As the old saying goes, a chicken is involved in breakfast, a pig is committed to it. Commitment is something you don’t walk away from, at least not easily - like marriage, having children or giving up an addiction - like sugar, alcohol, tobacco, whatever.

A few weeks ago I committed to a new eating, exercising and health regime. I had to. I felt like I was dying. I had no energy, a deepening depression and constant pain. Today, after a month of giving up sodas, eating NO processed food and no fast food, adding a vitamin supplement and extra B-12, I feel amazingly better. I’m so glad I started as soon as I figured out that maybe my weight and eating habits were the problem. When I told a friend this the other day she said, “That’s great. I want to make some changes too, but I’m going to wait until New Year’s and make it a resolution.”

I don’t understand. Why wait three weeks to feel better? There’s nothing magical about January 1. Waiting to start the year with a resolution doesn’t mean you’re more likely to finish it or do it. You’re actually MORE likely to fail. Resolutions aren’t as strong as commitments. When we decide to change based on a realization that the change is needed, that our lives will truly be better for it, and when we COMMIT to that change, we’re more likely to make that change a permanent part of our lives.

I’ve been watching and rewatching all the episodes of The Biggest Loser. Every person on there went through an incredible amount of effort to be on the show. They beat out thousands or possibly millions of other applicants, endured tests, questions, paperwork and who knows what all to get their coveted spot. They ALL change because they decided to change. They committed to it.

Waiting or playing around with making up your New Year’s resolutions is just fooling yourselves. If you are deciding to change something because everyone else is doing it, after all, it IS New Year’s!!! Then don’t bother. If the resolution doesn’t spark a commitment to the action you’ll fail anyway, so why waste your time and create one more thing to feel bad about. If you’ve found something you want to change, then change TODAY. Commit to it. Don’t wait.

I am lying in bed right now, sick with a sinus infection, and wondering if exercising will make it better or worse. As soon as I find the answer I’ll either rest or work out. I am COMMITTED to losing 100 pounds and to getting in shape. That means working out twice a week with weights and doing aerobics three days and resting one day. It means changing the way I eat (five times a day instead of twice and always eating breakfast). It means changing what I eat (no sodas, no processed food, no diet anything). It means becoming detail oriented and planning meals and workouts and keeping to a strict schedule even when I don’t “feel” like working out.

I CHOSE to do this. I have committed to it. I am sharing this information with you because I am committed. Later, I will post my “before & after” photos because I want to be held accountable so I will finish this process. I can’t think of anything more mortifying than to post a before “Fat” photo and never have an “after” photo to post with it. Like the pig, (And thus the bacon photo) I am committed to a “breakfast” of health.

What are YOU committing to? Share it with me. Please. Post it here and keep us updated.