After a great night with friends, it’s time to buckle down and get back to work. I’m really excited since I’ve never done the Whole30 Program before. Don’t get me wrong, I’m no stranger to Paleo challenges, as you probably know. There’s not much going on this time of year besides some hard training, working hard to make The Fort the best it can be, and enjoying the winter.

For those who don’t know, the Whole30 is the 30-day elimination diet/lifestyle program created by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig and introduced in their book, It Starts With Food. If you haven’t read ISWF you should. They explain the whys and the hows simply and poignantly – it’s an easy read, but certainly an eye opener. If you’re a newbie to paleo, it’s a great place to start. Anyway, I signed up online for the Whole30 and chose today, January 1st, as my start date. (Thanks, DP, for encouraging me!) Each day I will receive an email with encouragement and some words about what I should expect for that day. Each night I report back whether I have stayed the course or slipped up. If I cheat I have to go back to the beginning. No, thanks, I just won’t cheat. I eat fairly strict paleo all the time, so only major modifications are:

– No coconut milk (from the carton) in my coffee
– No alcohol at all
– No paleo-fied treats
– No nuts or nut butters

I plan to post about my Whole30 experience here and there. I am looking forward to some detox and feeling great at the beginning of 2013. I hope you all had a fantastic New Year’s Eve with family and friends. Do something positive today and try to get outside for some fresh air – it’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood.