My go-to line when the ubiquitous topic of exercise comes up: “I support exercise totally. I am thinking of you working out as I sit on my couch.”

I try, I do. I speak firmly and warn myself: shape up or ship out. And I always ship out. I admit I have a follow-through problem. Or lack thereof. But, if I am honest, I know that I am uncoordinated. I suffer from improper form. I struggle with managing more than one part of my body at a time. I miss my understanding couch.

Yet since this is the year of challenges, I hold out hope for myself as well as my brand-new hoop. How can I go wrong with a weighted Hula Hoop? I can swivel, sort of. I will be a disciplined blur of red and blue. I have already done it for one day.