The Official Lifestyle Goals 2012 Thread

[Edmond Dantès]

Oh and my trial session with my dancing partner went really well. At first I wasn't in the mood to go to it, but I went anyway. My dancing partner is really charming, down to earth, warm and relaxed. And good looking...Really like her. Seems very likely that we'll do a dancing course together Winning.

[MidnightRun]

Goals
1. I will not speak to or contact my ex-girlfriend until at least June 1st.
2. I will conclude the approach program by Mark until the end of march.
3. I will cut my weight down to 176 Lbs till 31 December 2012.
4. I will play in a band or orchester with my sax till 31 December 2012.
5. I will have a DJ Gig at a private house party till September 2012.

That's really it, both are HUGE projects, and I'm moving across the country to start a new job in August.

Process Strategies:

1. No contact, no phone no facebook. If I see her I will just slightly talk to her.
2. I will take the time to achieve the exercices. I take it serious.
3. I go two time a week to the gym, 1 time to boxing and 2 times to Krav Maga. I will look at my nutrition and I will avoid calb at the evening. Only at saturday is junk food day.
4. I will practise more and I will find people in bands. I already know one, who played in a OI! Punk band.
5. I will finally grab my USB Controller and figure out how to beatmatch. Listen to a lot of music to find my true style.

Cheérs!

[Halo Effect]

New goal for me: Dress well this next spring and summer. My clothes are starting to fall apart, so I'll need to buy new everything. Might as well buy the right stuff!

I'm hoping the book about fashion and more fashion advice will come out before spring, so that I can make better informed decisions.

[MidnightRun]

Hi,
so my goal 3 is permanent working. I was just yesterday in my gym. Today I will go to my boxing class. And my nutrion is good. My second goal the approach program will continued today. Direct Approach. 10 times, ough.
Suddenly my ex girlfriend wrote me an Short message "I was happy to see you and wanna talk to you intime" So I am very happy about that, I think I will miss that goal. But I am trying not to overcompensate that meeting. Maybe I will again have a good time with her.

Thanks

[Matt T]

Update:

The Good:
-Lost a few (~4) pounds
-Midsection feels a lot firmer/more muscular
-People commenting on my physique (which I actually find offensive since nobody noticed before, but whatever)


The Bad:
-Lost most of my willpower to continue dieting, slacking a lot
-Cheating a ton on weekends, more than I should
-Weight loss has stalled


I have about 3 months to go until the June deadline, and it's iffy if I will make it.

[Mark]

I have no idea how close I am, but I've lost a noticeable amount of weight as well (I'd eyeball it at around 5 lbs or so), but I'm having the same motivational issues. Cheating a lot more than I should. Skipped the gym once last week. This week is going better and I've been more on top of things. I still think I should make it... after all, we still have 3 entire months... If worse comes to worse and it's May and I'm not quite there yet, I can just do a hardcore Paleo for a few weeks.

[MidnightRun]

Tried the direct approach lesson from the aproaching program and failed hard. Just one approach. The other exercices were easy. I will do it today again.
Martial Arts class was great and I played a little sax for my lesson on friday.
My Dj Hardware is still hidden under my desk.

[IdEngager]

Another DJ gig tonight. Not sure if it counts towards February or March since I didn't get on til well past midnight, but two major accomplishments:

1) Stumped my friend, one of the best soul DJs in LA, with a soul cover he actually hadn't heard of (it was Ruth Copeland covering "Gimme Shelter")
2)It was sorta dead on Hwood Blvd most of the night, til about 1:15 in the morning, when a bunch of trannies came in. TRANNY SURPRISE!!!

Have to say, the time I DJed before this, we were ambushed by some punk band that was mostly fat guys in diapers. What's to come next?

[FirstAidKit]

Let's check in :]

FirstAidKit Wrote:I've been meaning to post here for ages, here goes.

1) Sort out my head re: dating.

A bit of a fail and win at this one - I didn't take the time off to focus on me, but I have been seeing a couple of people and NOT going mental about it. Which is nice. I'm taking time to check in with myself whether I'm enjoying the time and what I want out of each one rather than focusing and pleasing them and it seems to be going well.

2) Get better at orgasms

Which leads into - I am getting laid again on the regular. Fuck. YES. (Well, I haven't slept with one of the two yet... but it's on the cards.) And the sex is great. I mentioned I find it really hard to come, but I'm going to lay out the full extent next time I see him I think, and get him onto the 'make FirstAidKit come' challenge. It can be like a sexy Everest.

3) Sort out my wardrobe
Bought £150 worth of clothes last month, set aside about the same to do the same this month.

4) Spend more time doing hobbies.
Not so great - I've done a couple of hours uke practice but I've been mentally busy socially so this kind of failed a bit.

[Matt T]

Ugh, I try to avoid partying while on my cut, but my friends dragged me to some frat affair. I had about 6 drinks before going back home. I had a fun time for a few hours, but then got bored. I'm a pretty introverted guy, so I can't really stand partying for several hours.

Anyways, guess that's my cheat day gone.

On the plus side, I seem to be maintaining my strength well, I've actually marginally increased the weight on a few of my pushing movements like dips and chest press.

[Edmond Dantès]

I'm still ill and can't go out tonight. Shitty feeling :/ Would love to party now...or even workout

[TheBoss]

GOALS

1. Get a new, better job (By April 6th)
2. Get in a better shape (arms: 13.5 inches to 15 inches; waist: 33 to 31.5) (By June 1st)
3. Learn basics of HTML, CSC, Java. I might go back to school in May or September to do Computer Programming. I already graduated with a degree in Economics and Finance, but having a hard time to find a good job.
4. Get involved in a hobby with social aspect

STRATEGIES


1. Create profiles with various job agencies. Call recruiters and try to meet them in person. Apply to at least 3 jobs a day.
2. I already go to the gym. Been slacking the past 2 weeks. Was doing a program called stronglift. Put up a lot of power in my legs, getting bored with the program. Going to switch to : http://oldschooltrainer.com/3-day-push-pull-legs/
Also my diet is shitty, I cheat a lot.
3. Learned a bit of HTML already, pretty basic stuff so far. Should spend at least 4 hours a week on this. Also, should apply to the program for May.
4. Not sure what to pick. I want to pick something that I'd enjoy, but what would also let me meet some babes.

[TheBoss]

I think I fucked up my back with deadlifts. I shouldn't have done 5x5, I'm in pain now. My diet has been pretty bad too, I was partying all weekend, so lots of booze and pub food. The other 2 are going well.

[Edmond Dantès]

Quote:fly a flight in an aeroplane (till 31.4.12)
1. joining the group in the next semester
2. getting the insurance done
3. do it

The trial session for a flight in the flight club in my area is now available. Am so excited, the costs are low and I have time at the given date.

Will shoot the host an email tomorrow, because I'm not sure what I have to handle with my insurance...

Did I mention that I'm excited?

[Edmond Dantès]

Sent the email.

[Matt T]

Weight is stable below 200 lbs, and strength seems to be fine.

By some miracle, I have an A in Biochemistry so far, though the final exam is looking brutal.

Anyways, I'm starting to write my personal statement for medical school, probably a bit late. I wish I didn't spend all my spare time playing computer games.

[Mark]

As of a week ago I officially accomplished Goal #4 (Date the same girl for more than a month). Am dating an amazing Brazilian girl since the second week I got here and plan on sticking with her for another month until I leave.

Goal #1 is most of the way there, but not quite. My Portuguese is low conversational, although I have not been putting nearly as much effort into it as I have other languages in other countries. It doesn't help that my girlfriend here speaks great English. I'm resuming Portuguese classes tomorrow and will study 2-3 hours a day for the next two weeks. Hopefully that should get me to a place where I'm satsfied.

Goal #3. Stagnated on the six-pack front. Still need to lose another 5-7 lbs probably. Lost a little strength. I've been cheating on the Paleo too much. Need to get back to it. And drink less.

[TheBoss]

(03-20-2012 12:25 AM)Mark Wrote:  As of a week ago I officially accomplished Goal #4 (Date the same girl for more than a month). Am dating an amazing Brazilian girl since the second week I got here and plan on sticking with her for another month until I leave.

Goal #1 is most of the way there, but not quite. My Portuguese is low conversational, although I have not been putting nearly as much effort into it as I have other languages in other countries. It doesn't help that my girlfriend here speaks great English. I'm resuming Portuguese classes tomorrow and will study 2-3 hours a day for the next two weeks. Hopefully that should get me to a place where I'm satsfied.

Goal #3. Stagnated on the six-pack front. Still need to lose another 5-7 lbs probably. Lost a little strength. I've been cheating on the Paleo too much. Need to get back to it. And drink less.

Hey Mark,

Why do you want to date the same girl for more than a month if you're going to leave? Isn't that tough emotionally?

[Mark]

(03-20-2012 10:32 PM)TheBoss Wrote:  Hey Mark,

Why do you want to date the same girl for more than a month if you're going to leave? Isn't that tough emotionally?

Yeah, it is. But I don't mind "tough emotionally." I've learned it's usually worth it.

[NakedAndFamous]

(01-30-2012 07:34 PM)NakedAndFamous Wrote:  Goals:

1. Get a Sixpack (by Dec 31st)
2 Pass my final exams & my IT-Project with good grades (by June 31st)
3. Read at least 1 Book per Month (by Dec 31st)
4. Step up Dating life by getting 3 different girls into bed or getting a gf (by June 31st)
5. Learn spanish basics (by Dec 31st)

So, time for my update.

1) I'm on a good way i think, my knee surgery actually had some great benefits for this goal. Didn't drink for 5 weekends straight and showed a lot of determination on my diet. I'll think i'm able to get another 3 months from now.

2) Didn't study as much as i should, but i've still got the grades i needed and wanted, so i'll pass the year pretty safe i think.

3) Didn't quite do it. Just read one book with 1000 pages since January 1th.

4) Dating life's been quite alright, was dating a girl over 3 months but it fell apart because i didn't want a committed relationsship. She was cute and i liked her, but there just wasn't too much chemestry to begin with.

5) Haven't done anything yet.

I'll probably need to add some more goals later. Probably need to set some goals to overcome different anxieties.

[Mark]

@NakedAndFamous, as far as I can tell you haven't accomplished any of your 5 goals, and have only made progress on 2 of them and you're already talking about adding more. I think that's just asking for failure. If anything, you should be dropping 1-2 from the list to focus heavily on the others.


A good friend of mine who is a business consultant passed along an interesting study of corporations. The study found that corporations which created 3 or less goals each year almost always accomplished all of them. Businesses that created 4-6 goals usually accomplished about half of them. Businesses which created 7+ goals each year pretty much never accomplished any of them.

Take away is that 3 goals at a time seems to be the sweet spot. Also that more goals can distract from each other and actually make it less likely that you accomplish any of them.

Keep in mind these were large organizations though and not individuals.

[seele]

My goals until 1st of June:

-> Be able to bench press 102kg 5 times in a row.
-> Read 10 books.
-> Finish Mark's approach program.

[Matt T]

Good news and bad news.

1) I got an A in Biochemistry, which was probably the hardest science course I've ever taken.


2) I've given up on my aesthetic goals for now. I've lost my motivation to go to the gym, I hate it so much, my diet has slacked, I'm losing too much strength, blah blah blah. Honestly, if I keep this going I don't see myself being in the gym for longer than one more month before I dump it for good.

I consulted with my mentor (a competitive powerlifter) about my concerns. He also told me that I should give up on this goal, and try to get more strength and mass. So that will be what I do. My immediate plan is to finally hit a 405 deadlift (and be the last of my strength training friends to do so. I swear they probably make fun of me for only pulling 370). I took a week off the gym, and now I will start on my new program. (probably 5/3/1).

Was this plan a complete failure? I still cut down from 205 to 200 lbs, and I look quite a bit better than I did before. I just couldn't go all the way this time.

[Mark]

That sucks to hear.

My six pack goal is going to come down to the wire. I'm getting pretty lean. But I definitely still have another five pounds to go or so, and those last five are the hardest.

I'm pretty sure I've lost a little strength as well.

[Matt T]

Quote:That sucks to hear.

Yeah. My problem was that I naively assumed that I would never lose motivation to go to the gym. I wasn't going to the gym for girls (lol actually I was, but it wasn't my primary reason), I was going to transform myself and forge myself into a better person. I was going to beat the haters.

I thought that motivation would sustain me forever. It worked just fine when I had nothing much else going on in my life. But when the shit hit the fan in finals week, it wasn't good enough, and everything fell apart. Ultimately, I was only able to hold to strict dieting for about 6 weeks before I started slacking too much.

I took a week off the gym to reassess what was going on, but I'm back now, and I will ultimately succeed in my aesthetics and strength goals. Preferably before graduation (I'm a junior atm).


Anyways, I'm glad to hear that you're being successful, Mark.