2012 Failures

[spezzy]

Hey guys!

So as we start looking into 2013 and setting our goals - I think it's really important to look back at 2012 and look at what went wrong.

What did you try to do in 2012 and fail at? Why did you fail? What are you going to do in 2013 to do better?

Here are two relevant articles -

Fail more, suck less:

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/10/17/fail-more/

5 Steps to take after failing:

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2012/02/01/5-steps-after-failing/

[blindasutsutsu]

I had set myself out to get back to a 225 lb bench and only hit 205....made me kind of sad but I also hit a weight plateau in November. I am looking to really push myself through to the 225 lb mark here in the next challenge. I often get afraid when I bench alone even with a rando spotting me so I don't push the weight high as I should, hence the plateau. This year I am going to be better about pushing myself to get that extra 5lbs on the bar and make myself do it. This year is going to be all about what my signature says...Reach my limits and then surpass them.

[sumdawgtwigg]

I set out to do multiple 5ks and ended up only running one. I became very relaxed with my running after that and slowly got to the point I'm at now. I think the reason I got there is because I felt so accomplished by running my first one that it somehow made me think that I didn't need to push has hard. Now I know that's not true and that I ineed to get out there and work as hard as I can in 2013.

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

My biggest failure was using too many excuses not to work out. I only strength trained about 6 months of the year and only got about half the results I wanted. My bench only went from 200x5 to 245x5 instead of 275 x5, deadlift 290 to 395 for 5 instead of 450, pulls ups 1 to 3 instead of 10. All those goals would have been achievable had I been more focused and dedicated, but I didn't prioritize them.

I'm fixing that this year by building a home gym and working out 3 times a week and rededicating myself to hitting my goals.

[spezzy]

I guess I should answer this as well.

Fitness wise:

• I did not hit any of my lifting goals. Granted, this had a lot to do with two injuries (one major, one minor) that I'm rehabbing.
  

Life wise:

• I've wanted to get my website up and running for a while and I just haven't. I figured out why though, and that's because you guys and my lifting are more important to me, so while I do have time, it's just not a priority. I've also made networking in person a much bigger priority for me vs. doing everything online. I do aim to make this a priority in 2013.
  
• I still don't have health insurance, and my business shit isn't as together as I would like to to be. I'm working on the health insurance thing now, but will definitely also make the business stuff a priority in 2013.
  

[andygates]

Yeah, about that conditioning and flexibility. Hm.

[guest439437484421]

2012 has been a pretty big year for me. I discovered nerd fitness, and a drive to better myself that was always there, I just learned to start listening to it.

First, my failures for 2012:

Not following through with the angry birds workout (too many excuses)

Not following through with the beginner body weight routine (too many excuses, again)

Not following through with the nerd fitness rebel fitness guide (couldn’t get into it after 4 weeks)

Trying to make too many big changes at once

Quitting out of frustration (my 3-4 month hiatus from the forums)

Now, my successes:

I stopped wishing for changes, and started working on changes (see this whole list for evidence)

I’ve educated myself on many things on fitness, and continue to fill in the gaps

I found something that I enjoyed (strong lifts, weight lifting) and stuck with it

Coming back from quitting and doing even more awesome than before

Turning my friend and coworker onto the paleo diet, who has since lost 20-30 lbs

[Relic]

at the beginning of the year (before I found this great place) I set my sights on :

1 mile in 5:00 (starting at 5:50, currently at 5:25)

deadlift 400lb (starting at 315, currently at 335)

squat 300lb (starting at 225, currently at 245)

overhead press 175lb (starting at 145 currently at ? maybe 135)

I rushed my lifting and ended up hurting my back, stalling, regressing, and loosing motivation.

I think that I didn't include enough base running because I was running 15 or less miles per week of grueling intervals and I was seeing good progress but I started to develop hip pain (pesky glute knotts) and had a weird calf strain that sidelined me.

for 2013 I'll be focusing on regaining my running base, back&core stability and grip strength first. When I get those more to where I want them then I'll get back to lifting heavy and running fast.

[theatresara]

I did really well on my own last spring getting in shape, which having a super active job at the time helped a lot. Then I went away for the summer and made the excuse "well, I'm running around during the whole show every night, so I don't need to focus as much on my work out routines/what I'm eating". Even though I was getting paid to run up and down a mountain 6 times a week (I'm not kidding, it was a quarter mile up the side of the mountain from my dressing room to the stage), I still gained almost 20 pounds. Was some of that healthy muscle? Yes. Was all of it? Definitely not.

I also tend to let my working so much get in the way of eating right. It is a valid reason as there are weeks when I'm working 90+ hours and can't get to a grocery store when it's open. But it's still an excuse. There are always ways to make better choices, even when I'm super busy. I got a crockpot for Christmas, so I'm hoping that will help with this to a certain extent.

[notanartmajor]

I slacked a whole lot with my strength training and my martial arts training, and did not make the progress I should have.

[silverpeacock]

I failed at getting a job (I want a part time one to supplement my small business). The small business was never mentioned in interviews, but there aren't a lot a jobs around here right now.

I failed at keeping running when the snow came (I got too scared of falling), and really hurting myself (no insurance).

Keeping up the bodyweight circuit. I need to start that again.

Time to regroup and begin anew. I think I should go back to school (again), but first figure out what I want to study)

Goals I met:

I lost 30 lbs, which puts me back to the weight I was about 10 years ago

I started a small business with my business degree, and my fine craft diploma, and have 2 seasonal shops carrying my work

When I was at my peak of running, I could go about 14 kms.

[CapN_Tommy_Sunshine]

2012 was not a good year for me.  I had bad problems with consistency and focus.  I wallowed in self pity a bit more than I should have.  Because of this, I didn't really hit any of my goals.  Been getting way more focused the last few months, and am looking forward to the new year and new goals.

[Librarian of Doom]

I failed at getting my 5k time down under 40 minutes. I've run 5k 5 times in the past 5 months (I love the symmetry of that!) and my time has decreased from 48:01 in my first ever 5k to 41:09 in my last attempt. But, as my CF coach pointed out, I've been doing a lot of other stuff and not just focusing on my running. Upon reflection, I'm okay with that. I don't want to be just a runner; it's not my great love. I do want to be better at it, and I plan to continue to work on it, but I'm going to be okay with slower progress, as long as that is because I'm continuing to push myself in other areas, not just because of general laziness.

[trickjarrett]

I set a goal of losing 75 lbs in 2012 and only lost 67. I had a number of setbacks and slip ups throughout the year and had I worked just a little harder I could have hit my goal.

 

I had set a goal to hike 50 miles in 2012, and I hit that goal. Had a bunch of awesome day hikes.

 

I had wanted to run in 3 obstacle/adventure races and I didn't hit it largely because everytime one of the races was in town, I was out of town for work. I've already begun scouting the schedule for 2013 and it looks like I'll get to do Run For Your Lives, Survivor Mud Run and maybe the Spartan Race. We'll see.

 

My goals for 2013 are as follows:

1) Lose another 50 lbs, this will take me down to 235, I'm aiming to get my body fat < 20% (currently around 28.5%)

 

2) Run three obstacle races and three 5k races

 

3) Get into a martial art (Krav maga or maybe Brazilian Jiu Jitsu)

[maegs]

I'd say my main failure is consistency. I make plans to do things, but don't follow through. I think this is related to my failing of being over-ambitious. I tend to set a lot of goals, get overwhelmed, and not do anything. So for 2013 my goals are to be more reasonable in goal setting. Working, taking courses, and working out for a couple hours every day hasn't been working for me, so I need to focus on fewer goals and decide what my priorities are.

[sumdawgtwigg]

I failed at getting my 5k time down under 40 minutes. I've run 5k 5 times in the past 5 months (I love the symmetry of that!) and my time has decreased from 48:01 in my first ever 5k to 41:09 in my last attempt. But, as my CF coach pointed out, I've been doing a lot of other stuff and not just focusing on my running. Upon reflection, I'm okay with that. I don't want to be just a runner; it's not my great love. I do want to be better at it, and I plan to continue to work on it, but I'm going to be okay with slower progress, as long as that is because I'm continuing to push myself in other areas, not just because of general laziness.

 

 

Good job on running all the 5K's! 

[Arawlins]

I failed at a lot of my 2012 goals, but in each goal I improved over 2011. Sometimes it is better to aim high and fail than to aim low and achieve less.

 

I had wanted to do a pull-up, but never made it for various reasons (dedication, health issues etc). But at the start of the year I was only doing dumbbell rows with 10lbs and now I am at 30 lbs. I would move to bodyweight rows but I think I may have to do more dumbbell weight as I am still have too much bodyweight to do the bodyweight rows.

[Gobnait]

Since I got married and forever moved out of my parents' house, I've wanted to be more organized and maintain the household in a neat manner.  (My mother yelled at me for cleaning without dusting, what I wanted to do was to find the actual flat surfaces of the furniture before worrying about the dust.)  We moved into this house in July, and I'm not quite there yet, though I have reduced the amount of junk at my mother's house to the least problematic amount out of stuff in her way.  (That's being less of a nuisance than two dead people and herself individually.)

[Namednoname]

My 2012 failures

 

Um, haven't got in shape (4th year lucky right? )

Spent WAY too much time unemployed which stopped me moving my life forward BIG TIME

My social life still isn't anywhere near as good as I want it to be

Stopped smoking, then started again, then stopped, then started.... Yada Yada Yada

 

2012 Wins

 

Got a good job

Had my first mini-adventure. Climbing a mountain (Not a big one, the UK is somewhat lacking big mountains)

Ran a 5K Obstacle Race

Stopped Drinking so much

Got a totally new attitude with life. I care less for going out all the time getting 'mashed up'. And instead I really want to get travelling and become as fit and healthy as I can be, and generally live my life to the max.

 

2013 Goals

 

Quit Smoking properly

Spend at least the next month totally sober

Travel to Thailand

Travel to Dublin

Get fighting fit + Keep learning MMA

[Rivanariko]

I failed to meet any of my running goals. I spent 3/4 of the year focused on trying to make C25K work for me, because it's what everyone recommends to get you ready for a 5k, then I remembered that I'm part of the rebellion and threw it out the window. I had marginally more success after that, but then it fell to the wayside as I realized that I needed to put other aspects of my health as a priority for a while before I could go back to focusing on running and getting fit. 

[The Queen Athlete]

i failed by making fitness the most importnt thing in my life, my anchor. it was all good until i felt ill and it crushed me emotionaly. i learned to always have more than 2 anchors in my life.

i also sucked at incorporating new habits. i got really fired up this last summer and tried to incorporate over 22 new habits in under a month. of course i failed quickly, but the thing i learned is to take it easy and be patient. it takes me at least 2 weeks to introduce a new, healthy habit and stick with it.

[Raincloak]

I really don't like the word "fail," it's so depressing.

 

There's stuff I did, and stuff I didn't do, that's all.

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

I really don't like the word "fail," it's so depressing.

 

There's stuff I did, and stuff I didn't do, that's all.

Personally I have to take "fail" more seriously than that to learn from it and improve myself. That's what we're looking at here.