OFFICIAL 2011 goals report, 2012 new goals thread

[IHateMyJob2004]

See how this one goes as some sort of official thread for people to tell their 2011 stories and 2012 hopes.

I started 2011 wearing 38" waist pants. Got a bit pissed that I had some new pants that I might have had to toss and buy some 40" waist pants. Those 38"ers were beyond tight. I think I topped out at 230 pounds at the beginning of the year. I was more in the 225-230 fluctuating range though. So, I'm kinda cheap so I opted to loose some weight instead of buying new pants.

For what it matters I am just shy of 6' tall.

So I set some 2011 goals:
1) sub 200 pounds by the end of the year.
2) bench 200 pounds
3) run a non stop 5K
4) 34" waist (32" stretch goal)

I started the couch25K program and a random weight lifting routine that was way too much into isolation exercises. So, I later started the stronglifts 5x5 program. It's a modified set of exercises till I get a cage. This has changed my life.

When April 2011 rolled around we went on vacation. I was as happy as hell. I bought some 36" waist shorts. I was down to about 215 pounds at that time.

Since then, I have continued to make progress. I can do 5 sets of 5 at 180 pounds on the bench. I hack squat 190 pounds (5x5) and am still progressing upward with that. I deadlift almost 200 pounds (5x5) still progressing upward on that too. And I think I could 1 rep bench 200 pounds (might try tonight).

Today, where I stand:
1) Weigh in at around 212 pounds (207 was my bottom a few months ago). I think I could get the 205-210 range by the end of the year.
2) Just did 200 bench then 205 bench tonight!
3) Did it ... 5K ... 29 minutes and change. Dec 10, 2011! I just ran 3 miles in under 30 minutes but I had a few walks during it. I think i can pull off the 5K next time (Saturday maybe)
4) 34" waist

So, I am overall very happy.

2012 goals:
1) 1 rep bench 235 (260 stretch goal) (upadted from 225/250)
2) get to sub 195 pounds (180 is my long term goal)
3) 32" waist (pretty much the long term goal)
4) 8K (10K stretch goal)
5) Touch a 10' basketball rim again. (4" shy right now)
6) Get a damned squat rack
7) Close a captains of crunch #2 gripper (and buy them) 5 times in a row

So, I write this to be open. Anyone can loose weight. All it takes is disciplined eating and exercise habits. A willingness to eat whatever you should eat when visiting others is also necessary. If they don't understand, to bad. So, everyone. Brag moan and encourage away!

And Jan 1 should not be some sort of imaginary start date. Start when your state of mind is there. That's what I did and am I glad I did. My January start date had little to do with new years. I think I might have actually started in December or February. I just don't remember. Start when you have the motivation to change your life. One day, you just need to say F it, today I change. I did and the next day I bought a new bench to use with my childhood weight set.

 

[Pantlegz]

Goals for 2011:
Maintain 215-220
Bench: 315x5
Squat: 495x5
Dead Lift: 575x5

I'm a little heavier than I wanted to be, I'm sitting between 225-230. I did hit my bench press goal quite a while ago but didn't really move past it at all. Squat I'm close, 475x3 and I'm getting proper shoes tomorrow so I'll probably try to knock out 495. The deadlift was very doable, I pulled 495 months ago but I got over zealous and jacked my back up and I've spent that last 2-3 months babying it and just now getting back to decent weights, pulled 435x5 last week with ease. I may push for 495x5 by the end of the year if my back holds up but not pushing it too hard.

Next year,
Weight: 225 +/- 5
Squat: 600x1
Bench: 415x1
Deadlift: whatever I can x1

I also plan on competing in no less than 4 BJJ tournaments and should have my blue belt by the end of the year.

 

[tedrodai]

I don't regularly log my goals/achievements, but I'll take this opportunity. I need to make sure I stay on track, and writing them down can only help.

For 2011, prior to April I was sitting at 5'11" 200+/- and in a definite slump mentally/emotionally/physically for a variety of reasons. I'd also failed to exercise regularly since...probably 2009. I finally had the epiphany that it was up to me--not anyone else--to take charge and find a balance in the many aspects of life that make me happy. Why it took 28.5 years for me to figure this out, I don't know. So, I initially made these goals (with reports included):

1) Start learning a martial art, and stick with it
-CHECK! started Muay Thai in April and love it!
2) Find some enjoyable fitness routines that do not require a gym (i.e. something I can continue doing when it's not possible to have a gym schedule)
-bought a few pieces of equipment to help, but CHECK!
3) Lose fat (not muscle) to reach 180lbs. (from 200) & 32in waist (from 34) before daughter is born
-I reached both these goals, but haven't maintained 180. I hover in the 183-185 range atm, so still have some work to do before February
4) Work pullups towards a goal of 20 reps bodyweight in a set (starting at 8ish, down from an earlier max of 10) before I hit 30yrs old
-did a set of 14.95 reps last week! (lol couldn't quite make it all the way up on the 15th). I've got slightly under a year meet this goal, but that just means I need to increase the goal so I don't slack off
5) 7 min mile time (struggled to make 10min mile initially), 25 min 5k in October
-I haven't bothered timing 1-mile, but I feel like I've reached my current athletic goal with a 22:35 5k time (~7:17 per mi) !
6) Maintain some sort of fitness routine from now through FOREVER
-well, it's only been 8 months so far. I have a week or 2 off every few months to rest up. I like having this as a general goal, but I find it's much more helpful to have some very specific goals and to update with new specific goals when old goals are met.
7) Improve my current diet and don't slip back into bad habbits
-check, so far! I started watching calories and food contents initially, and I've managed to keep sugary foods out of my diet excepting once or twice a month. I'm keeping my daily calories close to my BMR without feeling the need to continue to eat, excepting when my workouts have been really intense (in that case, I definitely eat more to help recover).
8) Do all this while maintaining my family responsibilities
-CHECK! Finished painting the nursery last week!

As for next year...I avoid the whole "New Years Resolutions" thing, but my rough goals will be:

1) Continue towards current pull-up goal; once achieved, buy a dip belt and add weight
2) Incrementally increase the total time spent running to 45 mins
3) Keep practicing my Muay Thai basics at home after daughter is born, b/c I have to quit classes for a while
4) Weigh in at 175 lbs
5) Maintain balanced diet
6) Maintain family responsibilities -- learn how to be a dad, and do the best job I can

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Good job fellas!

Keep it up!

For pull ups, what is the best strategy to get to 20 as soon as possible? When I get a cage, I'm adding pull ups to my routine. Was going to do a stronglifts 5x5 type strategy with a weight belt though.


Pantz,
I know you have a thread. But what kind of general progress should I expect going forward. If I stick to stronglifts and am currently at 180 5x5, should i expect to do 220 5x5 in a year? Your deadlift is insane by the way. How long have you been at it now?

 

[Megatomic]

Nice write-ups fellas. I don't have near the structure that you guys do. Here were my goals for 2011:

1. Get fit enough to complete the Virgil Crest 50 Mile trail race - DONE
2. Lose weight. Wanted to get down to 175 from 202, got down to 189 so far. FAIL
3. Keep up my whole body strength thru body weight circuit training. DONE

My goals for 2012:

1. Get fit enough to complete the Oil Creek 100 Mile trail race in under 24 hours.
2. Lose weight. Get down to 170 by race weekend.
3. Keep up my whole body strength thru body weight circuit training.
4. Run 2000 or more miles.

Good luck to you all in 2012.

 

[Pantlegz]

Pantz,
I know you have a thread. But what kind of general progress should I expect going forward. If I stick to stronglifts and am currently at 180 5x5, should i expect to do 220 5x5 in a year? Your deadlift is insane by the way. How long have you been at it now?

Everyone is going to be a little different, I was able to pretty much stick to adding 5lbs a week up to 360ish then I started to stall a little. I also lifted before and had a fairly decent foundation so I probably stuck with SL longer than most just because I started pretty light and just stuck to it until I couldn't anymore. As far as going from 180 5x5 to 220 5x5 it depends on the lift, anything but bench press should be easy, I added close to 100lbs the first year and I'm damn near the same this year. This is the end of my second year of lifting since high school. I've never been small though, I was benching 200+ when I was 16.

One thing to keep in mind that some people tend to over look(I did), Is that Mendi intends for SL to be a short term intro program lasting upto 9 months then switching to something with less volume. Trust me it helps the number go up when you're not squatting 405x5x5 but do 5 sets and build up to 2 'working' sets.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Mega,

100 mile running race? Really? At first I thought it must be mountain biking or something. Ultramarathon though. Phew. Please report in after that. Sounds interesting.

Pantz,
Wow, you are a genetic freak. And I mean that as a compliment.

As for Mendi, I'm following the program and will progress each exercise as I hit my maxes. I think Mendi says that once you stall at a weight for an exercise 3 times (3 bench press stalls at 200 pounds for example), to move to a 3x5 program for that exercise. So, instead of trying 200x5x5, do 200x3x5. Same story on the 3x5. 3 stalls and go to 1x5.

Of course, I might go to 1x5 or 2x5 and do what I see you do in your thread for warm ups.

What sucks is that I hope to move into a new home with better basement (taller ceilings). Right now I am doing military press instead of Overhead press because I have no other choice. Doing Hack Squats instead of back squats. So, the suck is that I need to change exercises and in doing so, do the whole progression up in weights for the overhead and squat.

But ya, I know that I need to move to an intermediate program eventually.

 

[Mursilis]

My goals for 2012:

1. Get fit enough to complete the Oil Creek 100 Mile trail race in under 24 hours.

Good luck, crazy person!

 

[Sixguns]

Still new to lifting and living health so really my goals for 2012 are to keep lifting the whole year, get a bit leaner and increase my weight on lifting. Simple I know but it will do.

 

[Pantlegz]

Still new to lifting and living health so really my goals for 2012 are to keep lifting the whole year, get a bit leaner and increase my weight on lifting. Simple I know but it will do.

Concrete goals are much easier to obtain than generalizations. They can also keep you motivated if that starts to fade at some point. Just a suggestion.

 

[tedrodai]

For pull ups, what is the best strategy to get to 20 as soon as possible? When I get a cage, I'm adding pull ups to my routine. Was going to do a stronglifts 5x5 type strategy with a weight belt though.

Well, the best answer I can give you for getting to 20 pullups ASAP is to focus on your pullups. People have a variety of specific plans for that goal, and most of those people tend to agree you can work those muscles pretty often (multiple times per week). If you google "20 pullups", you'll find some plans pretty quickly, but I can't speak to their effectiveness.

I personally am not worried about speed so much as continued progress, so I make sure to get 1 good pullup workout in per week. Occasionally I'll do it twice in a week, but I've been focusing on my cardio 1st most of this year and strength 2nd. Still, I've made pretty good progress. If my gains slow down, I'll have to switch to one of those pull-up plans.

Oh...and of course strip down the fat =). The less you weigh, the easier to do more (bodyweight) pullups.

 

[Sixguns]

Concrete goals are much easier to obtain than generalizations. They can also keep you motivated if that starts to fade at some point. Just a suggestion.

You are right. I was thinking about this last night after I got out of the gym. I benched 175lbs for the first time and it felt great to so something like that. When I first started lifting I had a goal to get my weight to 225lbs down from 270lbs. I hit that goal and some. Over the next couple of days I am going to write some out and get back on here.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Sixguns,

I had a problem you might be having. Just guessing but I think it might be possible. I had no real plan a year ago. Just something I conjured up. I was not progressing very fast and eventually I was stuck at a 175 pound bench press workout weight (2 sets of 6, or 10 or whatever I felt like doing that day). Max bench was 192 pounds (Actually weighed the bar and weights). I just could not progress. I felt like 1 month of weight training did nothing. So I gave stronglifts5x5 a shot. It was the best decision ever.

Trust the structure of Stronglifts. There is a reason everyone that trys it endorses it.

Deleted some rambling. Point was, get into stronglifts. Find/buy Riptoe's book/videos. It's worth it. You'll be benching 200 for one rep within a year.

 

[Sixguns]

Only bad thing about the Stronglift program is that I cannot do squats or deadlifts do to a fusion in my lower back.

 

[KentState]

OP, your story sounds an awful lot like mine. Started 2011 weighing in around 240lbs and pretty much just got pissed at myself at various points throughout the year. Starting August 1st, I set the goal that I didn't want to be miserable anymore. About the same time, my company started a weight loss challenge with the winner at each check-in getting $250 and then $2500 for the overall winner after 6 months.

My goals for the last 5 months of 2011 are:
Weight 190lbs or less (started at 240)
Wear a size 36" waist (started tight 38" or 40")
Run 5k (could maybe do 1/4 mile in the beginning)
Feel better (felt like crap and hated that clothes felt horrible)

As of this morning, I'm at 199lbs, wear a 36 waist and ran a 5k at the beginning of November. Now, nothing fits, I have to buy new clothes top to bottom but I have saved a lot on food since I'm not pigging out.

Goals for 2012:
Weigh 165lbs
34" or less waist
Run 1/2 marathon

My biggest concern at this point is slowly upping my calories so that I continue to drop weight, but to not rapidly go from a calorie deficit to maintenance.

 

[Onita]

Never done one of these before, so why not?

1) My short term goal is to weigh 170. Started at 190, right now I'm at 175ish.
2) Bench my BW. Squat 1.5x BW.
3) Lose 1 pant size - 36 -> 34

 

[Sid59]

2011:
I was disgusted with my weight in May: 167 lbs
My tiered goals. Drop to 160, 150, 147, and the stretch, nearly impossible goal of 140 lbs.
Started on path of cardio and diet changes
- Started Couch25K from the Day 1. By week 7, I was running 3 miles straight no stop @ 33 mins.
- Never entered a 5K by week 11-12 i ran 6 miles one time a week for a few weeks, then dreaded vacation and colder, darker nights came.
Diet Changes:
Changed portion control, cut sodas, cut beer and alcohol, increased grains, fruits and veggies. Small breakfast, fruit snack @ 10, salad + protein for lunch, snack @ 3PM, small portion of whatever i wanted for dinner)
Since September, I've been at 147 consistently. 20 lb weight loss!

Starting today, SL 5x5, very excited.

2012 Goals
- lose more belly fat, more defined stomach
- lose residual man-boobs
- increase strength and more defined muscles
- Run in an organized event: 5K, 10K, Half, and the Zombie Run
- Not sure where i wanna be weightlifting goals since i'm just starting
-- Bench = 150+
-- Squat = 200+? that too little?
-- Deadlift =250+? that too little?

 

[Todd33]

May 2011 I was almost 260 (6'4"). I started to eat better after reading "Why we get fat". Basically cutting down on carbs and sugar.

Around August my weight stabilized at around 230-232. I'm going to try to keep it there until the weather warms up and I can get outside more. I don't do gyms, I have a bad back so I stick to walking and my new pull-up bar.

 

[Cookie]

I never set any goals for 2011 except for weight loss. I'm pretty proud of what I've done, even though I made excuses for the first 2 months and didn't get started until March. I've lost 36 pounds so far. It was hard to get motiation to get started, but easy to keep going once the results started showing.

Goals for 2012 are much more ambitious (and exciting!):

Chinups - 10 - I can almost do 2
Pushups (real ones, not girl ones!) - 50
Run 5k race - hopefully in May - currently can run 2.5km on treadmill no problem
Weight - 130 lbs
Climb Kilimanjaro - September
Complete Tough Mudder http://toughmudder.com/ - October - this one is dependant on my team actually forming

 

[bfdd]

My goal this year was to get down from 250(Jan 1st) to 200 which I accomplished I believe in August. I'm now down to 190 and feeling great. I'm 6'1" and my waist has gone from a 40 to 32-34. My goals for next year are putting on about 20lbs of muscle and start taking some martial arts classes. Not very specific goals, but neither was my losing 50 lbs, just that I had to lose it by any means necessary.

Oh and I want to get to a spot where I can run a 15k so I'm going to quit smoking cigs.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

My goal this year was to get down from 250(Jan 1st) to 200 which I accomplished I believe in August. I'm now down to 190 and feeling great. I'm 6'1" and my waist has gone from a 40 to 32-34. My goals for next year are putting on about 20lbs of muscle and start taking some martial arts classes. Not very specific goals, but neither was my losing 50 lbs, just that I had to lose it by any means necessary.

Oh and I want to get to a spot where I can run a 15k so I'm going to quit smoking cigs.

Appleause!!!

Keeep it up!

 

[Kaido]

My 2011 thread was here:

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2131879

I had a REALLY big struggle with motivation this year. Then in June, I learned that I am Gluten Intolerant - and this changed everything for me. Over the past few months, I've been learning how to live a on a gluten-free diet (I am already dairy-free due to another allergy as of 4 years ago, which was its own challenge haha). Gluten lives in lunchmeat, mustard, everything - a big challenge to deal with, but it really helped with my motivation - I was constantly exhausted and had trouble digesting a variety of foods and it just killed any ability I had to get going and stick with things.

I was just always always always tired and thus had zero motivation to exercise and be consistent on my program, even though I really wanted to be. It's amazing how much better I feel off gluten and how much more motivation I have from not being exhausted 24/7. I can handle eating bananas again, which is great, plus a few other things that bothered me before, all due to an undiagnosed food allergy.

I am also getting to the point where I am getting a bit more sleep - we had our first baby in July and he is starting to sleep better at night, which means I get more sleep too!

My 2012 goals:

1. 3 months of fat loss (Jan - Mar)
2. 9 months of foundational calisthenics (Apr - Dec)

I already have my 2012 diet 100% designed out (daily meal plan, shopping list, cooking instructions, appliances) and have been working on making it more efficient (i.e. make-ahead meals so I can do the bulk of the cooking once a week). I also have my workout plans for the fat loss and foundational calisthenics phases figured out, and I am in the process of working out my 2013 advanced calisthenics program (bodyweight-based bodybuilding) in more detail.

I plan on posting daily in my 2012 thread, which has always been a tremendous motivator for me. You guys are awesome. Keep up the great work!

 

[VulgarDisplay]

My goal is to finally clean up my diet to actually get some good results from my lifting.

I'm getting married in June and I would like to lose 30lbs by then. I've gone from 250-200 a couple years ago, but now I'm back around 220. I like the sound of weigh 190. Haven't weighed that much since I was playing baseball in high school.

 

[brad310]

My 2012 goals:

Body Weight:
Go from 235 to 210.

Exercise:
Bench press 275
Bench press 225 for 10 reps
Squat 275 for 10 reps
OHP 135
Deadlift 315 for reps
10 unassisted pullups

 

[keyed]

2012 Goals:

Maintain bodyweight at ~175 lbs @ 5' 6". Maybe lose some weight to try to get a 6-pack, but genetics is working against me.


Weightlifting:

Bench Press: 2011 start - 190, goal - 2 plates at @ 225, personal best - 215, current 205

Squat: 2011 start - 230, , goal - 3 plates @ 315, personal best - 300, current 280

Deadlift: 2011 start - 315, goal - 4 plates @ 405, personal best / current - 290

Overhead Press: 2011 start - 145, goal - bodyweight, personal best / current - 160