It's Friday, and for the First Time in a Long While, Things are Looking Up!

Happy Friday to the lot of you!

This is the first in a series of daily blog updates. For the next week, I'm going to be working incredibly hard to keep myself accountable in every way possible. It is no longer a secret that I've been doing some heavy slacking off, but as of last night, that all changed.

Since posting my last video on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pa5pDNv-nk), I have been receiving a lot of sympathy, consoling, pats on the back, and encouragement to get back on the horse. While words are not enough to thank the lot of you for the kindness you have shown me, it is that very kindness that is enabling me to keep on the path that I've been choosing as of late. Don't get me wrong, I know that you have nothing but good intentions, but when people try to be gentle with me, I tend to acknowledge that gentle touch as a form of acceptance of my behavior. Rather than responding to encouragement the way I should, I find it an excuse to continue eating poorly and not exercising.

No, encouragement will not do. What will do it then? Well, it seems as though at least two people know....

Last night, two of YouTube's undesirables (I say that in jest...kind of), Vaioarch a.k.a. Ronnie (http://www.youtube.com/user/vaioarch) and HinesBrad a.k.a. Brad (http://www.youtube.com/user/hinesbrad) posted a video that helped to light a fire under my bum, a fire that I've been needing for quite some time. Seen here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jwhu8rzVys8&watch_response), Ronnie and Brad are as blunt and honest as I could possibly hope for. Ronnie, who I was led to believe was even more sensitive than Big Gay Bradly, comes out swinging with harsh criticisms, one of the first words out of his mouth being "pansy."

I was and still am really motivated by what the two of them had to say. While there was talk by Brad about giving me an incentive to lose weight by offering to pay for a portion of a plane ticket to Dallas (concerning the next BFL Cruise), it was something that Ronnie said that really got under my skin. There was mention of the first video I did for the challenge that we're currently in. I had strapped on my 20 lb weight vest, clad in a sweater, carrying a backpack, and went for a 5 mile hike in 95 degree weather. Ronnie actually admitted to being a little intimidated by the gusto I initially showed, leading me to feel that he is actually a little disappointed by my lack of discipline and determination; I don't blame him in the slightest. While he and Brad went on to challenge me to drop the excess weight I have gained to get down to my initial body weight at the beginning of the challenge, Ronnie further added that he wants to see the Josh that went hiking with a weight vest, or the Josh that had once made a video where he threw away all of the junk food in his house in response to a previous challenge. It made me feel horrible that the Josh he was referring to was no longer present, and at the same time, it made me feel more motivated and determined than I've felt for a looooong time.

So boys, guess what? It's back on! I've only got 25 days left in this challenge, and I'm going to make the very best out of each and every one of them. Ronnie, the Josh you knew and want to see is no longer lurking in the shadows....

Much love to all of you beautiful people!


-TripleQ