This year, I am going to become the sort of person who exercises regularly. I'm not particularly concerned about reaching a certain weight, but I'd like to improve my strength and endurance. W- is helping me ease into the learn-to-run program he did at work. I'm also starting from the first rung on the fitness ladder from The Hacker's Diet. Small activities like these don't take a lot of time, and the gradual progression will help me build confidence.

I'd also like to turn more exercise activities into ones that W- and I can share. Krav maga isn't my cup of tea, but I think I'll like jogging and walking with W-. We can stretch or do some weight-training while watching videos. Biking is fun, too.

What does making fitness part of me mean? I think it means being in tune with how things work, paying attention to the details and the changes. It's probably like the way daily gardening has changed my experience of the backyard compared to when I dabbled in it. I'm looking forward to trying more things and learning more.

Identity is a big factor when it comes to maintaining good habits. When you make something part of who you are, it's easier to keep doing it, and it's harder to neglect it. Here are some of the other identity changes I've gone through:

• I changed from someone who takes transit all the time to someone who bikes whenever she can.
• I changed from someone who hated writing for school to someone who enjoys writing for this blog.
• I changed from someone who grew up around household staff (cook, maids) to someone who cooks practically all her meals and takes care of her own chores.

I have the time, space, and support I need, and it's good for me. I can see the results of good habits and the consequences of poor ones. And I'm going to do it without gym memberships or other things like that. We already have all the tools I need, so I just have to do it. =)