All posts tagged: healthy eating

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – February 18th

February 18, 2022 Matt Kenney Friday 5 Spot

On Fridays I like to share experiences I’ve had during the week with patients and in my personal life that I’ve found significant. I like to share them in hopes that you might find value in them and have something resonate with you in your life.

An important question to ask yourself. The technology we use is constantly upgraded. Our phones, televisions, software, etc. are always moving from one version to another. As this occurs, we expect the most updated version will be better in some way than its predecessor. This is how it should work for people as well. Therefore, a good question to ask is whether you are currently a better version of yourself than you were last month/year/decade/etc.?

The key is not to make this assessment simply based on age (you’ll be older, that’s a given). Factors to consider are your levels of activity, priorities, relationships with those important to you, level of happiness, contentment, and on and on. Ideally, you should look back and see progress in different areas. If you do not feel this is the case, what can you do differently to change that? The goal is not to be perfect but simply to be moving forward.

Something I believe in. When I was early in my career, my boss and chiropractic mentor told me about “outflows.” These are small acts of gratitude that you say or do for someone. For example, one of my son’s former coaches is a part of a church group that he attends. His words have aided and helped my son, so last week I took a little time and wrote this coach a nice message, about what a great mentor and role model he’s been for my son and the other young men. He was extremely appreciative of this gesture.

We live in a world that can be negative at times. Taking a little bit of time to point out to someone that they’ve helped you, you liked something they did, can be extremely powerful. Sometimes that one act of kindness can motivate them in ways you may never fully appreciate. Don’t be afraid to say or do something nice for someone else!

A type of workout I’ve been enjoying. This week I began experimenting with “tabatas” within my workouts. Tabata is a term for an interval workout where there is a period of extreme exertion followed by a rest period and then the cycle is repeated. Commonly the exertion is for 20 seconds, and the rest is 10 seconds with the length of the tabata totaling 4 minutes.

These can be done with cardiovascular exercise such as in a spin class, but I’ve been incorporating them into my weight workouts. For example, I’ll do a moderate weight on squats for 20 seconds, rest 10 seconds and then repeat that again until 4 minutes are up. You may be thinking that 4 minutes isn’t long but if you do this properly, it’ll be a true challenge. Best of all, for those of you who do not have much equipment to work out with, you can make amazing workouts using this style using nothing but bodyweight exercises.

A good reminder. Recently I made the decision to get involved in a new business endeavor involving nutrition and exercise. This is an area in which I am passionate and have decades of experience. However, as with any new venture, there is a lot to do. As someone that thrives on routine, I have found myself thinking about all that needs to get done, and struggling to make sure I find the time to do everything. Though this is challenging, it is an excellent reminder.

I believe you should always strive to have something in your life that challenges or scares you a little. These are the types of things that keep you focused and draw you a little further out of your comfort zone. Whether it’s a new business, side hustle, speaking engagement, signing up for a competition or something else, it’s great to have a challenging goal in front of you that you need to work hard to achieve!

Some quotes I love.

“If you don’t fight for what you want, don’t cry for what you lose.”

“You never hear stories about people who quit.” – Commander David Sears

“I want to be in the arena. I want to be brave with my life. And when we make the choice to dare greatly, we sign up to get our asses kicked. We can choose courage, or we can choose comfort, but we can’t have both. Not at the same time.” – Brene Brown

“You’ll never be criticized by someone who is doing more than you. You’ll always be criticized by someone doing less. Remember that.” – Denzel Washington

“The only thing standing between you and your dream is the bullsh** story you keep telling yourself as to why you can’t achieve it.”

Want more?

Don’t forget to follow Dr. Kenney on Instagram @Coloradochiropractor
To see previous Friday 5 Spots, visit www.newbodychiro.com
Check us out on Facebook under New Body Chiropractic

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – July 30th

July 30, 2021 Matt Kenney Friday 5 Spot

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot

On Fridays I like to share some of the experiences I’ve had during the week with patients and in my personal life that I’ve found significant in some way. I like to share them in hopes that you might find value in them and have something resonate with you in your life.

A concept I believe in. Competing in ultramarathons as I do; I am often running and alone with my thoughts for hours at a time (as many as 30 in my longest races). What I’ve learned is that your mind is your biggest strength and your greatest weakness. To maximize strength and minimize weakness, you must avoid negotiating with your own mind.

The reason for this, is that your mind has a built-in protective mechanism. When things get tough or challenging, your mind will do all it can to get you to stop and seek comfort. It will tell you you’ve done enough, it really doesn’t matter, you’re too tired, you could get hurt, etc., but it’s all nonsense. Conversely, if you can use your mind to think positively then you will find yourself pushing past your previous perceived limits and shattering goals you didn’t know you could. Both outcomes are always possible, the biggest variable is your mind. The mind is a tricky thing so be aware that anytime you start doing something hard, your mind will begin trying to convince you to stop. Don’t negotiate with terrorists and that includes your own mind!

Can you get adjusted too much? I suppose this is theoretically possible under the right circumstances though extremely unlikely. Even in chiropractic school when we practiced on one another so often (and weren’t yet good at doing so!) it never became a problem. My receptionists usually ask to be adjusted daily (their choice not mine) and notice excellent improvements as opposed to more sporadic care. When I’ve worked with other chiropractors, I usually received daily adjustments because of the benefits it provides me.

In my experience, when people are getting adjusted even somewhat more frequently, they begin to have less vertebrae that are misaligned and soon need fewer adjustments to maintain a healthy spine. Each individual case is different but well-performed adjustments would be difficult to over-do.

A type of workout I’ve been enjoying. With my two youngest children being 3 and (almost) 1 years of age, I spend a decent amount of time in parks. This week, I’ve been taking them to the parks before 7am when it’s relatively cool outside. As I’m there, I play with them and will work out around them as well for fun. This includes pullups, dips, pushups, abdominal and core exercises, jump squats and more. It’s enjoyable for me, the little ones think it’s funny and mimic what I do. This plants a seed in their young minds that exercise is important and enjoyable while allowing me to exercise with my kiddos in a unique way.

An Interesting observation. I had several random conversations this week that brought about a similar theme. Though the details varied, the essence of each conversation was “I’m really stressed so I’ve been making bad choices physically, mentally and nutritionally.” Each person went on to explain in detail why this was the case.

What interested me was that no one ever says that they’re too stressed to do the right things but often use this as an excuse to do the wrong things. Have you ever heard “I’ve been feeling down so I started exercising and eating better to help myself out”? Likely not. None of us like to feel anxious, stressed, etc., but doing things we know are wrong and that don’t benefit us is certain to only worsen the problem. Things won’t always be perfect but if we’re trying to get through a tough time and we know bad choices will make it even tougher, we should avoid them.

Some quotes I love.

“The worst thing you can do is nothing.” – Terry Pratchett

“I’ve found that the areas that I complain about the most are directly tied to the places where I need firmer boundaries.” – Nedra Glover Tawwab

“Don’t punish yourself for making poor decisions but be relentless on yourself for standing still.” – Tom Bilyeu

“All that matters is how you feel about yourself when you are by yourself.” – Tom Bilyeu

“I always think more of a man who keeps his word and less of a man who doesn’t. Integrity is a simple litmus test and universal principle of trust, credibility, and influence.” – Ryan Michler

Want more?

Don’t forget to follow Dr. Kenney on Instagram @Coloradochiropractor
To see previous Friday 5 Spots, visit www.newbodychiro.com
Check us out on Facebook under New Body Chiropractic

6 Health Tips To Be Thankful For

November 26, 2014 Matt Kenney Blog

In the spirit of Thanksgiving I thought I’d share some tips I’ve learned over the years that I’m thankful for. These tips have made a tremendous difference in my life and the lives of many others I’ve encountered.

1. Spend less on “stuff” and more on experiences. There are only so many things any of us need and often the more we acquire, the less fulfilled we are. I believe like many that spending money on experiences is far more fulfilling and exciting.

2. Simplify. Rather than adding things to our lives, often subtracting things is the key to happiness. This may include ridding ourselves of people that make us feel bad, minimizing bills and/or debt or any number of other possibilities. Eliminating things we no longer need inevitably leads us to better places.

3. Concern yourself only with what you can control. We live in a world with constant struggles, pressures and difficulties. If we focus on too many of them we become overwhelmed, frustrated and often bitter. The best approach is to apply our efforts to the things we can actually control such as in our business and personal lives. This leads to a more positive outlook, confidence and sense of fulfillment.

4. Complain less. Ultimately, complaining is wasted energy and effort. Instead of making excuses or directing blame to others, work on coming up with solutions. Your friends and co-workers will thank you but most importantly, you’ll feel better.

5. Find new challenges. I believe it’s important to continually test yourself in new ways. Sign up for a difficult race, volunteer for a new position, give a presentation or do anything that requires you to step out of your comfort zone. Meeting new challenges raises your confidence and teaches you to become stronger and more effective in everyday life.

6. Do not neglect your health. Ignoring your health such as being inactive, eating poorly or doing nothing about your pain will INEVITABLY end up catch up with you and land you in crisis. Even worse, often times once you’ve reached crisis level you’ll end up with fewer options for correcting your health issues. Become more proactive about exercising, eating better and getting yourself out of pain before it’s too late.

Dr. Kenney has won multiple awards for “Best Chiropractor” and specializes in helping patients achieve their goals of better health and pain relief. For more information please find us on Facebook (New Body Chiropractic & Wellness Center) or call (303) 347-9906.

How to use the 80/20 rule to improve your health!

October 30, 2014 Matt Kenney Blog

One of the things I often mention to my patients to improve their health is to follow the “80/20 rule”. This means is that if you follow healthy fundamentals 80% of the time, then the 20% of the time when you aren’t as strict won’t negatively impact you nearly as much. In other words, it’s a way to make progress while still having flexibility with your decisions. Here are some specific examples:

1. Nutrition. Inevitably when anyone wants to begin eating better they begin thinking of the foods they’ll no longer be able to eat. There’s no reason you have to abandon the treats you enjoy altogether, but you should “earn” them first. Eat well 80% of the time and then take pleasure in the 20% of the time when you’re dying for something decadent or less healthy.

2. Beverages. Bad beverages are essentially liquid calories and a recipe for weight gain, inflammation and poor health. You should make water and healthy beverages your best friend 80% of the time and make alcohol, juices, sugary drinks, artificially sweetened drinks, etc the exception to this rule.

3. Exercise. I am a firm believer that EVERYONE should exercise and that EVERYONE has time to do something to accomplish this, even if it’s only 10 minutes a day. Since there are 52 weeks in a year, if you worked out 80% of those weeks it would equate to 41 weeks. That means in a year you’d theoretically be able to miss 11 weeks (nearly 3 months) and still have exercised 80% of the year. Shoot for this 80% goal at minimum, exercise at least 3 times per week during those weeks and you’ll notice amazing results.

4. Thoughts. Researchers estimate that human beings have anywhere from 50,000 to 70,000 thoughts per day. Unfortunately it is also estimated that for many people, 80% of these thoughts are either negative or self-limiting. The most successful people in athletics, business and life understand the link between positive thoughts and achievement. Make an effort to start thinking more positively about yourself, your life and the people and events around you and you’ll notice a profound difference. As an example, I recently read a book on the extremely difficult Navy SEAL training. Many of the instructors interviewed mentioned that while the program itself is so physically grueling, mental toughness was a much more reliable indicator for success than physical prowess.

5. Relationships. This is not a category most people would apply the 80/20 rule to, but I feel it’s important. All relationships have ups and downs but my opinion is that you need someone that makes you happy and also helps make you better as a person. If you believe your partner provides this for you 80% of the time (or more) than you’re probably with the right person! If however, that’s only the case 20% of the time (or less), than it may be time to make a change. Being with someone that makes you unhappy detracts from every facet of your life. You owe it to yourself to find someone that helps make your life better. This same principle can also apply to friendships.

Dr. Kenney has won multiple awards for “Best Chiropractor” and specializes in helping patients achieve their goals of better health and pain relief. For more information please continue to search our website, find us on Facebook (New Body Chiropractic & Wellness Center) or call (303) 347-9906.

Feeling tired? Try these tips to increase your energy…

September 25, 2014 Matt Kenney Blog

One of the most common symptoms I am asked about by my patients is a lack of energy. Going through life is challenging enough without feeling run down, so here are a few of my tips for increasing your energy.

1. Eat less sugar. When you consume refined sugar (such as in breads, sugary drinks and table sugar) your body must produce large amounts of adrenaline and insulin to remove it from your blood stream. This creates a brief spike in energy followed by a drastic crash. If you reduce your sugar intake you’ll avoid these ups and downs.

2. Exercise more intensely. Any exercise is ultimately good but if you want to really to raise your energy levels, try upping the intensity. Intense exercise provides amazing physiological benefits such as fat burning, endorphin release and much more. Don’t be the person at the gym that reads the paper for 15 minutes while sitting on a machine, be the one that exerts yourself and leaves sweating and you’ll immediately notice you’re more energetic.

3. Don’t skip breakfast. Not eating breakfast is the equivalent of trying to drive your car without gas. Avoiding breakfast has been proven to decrease energy levels throughout the day. You don’t need an elaborate breakfast but you should make time for a yogurt, shake or anything quick and healthy to get your energy levels heading in the right direction.

4. Eat more frequently. Low blood sugar causes immediate and drastic fatigue and is caused when your body goes too long without eating. Select healthy, whole foods like proteins, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, etc and eat them more frequently throughout the day to keep your blood sugar stable and energy constant.

5. Avoid drama. Stressful situations rapidly drain our energy. We are all forced to deal with stressful situations at times but the key is to avoid the self-inflicted variety. If you’re involved in some drama seemingly every day and you have no energy as a result, it may be time to make some changes.

6. Get some holistic help. As a chiropractor I have witnessed thousands of my patients improve their energy dramatically after receiving adjustments. Everyday activities such as prolonged sitting, staring at a computer, poor posture, repetitive motions and more all apply stress to the spine which in turn causes nerve irritation. Re-aligning the spine removes nerve pressure allowing your body to operate more efficiently which leads to increased vitality. In addition to regular chiropractic checkups, I also recommend acupuncture and/or massage which are other natural ways to stimulate your body’s energy.

Are you playing OFFENSE or DEFENSE?

August 19, 2014 Matt Kenney Blog

In honor of the return of my favorite sport, football I am posing the question – are you playing offense or defense with your health?

Offense starts with a definable goal and every action is intended to lead toward the fulfillment of that goal. In terms of health, offense means being proactive. Defense by nature is more reactive. Being defensive with your health usually means waiting for things (usually bad) to happen before taking action. When it comes to health, NOTHING beats a great offense. Below are some of my favorite tips for building a great health offense:

· Regular exercise – if you don’t move it, you lose it
· Healthy nutrition – 80% or more of the time you should be eating healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, healthy fats and proteins and avoiding heavily processed foods and toxic ingredients
· Drink more water and less soda, juice, sugary drinks, alcohol and coffee
· Be more active – get outside to walk, hike or pursue activities that get you moving more
· Get enough sleep – make sure you’re getting 7-8 hours of restful sleep per night
· Spend time with people that motivate you, inspire you and make you happy – your personality is a combination of the 5 people you associate with most often so choose wisely
· Make time for yourself – time to decompress is crucial even if it’s not long
· Pursue only things that seek to build your confidence and eliminate those that don’t – this applies to people, activities, what you read and much more
· Think more positively – try not to dwell on mistakes, complain or focus on potentially negative outcomes
· Seek regular preventative/maintenance checkups to specialists such as chiropractors, acupuncturists, naturopaths and massage therapists – a little prevention helps everyone!

For more information or to schedule appointments please visit www.NewBodyChiro.com, find us on Facebook (New Body Chiropractic & Wellness Center) or call (303) 347-9906.

All posts tagged: healthy eating

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – February 18th

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – July 30th

6 Health Tips To Be Thankful For

How to use the 80/20 rule to improve your health!

Feeling tired? Try these tips to increase your energy…

Are you playing OFFENSE or DEFENSE?

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