A weighty decision.

Many of us use the new year as a starting point for resolutions!  And we announce them publicly, and loudly, in an effort to have our friends hold us accountable, and/or to admire our success.

Sometimes it's a resolution to lose weight, or stop smoking, maybe to spend less at Macy's this year, or spend less time on the Crackberry or more time at the gym.

And often, by the end of the first or maybe the second week of the new year, those resolutions have fallen by the wayside.  (Somewhere there's a wayside full of last year's resolutions, and a bunch of people trying to clear them out to make for incoming 2011 failed resolutions).

I, am joining the group of resolvers.  I am publicly acclaiming that over the last year (or two, or six), I have put on more weight than I care to admit.  I'm not one of those who steps on the scale regularly, so I don't monitor just how much I weigh... I just know based on the way my clothes fit me (or don't fit me), that I'm back up to a pretty high number.

I don't know what it is, but come the first of the year, I will be announcing it PUBLICLY!  That's right, right here on Alan's blog, I'm going to allow all of my readers, & subscribers to become my cheering (or jeering) section.

Tomorrow morning, I will step on the scale, and I will note in tomorrow's post exactly how much I weigh.  I think it's somewhere around 280 lbs. (yes, I am 9 feet tall!)... but I'll break it to y'all tomorrow - gosh I hope it's not more than that.  And, no, I'm not going to take it easy tonight at our New Year's restaurant.

And then, I will try to remember to keep y'all informed by posting my current weight at the bottom of each and every post.  I'm not going to make a big deal out of losing a pound or two... ('cause honestly, at my weight, I'm only 5'10", a couple of pounds doesn't make a bit of difference.)... I'll just post the number innocuously at the bottom of the post.  Those of you who have seen this post, and tomorrows will know what it's about.

I might do a couple of celebration laps (posts) if I hit some milestones... but we'll have to see.

Wish me luck, I'll keep you informed, and you can keep me honest.  If you'd like, feel free to join me.  My goal is to drop 50 pounds over the year.  That's less than a pound a week, which should be totally do-able... right?.... right?!

And I intend to do it simply by portion control, eating only what's on my plate (no seconds), no eating between meals, and not eating in front of the television.  That's it.  No special program, no weight watchers, no slimfast, no diet pills, just self control.  Let's face it, we all know how to lose weight.  We have to ingest fewer calories than we expend.  Simple, right?

Happy 2011!!