Introduction

Well, it's that time of year again; a resolution time of year. It's time for the ultimate test of stamina and stick-with-it-ness that some folks might, for simplicity, call endurance. Yes, it's time for the dreaded (wait for it . . .) WEIGHT-LOSS Resolution!!! Here's the back story: Vince A. Vaughn (not the incredible movie star, but my idol, nonetheless) called me not too long ago. Now Vince is a close personal friend who I've known for about 13 years. Such a friend is he, that I was not remotely offended by his suggestion that I was fat. After all, he matter-of-factly stated that he was fat, too. He thought it would be a good idea if we started this blogging site telling people of our "adventures" of trying to slim-down for 2010. So here we are.

These pictures are examples of what I look like now.

I suppose a good place to start would be a brief introduction of the authors of the site (I'll let Vince introduce himself): My name is Emil Girardin Jr. I was born 38 years ago in Valdosta, Georgia, a humble fly-spot on interstate 75 on the way to Florida. I am the oldest of two children and the only member of my nuclear family who does not speak with a heavy southern accent. Throughout childhood and adolescence, I have been active enough to not care about my caloric intake or my desert consumption, and, frankly, I've enjoyed some pretty awesome, yet unhealthy, foods. Some might say that I've developed a bad habit of eating see-food (*ask me about this 3rd grade joke later). Since I've been married, my superhuman abilities to eat anything and retain my svelte figure have waned, and consequently I weigh about 65lbs. more than I should.

My wife is a high-school Spanish teacher, and her school put on a "biggest loser" contest for the faculty members. She started out about 210lbs. and although she didn't win the contest, she has managed to get her weight down to about 180lbs, and she looks as slim as she was when we were married. This losing-weight thing has brought it to the forefront of her mind, and she constantly sends out little jabs at me about my weight. Now, I'm not crazy overweight or anything, but I weigh about 220lbs—it's more than I've ever weighed, and I'm starting to get a bit self-conscious about it—so, I'm resolving in 2010 to get fit again so I can shut my wife up and maybe regain an ounce or two of self-esteem back. This blog will serve to document Vince's and my progress on our quests to be the hunks that are trapped inside of us!