What if tomorrow...

A few years ago, I was asked a question that really made me think. 

I was asked, "What if tomorrow, you woke up with only what you thanked God for today?" 

Wow.

Like I said; it really made me think. Being asked that question not only forced me to reflect on how much I actively take time to appreciate what I have, but it also caused me to develop the habit of taking time each day to directly state what I'm thankful for (regardless of your faith or beliefs, I would argue that doing this each day is something everyone can strive to do).

This morning I woke up and began my regular routine of reflecting on all I was thankful for, and I realized that, WOW, Dr. Redenius and I have SO much to be thankful for today!

We want to thank EVERYONE who has had any part of getting Lake City 24 Hour Fitness open. We are humbled and overwhelmed by the amount of people we had visit us at the open house on Saturday. Thank you to the community for supporting us. Thank you to our families for all you have done (words can't say how thankful we are for you). And thank you to Lore, Ashley, Haley, and Melissa-- we are SO happy you are a part of our team! At the bottom of this blog, you can see some pictures from the open house in case you missed it. Also, in case you missed it, the fitness center opens to members July 1st, and Redenius Chiropractic will open in August. 

As I was going through my morning habit of reflecting on all I am thankful for, I realized how much other individuals might benefit from practicing this same routine. What would happen if you woke up every morning, and realized how thankful you are for just being you? No matter how "imperfect" you may think you are; imagine how your view of your life might change if you woke up and reflected on how much you do have to be thankful for, right at that very moment. 

Currently, we are going through this incredible cultural shift where individuals are focusing more on their overall health and wellness. While Dr. Redenius and I could not be more excited about this shift, we also realize that too often, individuals are so unhappy with their current state of being that they want to become 100% healthy and well over night. With this, when a change in appearance or health does not happen immediately, individuals become discouraged. 

We hope that opening this fitness center will allow our community members to make lifestyle changes that will allow for health and wellness to occur gradually, and at a rate that a person can maintain for a lifetime. Saint Francis De Sales once said, "Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections, but instantly set about remedying them--every day begin the task anew."  We hope that individuals who seek out health care from Dr. Redenius or individuals who join our fitness center approach their goals in this way. We are SO excited to have so many people interested in becoming better versions of themselves, but we also strongly urge each person to have patience with their goals. Start each day reminding yourself what your goal is, and remember that it is not logical to expect dramatic changes over night. Dr. Redenius and I along with our team will be there to help you along the way.

Hopefully I have encouraged you all to take time each day to reflect on all that you are thankful for, starting with being thankful for who and what you are right in this moment of time. Even if you are discouraged with what you believe to be an "imperfection," if you do as Saint Francis De Sales urges you to do, and start each day working to get better, then you are on the right track. If you are patient, success will come. We encourage those who did not sign up to use the fitness center to really think about how it could help you become a better version of yourself. Imagine what would happen if you decided to say YES to putting forth the effort to becoming a better version of yourself when the fitness center opens on July 1st. There is room there for EVERYONE of all ages and ability levels. We strategically purchased equipment for all ability levels, and we brought in a team that will work relentlessly to help you reach your goals. 

Thank you again SO much for all the love and support. We are so lucky to be in a community who has so many individuals striving to reach their goals. Dr. Redenius and I will be at the building from 9-5 Monday-Friday each week in case you missed the open house and still want to sign up!

Now, for those of you who missed it, here are some pictures from the open house! And just like last week, we will be giving away a FREE prize this week! All you need to do is “Like” the Redenius Chiropractic official Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/redeniuschiropractic/?fref=ts/) and SHARE this blog post to your own page by Thursday, June 30, 2016! The giveaway is open to USA residents only.  This week, we will be giving away one of the door prizes from the open house...just in case you were not already a winner or you missed it! 

Have a great week!

Dr. Jeff and Jenny Redenius

Meet our Team!

We have an exciting week ahead of us! 
The open house for Lake City 24 Hour Fitness is almost here!

This week in our blog, we'd like to introduce you to our Redenius Chiropractic and Lake City 24 Hour Fitness team. All of us are so excited to bring health and wellness to our community. We look forward to personally meeting you and seeing you at our open house! Before the team is introduced below, here is just another reminder of some information regarding the open house next weekend: 

When: June 25th at 2:00 PM (Or directly following the parade) until 4:00 PM

Where: 119 East Main Street in Lake City

What: Come tour the facility and sign up for your membership! Individuals who sign up at the Open House will have their activation fee waived. We will also have door prizes!

And here is our team!

Dr. Jeff and Jenny Redenius

Photo by Dan Phillips Photography

As stated in our very first blog post, Dr. Redenius is originally from Lake City. After completing his undergraduate education at Central College, earning his degree in Athletic Training, he continued his education at Palmer College in Davenport where he earned his Doctor of Chiropractic. Dr. Redenius specializes in a variety of chiropractic techniques. You can find out more about what he offers on his website www.lakecitychiro.com. In addition to chiropractic care, he will also offer sports and DOT physicals as well as a variety of therapeutic modalities. In addition to this, Dr. Redenius will offer nutritional counseling. He will begin seeing patients tentatively on August 1, 2016. At the fitness center, he will be providing weekly "walk throughs," FREE of charge. During these sessions, he will show individuals how to use each piece of equipment in the fitness center. He will also offer, free, informative discussion evenings. The first one will be about nutrition on Monday, July 18th at 7:30 PM (more information to come on this).

Jenny Redenius is originally from Hudson, Iowa. She is an Instructional Coach for Glidden-Ralston and Paton-Churdan schools. She also teaches Educational Psychology at Iowa Central Community College. She enjoys running marathons, hiking, biking, HIIT exercises, and a variety of other workouts. She will be teaching a low-impact aerobics class on Tuesday's from 12:00 PM-12:45 PM throughout the summer starting July 5th. It costs $5.00/class (punchcards are available). 

Dr. Redenius and Jenny have been married for three years this July, and in their free time, really enjoy being outside and being with family and friends. They are both avid users of Juice Plus (find out more information here or send an e-mail to lakecity24hourfitness@gmail.com), and they both believe good health starts with good nutrition. They are so excited to open the businesses this summer!

Ashley Duncan

Ashley Duncan is originally from Lake City and lives with her husband, Derek. They have five daughters between them. She is a nurse at SMCH and also teaches 1st and 2nd year nursing clinicals for Iowa Central students. Ashley first got into weight training in 8th grade and has loved it since. Throughout the last 15 years, she has done multiple fitness programs of all varieties, but she enjoys weights most of all. She currently teaches PIYO (pilates/yoga) and TurboKick (dance/kickboxing) in Carroll and in Lake City. She plans to get certified to in Insanity (HIIT) in the future. She is excited for a fitness facility to, "...finally come to Lake City! This can benefit so many people of all ages and current fitness levels." She is currently planning on teaching classes on Monday (PIYO/Turbo) and Wednesday (Turbo) mornings at 6 AM. You can start any time, and it costs $5.00/class (punchcards are available). The current schedule will run through July 20, 2016. 

Lore Hucka

Lore Hucka lives in Lake City and is excited to be a part of the Lake City 24 Hour Fitness team. She has been married to her husband, Kyle, since 2007, and they have six children. They have been foster parents to many children throughout the years. Lore started looking into fitness when she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). When she was diagnosed, she started really looking into nutrition and exercise as opposed to medication to help her autoimmune disease. Since then, nutrition and exercise has kept her off medication. A few years ago, she saw an infomercial for Zumba on TV, but she could not find a class in the area. She decided to get certified to teach the class herself. She has been teaching Zumba now for three years. She is also certified in TurboKick and is currently getting certified to teach a fun, new class called POUND! She will be offering Zumba and TurboKick classes after the fitness center opens in July. It will cost $5.00/class (punchcards are available). 

Melissa Schleisman

Melissa is a very busy mom to seven children, some grown, some still at home. She is also a busy grandma as well. She has always had a passion for health and exercise. She really enjoys helping people and watching their excitement when they see changes in themselves or realize how much better they feel. She also really enjoys helping people become healthier versions of themselves. In the near future, she will be offering personal training and a cardio sculpt class. 

Haley Abbott

Haley is a licensed massage therapist who will be working with Redenius Chiropractic. She is originally from Texas, but now she lives in Rockwell City with her husband, Pastor Paul, and her daughter, Daisy. She has ten years of experience and has been working in Carroll. Haley specializes in Swedish Massage, Deep Tissue Massage, and Myofascial Release. She will begin seeing clients in Lake City when Redenius Chiropractic opens in August. 


We look forward to seeing everyone this coming weekend at our open house! Just like last week, we will be giving away a FREE prize this week! All you need to do is “Like” the Redenius Chiropractic official Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/redeniuschiropractic/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel) and SHARE this blog post to your own page by Thursday, June 23, 2016! The giveaway is open to USA residents only. 

This week, we will be giving away a couple of movie passes to the Lake City Capri Theatre!

Have a great week!

Dr. Jeff and Jenny Redenius

Top Six Events coming to Redenius Chiropractic and Lake City 24 Hour Fitness!

Cue the song lyrics "School's Out" by Alice Cooper.

Summer has arrived!

Now that school is out and summer is here, we'd like to share our "Top Six" Redenius Chiropractic PLC and Lake City 24 Hour Fitness LLC events coming your way this summer!  Mark these events on your summer calendar!

*Event: Summer Walking Program Group Walks

• Date: Every Monday starting June 6th
• Time: 7:00 PM-7:30ish PM
• Where: 119 East Main Street in Lake City
• Details: The group walks will take place every Monday evening throughout the summer. We will walk for roughly a half hour. We can break into groups if members want to walk faster or slower. Come to socialize and have fun while getting a little exercise in!

*Event: Fitness Equipment being moved into the building!

• Date: June 8th-June 14th
• Details: Throughout the weeks of June 8th-June 14th, SEMI's filled with fitness equipment will be arriving at Lake City 24 Hour Fitness! Dr. Redenius has his hands full with coordinating the move of all of this state-of-the-art equipment from the Quad Cities to Lake City. Young men that are capable of heavy lifting are certainly welcome to help unload the trailers full of equipment! If you'd like to help, shoot us an e-mail or phone call!

*Event: Lake City 24 Hour Fitness OPEN HOUSE!

• Date: Saturday, June 25th
• Time: 2:00 PM (or right after the Western Days Parade) until 4:00 PM
• Where: 119 East Main Street in Lake City
• Details: Come check out the new fitness center and see what we have to offer! You will be able to tour the facility, find out more information on summer group classes, and sign up for your membership!
• More Information: For more information on the fitness center and the summer group classes being offered, visit our website at: https://sites.google.com/site/lakecity24hourfitness/

*Event: All About Nutrition Discussion with Dr. Redenius

• Date: Monday, July 11th
• Time: 7:30 PM 
• Where: 119 East Main Street in Lake City
• Details: Dr. Redenius will be giving a FREE informational discussion on nutrition. The presentation portion of the evening will last around a half hour, and he will be around to answer any questions after the presentation. Come to learn how what you eat and drink impacts your health. He will share information on what to eat, when to eat, and how to prepare food/drinks in order to benefit your health in the best way possible. Improving your overall well-being starts with what you put in your mouth each day. Come to learn a little bit more about nutrition and how it can impact your every day life. 

*Grand Opening Open House for Redenius Chiropractic PLC!

• Date: Tuesday, July 26th (Tentatively)
• Time: 4:30 PM-6:30 PM 
• Where: 119 East Main Street in Lake City
• Details: Come to a pre-opening open house for Redenius Chiropractic, PLC! Tour the facility and set up your first appointment if needed! Dr. Redenius will tentatively start seeing patients on August 1st. 
• More Information: For more information on Redenius Chiropractic PLC, visit: www.lakecitychiro.com

*Event: "Why Chiropractic?" Discussion with Dr. Redenius

• Date: Monday, August 8th
• Time: 7:30 PM
• Where: 119 East Main Street in Lake City
• Details: Why should you see a chiropractor, and what can chiropractic do for you? Dr. Redenius will give a FREE short, 30 minute presentation on what he offers and how it can benefit you and your health. Come to learn more about all that the low cost health care he can provide to you and your family! Refreshments will be served. 

Just like last week, we will be giving away a FREE prize this week! All you need to do is “Like” the Redenius Chiropractic official Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/redeniuschiropractic/?fref=ts/) and SHARE this blog post to your own page by Thursday, June 9 2016! The giveaway is open to USA residents only. 

As we stated last week, PLANNING, is key to good health and good nutrition. This week, we will be giving away a FREE Juice Plus planning calendar that will help you and your family plan out meals and times for exercise. Even if you do not incorporate Juice Plus into your diet, the planner is a great way to plan ahead meals and exercise!

Have a great week!

Dr. Jeff and Jenny Redenius

You are What you Eat!

A recent study found that 52% of Americans believed that doing their taxes was easier than figuring out how to eat healthy.

When Dr. Redenius and I read that statistic awhile ago, we were shocked. At first, it was hard to wrap our minds around the fact that Americans don't realize that eating healthy is pretty simple. Not only is it easy to eat healthy, it is critical to our well-being. For example, did you know that an NIH study found that obesity may lower your life expectancy by14 years? Or, did you know that simply incorporating fish into your diet one time a week can increase your life expectancy 14 years? As we began to think more about why people find it hard to eat healthy, we realized that this is most likely due to two things:

1) Many people don't know how to define the term "healthy"

2) The dominate culture we live in does not promote healthy eating

Let's address number one first. Many people just do not know how to define "healthy." In our culture, what is visually "appealing" is highly dependent on cultural norms. Without going too far into cultural-examination, I am sure we can all agree that males and females (especially the younger generation) look to magazines, television, etc. to see what "healthy" is. If you take a look back in history, what was deemed "attractive" is highly dependent on the pop culture of the decade you are examining. On top of that, what foods are considered "healthy" is also dependent on culture. Diet trends and "healthy" eating options come and go as quickly as our perception of the term "attractive."

The phrase "healthy" has so many different components to it: sleep, exercise, nutrition, cellular health, etc. Since we are focusing this post on eating healthy, we will just focus on the nutritional component of what it means to eat "healthy."

And this is where we transition to number two: our culture does not promote healthy eating.

Wanting to meet up with friends? You probably plan your meeting around grabbing lunch or dinner.
A sports banquet at school? Not complete without food!
Someone moves in next door? The neighborly act is to bring them a plate of cookies.

Our culture loves food (myself included).

However, there is a fundamental flaw in the way our culture approaches the act of eating. In no way am I professing to know everything about diet and nutrition, but while Dr. Redenius was in graduate school receiving hours and hours of instruction on nutrition, I learned a little bit with him along the way. Here are just a few of the "flaws" that I discovered:

• In our culture, a mixture of Snickers candy, grapes, whip cream, etc. is considered a "salad."

• In our culture, meals generally revolve around a red meat and a starch.
• In our culture, we tend to drink flavored beverages more than we drink water.
• In our culture, when we exercise for 20-30 minutes, we often times think we deserve a brownie because we "burned off all those calories."
• In our culture, we tend to think that all calories are treated the same, and something with "no calories" in it or something that is "fat free" is better for you.

My list of general "flaws" could go on and on.

Up until a few years ago, I fell into the category of people who tended to think that all calories were treated the same and that as long as it fit in a bowl, it could be considered a salad.

And then I realized how wrong I was.

Here are just a few key points I learned that may help some individuals find it easier to eat healthy:

1) No matter how hard you try, you cannot out-exercise a bad diet.

This a concept that many of us do not understand. No, running (even running a marathon) will not undo a bad diet. You are what you eat. Many people have heard the phrase, "ab muscles are made in the kitchen," and this is true. While genetics, exercise, etc. do have a very small impact on your appearance, food plays the largest role. Portion control and eating the right foods is just as important for someone who exercises.

2) As Bill Phillips once said, "Food is the most abused anxiety drug and exercise is the most underutilized antidepressant."

What do we do when we are stressed, tired, worried, or sad? Many of us eat.
Got a breakup? Bring over the Ben and Jerry's!
Bored? Let's grab some chips while we watch Netflix!

It becomes difficult to eat healthy when we feed ourselves based off emotion and not off physical necessity.  As a culture, we have got to re-wire our brains to not turn to food every time we feel an emotion, and in addition to this, we have to learn how much exercise improves mental health. I can go on and on about the benefits of exercise on mental health, but I will save that for another day. Yes sometimes comfort food is necessary--sometimes you do just need one of Mom's cookies. However, next time you are feeling sad or stressed and you reach for the bag of chips, ask yourself if you are eating because you feel sad or bored or because you want to fuel your body.

3) Vegetables, Vegetables, Vegetables (and fruits)!

A few years ago, I discovered the wonderful world of the Farmer's Market. Oh my, what a wonderful discovery that was! There were so many new, fresh fruits and vegetables I had not experienced before. So few American's actually eat the amount of fruits and vegetables they need in order to give their bodies the nutrients they need. Many people think they get enough, but very few actually do. This section on the need to eat a whole-food, plant-based diet that includes LOTS of fruits and vegetables could go on and on and on, so I will leave it at this: eat more fruits and vegetables! If you are a person who does not like vegetables or does not know how to cook them, send Dr. Redenius an e-mail asking about Juice Plus. This AWESOME product he is incorporating into his practice is researched-based and is an all natural, whole-food approach to incorporating fruits and vegetables into your diet. With Juice Plus, you get nutrients from over 30 fruits/veggies in the form of a capsule or chewy. In addition to this, Juice Plus has a T-120 program that includes all natural protien-rich nutritional shakes. The research behind Juice Plus is amazing, and even better--if an adult goes on the T-120 program; their kids get the fruit/veggie capsules for FREE! If you'd like more information on Juice Plus, send an e-mail to lakecity24hourfitness@gmail.com.

4) I need to plan ahead in order to eat the right foods at the right time!

What do we do when we don't have time to make a healthy meal? We go to a fast food window, grab a "healthy' granola bar, or eat whatever we see first. And what happens when we don't plan a meal ahead, thus are left without food and come home starving? We grab whatever is in front of us and eat and eat and eat. This is a problem. So many eating issues would be resolved if we all just planned ahead. It is easier to eat the right foods at the right time if they are readily available. Challenge yourself to plan just one week of healthy meals and snacks in advance and just see how much easier it is to maintain a healthy diet when healthy options are at your fingertips.

5) It's okay to have a cookie.

I also realized that it is not practical to have a lifestyle where you have to eat healthy 100% of the time. Certain social situations may require you to  enjoy a cookie or an unhealthy meal. Sometimes, you do just need to treat yourself. Whether you want to follow the 80/20 or 90/10 rule, the principle is the same: treating yourself is okay. Just do it in moderation. And do not let one bad meal ruin your whole day. Don't be the person that says, "Well I ate a cookie, so now my eating healthy is shot, so I might as well eat this taco salad and this bag of chips." Learn to treat yourself in the right way!

These are just a few nutritional tips that Dr. Redenius and I feel strongly about. For those of you who seek more information on nutrition, Dr. Redenius will be offering 30 minute long nutritional education nights starting in a few weeks! Even better, it is FREE to come hear what he has to say! So much of eating "healthy" is getting past cultural norms and knowing what to eat and when to eat it. Eating healthy is easy if you take some time to learn how.

Consider joining him to learn more specifics about what to eat; when to eat; how food changes your body and mood; etc. Once Dr. Redenius opens his clinic,  he will also be able to sit down with you one-on-one to help explain nutrition to you in more detail if you are looking for some help. Remember, you are what you eat!

Just like last week, we will be giving away a FREE prize this week! All you need to do is “Like” the Redenius Chiropractic official Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/redeniuschiropractic/) and SHARE this blog post to your own page by Thursday, June 2 2016! The giveaway is open to USA residents only. 

This week, we will be giving away a Drink This, Not That book that is filled with information on healthier eating options for you!

Also--here are some sneak peek pictures of what is happening inside the walls of Redenius Chiropractic and Lake City 24 Hour Fitness! Within the next three weeks we will be getting new flooring in the fitness center, SEMI loads of fitness equipment in the fitness center, and the rooms will be finished at Redenius Chiropractic! 

Check out the bright new paint color  and trim in the fitness center! Also- those three brown (matching chairs) were a great find for the clinic waiting room. Does anyone have a fourth matching one we can buy!? :-) 

The ceiling has been lowered, walls have been built, and dry wall is almost all installed in Redenius Chiropractic!

Here is a shot of the new wall that divides the lifting area from the fitness class area of the fitness center. The cardio room will be in the back section of the building. The fitness class area will be able to fit at least 15 participants with plenty of room.

Have a great week! 

Dr. Jeff and Jenny Redenius

Dr. Redenius had to laugh one day when a visitor asked him, "Who is the carpenter?" Jeff answered, "Me." The visitor then asked, "Well who is the chiropractor?" After laughing, Jeff replied with, "You are looking at him!" This is Jeff working on the entry way of the building. He just finished installing a speaker system and our 24 hour security camera system.

The Watering Can

You may have read the title of this post and questioned how a watering can could possibly relate at all to health and wellness. Well, read on. I promise that the connection will be made.

When Dr. Redenius and I first began to think about where he should practice upon graduation from Palmer, we threw around all kinds of ideas. The one place we kept going back to, though, was Lake City, his hometown. Not being from this area, I was hesitant to agree to making the move back to Lake City. It was not that I did not like Lake City; I always loved visiting the area. A move to Lake City, though, would mean considerably downsizing the size of town I would be living in, and on top of that, I would be two hours away from my own family and all of my friends. He promised me, though, that once I got here, I would be glad we made the move.

As one might expect, once our decision was made vocal, everyone had an opinion on our decision to open a 24 hour fitness center and Redenius Chiropractic back in Lake City. Many people questioned why we didn't take the chance to go "explore new lands" while we were young and unattached to anywhere. A handful of my friends and acquaintances thought I was nuts (for lack of a better term). They commonly asked questions like: Is there anything to do there?! Or, Are you sure this is what you want? My personal favorite was, How could you submit yourself to living that far from Starbucks?! They, as one would assume, were just concerned about our overall happiness.

At first, I was unsure how to really respond to all of these questions. I was constantly finding myself comparing our situation to that of my peers, and as a result, I didn't really know the right answer to their questions. Normally, I'd smile and laugh it off with them, saying things like, Oh, I will survive. However, now I realize, how wrong I was to answer their questions in that way. 

......And this is where the watering can comes in!

If I have learned anything throughout the process of putting Dr. Redenius through graduate school, moving to many different teaching positions, and finally ending up in Lake City, I have learned that (as one of my favorite authors, Jane Green, once said):

"The grass is not greener on the other side. The grass is greener where you water it."

Perhaps a better way for me to have responded to people who question why we chose Lake City and why we are happy and excited about being in here would be that we are happy because we want  to be. Dr. Redenius and I have a vested interest in making this place even greater than it already is. We are happy because we spend hours and hours each week "watering our grass."

I have come to find that when we constantly compare ourselves to those around us, we lose sight of the opportunities and positive aspects of our lives that are right in front of us. When you take the time to water your own lawn; the grass on the other side becomes less appealing. When you stop wishing for what you are "missing out on," you begin to realize how much you really have.

So, I challenge everyone this week to improve their mental health by reflecting on how green their own grass is. My Aunt Jackie once told me that, "A flower doesn't compare itself to other flowers; it just blooms." Consider that thought, and think about how much effort you put into making your own day-to-day life the best that it can be, and I assure you that you will realize that your grass, too, is a vibrant shade of green. And, what better way to reflect on our own lives than while taking a nice walk (another shameless advertisement for the summer walking program :-))?

Dr. Redenius and I are looking forward to making Lake City a place where younger families like our own want to move back to. We want to help everyone, new community members and lifelong residents, realize how much is already in this community and how much potential our community has to grow and thrive. This is why are are so excited to open up Redenius Chiropractic and Lake City 24 Hour Fitness Center this summer. 

Our hope is to encourage community members to realize how green their own grass is, and the first step to doing that is taking control of ones physical and mental well-being. 

Just like last week, we will be giving away a FREE prize this week! All you need to do is “Like” the Redenius Chiropractic official Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/redeniuschiropractic/) and SHARE this blog post to your own page by Thursday, May 26 2016! The giveaway is open to USA residents only. 

This week, we will be giving away a beautiful outdoor plant. Why? To remind you that the grass is not greener on the other side. The grass is greener where you take the time to water it.

Have a great week! 

Dr. Jeff and Jenny Redenius

One Simple Change.

This week, we'd like to pose a simple challenge for you.

Try to make one change.

After reading multiple different research studies, I have found that in general, it takes an individual anywhere from 20-120 days to break a habit or form a new one.

Keeping this in mind, Dr. Redenius and I would like to challenge you all to make just one change in your life, and for the next 20 days, promise yourself that you will stick to it (if you feel ambitious, go for the full 120)!

What changes are we talking about?

We want you to focus on just one change that will improve your mental, physical, or spiritual health. For example, you might want to try to rid your diet of soda for 20 days. Perhaps you want to try giving up smoking. You could try to incorporate 30 minutes of exercise into your daily routine (shout out for the summer walking program!). Maybe you want to take 20 minutes each day for the next 20 days to focus on improving your spiritual health by reading a devotional or writing in a journal.

The choice is yours, but make sure you choose something you can stick with for 20 days. Can you try to make more than one habitual change in the next 20 days? Sure, but research (and me personally) have found that focusing on just one change at a time brings much more positive results. Do not try to totally change diet, exercise, and spiritual life, all while giving up smoking, all in the same 20 days. Instead, focus your mental strength on overcoming just one or two bad habits.

You can do anything for 20 days, right?

What Dr. Redenius and I hope to inspire community members to embrace are lifestyle changes. We will not and do not promote "quick fixes" for habitual problems. Do "jump starts" work, and are they effective? Of course! They are definitely worthwhile for individuals who need a sort of jump start or a cleanse to get going. We want to encourage community members, though, to make a shift in mindset-- make a lifestyle change -- that continues on past a jump start. Lifestyle changes require baby steps, mental strength, and an overall shift thinking.  By encouraging you to take a baby step to make one, smaller change, we hope to inspire community members to continually strive to improve other areas of their life as well.

If I learned anything throughout my experiences of running marathons, it is that a mental strength has much more power than physical strength. You arm does not raise unless your mind wills it. You do not eat unless your mind wills you to pick up the fork and put it in your mouth. You give up on something when your mind wills you to do so. For the next 20 days, focus on improving your mental will-power. You can do anything you want when you focus your mind right.

It is simple: just do not give yourself the option to give up for the next 20 days.

Make a promise to yourself that you will try to make one, simple change for the next 20 days. Just do it. And if you need some positive reinforcement, call Dr. Redenius or me, and we will encourage you! Accountability is key, so do not be afraid to reach out to us or share out what your personal change is. Getting encouragement from others will help you along the way.

So, what is your one change?

Just like last week, we will be giving away a FREE prize this week! All you need to do is “Like” the Redenius Chiropractic official Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/redeniuschiropractic/) and SHARE this blog post to your own page by Thursday, May 19 2016! The giveaway is open to USA residents only. This week, the FREE prize will be a cookbook that is filled with healthier eating options! Good luck!

Have a great week!

Dr. Jeff and Jenny Redenius