My review of the R3 Program

The R3 Program is a program that my gym uses to track nutritional info and weight loss for customers.  It's not a requirement - and it does add 10.00/month to your membership fee, but I was so frustrated with Weight Watchers that I thought I would give it a try.

The program was started by Dr. Oz.  I know I have heard about him (I think from Oprah?) but I have never really read anything by him.

The website is here - this is where anyone can sign up:
http://www.dotfit.com/

The other website where the logging is done at is:
http://www.sharecare.com/


So on the 1st, I met with Melissa, who is my Nutrition Coach.  She can look at my info in the R3 program at any time and see how I am doing (or not doing, whatever the case may be) and we can tweak it if I'm not eating enough, losing too fast/slow, whatever.

I really like it so far!  It has me eating 1800 calories a day.  On Weight Watchers, I was eating within my points, but I apparently was not eating enough.  I was only eating between 1300 and 1500 calories a day.  This was putting my body in starvation mode and I kept fighthing the same 4 pounds for about 2 months.  I knew I should be going down in weight, but the scale wasn't budging.

This picture shows the main screen.  It's where I see how many calories I'm supposed to eat, how many I should burn, and what my current weight is.  I actually have 280 from my run this morning I need to plug in there.  Typical daily burn for me is about 800 calories from exercise and the rest is from lifestyle.

This shot shows my weight...the black line is where I should be according to the program.  The little dots are my weekly weigh ins.  The filled area is just showing complete.  By September 18, I should be under 200lbs.  By March 8th of 2013, I should be at my goal weight.

This page shows all my workouts and the notes from them.

And this one shows my food diary.

There are TONS of other things on here I haven't really played with yet.  Menu creator, workout creator, there's a store that has all this nutritional food crap ( I stay away from processed stuff, so probably won't be using it unless I want to try their protein powder).

I really do like it - and I can cancel at any time, not like my gym membership ,where I am under contract.  This is like a supplement to it.

They do offer a free 30-day trial.

So if you are looking for a really good tracker, even though I know there are free ones out there, I would highly recommend this one.



.75 of a mile, New Running Shoes and Chia Seeds

Yesterday, my son and I got to talking about running.

2 years ago, I was walking/running 100 miles per week on average. I would do 5 miles in the morning and anywhere from another 3-5 miles in the afternoon. Every day, I would write this down on the calendar as to how far I had gone and how long it took.

Then I broke my tailbone.

We are running in a 5-mile race on the 14th of July. I HAVE to start running again, or I will be walking the whole stupid thing. I don't want to just walk - I want to run.

My walking buddy I walk with - there is no way in Hades she will/can/wants to run. I'm not going to bale on her just because of that.

So, my only other option is to start getting up in the morning before work and run.

This morning, I got up at 5:20, threw on my clothes, and hit the door. I managed to run 3/10ths of a mile, walked 1/10th, ran 3/10ths more, and then ran enough to equal .75 of a mile, walked the rest for a total of 1.5 miles. In 23 minutes. Not too bad, but not great either. It'll come back, I am sure. I will be able to run at least 3 miles of the 5-miler.

It'll just take time.

I'm doing the Outer Banks 1/2 Marathon in November and want to be able to run at least half of that, which would be 6.5 miles. I think I can build up to that by then. I just have to do it.

I LOVE my new Adidas Clima Cool Ride running shoes!! I got them and a pair of Saucony Grid Fiyas. While I am usually partial to Saucony, the Adidas are the bomb!!



I always keep 2 pair of shoes at a time - I like to alternate them and I always have 1 pair that is better for wearing in classes than the other. The Saucony will do better in the classes that I take at the gym.

In other news - I have started adding Chia seeds to my morning oatmeal....these little suckers have a good amount of protein in them and they also keep me fuller for a looooong time. I ate my oatmeal at 8am.....I usually eat lunch at 11am and I am just now starting to feel hungry and it's almost noon. They also have a good amount of fiber in them, which I needed some extra.

So, that's that for today.....Zumba and my walk with Jody tonight! And, possibly, tennis for 30 mins with the boy...we'll see how we feel by 8pm, lol.

Friday Lyrics

I LOVE Gotye. He reminds me of Sting - it's his voice, not really the songs. This song reminds me of a couple of people that I used to know....litterally :)

"Somebody That I Used To Know"
(feat. Kimbra)

[Gotye:]
Now and then I think of when we were together
Like when you said you felt so happy you could die
Told myself that you were right for me
But felt so lonely in your company
But that was love and it's an ache I still remember

You can get addicted to a certain kind of sadness
Like resignation to the end, always the end
So when we found that we could not make sense
Well you said that we would still be friends
But I'll admit that I was glad it was over

But you didn't have to cut me off
Make out like it never happened and that we were nothing
And I don't even need your love
But you treat me like a stranger and that feels so rough
No you didn't have to stoop so low
Have your friends collect your records and then change your number
I guess that I don't need that though
Now you're just somebody that I used to know

Now you're just somebody that I used to know
Now you're just somebody that I used to know

[Kimbra:]
Now and then I think of all the times you screwed me over
But had me believing it was always something that I'd done
But I don't wanna live that way
Reading into every word you say
You said that you could let it go
And I wouldn't catch you hung up on somebody that you used to know

[Gotye:]
But you didn't have to cut me off
Make out like it never happened and that we were nothing
And I don't even need your love
But you treat me like a stranger and that feels so rough
No you didn't have to stoop so low
Have your friends collect your records and then change your number
I guess that I don't need that though
Now you're just somebody that I used to know

[x2]
Somebody
(I used to know)
Somebody
(Now you're just somebody that I used to know)

(I used to know)
(That I used to know)
(I used to know)
Somebody

Musical Obsessions

Have you ever gotten that song stuck in your head that just will not go away?

It's like you go to sleep and it's there......you wake up and it's there.....and even listening to it, it won't go away??

I've been having that lately.

2 months ago, I had to ask my dr for medication to help me sleep.  I had tried everything, including melatonin, and nothing worked.  Usually, a couple of good beers were enough to get me relaxed enough to sleep.....but with the stresses at work and the stresses on my body of my new lifestyle, I have been constantly wired.  I feel so much better.....I just can't sleep.

So, she prescribed me Ambien, which has really, really helped.  As long as I can GET to sleep, I stay asleep.  The main problem I was having  was falling asleep.

My brain wouldn't shut up.

I'd be laying there and lyrics would be running through my head....

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, stand a little taller...."

"Get down hit the floor......."

"My wish for you is that this life becomes all that you want it to......"

And on, and on, and on, and on.

So, the Ambien makes the voices shut up.  I typically only take half.  When I have a beer or alcohol, I can't take any, so I can only do that on a weekend, when not getting much sleep isn't such a big deal. 

I started taking a belly dance class 12 weeks ago.  I LOVE it.  I'll never be able to do Pilates or Yoga....I am not nearly that flexible.....but I L.O.V.E belly dance.

So, right now, I am stuck on music like this....

My favorite song to do in belly dance class...I love Shakira.

And this....we actually do this one in hip hop class, but I could sooooo belly dance to it

I didn't go to step class last night.  I totally bailed on Nellie and I felt really bad.  But I felt crappy.  Feeling crappy and step class do NOT mix for me.  I get too hot and feel like I am going to pass out and my heart rate does stupid things. 

But, I did walk with Jody, so I did do SOMETHING.

Tonight is Power, Core and BELLY DANCE!

Getting dinner from Isabella's.  I'm going to have a big Greek salad.  I feel a lot better today and know I will rock it tonight.

Wordless Wednesday....Random Outer Banks Shots

And this made me cry....

I don't have a lot to say this morning.  I'm stressed due to my boss being on vacation this week. I am stressed because my daughter wanted to go to the dr yesterday and I can't get it through her head that there is nothing they can do for her, until she decides to take care of herself.  It's getting ready to be that time of month.

Blah.

But, I did find a wonderful blog post......and it has me written alllllllllll over it.

Read it here :   Hey, Fat Girl

Salad with Shrimp and Ginger Dressing

Never thought I would post a recipe on here because my food pictures SUCK, but this turned out soooooooooooooo good that I just had to share.

I made this for dinner last night.  What I was really wanting was the Mandarin Chicken Salad that Wendy's used to make.  Alas.....they don't make them anymore :(.  Plus, I am always looking for ways to make things from restraunts at home.....cheaper, less sodium/fat/whatever that way, plus, I can make them whenever I want and not have to go anywhere.  When you have to drive over 20 miles to the nearest city, you get spiffy like that.

Like that new Arby's BLT.  Really?  Arbys?  BLT?  It's probably what.....7.00 for the combo??  I made my own BST (Bacon, spinach, tomato) at home for lunch yesterday with turkey bacon and it was probably as good as theirs.  And half the calories...theirs is 600 calories just for the sandwich.

Ok, anyway.....

Salad with Shrimp and Ginger Dressing

1c baby spinach

1 1/2 c romaine mix

1/2 tomato

1/2 cucumber

4 oz shrimp

1/2 c mandarin oranges

2tbsp almond slices

ginger salad dressing of your choice

I layered the salads on a plate - spinach, romaine, then tomato, cucumber, oranges, almonds.  Sauted the shrimp in 1tsp olive oil til done and added maybe 2tsp reduced-sodium soy sauce.  When the shrimp were done, I let them cool for just a few minutes before I put them on top of the salad.  This salad was for 1 person.

Nutritional info: 

Calories 362

Protien 30

Fat 17

Carbs 25

Fiber 7

Sodium 589

I did the same thing for lunch today, except I used a Yellowfin Tuna Burger that I got from Whole foods instead of the tuna.  I just dry fried it and flaked it and threw it in there. 

Went to Shoe Carnival and Mikey picked up some running shoes yesterday.  We probably should have started running last week...it's only 5 weeks to the Yellow Brick Road 5 Mile.  I'm never goning to be ready . I am such a sucky runner.  But, I'll do my best.  I just wish I could figure out why my flipping foot is hurting all the time.  I'm beginning to wonder if I have a stress fracture or something. 

Weather was great all weekend.  Saturday night, Michael and I ended up going to a friends house and hanging out on his deck and having a couple beers and pizza.  Yes, I went slightly over on my calories that night, but I  am not going to stress it too bad.  I've been well under every day this past week and don't want to run into where I was at doing straight weight watchers and not be eating enough.

Weight is down 3 pounds this week! 

Yay!

Have a great Monday all....