THIS STUFF WORKS

 I’M LIVING PROOF

It’s all about flexibility, options – housing, transit and work places that meet a broad spectrum of training, talent, income and physical ability. 

The approach to development patterns and spending that Chuck Marohn (of Strong Towns) advocates for is a clear route to inclusion, equity and accessibility.

It eliminates bond issues for 3-lane roads to SprawlVille and 2 new highway lanes that never do anything to reduce traffic congestion.

It also pays a pretty nifty benefit.

If you simply eat more fresh, local, healthy food and walk around a lot (and demand more walkability and connectivity if your town lacks it) – you regain your health (physical and mental) and your future.

THIS STUFF WORKS

I’M LIVING PROOF

Building, or in most cases, rebuilding a Strong Town simply gives options.

My wife uses a wheelchair for mobility and the efficiency of a wheelchair ramp equipped van – to overcome broad gaps in transit and connectivity in Greater Miami, makes sense for us.

We live in a 100-year-old accessibility-adapted small house, on the smallest buildable lot, in dense urban neighborhood. 

So, we are proof that you don’t have to move into a condo or apartment tower to support smart urban growth.

THIS STUFF WORKS

I’M LIVING PROOF

Compact development, investing in existing main streets and city corps works.

It prevents wasting millions (make that billions) of dollars on the sprawl growth game that never produces for the city budget as promised.

It works in small, medium and large towns.

It does not take your sedan away from you and force you to live in a 300 SF hipster walkup apartment over a liquor store in some blighted part of town.

THIS STUFF WORKS

I’M LIVING PROOF

Two years ago, I weighed 310 pounds.

I actually still walked quite a bit while in Europe on vacation, but my blood work produced stats of a man who should be looking at favorite cemeteries for burial rather than a plan for teaching and consulting in semi-retirement in the not-so-distant future.

I do the steps now, my joints don’t hurt.

I don’t sweat standing still.

I haven’t been sick since I started to take advantage of the urban lifestyle healthy living plan.

THIS STUFF WORKS

I’M LIVING PROOF

Instead of using two train connections, I walked farther to catch a train that would get me to within five blocks of my destination. 

I used the ferry to go to Long Island City and run along all the relatively-new public space and parks that allow one to run along the East River with spectacular skyline views to the west.

We are very close to transitioning from a two car to one car family.

The payoff for all of this?

Today, I weigh 175 pounds. 

I just had a physical and dozens of measures of health are in the upper (good) percentile for a 55+ man.

THIS STUFF WORKS

I’M LIVING PROOF

When we wanted to go someplace outdoors and different, we drove, but we did what planners strive for in 24-7 downtowns and main streets. 

We parked the car once and walked all over Brickell, Coconut Grove, Miami Beach, Coral Gables and beyond.

When it was safe to travel to Manhattan for a major project (after I got second COVID vaccine) in May, I vowed to not take a taxi, car service or rideshare – even from JFK.

I used transit, stopped in Jackson Heights on the way in to Manhattan and walked all over that diverse neighborhood.

THIS STUFF WORKS

I’M LIVING PROOF

I took advantage of living between two major urban corridors – Miami’s Calle Ocho and Coral Way – and walked to pharmacies, markets, hardware stores and other daily needs.

I bought local food and cooked it for lunch for my also working from home spouse.

We walked all over the neighborhood, masked, to the point where we documented and shared with the city – every broken sidewalk, messed up crosswalk, vacant lot, derelict house and broken bus bench in a vast swath of urban Little Havana.

THIS STUFF WORKS

I’M LIVING PROOF

For many years, I was one of the planners/planning storytellers who wasn’t so good at practicing what he preached.

I loved walkable places, mixed-use, wide sidewalks, bike paths, premium transit, parks, TOD, compact development and the like.

Then COVID hit and I could work from home, so I wasn’t in the car to commute to an office.

That meant a chance to break free of the drive through greasy lunch break and then bring home a supersized pizza on a slight detour on the way home.

THE NEW ME

I75 POUNDS – DOWN FROM MORE THAN 300

I guess this is still me.

But when I look in the mirror, I’m not sure it’s me.

I’m used to a double chin, maybe a triple.

I’m used to cropping every photo at the shoulders – because there was a mountain of fat below.

I weighed 175 pounds before I entered high school.

The last time I was ever my proper body weight for height and age was entering the summer between 2^nd and 3^rd grade.

I still may well suffer the body damages brought on by four-plus decades of obesity…I wonder aloud whether a knee or hip replacement is in my future or if overworked heart and organs will have something to say about the way I treated them.

I’d be lying if I said I no longer crave eating an entire pizza to celebrate something, or to eat two bacon cheeseburgers, a super large fry and chocolate shake to cope with something depressing.

Just this month, while in New York on business, I certainly indulged in a bit more pastrami, slice pizza, cannoli and Korean Fried Chicken than my daily regimen allows.

But I also got up early to run and took a super long walk before day’s end.

I totaled just more than 70 miles run/walked in seven days.

My poor wife didn’t see me get up early to work out more than a half dozen times in the 30+ years she’s been with me.

I’m not sure what she thinks of this guy with a closet full of men’s medium shirts and 32-inch waist pants.

For most of our life, she knew a guy that went up and up and up – till his pants waist was north of 50 and his 3XL shirts were getting tight.

I hope to share some secrets to my success. But it mainly was eating right, moving around more and most of all – believing in myself and seeing food as an energy source, not a drug of choice to medicate all that ails…plus a substitute for love when I needed a boost and celebrated by eating a 7-course meal of fatty, sugary, fried food.