My Parkinson’s Story

by Bob Wilson

Discover compassionate self-care as I get help!

Video and interview by Charlotte Juarez

I share the process of “cultivatinig heath as you consume a diet of self-love”!

Earlier in my life I lost 240 pounds and have kept it off for 50 years. I found that success at losing weight and keeping it off require learning a series of new skills. I found some of the same skills also help me manage my Parkinson’s! I’ve had Parkinson’s for over six years.

Practicing self-love, compassion, and acceptance allowed me to ask for help. I need a life and medical team: My primary care MD, neurologist, Parkinson’s PT and regular physical therapist, occupational therapist, complementary therapies, lifestyle coach and/or mental health professional, spiritual help, and Parkinson’s educational resources. Holy petunias!

Self-care also involves making great tasting, healthful eating a priority and finding time for consistent enjoyable physical activity. I began to feel the power to celebrate the inner strength and sense of well-being that come from allowing my body to experience the joy of movement and healthful good tasting foods. I make these things a priority.

Another KEY was to learn the skills for emotional nurturing. These skills helped me transform emotional eating and low self-esteem, discouragement and fear. I learned to celebrate my life! I became a compassionate and loving friend — to me! To help me do this I needed counseling and support groups. They were invaluable!

The result of my practicing all of these skills was to help the quality of my life to improve, and my symptoms were greatly lessened. Yeah whoopee! Cultivating life-long vitality: Learning and practicing all these skills has brought to me friskiness and well-being throughout all of the seasons of my life. Parkinson’s is managed, not cured. It’s an ongoing investment in me. Making the investment in myself has paid rich dividends! Hugs and love-Bob

Check out Facebook for expanded ideas and to see lovely color posters: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.175705648998.123859.175694603998

Gratefulness Embraces Parkinson’s

Grateful: A song of love to the world! https://www.karmatube.org/videos.php?id=4460

Fatigue in Parkinson’s: For me this last year this has been my most challenging symptom. Explore here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei_k6xUdxBA (Location of video at 46 minutes discusses treatment of fatigue.)

FREE practical E-book by DR Friedman: A free BrieF Guide To Parkinson’s Disease for Patients and Family with video illustrations (Does explore fatigue): https://play.google.com/store/books/details/A_Free_Brief_Guide_to_Parkinson_s_Disease_for_Pati?id=DpnODwAAQBAJ&hl=en_US&gl=US&pli=1

Use an App to track your PD symptoms progression and reversal over time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0EUGrB-G2Y (Search for Parkinson’s Symptom Tracker Pro-PD-Report on Apple- https://pd-symptoms.com/ ) Generates a PDF file that you can share with MD. See video on “What do successful people do to slow down PD progression? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdpfNnnAzKI

When life gives you Parkinson’s-the possible value of light therapy in PD: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCauYDFWNVI

SYMBYX BIOME light therapy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rubtUl_FDt4

I LEARNED NEW SKILLS TO HELP ME TRANSFORM AND MAINTAIN MY LIFE:

Bob’s website: www.balancedweightmanagement.com

Bob’s BLOG: www.nutribob.wordress.com

Your life is your garden. Over time, what you plant is what you get.

Daily Tune-Up!

Small Baby Steps Lead To Success!

Mindfulness-Meditation-Slowing Down-Eat with Awareness-Check In.pdf

Managing the Emotional Pain of Chronic Illness

CELEBRATE STEPS TO VIBRANT AGING SLIDE SHOW.pdf

Can I Change? How?

Begin to Change? How?

Help! I’m movin’ too fast! I need to slow down.

Socio-Ecological Model

21 Steps to Aging Successfully

Be Your Own Medical Advocate

12 Essential Skills

Delicious Quick Meals

CELEBRATE Healthful Eating!

2019 SACRED EATING WORKSHOP-CHOZEN BAYS.pdf

Getting to Know Your Stress and How to Management It

How to Deal With Crisis!

Paint Your Life with Creativity!

Self-punishing Inner Voice

Emotional—Spiritual Tune-up

Learning Healthy Mental Skills

Mental Nutrients: What To Say To Yourself

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy – how it can help

Lessons in Life

Develop Your Own Loving Inner Voice!

Nourishing Affirmations!

How to Develop a Loving Relationship with You

Loving-Kindness: Learn to Befriend Ourselves and Others

Gratitude List

Meditation-Why And How It Works

The Power Of Fun!

Exercising with Health Challenges

The Anatomy Of Persistance-How To Keep Going!

Parkinson’s Many Varied Exercises on line: https://www.dailydosepd.com/ Free trial. By a PT who specializes for PD

Self-Nurturing Restorative Box

Coping With Caregiving- A Caregiver’s Guide

Do You Experience Overwhelming Circumstances?

Therapeutic Help for the Journey

How to Keep Motivated

Your Maintenance Schedule

BEFORE YOU CONSIDER TAKING MEDICINE FOR PARKONSON’S–YOU MIGHT CONSIDER:

Alternative Parkinson’s Asian management: https://pdrecovery.org/ and https://pdrecovery.org/welcome-continued/

Parkinson’s Recovery Project: Stuck on Pause is provided here for free download. Download “Stuck on Pause” PDF.

Youtube Video

Please see above–very insightful and informative! Click on YouTube video link to see video.

TREATMENTS FOR PARKINSON’S:

2023-treatments-for-parkinsons Download

Small Baby Steps Lead to Success. YES, I Can Change!

Jan17

Whether you believe you CAN, or you believe you CAN’T, you’re right!

Many people can feel defeated and unsure they will be able to make lasting changes in their lifestyle because they haven’t been successful in the past. They hold their PAST unsuccessful history against themselves.

To change our INNER VISION and self-perception, it is really helpful to try out “baby steps” of new lifestyle options. Focus on an area that you want to change, explore resources, come up with a PLAN for change and try it out.

BELIEVE that you CAN do it! IMAGINE that you CAN succeed! VISUALIZE that this IS possible for you to accomplish. Belief, imagination, and visualization strengthen the actuality of your achieving lasting change.

Take action! If you have not been successful before, you CAN BE this time! Seize the Moment.

A National Weight Control Registry survey found that 91% of people who were ULTIMATELY successful at losing weight and KEEPING IT OFF had tried numerous times before they finally figured out a strategy that worked for them. I found that this was also true for me with my weight loss and also my FINALLY stopping use of alcohol and drugs.

You can BEGIN in any area of your life that you want to.

The steps that you select should be FUN and enjoyable! Self-care does not have to be torture. You can learn to celebrate a healthful lifestyle! In fact, making FUN your focus will insure that your new patterns naturally become your new way you create your life.

Skip off to visit:

CELEBRATE Healthful Eating! Yum! Make It FUN. Make It Colorful!
Bob’s Healthy Kitchen and Pantry, What’s In It?
CELEBRATING The Simple Joys Of Life!
The Power of Fun: Celebrate Enjoyable Ways To Be Active!
Frolic in Nature
Ideas for Self-Nurturing
An Alphabetical Guide to Zestful Living
Shine The Light of Self-Care on Yourself to Transform Inner Pain! for ideas of how to begin.
Develop Financial Baby Steps with Dave Ramsey

We find our way one step at a time.

For a printable PDF version: Small Baby Steps Lead to Success.pdf

Here are some examples: Take Small Steps Today!

1. Walk to work (at least part way); or park in the far-away parking spot.
2. Use fat free milk over whole milk.
3. Do sit-ups in front of the TV (during commercials).
4. Walk during lunch hour–at least for 10 minutes!
5. Drink water before a meal.
6. Eat leaner red meat & poultry.
7. Eat half your dessert.
8. Walk instead of driving whenever you can.
9. Take family walk after dinner.
10. Skate to work instead of driving.
11. Avoid food portions larger than your fist.
12. Mow lawn with push mower.
13. Increase the fiber in your diet (see my article).
14. Walk to your place of worship instead of driving.
15. Walk kids to school.
16. Get a dog and walk it around your neighborhood or in a nearby park.

17. Join an exercise group.
18. Drink diet soda (or just water!).
19. Replace Sunday drive with Sunday walk.
20. Do yard work.
21. Eat off smaller plates and use smaller glasses.
22. Get off a stop early & walk.
23. Don’t eat late at night.
24. Skip seconds.
25. Work around the house.
26. Skip buffets.
27. Grill, steam or bake instead of frying.
28. Bicycle to the store instead of driving.
29. Take dog to the park.
30. Ask your doctor about taking a multi-vitamin and mineral supplement.
31. Go for a half-hour walk instead of watching TV.
32. Use vegetable oils over solid fats.
33. eat more carrots, less cake.
34. Fetch the newspaper yourself.
35. Sit up straight at work and stretch once each half hour.
36. Wash the car by hand.
37. Don’t skip meals and have healthier snacks.
38. Eat more celery sticks.
39. Run or walk faster when running errands.
40. Pace the sidelines at kids’ athletic games.
41. Take wheels off luggage.
42. Choose an activity that fits into your daily life.
43. Park further from the store and walk.
44. Ask a friend to exercise with you.
45. Make time in your day for physical activity (even 5 minutes!).
46. Exercise with a video if the weather is bad.
47. Bike to the barbershop or beauty salon instead of driving.
48. Keep to a regular eating schedule.
49. If you find it difficult to be active after work, try it before work.
50. Take a walk or do desk exercises instead of a cigarette or coffee break.
51. Perform gardening or home repair activities.
52. Avoid laborsaving devices.
53. Take small trips on foot to get your body moving.
54. Play with your kids 30 minutes a day.
55. Dance to music.
56. Keep a pair of comfortable walking or running shoes in your car and office.
57. Make a Saturday morning walk a group habit.
58. Walk briskly in the mall.
59. Choose activities you enjoy & you’ll be more likely to stick with them.
60. Stretch before bed to give you more energy when you wake.
61. Take the long way to the water cooler or restroom at work.
62. Explore new physical activities.
63. Vary your activities, for interest and to broaden the range of benefits.
64. Reward and acknowledge your efforts.
65. Choose fruit for dessert.
66. Consume alcoholic beverages in moderation, if at all.
67. Take stairs instead of the escalator.
68. Conduct an inventory of your meal/snack and physical activity patterns.
69. Share an entree with a friend.
70. Grill fruits or vegetables.
71. Eat before grocery shopping.

72. Choose a checkout line without a candy display.
73. Make a grocery list before you shop.
74. Buy 100% fruit juices over soda and sugary drinks.
75. Swim with your kids.
76. Flavor foods with herbs, spices, and other low fat seasonings.
77. Remove skin from poultry before cooking to lower fat content.
78. Eat before you get too hungry.
79. Don’t skip breakfast or other meals.
80. Stop eating when you are full!
81. Snack on fruits and vegetables.
82. Top your favorite cereal with apples or bananas.
83. Try brown rice or whole-wheat pasta.
84. Include several servings of whole grain food daily.
85. When eating out, choose a small or medium portion.
86. If main dishes are too big, choose an appetizer or a side dish instead.
87. Ask for salad dressing “on the side”.
88. Don’t take seconds.
89. Try your burger with just lettuce, tomato and onion.
90. Try a green salad instead of fries.
91. Bake or broil fish.
92. Walk instead of sitting around.
93. Eat sweet foods in small amounts.
94. Take your dog on longer walks.
95. Drink lots of water.
96. Cut back on added fats or oils in cooking or spreads.
97. Walk the beach instead of sunbathing.
98. Walk to a co-worker’s desk instead of emailing or calling them.
99. Carry your groceries instead of pushing a cart.
100. Use a snow shovel instead of a snow blower.

For a terrific summary of 171 lifestyle change ideas upload: SMALL STEP GOV IDEAS.pdf

Healthy Weight – it’s not a diet, it’s a lifestyle!

Out of Darkness, Into the Light!

May31

Trust. Have Hope!

Gradually, imperceptivity, step-by-step, sluggishly transformative…things change!

Life’s metaphors may speak about our journey towards increasing health and friskiness, from imbalance to greater personal balance and health. Many examples in life abound:

In gardening: weeding, preparing the soil, adding compost, planting seeds, watering, and waiting for the harvest of delightfully colorful, nutritiously splendid, sumptuously growing, and tasty produce.
In waiting for fruit to ripen: oh the beautiful blossoms, then small green leaves and tiny fruit, the seasons of warmth, cold, and rain…all connected, to bring about a crunchy and delicious apple or other fruit (I LOVE plums, peaches, pineapple, grapes, oranges, and more!).
In going from winter’s early darkness: from just 1.2 minutes a day increasing the light and warmth that is available, until we arrive at the splendor of summer’s long and warm days!

In arriving at a destination: when you drive your vehicle from place to place, you have an awareness of your starting place as well as an awareness of where you are going. You accept that you cannot get there instantaneously; you accept that you will travel the distance, and in time, you will arrive at your destination. You do not get so discouraged at the midway mark that you just turn around and go back to your starting place. You accept the distance between your starting place and where you desire to be–and you continue to move in the direction of your destination. You understand what is required, and you do it. We want to understand that the journey between where you are now and where you want to be–on all subjects–can be just as easily understood. You keep taking the required steps and don’t stop until you arrive at your destination. Just as it is possible to contemplate a trip from Portland, Oregon to Seattle Washington, contemplate a trip from financial insecurity to financial security, from confusion to clarity.
To really understand this evolutionary process I encourage you to get up one morning before dawn (in summer maybe around 5 am, and in winter around 6:30 am) and sit in a chair with the lights out where you can look out the window. At first the sky will be completely dark (except for stars or the moon), and very gradually you will notice the outlines of trees, buildings. The images of household objects will come into focus, until you can see everything clearly.
So consider the journey from wanting to ride a bicycle to riding one…or of desiring to drive a car to driving one…or from inner distress to peace…or from illness to well-being…and lastly see how this gradual learning process applies to your journey of arriving at and maintaining a healthier weight and life.

Come into your true self…a gradual awakening…just like the arrival of the dawn.

Step-by-step: Visions of health into realities, you make the difference!

Moment-by-moment, choice-by-choice, you plant seeds of well-being and nurture them and…

You reap the harvest of health and friskiness!

Taken from my diary in 1992 during a emotionally discouraging time:

Oh, Bobbie sweetheart, remember where you were…

How you hurt.
How you felt that no one cared.
How you didn’t see a way out.
Remember how friends and OA program people pointed the way out in love?
Remember how friends believed in you, even when you didn’t?
Remember how God guided your life? How you made plans for death and God gently led you on towards abundant life?
Remember when you kept practicing behaviors that led to pain, misery, and death, when you tried SO hard not to do so?
Remember how frustrated and overwhelmed you felt?
Remember you wished that death could come to take you out of it all? Remember that you wanted the pattern to die, not you?
Oh, see the light in yourself and others!
How long did it take you to learn to focus on the “good” and not the “bad” in yourself and life?
How long did it take you to be willing to give up celebrating death? Many years!
Be gentle with you and don’t give up!
Trust in you!
Love yourself…as you are and as you are becoming!

Contemplate how do you keep and nurture hope during difficult times?

May the seeds of self-honoring and respect, self-empowerment and awareness, sprout, grow, and… blossom into a wondrous, abundant new life for you!

I nvestigate the Epilogue-The Tree Story

Along your journey of change, be gentle with yourself!

Be respectful towards yourself:

“Don’t shout at the apple and demand that it ripen!

It won’t ripen any faster and all you’ll get is a sore throat!!!”

—Advice given to me by my counselor

Don’t Give up!

Cultivate Health as You Celebrate Well-Being!

Dec9

Cultivate health! Celebrate well-being!

Vitality/aliveness/well-being is more than a number on a scale!

Ask yourself: What’s NOT wrong?

What are the blessings in my life that sometimes I might take for granted?

Come to the banquet table of life.

Learn to nourish yourself in ways that provide lasting nourishment to the soul (heart).

Practice the recipes for nourishing the heart.

Learn the art of cultivating joy.

Ask yourself, what nourishes joy in me? What nourishes joy in others?

Do I nourish joy in myself and others enough? Do I enjoy the precious jewels that I have?

Daily Check-in:

Notice if there’s suffering (obstacles/patterns that don’t work well).

See a cause.

See a way out, and a path that shows the way out.

Practice the path.

Ideas for Self-Nurturing Activities By Bob Wilson, BS, DTR

(* = FREE) This list is euphoric and non-caloric!!!

Paint Your Life with Creativity! The Painting Experience

Self-Nurturing Restorative Box

Sprinkle Dollops of Delight and Self-Care Towards Yourself

Ways to Learn to Love Your Body

Listen to my favorite music

Enjoy a long, warm bubble bath

* Go for a walk

* Share a hug with a loved one

* Relax outside

* Practice feeling contented

* Physical activity (of my choice)

* Spiritual prayer

*Attend a caring support group

* Practice diaphragmatic breathing

* Do stretching exercises

* Reflect on my positive qualities: “ I am…”

* Watch the sunrise/sunset

* Laugh

* Concentrate on a relaxing scene

Create a collage representing “the real me”

Receive a massage…ah…

Massage

* Reflect on: “I appreciate….”

Write my thoughts and feelings in a personal journal

Attend a favorite athletic event

Do something adventurous!

Read a special book or magazine

* Sing, hum, dance or whistle a happy tune!

Play a musical instrument

* Spiritual meditation

Work with plants (gardening)

Learn a new skill

See a special play, movie or concert

Work out with weights

Ride a bike or motorcycle

Make myself a nutritious meal

Draw/paint a picture

* Swim, float, wade, relax in a pool, or on the beach

Do aerobics/dance

Visit a special place I enjoy

* Smile & say : “I love myself.”

* Take time to smell the roses (and other flowers I enjoy!)

* Imagine myself achieving my goals and dreams

Go horseback riding

* Reflect on “my most enjoyable memories”

* Enjoy a relaxing nap

Visit a museum/art gallery

* Practice yoga

Relax in a whirlpool /sauna

Enjoy a cool, refreshing glass of water or juice

* Enjoy the beauty of nature

* Count my blessings: “I am thankful for…”

* Play as I did as a child

* Star gaze- stay up late, get up early!

* Window shop

* Daydream

* Tell myself the loving words I want to hear from others

Attend a special workshop

Go sailing/paddle boating

Reward myself with a special gift I can afford

Take myself on a vacation

Create with clay/pottery

* Practice positive affirmations

* Pet an animal

* Watch my favorite TV show

* Reflect on my successes: “I CAN….”

Make a bouquet of flowers

* Relax: watch the clouds

Make myself something nice

* Visit a park/woods/forest

Read positive, motivational literature

* Reflect on: “What I value most in life…”

Phone a special friend

Go on a picnic in a beautiful setting

Enjoy a gourmet cup of herbal tea or coffee

Participate in a favorite sport, game, recreation

* Practice a relaxation exercise

* Practice the art of forgiveness

Treat myself to a nutritious meal at a favorite restaurant

Participate in a hobby

* Practice feeling awe for life

* Discover a new place

* Hug a tree!

* “Meow” with a cat; “ bark “with a dog, “chirp” with a bird !

* Create my own list of self-nurturing activities

Discover Creative Holiday Garnishing Fun: Make a Sandwich Birthday Cake and More!

Nov2

Celebrate Holidays and Special Occasions!

For all people who love to be creative in the kitchen but want to avoid making traditional gooey, high-calorie cakes for birthdays or weddings, consider this fun and delicious alternative. My kitchen creativity previously expressed itself in making 8000-calorie cheesecakes for all of my friends!

When I lost weight, I knew that I needed to find alternatives that were still fun to make and healthful. I started making birthday cakes for my friends and even one for a friend’s wedding. The wedding cake had 3 cakes with a large bouquet of flowers in the middle.

I love using flowers and colorful vegetables in my creations.

In the above cake, I used green onions, red pepper circle-slices and red cabbage for my friend JON’s name.
The flower is made of carrot circles and green onions.
I put red pepper hearts that were cut out using a small, heart-shaped cookie cutter. I also have used a small teddy bear cookie cutter on other cakes.
I decorated the sides of the cake using carrot circles and red pepper hearts.
Colorful chrysanthemum flower tops were used around the base of the cake for accent.
The icing is really herbed tofu dip (you can use low-fat cottage cheese).
The cake is really a two-layered sandwich with low-fat tuna salad (It’s green-colored in the above picture because I used green catsup!) on the bottom layer and low-fat Toby’s® Tofu Dip—it tastes similar to egg salad—which could be used instead.
Options: I have also used my garbanzo spread and black bean spread for the layers and have used pureed cottage cheese for the icing. See: dinner recipes.

Ingredients:

18 slices Orowheat® Best’s Winter Wheat Bread (a chewy bread—6 slices/layer)

2 heads red leaf lettuce

3 6½-ounce cans of water packed tuna

catsup, to taste (I used green!)

spicy mustard, to taste

dried onion flakes (or use fresh), to taste

6 stalks celery, diced

1 ½ pints of Toby’s® Tofu Dip or low fat egg salad

dried dill weed, to taste

garlic powder (or minced garlic), to taste

2 12-ounce, extra-firm tofu packages You can also use low-fat cottage cheese.

vegetable garnishes, as desired

What to do:

Prepare “salads” and “icing” first: the low-fat tuna and egg, or garbanzo and black bean—use any “salad” filling that is desired. Refrigerate the salads, for best results and to keep everything safe from bacterial contamination.

For tuna salad: used 3 cans water-pack tuna, 6 stalks of diced celery, green catsup, horseradish mustard, black pepper and dried onion flakes—make according to your tastes
1 ½ pints of low-fat Toby’s® Tofu Dip (found in Portland, Oregon) OR low-fat egg salad—make according to your tastes
“Icing”: Blend in a food processor or blender 2, 12-ounce boxes of Mori Nu® low-fat extra firm tofu, dried onion flakes (about ½ cup), dried dill weed (about 2 tablespoons), garlic powder (about 2 teaspoons) and horseradish mustard (about 1 tablespoon)—make all according to your tastes

Get a large 18-inch round platter and line it with red leaf lettuce (washed and patted dry).
Arrange the 6 slices of bread—in two rows of three slices—in the middle of the platter on top of the lettuce.
Use a spatula to spread the layer of tuna salad evenly on top of the 6 slices of bread.
Put 6 more slices of bread on top of the tuna salad—just like you just made 6 sandwiches.
Then put on the low-fat Toby’s® Tofu Dip OR low-fat egg salad on top of the bread using a spatula.
Next put 6 more slices of bread on top. Now you have 6 double-decker sandwiches, in two rows of three.
Now get out the “icing” and using a spatula, cover all of sandwiches, top and sides, to a thickness of ¼ inch—just like you were icing a cake.
Prepare the “names” and garnishes out of whatever you want to use—carrot circles, red or yellow peppers (hearts, teddy bears), red cabbage slices; you can use pretzels to make the names. I suggest that you use tweezers or needle-nosed pliers to place the vegetable or pretzel pieces on the cake.

You can decorate the sides of the cake using carrot circles, red pepper hearts, peas, chive flowers, or any other edible delight.

Lastly, put whatever type of flowers around the edges of the sandwich cake for a garnish.
The cake takes about one hour to assemble after the “salads” have been made.
Refrigerate the cake until serving time.

Serving Suggestion:

This cake is a delightful alternative for people with diabetes or for those who want to avoid eating lots of sugar, fat and extra calories. People always LOVE receiving this cake (except children, because they expected REAL icing!).

Cut the cake using a sharp knife after letting everyone see it.

This cake serves about 15 people, with serving 1/3^rd of a sandwich to each person.

Serve with a fresh fruit and cut up vegetable platter.

Make a Sandwich Wedding Cake Too!

I have two friends who were married and they did not eat sugar, but wanted a wedding cake. So I offered to make them one. A sandwich cake!

Use the same process as described above, but make several cakes. Then I cut the flowers from the yard and made the center arrangement and added the flower garnishes to the cakes.

I went to the wedding reception and set the cake up on a table.

It was a Spring wedding, and so all of the flowers in the garden were blooming. Take a peek and see how it turned out. It was SO fun and everyone enjoyed it!

Christmas Relish Tree

To clearly see the type click on the thumbnail then print off the page.

Simple Garnishing Creates a Colorful Easter Celebration!

Create a feeling of consciousness, delight, and pleasure about your eating!

I love mixing flowers (some are edible) from the garden, along with cut up fruit.

The meal also includes a low-fat mini pizza and coffee.

Enjoy!

Bob’s Garbanzo Spread Appetizer (See Dinner Recipes)

For a wedding-brunch appetizer:

I lined a platter with red leaf lettuce. I formed the garbanzo spread by using an empty yogurt container. I then emptied it on top of the lettuce. I added a few flowers around the base.

Next I topped the Garbanzo Spread with borage flowers, carrot circles, red pepper hearts, and teddy bears. I made the teddy bears and small hearts using small cookie cutters that I purchased from a kitchen store.

I served the appetizer with Lavache heart-shaped crackers on top of red leaf lettuce.

Pickled Beets and Asparagus Platter

Bob’s Story…How Did I Continue Healthier Choices for Over 43 Years???!!??

Mar19

Be Free to Climb Up Mountains! Meet Bob.

Losing about 240 pounds allowed me to achieve my dreams. How did I do it? I climbed up the mountain—step-by-step—and transformed my life in the same way.

(I’m hiking in a wilderness area–I’m the guy on the right with a 50-pound back pack!)

Bob above at 260 pounds—my high school graduation picture. At my maximum, I weighed over 100 pounds more. I could NOT have gone hiking!!

Hi! I wanted to share with you my step-by-step journey. I lost about 240 pounds and have kept it off for over 43 years, and have been drug and alcohol-free for over 28 years. I weighed about 400 pounds in the eighth grade.

My story shows an example of how one person worked with the process of making lifestyle changes. For me, it turned out to be pretty easy to learn about new foods and to become more active in my daily life. I found the difficult areas to transform to be life-balance, self-esteem and self-talk, my depression, intense emotional eating, and learning the skill of problem solving when things weren’t going well. These are all steps up the mountain of lasting lifestyle change. All of these areas influenced my food and activity choices.

When I started my journey, my lifestyle behaviors were out-of-control and unhealthy. I was always the fattest kid in school. My eating habits and lifestyle kept me that way.

I found that success at achieving a healthier life requires learning a series of new lifestyle skills. These skills allowed me to create my life in a NEW way. Before I started my journey, I didn’t know any of these skills. Learning them opened for me the prison door to my isolation cell of overweight. I was no longer a victim of my out-of-control, unhealthy habits. It was so ENJOYABLE to discover the freedom of new options for living.

Skill power, not will power, is the key to success!

SKILL #1: Take time to create a new life. I found that choosing to take the time is absolutely essential. If I don’t make the time to evaluate my patterns, select skills to try out, and practice them, I will find myself stuck with the same old habits (patterns) that keep me overweight and unhealthy.

For me, the pattern of “over commitment to others and under commitment to myself” sets me up to make unhealthy choices in my life. This pattern has been a key obstacle in being healthier. Does your brain and heart dream up commitments that your body can’t keep? Mine sure does! I had to find out how to slow down and chill out!

SKILL #2: I couldn’t change what I didn’t observe. Keeping a food & lifestyle journal is like looking in a mirror. I can see the type and amounts of food I eat each day, and how my emotions, people, places, and events, influence my choices. I can notice my problem eating and lifestyle patterns. I can also see the benefits of trying out new foods or different lifestyle choices. Keeping a journal allows me to “write away” the pounds. I can learn new things and try them out. I discovered how to be my own lifestyle trainer and coach.

SKILL #3: Make great tasting, healthy eating a priority–-even in the midst of a hectic lifestyle. I plan ahead. An ounce of preplanning is worth a pound of fat! I take time to plan meals and snacks for myself (and my family). To help me, I discovered menu planning that celebrates vegetables and fruits! I use food to fuel my busy lifestyle and to provide energy for all the activities I enjoy. I found a new, healthful style of eating happens one new recipe and new food idea at a time. Also, mouth fun, enjoying what I eat, is essential if I’m going to make my new choices a permanent part of my lifestyle and not just a “diet.”

5 JOYFUL MAN_1289228

SKILL #4: The reward for consistent physical activity is vibrancy! I tried to be flexible and jump into a variety of different physical activities. I began to feel the power, to celebrate the inner strength and sense of well being that come from allowing my body to experience the joy of movement.

I make fitness a priority. I plan family and personal vacations around fitness, or invite a colleague to “do business” over a walk rather than lunch, coffee or drinks. I walk to the bank to use the teller machine. It’s like winning the lottery. I put your card in and money comes out!

My increased physical abilities brought me a sense of awe and appreciation for life. The quality of my life has improved dramatically because I lost weight and became more full of zip. I never would have been able to hike to the Goat Rocks Wilderness Area if I hadn’t made a commitment to myself of regular physical activity. I am SO grateful for the miraculous changes in my life!

Bob’s Workout!

My normal workout is with daily activities—that is I have a home in NE Portland—so I mow my own grass, edge the lawn (with a push edger!!), do my own gardening, paint the house, repairs, etc. Then there is the inside of the home too…mopping, scrubbing, cleaning…cooking! That burns off many extra calories, and saves $$$ too. Even my garage door doesn’t have an automatic opener—I’M IT!

I also blend two activities at once—take a 30-block walk as I walk up to the bank, post office, or store, etc.
I walk 6 times/week—just around the neighborhood—in a number of large loops, OR, plan walks in the many, beautiful Portland parks and gardens & green spaces. I love going on walks with friends—and plan them regularly. Instead of going out for dinner, we get together for activities, and perhaps bring along healthy snacks!
Then, there are the weekly hikes to many of the beautiful sights in Washington or Oregon—wow! Cheap fun! I get into my aerobic zone for hours—and it is enjoyable!
Then, lastly I make a date with—ME! I put my gym & yoga appointments on the calendar—every Wednesday & Friday mornings—there I am at Yoga from 6-7 am, then I do an hour strength training, and 15 minutes on the stationary bike. I also plan another days— just strength training. I’ve done this for the last 15 years and have raised my metabolism by 300 calories/day (I know this because I kept records of my calorie-weight-maintenance levels). This has also kept me injury-free and pain-free.
WHAT’S THE BENEFIT TO ME?? Blending in regular physical exercise has been an important part of helping me maintain a healthy body, mind, and emotional life.

SKILL # 5: Learn the skills for emotional nurturing. They’re euphoric and non-caloric! Learning and practicing these skills helped me transform emotional eating and low self-esteem. I learned to celebrate my life! I became a compassionate and loving friend—to me. I make a commitment to give myself more pleasure and enjoyment in my life, to nurture myself. I remember that I deserve the best! I try to be kind to the being that lives inside of my own skin.

SKILL #6: For me, counseling and support groups have been invaluable. I tried to fix the “unfixable family, friends, and work places!” This proved to be quite frustrating, unproductive and self-destructive. I didn’t have any role models about how to live a healthy life and to find out about wholesome relationships, problem solving, and conflict management. Through reading books, individual counseling, and various support groups, I was able to dismantle unproductive conditioning and responses to life events. Ah. I’m so GLAD this help was available. It saved my life.

SKILL #7: Cultivating life-long health: Learning and practicing all these skills can bring friskiness and life-long well-being throughout all of the seasons of our lives. Weight and a healthy life is managed, not cured. It’s an ongoing investment in ourselves. It is similar to good dental hygiene. There is brushing, flossing and use of a periodontal tool, and regular visits to the dentist and hygienist. Making the investment in yourself pays rich dividends: you can chew foods of any texture without problems, you don’t experience the pain of gum disease or cavities, you save lots of money, and you feel self-empowered and capable because of your self discipline.

It is rare to have someone tell you that your life may be out of balance due to MANY different choices you make on a moment-to-moment basis. It is your environment, lifestyle, genetics, and personal habits that keep you off track. It’s not JUST diet or exercise, but ALL of the factors in your life that influence your choices. Your life is an ECOSYSTEM.

As you learn about your choices and the patterns they form, make small changes, and learn new skills, then day-by-day, overtime, you form new habits. These new patterns gradually bring to you NEW RESULTS (being healthier, happier, and thinner). This happens as you learn to practice problem solving when you relapse to old ways of doing things. Over time, you learn what works and what doesn’t work for you. You cultivate within yourself the answers and skills to manage the challenges that you face!

Explore Bob’s EXPANDED STORY for additional ideas about how I applied all of the Essential Skills that I listed, plus lots more. See also Bob’s Story, Be Active!

For a PDF version of this story: GUTS TO GLORY Walk About Article.pdf

I encourage you to check out the rest of this site. I share all of these Essential Skills for life-long success, plus TONS of other fun ideas. Happy exploring. May your life blossom into friskiness!

🙂 Hugs and love, Bob

Bob-isms: Bob’s Sayings

Jul21

May Your Life Blossom Into Friskiness!

Accept yourself as you are and as you are NOT. Celebrate your precious life!
Quit “shoulding” on yourself; become a benevolent, kind, and wise observer.
Notice that dieting is DIE plus T for torture.
If we don’t take time for wellness, we will take time for disease.
My head and my heart make commitments my body can’t keep!
We change from the inside out.
A healthy weight is managed in a skillful way, not controlled.
An ounce of awareness and planning keeps you healthy and frisky!
Put away the tough, disrespectful observer and become a benevolent one.
With my former self-talk patterns, I felt like I was walking down the street and my mind would mug me! Now, I embrace myself with deep respect.
I am not what I do, own, accomplish or weigh. I am a wonderful being just as I am.
Changing the size of your stomach (gastric surgery) does not change the hungers you are trying to fill.
We have become very sedentary, so to become active, we have to give our tush a push…and get moving.
Just because I make a mistake, I am not one. Mistakes are practice.
It’s never too late to be what you could have been. Begin now. Begin flamboyantly!
Most often baby steps lead to success, but sometimes giant leaps are called for.
If you continue to do what you’ve always done, you’ll continue to get what you’ve always gotten.
Practice doesn’t make perfect. Practice makes permanent. So, just begin again!

Stop the “Yeah, buts”.
Before my life was stuck. My head had been up my ass, but the lights were out; now they’re on! I’m changing for the better…one step at a time. My life has blossomed.
If I had a friend who treated me like I treat me, I wouldn’t want to be around them. Be gentle. Be kind.
I’m allergic: I break out in fat all over my body (if I take in too many calories!).
I have had hand to mouth disease, and would eat out-of-balance. Now harmony is restored. Ah…
Have a lot of “mouth fun” (pleasure in eating); it’s important. Celebrate the sensual pleasures of foods.
At times, I can resist everything but temptation. So I try to set up my various environments to support my success at making healthier choices.
At potlucks and other events that have lots of foods, I may think, “So much food, so little time!” I make an effort to remember, it’s not my last meal. I will be able to eat again! Go there to see the people, not the food!
Plan for the future, but live in the present.
Oh, freckles! Oh, holy petunias!
Give up all hope for a better past.
Free food comes with a cost.

You can’t eat what’s not there. Keep your different environments set up to support your success.
What crawled up me and died (when I find myself lost in compulsion and am grumpy towards others)? Isn’t it my love for myself? So, just begin again…be gentle, be kind towards my self and forgiving.
I have often participated in “Dial a Compulsion,” instead of healing root causes and exploring healthier options.
For those of you who indulge too often, you will bulge.
Be aware of the difference between mouth lust and mouth fun.
Transform “delight deficiency syndrome” (emotional depletion) with non caloric, no-cost self-nurturing treats.
I’m the Chairman of a Board of Directors made up of all the crazy people who live inside my head. I benefit from listening to all parts and making wise and skillful decisions.
When we eat in an unhealthy way, our body pings and knocks and bulges. Choosing to eat healthfully is making an amends towards my own body, mind, and spirit.
Continue suiting up and showing up. When you attend a class to explore new skills, if you bring your body along, eventually your mind will follow.

Frolic around: What Does It Look Like When Things Are Going Well?

Mental Nutrients: What To Say When You Talk To Your Self

Jun13

If you continue to think what you’ve always thought,

you’ll continue to get what you’ve always got!

Our mind is the garden, the thoughts are the seeds, the harvest will be either flowers or weeds.

Inevitably so, inevitably so! Mel Veldon.

The quality of our thoughts influence the quality of our lives. Our minds can make us sick OR we can use our minds to improve our health.

If you have found that your mental habits and life experiences have led to your feeling discouraged, disconnected, and drooped–believe it or not–those patterns of thoughts and emotional reactions CAN be changed!

You can open yourself up to positive and powerful habits of thought and more balanced emotional reactions. You can learn to celebrate yourself and life!

When my mind gets into fear, disappointment, feeling alone and unloved…I acknowledge it, and then I take time to consider different kinds of thoughts and images. Since at least at one level, I’m creating my “feeling tone” of my experience by my interpretation of it.

I had to learn about my thinking habits, to accept the fact that “what I think becomes me.” Whatever I put my focus on…EXPANDS: fears or trust, misery or happiness and joy. When I constantly think discouraging thoughts about myself and others, I end up feeling very discouraged about everything. I tried it. It works! But when I put encouraging, loving thoughts into my mind about others and myself, I have a great time! I tried it. It works! The choice is yours—and mine.

A healthy body is built by practicing sound nutrition choices

and living an active lifestyle.

A HEALTHY MIND is developed through developing effective MENTAL HABITS.

Plant the Mental Garden of Your Life With Seeds of Well-Being!

Delight In Exploring!

Imagine Your Ideal Day, consider Harmony, Abundance, Equality , and Commitment

How to Develop a Loving, Self-Nurturing, Inner Voice For You!

Nourishing Affirmations, S eeing your uniqueness, C reating a vision for your new life,

Letting go of all your old self-destructive or restrictive personal identities,

GIVING YOURSELF all of the love you want from others,

and S tretching yourself towards new dimensions of well-being!

Be Happy and Contented! and Various Meditations

Peace! and Kiss The Earth and Walk as You Touch Peace in Every Moment!

Happiness Project Toolbox

The Happiness Project Toolbox supplies eight tools to help you construct your “happiness project.” Everyone’s project will be different, and there’s no right or wrong way. You can use all eight tools, or you can pick one tool that appeals to you. Just jump in and start now. http://happinessprojecttoolbox.com/

Daily Strength Website: Discover many Popular Support Groups. Also find health blogs, expert treatments, and other ways to be empowered. http://www.dailystrength.org/

Zen Habits: Zen Habits is about finding simplicity in the daily chaos of our lives. It’s about clearing the clutter so we can focus on what’s important, create something amazing, find happiness. http://zenhabits.net/ and About Zen Habits: http://zenhabits.net/about/

Along your journey of change, be gentle with yourself!

Be respectful towards yourself:

“Don’t shout at the apple and demand that it ripen!

It won’t ripen any faster and all you’ll get is a sore throat!!!”

—Advice given to me by my counselor

Affirmations: Suggestions & Methods for their use

See Bob’s story Mental Skills — whatever you FOCUS ON, expands!

Also check out Bob’s story The Emotional area.

Visit Home Coming: Reclaiming and Championing Your Inner Child.

Explore When Helping You Is Hurting Me.

Discover Re-evaluation Counseling.

Consider the Dieting Versus Non-Dieting Approaches.

Contemplate the Out of hell, into freedom thoughts and lastly,

Transform your thinking, visit Make your mind an ocean and Meditations

Cultivate Twelve Essential Skills: Achieve a Healthier Life, Weight, and Vibrant Friskiness… Step-by-Step!

Feb7

Skill Power, Not Will Power, Is the Key to Success!

Discover Below Guidance-At-A-Glance!

Have you ever wondered how all of that excess stored energy (fat) ended up stored on your body anyway? Were you just walking down the street and it jumped out and stuck to you? To learn about what happened–the mystery–requires you becoming a detective. As a detective, you will need some tools to figure out clues to your mystery.

The Twelve Essential Skills below will provide answers for you. You use the skills and different tools to discover how you do what you do, right now. Then you figure out strategies to practice making healthful substitutions–to substitute new choices that will, over time, help you achieve a healthier weight, a healthier relationship with your food and life. You choose which areas you are ready to look at now.

Success at achieving a healthier weight, transforming addictions, and finding increased well-being, for a lifetime, requires learning a series of new lifestyle skills. These skills allow us to create our lives in a NEW way. Before I started my weight loss journey, I didn’t know any of these skills. Learning these skills opened for me the prison door to my isolation cell of overweight and various addictions. I was no longer a victim of my out-of-control, unhealthy habits. It was so ENJOYABLE to discover the freedom of new options for living.

My Web site (Balanced Weight Management) is a blueprint for self-change. It’s a toolkit–tools don’t do anything. YOU do as you use the tools to discover how you do what you do. This is self-directed learning. With self-directed learning you can discover the issues or problems that are most relevant to you at the moment. They are based on your own experience. You set your own agenda and your own pace. Have FUN with your exploration!

Why Would Someone Try My Approach?

How To Use This Site: Where To Begin & What To Do

As you explore below, ask yourself, “What are YOUR root causes?” Your patterns?

I encourage you to explore the Resource Sections 1 and 2 for an extensive list of resources in each topic area. There you will find an invaluable collection of weight-loss and addiction-free life wisdom. I Have learned most of what I know from other people. Many of the resources that I and many other people have found to be invaluable are listed there.

Time and time again, I have seen people’s lives blossom after they made the decision to invest the time in themselves to study and practice the twelve skills listed below. I encourage you to just pick and choose those themes that you would like to explore. Remember, your health is your greatest wealth! Answer the questions, “Oh my, how did I get to where I’m at now? and How can I begin to make enjoyable and lasting changes?”

Cultivate Vitality in Your Wallet!

Jan9

Vitality in Your Wallet

WRITE ON AN INDEX CARD…

A Contact list:

What am I grateful for today? 5 things?

What can I do besides eating (or other harmful behavior)?

My inspiring purpose? Why does it matter?

KEEP IN YOUR WALLET.

Contact list: people, friends, on-line support, e-mail contacts, phone meetings and phone numbers, spiritual supports? What could help?

What am I grateful for? Think of at least 5 things: OA fellowship, dear friends, housing, healthy foods, freedom from food obsession, blessings and gifts from other people, money to purchase adequate food, a body that works? What do I take for granted?

What can I do besides eating? How can I restore myself in healthy ways? What would be fun? Check out Ideas for Self-Nurturing. What is euphoric but non-caloric?

What is my inspiring purpose? What does it mean to me or do for me? Why bother? How will my efforts at creating a healthy lifestyle benefit me and other people?

Overeaters Anonymous slogans or any of my other key messages? One day at a time, keep coming back, easy does it, but do it. Develop skill power so you don’t need will power!

Write the above information on a 3”X5” index card (that is folded in half)

and keep it in your wallet.

Refer to it when you feel like overeating

or practicing any other addictive behavior.

Nurturing nibbles posters: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.175705648998.123859.175694603998

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