Consider the following simple rubric:

Question:What is your goal?
Answer: A long and healthy life.
Question: Do your behaviors match your goal?

Ask the 30 day paleo challenger that question on day 30 and he will answer yes. Ask him the same question on day 31 and he will likely answer no. This is because a 30 day challenge is really a “cleanse”, rather than a substantive and durable change in lifestyle.

If you take the long view, say the next thirty years, several inescapable realities present themselves:

• At some point you will be at a celebration of some sort and there will likely be cake. Maybe that celebration will be your wedding. Maybe it will be your daughter’s. How are you not going to eat cake at your daughter’s wedding?
• Shame is an enormous burden. You might be able to shoulder that burden for thirty days. But not thirty years.
• You can’t do it alone, and even if you could, what do you gain from thirty years of self-imposed isolation?

These realities present a logical flaw within our rubric. In order to be coherent, one has to take a personal accounting every day – not just for an arbitrary 30 days. If you can answer in the affirmative most days for the rest of your life, you’re on the right track.

Volume is more important than intensity if your goal is a long and healthy life. If you can make your behavior match your goal 8 or 9 days out of 10 for the next 30 years, the outcome will be much better than if you have a couple of flings with paleo every year.

Getting away from the “fling” mentality is one of the main reasons I don’t want to sponsor time-boxed nutrition challenges within the gym. As a coach the time domain of my commitment to you should be “forever”. Or until death do us part.

In order to meet the goals of continuity, volume, and accountability we’ve formed “Team Paleo”, a group of allies within the gym who are committed to supporting each other over the long haul. If you’re interested, please ask to be added to our Facebook group. The ground rules are simple:

Rule 1: Take a self-accounting every day and respond to the daily survey honestly.
Rule 2: Support your teammates.
Rule 3: There’s no shame in our game. Institute a cheat day or half-day every week and enjoy it.

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WOD:

“Diane”
21-15-9
Deadlift 225/165#
Handstand pushup