I’ve tracked my fitness goals every year since I started blogging. This year is no different. Here’s a look at my fitness goals for 2022, and a look forward at what’s in store for 2023.
I have a firm belief in the adage that you get what you measure, which is why I like to do this exercise. If I’m measuring and tracking my fitness activities, then there’s a good chance the results will follow.
If you’ve followed my goals from previous years, you ‘ll remember that I like to focus on three areas – working out, physical activity, and diet. I’m going to do the same this year.
Let’s get started.
2022 goals
Working out
I had low expectations for working out in 2022. 2021 was more or less a bust due to my local gym closing down. I spent last year in reset mode trying to develop a new routine.
Towards the latter part of the year, I finally came up with a routine that I feel like I can take forward into this year. It involves doing two online video workouts and one all-body dumbbell routine each week.
My official goal for last year was to have a routine that I could put some measurable goals around. I feel like I have that for 2023, so I can check off that goal as done.
Physical activity
Between walking, running, biking, and hiking, I wanted to get to 1,000 miles of activity last year. I was close. I ended up at 984 miles.
Walking made up the bulk of the activity with 760 miles logged, followed by running at 222 miles. Hiking made up the remainder. I didn’t do any cycling.
I still like the goal of 1,000 miles for the year. It’s a stretch, but clearly doable. It gives me something to shoot for.
Diet
I’m feeling pretty good about where I’m at with my diet. I continue to practice intermittent fasting periods of 14-16 hours while practicing a reduced carbohydrate diet. My biggest diet rules are staying away from refined carbohydrates, processed foods, and added sugars. Unless I’m dining out, the majority of the carbohydrates are ones I make, such as my own sourdough bread. When it comes to my breads, I control the ingredients and keep it simple – flour, water, yeast, and salt. By controlling the ingredients in my carbohydrates, I found it’s not what in the food, it’s what’s done to it.
The only downside to diet is fasting. I really want to incorporate longer fasting periods into my diet. I did a few 24-hour fasts last year, but I’d like to do more. I’d also like to incorporate a couple of 48-hour fasts, although the one I did was pretty challenging.
2023 goals
Like I did last year, I’m going to keep this year’s goals simple. The easier it is to measure, the more likely I am to track it.
Working out
The goal for 2023 is 120 days of strength and cardio training. It will be a combination of online video workouts, with Team Body Project and HASFit being the go-to’s, and all body dumbbell training routines.
Physical activity
The goal will continue to be 1,000 miles of physical activity. It will primarily involve walking and running, although I’d like to add in more hiking. I don’t expect it will be a lot, maybe 25-30 miles.
I’d really like to add in cycling. To do so will require upgrading my bike to something, actually anything, conducive to longer rides compared to what I have now. I suppose that getting my bike situation resolved will be a secondary goal for this year so I can add cycling to my physical activity rotation next year.
Diet
The basic diet will entail more of the same – intermittent fasting, reduced carbs, and avoiding processed foods, particularly those with refined carbohydrates and added sugars. I also intend to keep eating raw vegetables, especially those that add fiber to the diet, and to keep eating fermented foods to care for my microbiome. Basically, I subscribe to the theory set forth by Dr. Robert Lustig in his book Metabolical – “Protect the liver. Feed the gut.”
I’d also like to make more of an effort to incorporate the occasional longer fasting period of 24-48 hours into my diet. I’m also planning to make a conscious effort to reduce my alcohol consumption. I’m still going to enjoy the occasional beer and glass of wine. I just want to keep it “occasional” and not overdo it. I’m not going to put any measurement criteria on these secondary goals in 2023. I’ll re-evaluate at the end of the year and decide if I need to get more disciplined about measuring these in 2024.
My fitness isn’t perfect. I don’t ever expect it will be. It’s always going to be a work in progress. I like to treat it as an on-going science experiment I’m running on my body. I try things. I measure. I check the results. Those things that work well, I incorporate into the routine and make them habits. Those those don’t work so well or that won’t stick, I discard and move on.
Since it seems to be working out so far, I plan to stick to the game plan for 2023.