone is always looking over their shoulder, you shouldn’t feel comfortable with them standing behind you.
Everything is negotiable.
There’s a time to study the root and a time to gather the fruit. Get good at both.
If you’re offended by something on the Internet, you deserve it.
1. Probably true outside of the internet as well.
There are a few phrases you should never say: The 2 most common are; “You don’t understand” & “I don’t care.” The first implies you fully understand the others entire existence. The second isn’t true if you took the effort to say it.
Everyone has thought about suicide. Realizing this is true should provide hope during dark times.
The world is a mirror; you get out what you put in.
Reality TV is for suckers. Yes, that show too.
Sugar is a drug and is much worse for you than marijuana.
Put your grocery cart back. There may be an exception or 2 to this rule but if you’re trying to come up with them, the rule was written for you.
Someday quickly becomes never. Either set a deadline or let it go.
Anyone who says, “It doesn’t matter what you meant, it’s what you said.” Probably won’t ever say anything meaningful.
If you borrow a car, return it with a full tank. Both literally and figuratively,
Everything I need to know about life, I learned through marksmanship: Slow is smooth, smooth is fast. Learn the fundamentals; focus on getting better at them. Then compress the fundamentals. If you try to be the “fastest gun in the west” you never will.
If there is no risk involved, there is either no pay off or the venture isn’t completely understood.

Would love to hear your thoughts. Please share if you enjoyed it.

Why you should make an effort to be healthier immediately.

Posted on July 3, 2016 by bmancine

You may have read that title & had a few reasons pop into your head that push it back to Monday… or next month… or … New Year’s is right around the corner. I mean, I’ve got a HUGE project going on right now… & my coworkers are going out for happy hour this friday… & I want to enjoy the holidays…

So let’s set the record straight: Health, fitness, & nutrition are all about getting more out of life. More joy, more experiences, more knowledge, more energy & yes… more time on this earth. So every excuse you just made is actually a reason in disguise.

Let me explain; Your primary purpose on this earth is to be the absolute best you that you can be. And NO ONE on this earth doesn’t want to be the best them they could be, right? This means the best son or daughter, brother or sister, significant other, partner, provider, contributor or (place the positional noun that you aspire toward here) that you can possibly be. Eating right with consistent activity can… nope… WILL make you a better you. So let’s look at why people make excuses.

Fear.

Fear of failure, ridicule or simply not knowing what to do. First, do not be afraid of failure. It will happen everyday. I’m sorry if no one ever told you that but its true. Just accept that it will happen at some point & you will move on from it.You might skip a day at the gym, you might give in to that piece of pie for dessert. Don’t get hung up on it. Michael Jordan says that he owes his success to continual failure. Why? Because you can always learn more from a loss than a win. It should force you to analyze your game. What could you have done differently to be better? (The best ask that same question after a win) And when you do win, you won because you pushed yourself to failure over & over again when your competitor was sleeping in & eating bad food.

Fear of ridicule? You are simply putting too much stock in the opinion of people that don’t matter. If someone mocks you for putting sincere effort into becoming better, that person’s life is a wreck. I don’t say this to make you feel better. It is a fact. Understand that they are undoubtedly in such a sad state, they truly have so little real meaning in their life that you should feel pity for them. This doesn’t mean you should go it on your own. Find a support system. Build your schedule of going to the gym, stick too it & talk to people. If you don’t find supportive people, find a new gym. *Side note* This can be an important decision & should be considered. The big chains will have their “brands” so if you’re joining one consider whether or not it will fit you. Do they offer “Free Donut Friday”? (Yes, I’ve seen gyms do this & even heard the manager say he creating repeat customers) Do not go to this gym.This is where personal studios have an edge. Sure, they will tend to be more expensive but if you do your research & find a place that get people results, isn’t that worth it vs. paying the “fat tax” that most gym memberships end up being when the well intended members don’t go and pay for a year or more?

Now… what to do? Start with what you like: Basketball, shoot some hoops; Boxing, do some :30 rounds on a bag; can’t think of anything, take at least 20 minutes a day & walk around your neighborhood, the park or the local strip mall or plaza. I guarantee it will brighten your day & be something you look forward to. Do keep in mind your activity level over the past year & be smart. Don’t go for an olympic performance on day 1.

From the nutrition side; I get it! There is so much misinformation out there & much of it coming from seemingly reputable sources. Read something health & fitness related everyday. Stay away from magazines or any source that claims to be “all you need”, read SEVERAL different sources, vet your fitness professionals by asking for references & just make a commitment to learning about fitness & nutrition for the rest of your life.

So here’s the point, just start! You will fail & that’s not bad! Giving up on something that you want is bad, failure is the sign you need to lift your foot to the next step in the staircase. Ridicule? Walk on! You’ll make a new friend right down the street and they’ll be headed in the same direction. What to do? Stop reading this right now & go.

If you liked this article and thought it may help someone you know, please be sure to share it on social media.

Goal setting 101

Posted on January 30, 2016 by bmancine

A recent study stated that 73% of gym joiners in January have a weight loss goal and over a 365 day period only 14% of those will succeed. Let’s talk about how to up the success rate. Without a doubt, setting the right goal is the most important part of your fitness journey. Read any piece about success; what it takes to get there, who did what & how. All will come back to some version of, “Start with the end in mind.” This makes overcoming obstacles along the way easier especially the more desirable the end result is.

Change is difficult. Very difficult. People make the decision to change when their current situation is more uncomfortable than their perception of the change. Since 2001 as a Fitness Professional, when I ask people any variation of, “What are your goals?” or “What are you training for?” The standard reply is…”Lose weight & tone up.” (LW&TU). If this is your goal I have one request; DO NOT join a gym. Let me explain why. Someone with a LW&TU goal wants their life to change, but they haven’t yet decided to change their life. If that last sentence didn’t click, read it again. I’ll wait.

So let’s look at something most can relate to; Consider two people who want financial success. One wants to, “Be rich”. The other wants a successful career in Law. The first commits to buying at least one lottery ticket every week and checking in on the numbers. The latter knows he is not where he wants to be and sets forth on a journey to find the missing links. He will meet new people, see and experience things he never imagined. He may also make missteps along the way but hopefully knows that is not just the cost of taking steps but a lesson in and of itself. The former will become entrenched in a community of shortsightedness and selfishness. Each ticket they buy moves them further into a position of entitled victimization that becomes harder and harder to return from.

It doesn’t mean they can’t be coaxed.

The fact is many will bring me the LW&TU goal over the next few weeks. To which I will reply, “Why?” This usually spirals into a cycle of generic answers vs. quick Why replies… like, “Because my doctor told me I have to lose weight” Or “So I can run a 5K.” Or “Because I want a six pack like (favorite celeb).” or any of the defensive BS that people put up, until I hear a little bit of truth. Something like, “Because I want to feel better!”

JACKPOT!!! Understand that this isn’t the total answer that I’m looking for. But it is the crack in the built up wall that can lead us to the truth. As soon as I hear anything along these lines, The tempo of the conversation changes. Instead of the sharp Why!?! replies, I let their statement sink in. I’ll then ask, “Can you tell me more about that?” “When is the last time you felt really good?” Or one of my favorites, “Paint me the picture of you feeling GREAT.” This is where they tell me about time playing with kids, activities with friends and experiencing LIFE! The life they want back! NOW, we can come back to their current positions and start building daily tasks to get from here to there. Now we build their plan.

This is where it gets really interesting. This is where they come back to me with “next level” goals. I’ve had people bring me, ‘Climb Kilimanjaro’,’Be a competitive Fencer’ or my personal favorite; ‘compete and place in Ballroom Dancing competitions’. This was a woman who had never taken an athletic venture in her life. 5 months after joining the gym she placed 2nd in her category. How many times in those 5 months did she step on a scale? 0. She felt better, she looked better, she had more confidence; so who gives a shit what the scale says. By the way, when she finally did step on a scale, the BMI charts scored her as over weight. But the beautiful part was she no longer cared. She was too busy becoming what she wanted to be. I should also note that her Doctor was amazed at the up turn in all her health markers.

Now, to come back to your goal for this year; close your eyes, picture 10, 20 or 30 years from now. Who do you want to be? Get that crystal clear picture. Then start your plan.

Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook for more updates!

Likes Become Things. Are You Stuck in a Social Media Victim Cycle?

Posted on July 29, 2015 by bmancine

Lately, I keep hearing people say they are quitting social media because there’s too much negativity on their feed. Hopefully you read that and thought the same thing I did: “You know you control what’s on your feed, right?” Now bear with me as I am not saying that everyone needs facebook, twitter and the like. It’s your world do as you wish, but it serves to at least ask the question; If you quit this medium all together with the aim of creating more positivity in your life, how are you going to make sure you don’t cultivate the same negativity in the rest of your life?

It’s been said that the way you do one thing is the way you do everything. So if you find a constant chain of doom and gloom flooding your screen when you log on, why not try changing your feed? Why not set yourself up to be in a better mood? Scrub your friends list of the naysayers and Debbie Downers. Go through your ‘page like’ selections and purge the pages that don’t give you an instant “warm ‘n’ fuzzy” when you see them. Now you have created some space. Next, attract some good by liking some pages that promote education, growth and health (mental and physical). Look for community pages that share local events and take part. What I’m saying is use social media for what I believe is its intended purpose: To make your life better. In that name, there is a next step that is very important. Batch your time for e-mail, posting, sharing and scrolling. There is a big world out there and if you want as awesome an experience as possible, I suggest using social media platforms as resources. Set times during the day when you can log on. Other than that, be out and engage with the world!

I have had the good fortune to travel and live several different places and through it all I have met some amazing people. These sites have allowed me to keep in touch with them in a way that was not possible for previous generations. I also love what social media has done for information sharing but again, I am cognizant of what fills my feed. I do make an effort to read something opposed to my views once a month. I feel it’s a good practice for staying informed about what is out there without being over run.

If you’re considering wiping the slate clean of all platforms, I applaud the intent but ask you to consider changing the way you use them. Look to other avenues to actively bring more good into your world. (Check out Jonthan De La Garza’s Positive Pin) If you want your world to change, you have to be the one to change.

-B

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