Early thoughts on "2015 in Review".

Before moving to Philippines, there were certain changes which I planned to make upon arriving here. These changes included a plan to get back into a daily exercise routine and a plan to write more often.

Anyone looking at this blog can see how well the latter worked out.

I have been, however, successful in making changes in my diet and my exercise habits.

I underwent a modest medical exam in June of this year when I received my Philippine driver's license so I know the weight given on the license was measured on that day.....88 kilos. Since that time, I have lost 11 kilos, due largely to a change of diet. I have developed a regular exercise routine, but I credit the loss to the diet, rather than the increased amount of daily exercise.

For what it's worth, here is a breakdown of my current exercise routine:

On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, I walk 1 kilometer to a gym near the public market in Sibulan. At the gym, I've been doing weight training - hitting all the upper body muscle groups in one, hour long session. After the workout, I walk the 1 kilometer back home.

On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, I've taken off from the weight training and have instead, walked 3 kilometers each of those mornings.

It's my plan now to make adjustments in that routine. Rather than go to the gym three days a week, I'll be going four days a week, splitting the muscle groups worked on those days. Once I begin this new schedule, I will work legs, back and biceps on Mondays and Thursdays then working chest, shoulders and triceps on Tuesdays and Friday with Wednesday and the weekend as rest days.

Because there will be four "weight" days, my "walk-only" days will drop from three to two; I'll still observe Sunday as a day of rest. I don't want to decrease the number of kilometers (or miles) I walk every week, so I will increase the "walk-only" distance from 3 kilometers a day to 4 kilometers.

It really doesn't take too much time out of my day to get this exercise done. I'm always up with the sun - which comes mighty early in Philippines. I've still plenty of time left to spend on my writing. I don't know if I'd classify this as a New Year's resolution, but I really do need to take some time every day to work on that.

Although it's not a proper excuse, I could put this slackness in my writing down to the fact that I don't really have an office where I can work in seclusion. Space is limited in this two bedroom apartment.

I know, that's not a good reason.

On a more positive note, I have managed to set aside time to read; I've read 37 books this year, with the possibility of finishing number 38 before December 31st. This year, I'll continue my annual listing of the books I've read on the first day of the new year. Looking back at the list from  January 1, 2015, where I put down the 31 books I read in 2014, I see this year will top that number.