Queer Betterment Pros Q & A: Dr. Kelly Quick of Montana

Name: Dr. Kelly Quick

Profession: Professor of Exercise Science

Company: University of Providence of Great Falls, MT

How long have you been helping people become better?

I have been involved in preparing future exercise science professionals for 25 years.

Why is it important for people to focus on themselves and become better?

In the words of poet Mary Oliver, we have, “…one wild and precious life.” I do not believe people are here on Earth to be miserable; my faith instructs me that we’re to have life and have it to the full. But for that to happen, we have to be proactive in our decisions for ourselves to bring these positive attributes to fruition, as much as it depends on us. We have to be our best advocates.

What do you believe are the top 3 things a person can do to be happier?

1. Be okay with making yourself a priority. We can easily get conditioned into a work first mentality or simply find ourselves always putting others’ needs ahead of ourselves. You can’t boil water from an empty kettle; you’ll ruin the kettle. Treating yourself with the dignity you treat others makes you happier and more able to be of service as you’re needed to be of service.
2. Find a spiritual path that works for you. Making a personal spiritual connection helps you to right size everything in your life; it helps you to put everything into a proper perspective and find meaning in everyday life.
3. Find companionship that works for you. We’re not meant to live in isolation, so find your people (or animals!). Be of service to them and let them serve you in your times of need.

What do you think are the top 3 things for a person to do to be healthier?

1. Move. Of course as the Exercise Science professor I’d say at minimum, get 150 minutes of moderate exercise every week from a combination of aerobic exercise and resistance exercise. But really we need to do the daily movements, too. It really does make a difference—walk a little bit every few hours. Stand when you fold laundry. Take the stairs. If you need help, like hiring a personal trainer at a gym, find a reputable one and make that healthy investment to learn what exercise works best for you.
2. Eat and drink correctly. The quantity and quality of what we eat has a significant impact on our health. Eat “close to the earth” when possible—more natural foods with less processing. “Eat the rainbow”—daily consume fruits and vegetables of different colors as this will help to fulfill vitamin and mineral needs with high nutrient dense foods. Drink more water/water-based drinks (like herbal tea) and minimize alcohol intake. If you need help, like hiring a registered dietitian, make that healthy investment to learn what food and drink choices work best for you.
3. Practice mindfulness. Learn how to keep your thinking in the present moment so you don’t obsess about the past or fret about the future, missing what is right in front of you. Mindfulness practices, like yoga, meditation, and/or prayer, significantly reduce stress. Excess stress, especially chronic stress, takes a significant toll on someone’s health and quality of life.

How have you found your core values and stay true to them?

I think my core value is best expressed as, “Living as my authentic self, seeking the authentic God, authentically.” This core value allows me to fully live as my quirky self in a constant state of improvement while I live as best I can seeking God and living out my faith.

There’s a lot packed into that personal mission statement. I stay true because I’ve seen the positive results from living this way.

From your perspective, how can someone start making little steps to be better?

Pick one thing to try and just do it. Pick something small that you really believe you can do, then build to the next small change. Don’t give up when you don’t see results right away; health changes take time to see. These changes will add up, and they will make a difference—science says so!

What advice do you have that they struggle to make time for themselves?

I say go back to making yourself a priority. Literally block out time in your schedule that’s just for you. Boundaries are perfectly ok, and “no” is a complete sentence if you have to say it to others to protect your time. Find someone to partner with, whether it’s a gym buddy or someone else trying a diet change that you can be accountable with. Teamwork makes the dream work!

What are some of the things you do for yourself to be better?

1. I use my gym membership; I love to lift weights! I have a personal trainer for accountability and to have someone make me do the exercises I know are good for me but I won’t do on my own. I lift on my own and do cardio, too. I enjoy the exercise time and the improvements I’ve achieved, and I also enjoy how this investment allows me to enjoy summer vacation activities, live more independently, and keep me healthy.
2. I pay attention to what and how much I eat. I’ve lost a significant amount of weight the past few years, and that’s a direct result of changing how much I eat and what I do eat.
3. I keep myself as spiritually fit as I can be through my personal faith activities and through my involvement in a recovery group.
4. I have a growth mindset—I want to be better. Thus, when I discover that there’s something I need to improve, I do the work to improve. If I need to see my doctor or my therapist, I make that appointment, go to it, and implement what I’ve learned. If my supervisor has feedback, I use it. One can always build a better mousetrap, and that includes everything about myself.

What advice do you have for those that falter or become uninspired?

It’s important to realize that setbacks or lack of umph is normal. These normal occurrences are not the same as failure, and you can do things even if you don’t feel like it. Our feelings don’t always have our best interests in mind, so it’s important to always remember your reason for doing an activity, and it’s important to remember that you’ll feel better for making the healthy choice. Having the ability to delay gratification is a great way to get past setbacks or meh feelings.

Any other tips or advice for our readers about how to work on being holistically a better person?

It’s so very important to know your wellness journey is unique to you, and you are worth investing in yourself. Find reputable assistance—there are a lot of people out there, especially on social media, vying for your attention (and money!) with tips, tricks, and plans that promise a lot of things. There’s real science behind getting healthy, and these evidence-based practices are the safest and most successful ways to go for achieving your goals, so find someone who knows and practices them, and get started!