This morning, I weighed myself and found that I have officially lost 10.4 pounds! That’s correct, and for the scorekeepers out there, that’s 10 pounds down and so many, many, many more to go.

But I can’t focus on that, I just need to enjoy my little victory and use that motivation to keep moving forward.

SPEECH! SPEECH! SPEECH!

I don’t think it’s really necessary, or the proper venue for i–

SPEECH! SPEECH! SPEECH!

Ok, ok, fine. I don’t want to get ahead of myself, and jinx myself, so I’ll keep it brief.

I would like to thank my wonderful family. My wife especially for deciding to partner with me on this, which makes it so much easier. Especially since she isn’t eating fried chicken subs and potato chips in front of me anymore. Just teasing honey, you know you are my best friend and I love you.

I would also like to thank my son for being 5 years old, for loving me unconditionally, and for being completely oblivious to everything that I am self-conscious about. He could care less if I lose weight, he would love me just the same. Although, he’d probably notice that there’s less of my belly to jiggle, which is, by the way, one of his favorite things to do when I’m lounging around the house shirtless. Again, oblivious. I love him so much.

I’d like to thank the 2X polo shirts that my Paramedic school gave me to wear for class. It is only a 2X in the fact that it has a number 2 and the letter X together on the tag. Compared to every other 2X shirt I own, my work uniforms included, the ones for school fit me like a glove. A neoprene, surgical glove. A neoprene, surgical glove that a female surgeon let me borrow until larger ones come in on order. Almost like it was only an XL, but dreamed of bigger things for itself, so it switched it’s tag out and snuck into a box of 2X shirts and left the warehouse with something to prove. Kind of like the movie “Rudy” meets Joan of Arc, but with cheap polo shirts. I have named these shirts my “sausage casings”, but I am determined to make them fit me like a 2X men’s polo should fit, for men in China, as soon as possible.

And lastly, I would like to thank you, the people who read my blog. You may not realize it, but in writing about my weight loss, and being candid and honest on here to begin with, I know that if I give up, and start gaining back, I’ll wind up writing about it. Even without any comments and emails from you, I would still feel like an ass. So I guess you could say it’s willpower through accountability and pride. Nevertheless, thank you. And thank you for reading.

Bring on the next 10 pounds!