2022: A year in numbers

Well, I beat last year in every area (though in eating fresh fruit and veg a tie with 2021). So - here we are, my ninth year in a row of measuring exercise output and food & drink intake. The table below is limited to seven years, so 2014 and 2015 aren't here, but for the record, I was knocking back 33.4 units of alcohol a week on average in 2014, cut back to 28.0 in 2015, so the sub-14 units a week across this year is a halving from seven years ago, and down to what the NHS considers 'safe drinking'.  

Walking is still below 2019's record, though a pair of Nordic walking poles (thanks Andrew N!) has ensured a greater number of moderate-to-high-intensity walking minutes per day than ever before. Will be difficult to beat in 2023!

Gold-coloured background in table - best ever result. Every row represents results averaged out per day across the entire year. Walking - I covered 3,400km/2,100 miles on foot this year. 

Measurable and manageable
	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022
Paces (daily average)	10.6k	11.0k	11.4k	12.0k	11.1k	11.2k	11.6k
Moderate to high  intensity (mins)	N/A	N/A	N/A	24	30	35	44
Alcohol drunk (units/week)	25.0	20.8	19.7	18.5	15.5	14.1	13.7
Dry days over course of year	155	186	196	198	208	231	234
Days with zero physical training	148	83	27	17	11	22	9
Press-ups/day	N/A	25	60	90	83	20	23
Pull-ups/day	N/A	2	7	5	11	11	12
Sit-ups/day	71	N/A	N/A	N/A	16	19	25
Sets of weights exercises/day	N/A	2.1	2.2	2.3	2.4	1.1	1.6
Squats/day	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	28	40
Plank time (min: sec/day average)	N/A	N/A	N/A	3:40	4:11	4:21	4:58
Portions fresh fruit & veg/day	5.0	5.2	5.3	5.4	6.1	6.4	6.4

Days without a minimum of three sets of exercise have fallen to a mere nine across the course of the year. 

Thanks to Dr A. for tweaking my squats - my arms now (attempt anyway!) to point vertically up towards the ceiling, rather than just swinging around, which makes balance harder and is good for stretching the back. Since beating last year's pull-ups record, I have taken to doing the more challenging ones (full pull-up rather than just from the position in which my arms parallel to floor, a half-pull-up). It will be very hard to beat 12 of these a day across 2023, given my current max on this form of exercise is five (I managed six just the once). 

Press-ups - continued focus on quality rather than quantity. Each one right to the floor, then up until arms lock, back straight. Plank - typically two lots of three minutes.

So - here I am, 65 years old, convinced that daily exercise routines are part of the key to longevity. Along with good genes and good luck - and a strongly positive mental attitude, driven by gratitude and never taking good health for granted. I hope I can keep this going! Another daily routine here is prayer while brushing my teeth - praying for the health of all those around me, and thankfulness for what I have.

All the very best to all my regular readers for 2023.

This time last year:
2021: A year in numbers

This time two years ago:

2020 - a year in numbers

This time three years ago
2019 - a year in numbers

This time four years ago:
2018- a year in numbers

This time five years ago:
2017 - a year in numbers

This time six years ago:
2016 - a year in numbers

This time seven years ago:
2015 - a year in numbers

This time eight years ago:
Economic forecasts for 2014 - and 2015?

This time eight years ago:
Economic predictions for 2014

This time ten years ago:
Economic predictions for 2013

This time 11 years ago:
Economic predictions for 2012

This time 13 years ago:
Classic cars, West Ealing

This time 13 years ago:
Jeziorki 2009, another view

This time 14 years ago:
Jeziorki 2008, another view

This time 15 years ago:
Final thoughts for 2007