Tonight, some friends come over, that are not eating raw, some even not vegan. And I will serve them zucchini wraps (Doug's recipe 😌🙏 thx!), with them also bringing some of the fillings. What do you serve when you host your family/friends?

I'm so excited to announce that I've been invited to give the keynote address at the first FL Vegan Wellness Retreat this June. Yes, the end of June should put us deep into the heart of mango season. And yes, I'll be teaching fitness classes every day, as well as giving various presentations throughout the day. I sure hope I'll see you there. Who's coming? FLVeganWellnessRetreat.com

I met someone today, but in a really random way. A woman was helping at the competition, unofficially, as she was coaching/supporting some athletes it seemed, so she was helping others too by loading and unloading the bar for everyone during warmups. She didn't look the part, as she definitely had too much body fat to be thrilled about it, but man, she knew what she was doing, that was obvious. She was VERY strong, too, as she handled even the 25Kg (55 pounds) plates as if they were toys. She was gracious and helpful with everyone. She learned my name without ever asking me even once, a good trick I thought. Anyway, after squats, she was there again to help with warmups for bench. And again, she was very focused and aware. After bench, we started warming up, this time for deadlift. I did my first warmups at 70Kg, an easy weight for me. As I left the platform, she said, "We really like deadlift, don't we Douglas." Well indeed deadlift is my favorite, but how did she know? I had to ask her. "What did you see that made you say that," I asked. "You were confident when you approached the bar, and look at you, with those long arms" she replied. The ice broken, we began having a conversation. Turns out she also competes in powerlifting she told me. Still, I didn't peg her for having talent. She then told me she'd been at the World Powerlifting Championships last week, and the won! I was blown away to be engaged in an informal conversation with a world champion. We made friends. I hope I run across her again. I'll make sure I do. She helped me today to have a good experience at the competition. And maybe, you just never know but maybe, I can be a force for good in her life too.

Do apples have a significant place in your 811 regimen ? Do you eat them often, especially in winter ? It did for me in the beginning of my transition, but I noticed for the last three years that I consume them less and less. To the point that today I cannot imagine making a mono meal of apple, as I find usually myself more hungry at the end of the meal than before, and they provoke almost always some kind of stomach ache. At best it is a little snack nowadays... It's far from being a sub-tropical/tropical fruit, maybe that's the reason ? I only go for good organic ones of course, as it's one of the worst spayed fruit. I've also noticed Doug doesn't mention it once in the week of eating examples of the 801010 book. What is your experience ?

I'm biting off a huge project, and intending to be extremely productive with my time while in Costa Rica. My day is packed, fully scheduled, and I just have to stay present. Hopefully everything will come off without a hitch. It will definitely be a high intensity 6 weeks. I gotta tell you, I love the challenge. How are you challenging yourself this February?