There are 3 reasons why Sunday is my favorite day of the week.  First of all, I really enjoy attending Sunday morning church service where I can quietly reflect on the past week and take stock of all of the blessings that have been given to me.  Secondly, Sunday is the day that my family and I take long drives, bike rides or hikes.  It’s a great way to reinforce our family’s relationships with each other.  Finally, Sunday is the day I grill.  Now, occasionally I will miss the opportunity to grill on a particular Sunday but nearly every Sunday I enjoy quality time with my Weber grill.  Even during the cold winter months, when Michigan is blanketed with snow, you can find me outdoors standing next to my grill in a real “fire and ice” battle.  Sunday is the day I grill, and my 30 Day Zip was not going to change that!

So I jumped back on the Meijer website and put together a quick list of the items I would need - organic salad, french bread and best of all, pork loins.  Oh yeah, and one other thing…I was feeling a real sense of accomplishment so in an effort to reward myself, I ordered some Nestle Tollhouse cookie dough.  Yeah, I know…big mistake.  Well, in anticipation of my big meal, I decided not to eat breakfast or lunch.  Truthfully, my hunger pangs left me a day or two ago, so it wasn’t difficult to go without eating until late in the day.  I know that the best way to lose weight is to eat several small meals each day, not one big one…but the 30 Day Zip is a bit unconventional. 

Like clockwork, David offered a bid on my job right away, so I accepted him as my courier once again.  I found out that David is a pastor at a church near where I live so it is rather convenient for him to perform these deliveries.  He also indicated that he has a somewhat flexible schedule and enjoys doing Zipments jobs because he likes driving around town and meeting other people.  We find that many Zipments couriers have stories similar to David’s.  Good people who like to help out other people in their community - all the while making some extra income.

David showed up with my groceries right on time and I immediately got to work preparing a meal for me and my family.  Now (full disclosure)…today I did actually consume some things that were not delivered via a Zipments courier.  In addition to the items David brought, I took the following from my kitchen - some olive oil and my father-in-law’s secret seasoning for the pork loins, some honey for my french bread and some raspberry vinaigrette dressing for my salad.  Other than that, the only thing I’ve consumed that wasn’t delivered daily from a Zipments courier since I started my 30 Day Zip is water.

I could not finish this blog post without a few words on grilling.  At the risk of losing some of my new found vegan friends, I have to say that there is something almost spiritual about a man, a flame and a hunk of meat!  I’m the first to admit that the vegan diet is a really good way to eat…and if there is such a thing as a “part time vegan,” I’d like to apply for the position.  After going without meat for a few days and trying some vegan dishes, I definitely see the benefits.  However, in my opinion, we are evolutionarily predisposed to desire meat cooked over a flame.

Beyond our evolutionary hard wiring, I’ll go as far as saying that the act of grilling is really one of the only things left for a man to claim as his birthright!  Over the years, the type of meat and type of flame has changed…but the man has always been the constant element in the equation.  Society often forces men to compromise…to give up things that define us as men.  But the grill remains our safe haven.  Those that wish to attack this final front in the battle to maintain our masculinity would argue that my sentiments are chauvinistic.  That’s ok.  My wife and I treat each other as equals, but we also appreciate each others’ respective domains.  My wife respects my desire to grill…and in return, I make her great meals each Sunday.  And despite my 30 Day Zip, today was no different.