Category: 2025

Daily Food Diary – Day 112 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is 112 Days since I started posting my Daily Food Diary.   That is a full 16 WEEKS!

It is three years  since I started working on the  health and wellness lifestyle that I am living today.

When I began, I had no idea where  my first feeble efforts would lead to.  I was sick and tired of being sick and tired.  I just wanted to build up some strength and stamina so I could live my life.

Over the past few years, my attitude has changed from “I want to live” to “I want to live WELL!”

I have gone from struggling to dance for a VERY few minutes a day, to doing actual aerobic workouts, walking as much and as often as possible, lifting light weights (when I am not waiting for hernia surgery) – plus living a relatively active life in between.

A couple of years ago, I realized that I could no longer eat yeast.  This led to a realization that processed sugar is NOT my friend.  Thus began the nutritional portion of my health and wellness lifestyle. I have gone from prepared foods and take out  to making meals from scratch & love.  

As I proceed on this journey, nutrition (and hydration)  becomes more important all of the time.  What used to be a frustrating effort  is becoming a labour of love.  When I can share that love with my husband Dan,  both in the making and the eating, it is all the better.  🥰

Yesterday, Dan and I made a pot of homemade chicken soup together.  It was all fresh and all good! 

A couple of things to note:

* Name brand store bought canned, ready to eat,  chicken soup contains 800 mgs of salt per cup

* Our dried ground hot peppers are a mix of Habanero, Ghost, Carolina Reaper, and Chilli peppers grown in our garden.  We use a pinch here and a pinch there to kick things up. 😳 🔥

I don’t even know what these were.  They came in a package of seeds labeled ‘Hot Peppers’.  Picked fresh, there was no heat and not much taste.  Sliced and frozen or dried and they are pure HEAT.  Odd! 🤔

Daily Food Diary – Day 112

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2) (4.7 mg)

(3) crumpets (240) (205 mg) (3 g)

(2) tsp butter (69)  (63.3 mg)

(1 1/2) tsp jam (25) (5 grams)

Snacks:

(1) c Lemon Ginger Tea

(48) oz water

(1) Pear (103) (1.8 mg)

(4) Strawberries (15) (.5 mg)

Supper:

Home made chicken soup:

Homemade broth topped off with one litre low sodium broth,  carrots, onions, leek, celery, parsnip, turnip, rutabaga, white chicken, chicken soup base, pepper, sprinkle  of fresh ground sea salt, 2 pinches of dried, ground hot peppers, egg noodles. (4) cups (640) (1700 mg)

(3) Homemade Baking Powder Biscuits (120) (465 mg)

(3) tsp butter (103) (95 mg)

Total net calories: 1213

Net calorie goal: 1255 – 1233  = 42 under 👍

Total Processed sugar: 8 grams

Processed sugar goal: < 25 grams 👍

Total Sodium: 2535.3 mg

Sodium goal: 1500 to 2300 mg. 👎

That’s it for today.  Take care and have a great day! 💖😊

Daily Food Diary – Day 111 of  365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It has been 111 Days since I began my Daily Food Diary.   That is not long,  but living in Saskatchewan we have cycled through all four seasons already.   Today we have returned to winter.  Yay snow! 🥶☃️   (For anyone who missed our summer, it happened on Easter Sunday, and lasted for the better part of an hour). 🙄

To date, my Daily Food Diary has focused on the quality, quantity, and nutritional value of the food we eat.  Today, I am focusing on the cost.

Food security is a major concern around the globe.  Even in Canada,  food affordability  has become a major issue for many.   The cost of nutritional food, is seen as a particular issue.

I can relate to the struggle for those who have growing families to feed. I was there, and even though prices were not as high as they are now, it was difficult.   Working outside of the home, while providing nutritious meals for my family didn’t help.  Having the time and energy to shop, much less prepare and cook meals was a challenge. 

Fortunately, my Mother did introduce us to a number of healthy, economical dishes that we, and in turn our families grew up on – homemade stews, soups, casseroles and the like.

Eating well, isn’t just a matter of survival, it is the difference between surviving and thriving.  That does not change at any time in our lives.

Entering our senior years, and with our specific health issues,  Dan and I are realizing how important the nutritional value of our diet is.   And on a somewhat limited pension income, how much our diet costs.

We are fortunate in many ways:

1.  Dan does our grocery shopping and he is really good at it.  He knows prices, he knows what is in season for vegetables and fruits, he knows our stores and which products to buy where, he reads the complete nutritional label on foods,  he is phasing out the ‘junk food’ and focussing on the nutrient rich foods.  👍

2.  We have a large, stand up freezer, that we bought at an amazing price.  Not only can  we buy our meat, frozen vegetables, etc in quantity when it is on sale – but it is also so easy to see what we have and rotate it on a date basis.

3.  We also have a Food Saver freezer  packaging appliance.    This was well worth the cost of the unit and the price of the plastic rolls that we use.   Our frozen meats and garden vegetables stay fresh for months.

4.  We seldom eat out or have take-out, especially fast food.  With my having to avoid yeast and sugar, and Dan having to avoid salt, we just cannot eat what we do not make.  And the money we save, leaves money in our budget for better food choices.

5. Being retired, and often sharing kitchen duties, we have the time and necessary skills to prepare most of our meals from scratch.  That is always important for controlling additives, yeast, salt,  processed sugar, and the like.    It is also cost effective in many ways – including controlling waste.  When our vegetable drawers are filled with produce on the verge of their best before date,  we make up a large pot of soup or stew or stir-fry and save it all from the waste bin.  Leftover meats find their way into fried rice, casseroles, omelets, and the like.  No wasted protein and again no wasted cost.

6.  We occasionally, ‘share’ groceries with daughter Jen.  If either of us has the opportunity to buy a large quantity of fresh produce at a good price, but we know we cannot use it before it spoils, we will buy it and split it between our households while it is still fresh.  

7. Last, we plant a small vegetable garden every year.  Dan invested the time and energy to create steel pipe garden planters that take little time or effort to maintain over the summer.  We enjoy the quality of our freshly picked vegetables and freeze, can, or dry anything we cannot use right away.

Daily Food Diary – Day 111

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2) (4.7 mg)

(2) slices back bacon (73) (620 mg)

(15) tater tots (233) (333 mg)

Snacks:

(1) c Cinnamon tea

(56) oz water

(15) Doritos (191) (286 mg)

Supper:

(9) dry ribs (riblets) (105) (340 mg)

(6) Gyoza (200) (400 mg)

(1/2) tbsp Gyoza dipping sauce (8) (183 mg) (1 gram)

Stir fry:

(1) oz leftover grilling steak (75) (13.8 mg)

(1) tsp olive oil (40)

(1/2) c celery (8) (1.5 mg)

(1) carrot (25) (42.1 mg)

(1/4) c red pepper (12) (1.5 mg)

(1/2) c cabbage (17) (6 mg)

(1/2) c mushrooms (22) (1.6 mg)

(2) cloves garlic (9) (1 mg)

(1/2) c broccoli (30)

(1/4) c red onion (15)

(1) c Bok Choy (19) (145 mg)

(1) tsp sesame seeds (8)

(1 1/2) tbsp oriental stir fry sauce (30) (495 mg) (4.5 grams)

Total Net Calories:   1018

Net calorie goal: 1255 – 1018 = 237 under 👍

Total Processed Sugar:   5.5 grams

Processed sugar goal: < 25 grams 👍

Total Sodium: 2874.2 mg

Total Sodium goal: 1500 to 2300 mg 👎

That’s it for today.  Take care and have a great day! 💖😊

Molly Flashback! (We paid a bit for Molly, and her food, treats and vet visits are pricey as well,  but on a per smile basis, she IS a bargain)

Daily Food Diary – Day 110 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

I am  110 Days into my Daily Food Diary and   20 Days into tracking my sodium and processed sugar consumption. 

I am still struggling to meet my goals (some days more than others),  but I persevere and with 255 more days to go, I can only improve!

Lately, I have been working on dealing with the mental, emotional, or spiritual issues that affect why, what, or when  I tend to eat –   specifically dealing with stress and boredom – mindless eating.

One thing that I have been studying  is the wisdom behind Bhudist teachings.  The thing that I find  at the heart of these teachings is the importance of personal values. 

I can see how determining and developing my  personal values would ultimately lead to living the life that I want to live,  to experience the relationships that I want to have, and to be the person that I want to be. It only makes sense (to me anyways). 

I have used positive affirmations in the past… Affirmations relating to personal values – speaking or writing words such as strength, gratitude, peace, dignity.  

Lately, I have been working to identify with such values, repeating phrases (to myself) such as  “I am strength”,  “I am gratitude”, “I am peace”, “I am dignity”.

The change may seem insignificant, but I am feeling the results and I can see gradual results in the things that I do – including choosing what or when  I eat.

Daily Food Diary – Day 110

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2) (4.7 mg)

(2) pcs thick bacon (170) (240 mg) (4 g)

(2) eggs (160) (140 mg)

(2/3) c cubed hash browns (120) (240 mg)

(1/2) tomato (11)  (3.1 mg)

(1) tsp olive oil (40)

(1) tsp butter (34) (31.7 mg)

(1/16) tsp salt  (144 mg)

Snacks:

(52) oz water

Supper:

Broccoli/Cauliflower Salad:

(1) c broccoli  (31) (29.7 mg)

(1) c cauliflower (27) (32.1 mg)

(1/5) c red onion (13) (1.3 mg)

(1) thin slice bacon (43) (185 mg)

(1/2) oz shredded cheddar cheese (52) (104 mg)

(1) tbsp Vidalia Onion Dressing (50) (105 mg) (3 g)

(3) pcs buttermilk chicken breast (375) (645 mg)

(1) tbsp Dilly Dip (80) (110 mg) (.5 g)

(1) PC plain paratha (240) (1135 mg) (3 g)

Total Net Calories: 1365

Net calorie goal: 1255 – 1365 = 110 over 👎

Total Processed Sugar:   10.5 grams

Processed sugar goal: < 25 grams 👍

Total Sodium:  3850.6 mg

Sodium goal: 1500 – 2300 mg 👎

That’s it for today.  Take care and have a great day! 🤗💞🌞

Daily Food Diary – Day 109 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today  is Day 109 of my Daily Food Diary. 

Today is also Easter Sunday.  Happy Easter to you and yours! I hope you are having a special day.   Our weather is sunny and warm which makes for a special day for us.  Son Dan calling a few minutes ago, made this day even more special!

Today ALSO marks the twelfth anniversary since my Mother passed away.  (Hence the yellow flowers, which were her favourite).

My mother was not perfect, and as often is the case with mother daughter relationships, ours was not perfect.  (I’m not sure if this is true with most, but in my case I think I resented the fact that she made mothering look so darn easy!)  The cooking, baking, sewing, cleaning, home making and mothering in general.  She made it look too  easy.  For the record it isn’t! It is hard work and takes more skill and talent than I ever possessed.  🙄

Mother’s greatest skills shone in the kitchen.  It wasn’t just that she managed to prepare delicious meals, year round, on a very tight budget.  It wasn’t that she prepared a feast for EVERY single holiday.  It was that on top of all that, my mother was way ahead of her time when it came to serving up healthy, nutritious food at every meal she prepared.

My mother was born in 1918.  She was third eldest, in a family of ten – seven boys and three girls.  Mother obviously did her share of cooking, cleaning, laundry, and the like.  Growing up (on a farm no less) there was always plenty of experience to be had.  Growing up through the Dirty Thirties, taught her all about doing it all  on a tight budget.

When my Mother grew up,  she went to work as a cook’s assistant  at the Gravelbourg Hospital.  There, under the careful watch of the Catholic Nuns who ran the kitchen, Mother learned all about cooking healthy meals and baking appetizing deserts.   In those days, feeding patients nutritious, strength building foods was a thing.  The meals that patients were fed, were considered as important as the medicines that they were given and the medical procedures that they underwent.

My mother learned a lot about preparing and serving healthy meals in her time working in the hospital kitchen.  Over the years, we were fortunate that she used this  knowledge and skill to nourish us and ultimately our families.

That will always be remembered – and it will always be appreciated. 🌻💞

Eleanor Martel – 1918 to 2013 💞

Daily Food Diary – Day 109

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2) (4.7 mg)

(15) tater tots (233) (333 mg)

(1) sausage patty (190) (430) (1)

Snacks:

(1) c cranberry tea

(1/4) c unsalted peanuts (160)

(46) oz water

Supper:

(8) oz cap off grilling steak (600) (110 mg)

(3) oz russet potato (79) (8.6 mg)

(2) tsp butter (69) (63.3 mg)

(15) Asparagus spears (49) (31.5 mg)

(1/2) c mushrooms (22) (1.6 mg)

(1/4) c green olives (10)

(1) tsp olive oil (40)

(1) tbsp Kraft Hickory BBQ sauce (25)  (215 mg) (5 grams)

Total Net Calories: 1375

Net calorie goal: 1255 – 1375 = 120 over 👎

Total Processed Sugar: 6 grams

Processed sugar goal: < 25 grams 👍

Total Sodium: 1197.7 mg

Sodium goal: 1500 to 2300 mg 👍

* A win for sodium and processed sugar by health guideline standards, but a true win for me and my lungs is 0 Grams of processed sugar!   I am not happy with Kraft for putting  the  five grams of sugar in the barbecue sauce, or for myself for not noticing it.  I seldom use condiments and neither Dan or I typically use barbecue sauce.  We keep it for company, and I just grabbed it last night, thinking it would be quick and easy. 🤦

That is it for today.  Take care and have a great day! 🌞💞

Daily Food Diary – Day 108 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is 108 Days since I started keeping my Daily Food Diary.

Over the past 108 days, I have made some disturbing revelations about my consumption habits and the foods that I assumed were healthier (or less unhealthy) than they are.

I have also learned a few ‘good to know’ things.  Mrs. Dash seasoning is not only salt free, it is also processed sugar and chemical free!  Hard taco shells are relatively low in sodium and contain no processed sugar.   I am still learning and appreciating the ‘Lose It!’  App that Terry from  http://radicallyretired.com  introduced me to.   AND… I am still enjoying following Dr. Mark Hyman, who  shares a wealth of nutrition  information on LinkedIn. 

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/drhyman_a-study-in-plos-medicine-just-confirmed-what-activity-7318714865034899457-gRUM?utm_source=social_share_send&utm_medium=android_app&rcm=ACoAAEX04IEBYVjQ3nVnIhzxWf3ysVJtCMfnJLo&utm_campaign=copy_link

I am excited to celebrate Easter with my first blossom of the season.  I cannot plant my seedlings for another month so I’m not too sure how this will pan out in the long run but I thought it was exciting enough to share. 🥰

Morning Glory! 🌞

Daily Food Diary – Day 108

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2) (4.7 mg)

(3) slices bacon (130) (554 mg)

(15) tater tots (233) (333 mg)

Snacks:

(1) c Lemon Ginger tea

(24) oz water

(1) pear (103) (1.8 mg)

Supper:

(3) Taco Shells (195) (82.5)

(6) oz ground chicken (238) (128)

(1) tsp olive oil (40)

(1) tsp taco seasoning (13) (373 mg)

(1/2) c lettuce (3) (1.4 mg)

(1/2) tomato (12) (3.1 mg)

(1/4) c green onions (10)

(10) Doritos (127) (191 mg)

Total net calories: 1152

Net calorie goal: 1255 – 1152 = 103 under 👍

Total Processed Sugar: 0 Grams

Processed sugar goal: < 25 grams 👍

Total Sodium: 1672.5 mg

Sodium goal: 1500 to 2300 mg 👍

That’s it for today. Take care and have a great day! 😊❤️

Daily Food Diary – Day 107 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It has been 107 Days since I started tracking and posting my Daily Food Diary.  I have learned a lot about my consumption habits and have made a few necessary changes. 🙂

This month my focus has been on processed sugar and sodium. 

Becoming aware of where to find processed sugar in the foods that I eat, has helped me to eliminate the bulk of it.  

Some things, like the matrimonial squares and candy coated Easter eggs, were obviously an issue.    Things like premade pie crust or back bacon have been  more surprising.  It is only one gram here, one gram there… but it adds up,  if you are unaware of it.   

The thing with processed sugar, beyond the many unhealthy things it does to our bodies,  are the things it does to our relationship with food as a whole.  While sugar ramps up our energy in the short term, our appetite comes back with a vengeance and particularly our craving  for MORE processed sugar. 

I have known forever how processed sugar affects my daily diet.   Since keeping this daily diary, it has been interesting to see how MUCH processed sugar affects my daily diet.  This is particularly true if I start my day with sugar packed cereals, store bought muffins  or breakfast bars, pancakes or  waffles with syrup, or the like.   That opens my entire day to bad food choices.

Since starting my Daily Food Diary, I have been relatively shocked by how much sodium I ingest.  I knew there was a LOT of sodium in things like potato chips, condiments,  oriental sauces, canned gravy, bacon, ham, and more.  There have been surprises –  like the high sodium content in Paratha and back bacon!

I am gradually making changes to how I manage my sodium intake.  Cooked vegetables get (salted butter) and pepper – no added salt.  Eggs, raw vegetables, soups or stews, etc.  get a pinch of salt that I can control – NOT straight out of the shaker or grinder hits that I cannot.   Pan frying is done with olive oil rather than buttered salt.   My husband, who does our shopping, has been bringing home  low sodium or lightly salted options. It all helps!

With sodium it is a process, but one that is progressing with the help of my Daily Food Diary.    The changes I have made are  slight and gradual – but that will help me to make them sustainable in the long run. 😊

Daily Food Diary – Day 107

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2) (4.7 mg)

(2) slices back bacon (35) (500 mg) (1 g)

(2) eggs (160) (140 mg)

(5) asparagus spears (16) (10.5 mg)

(1/4) c green onions (10)

(1/4)  c red bell peppers (13) (1.5 mg)

(1/8) tsp salt (291 mg)

Snacks:

(1) c licorice tea

(48) oz water

(20) Doritos (255) (382 mg)

(1/2) c sunflower seeds w/shell (265) (225 mg)

Supper:

(4) oz roast beef (219) (61.2 mg)

(6) tbsp beef gravy (30) (480 mg)

(15) tater tots (233) (333 mg)

(15) asparagus spears (49) (31.5 mg)

(1) tsp butter (34) (31.7 mg)

Total net calories: 1216

Net calorie goal: 1259 – 1216 = 43 under 👍

Total Processed sugar:  1 gram

Processed sugar goal: < 25 grams 👍

Total Sodium:   2492.1 mg

Sodium goal: 1500 to 2300 mg 👎

That’s it for today.  Take care and have a great day! 🌞💞

Daily Food Diary – Day 106 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

This is Day 106 of my Daily Food Diary.   It is also my sister Lorraine’s birthday! 🥳  Although, there are two years and a few months between us, we grew up more as twins and best friends, than sisters. 

It is hard to believe that the two little girls who played in a cardboard fort while recovering from chicken pox….  the two teenagers who sang Hey Jude and  such tunes together while doing dishes…  the two young women who learned how to (and how not to) bake buns together… the two young mothers who learned how to mother  together… the two sisters who have shared countless holidays,  visits – camping, hot tub and quadding moments –  throughout the years,  are the same  two elegant old ladies  who share our health news, fitness goals, cooking tips, grandbaby and fur baby photos, jokes and memes TODAY. 😳

Elaine (the mature responsible sister) with Lorraine and I 😁

Life is short and goes by way too fast.   It’s not about looking good or having more  – it is about living well and sharing it with the ones you love.   

Daily Food Diary – Day 106

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2) (4.7 mg)

(2) poached eggs (143) (297 mg)

(2) Potato patties (240) (420 mg)

Snacks:

(36) oz water

(1) c Lemon Ginger Tea

(24) Lightly salted Lays (134) (48 mg) (.5 g)

Supper:

Two crust turkey pie:

(1/2) Deep crust pie shell (440) (280 mg) (4 g)

(6) oz turkey (300) (134 mg)

(1/3) potato (27) (3 mg)

(1/4) cooking onion (3)

(1) pc celery (1) (3.2 mg)

(1) carrot (25) (42.1 mg)

(1/4) c peas (28)

(1/3) c chicken gravy (24) (288 mg)

Total Net Calories: 1179

Net Calorie Goal: 1259 – 1179 = 80 under 👍

Total Sodium: 1520 mg

Sodium goal: 1500 to 2300 mg 👍

Total Processed Sugar:   4.5 grams

Processed Sugar Goal: < 25 grams 👍

*** I know I met my goal for processed sugar, but still… Tenderflake puts  sugar in their pie crusts.  Who does that? And why? 

That’s it for today. Take care and have a great day! 😊💕

Daily Food Diary – Day 105 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is 105 Days since I started my Daily food diary.  That is 15 Weeks ! 🥳

I have learned a few lessons in these past few weeks.  The biggest thing that I have learned has been  how getting a handle on yeast and sugar is going to make a huge difference to my health in general – but specifically to my respiratory health.   I have been avoiding yeast for a couple of years and that has made a big difference, especially to my digestive health.    These last few days,  I have been avoiding as much processed  sugar as possible.  That has already made a huge difference to my respiratory health. 

I have been diagnosed with asthma – a genetic disease, which is triggered by stress and allergies.  I can manage that by taking preventative inhaled steroids, rescue inhalers, stress management, and avoiding allergens (like fresh cut grass).   I have also been diagnosed with COPD, bronchiectasis, and bronchiolitis.  They all have understandable causes.  Management, has been  an issue.  The issue with all of them is the amount and consistency of the mucus that they produce.  If I can get a long term solution to that with diet and hydration, it will be a gamechanger for sure.   I seem to finally be on the right track.  That is so much more than I could have hoped for when I started this Daily Food Diary fifteen weeks ago!

Food Diary – Day 105

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2) (4.7 mg)

(2) slices back bacon (35) (500 mg)

(2) potato patties (240) (420 mg)

Snacks:

(48) oz water

(1/8) c Dill Pickle Peanuts (113) (146mg ) (.5g)

(1/8) c unsalted peanuts (43)

Supper:

(1 1/2) c Rice (363)

(3) oz pork tenderloin  (125) (62.1 mg)

(1/4) c red onion (15)

(1/2) c canned mushrooms (20) (333 mg)

(1/4) c red pepper (12) (1.5 mg)

(1) c Bok Choy (60)

(1/2) c celery (8)  (40.4 mg)

(2) tsp olive oil (79)

(1/8) tsp seasoning salt (190 mg)

(3/4) tbsp soya sauce (11) (458 mg)

(1) tbsp butter (103) (95 mg)

(3) spring rolls (135) (330mg) (2.2 g)

(1) egg roll (100) (270 mg) (2 g)

(1) tsp plum sauce (6) (5 mg) (1.3 g)

Total Net Calories: 1283

Net calorie goal: 1259 – 1283 = 24 over 🙄

Total Sodium: 2854.7 mg

Sodium goal: 1500 to 2300 mg 🙄

Total Processed Sugar: 6 grams

Processed sugar goal: <25 grams 👍

That’s it for today! Take care and have a great day! 💓☺️

Daily Food Diary – Day 104 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is  104 days since I started my Daily Food Diary.   🎊   These days are going by a lot quicker than I thought they would, but every day that I  maintain my posting streak, I get a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. 😁

It is easy to maintain any practice once it becomes a habit – especially one that is tucked neatly between other established habits.

I try to have a relatively flexible routine in retirement, but my morning begins with   a set pattern – one that is easy to build on.   Dan and I get up, let Molly out and get her breakfast, let her in, and get our coffee.  I sit down at the computer desk to take my inhalers and vitamins,  and to read our local online newspaper, while Dan turns on the tv to watch the morning news.

This morning as I was flipping past the pages of provincial news and Canadian election news, I was half listening to the American news that Dan was watching.   It occurred to me to wonder if the entire world was obsessed with politics.

Then I began to wonder if anyone reading my blog, thinks I am obsessed with my diet and my chronic lung issues – my asthma, COPD, bronchiectasis, and apparently bronchiolitis that recently showed up on a CT scan.

For the record, I am not.  My Daily Food Diary is something I am  doing  to  help me to  manage my lung issues.  I also do aerobics, regular lung clearing and deep breathing exercises, clear my sinuses with a Neti Pot, get outside and walk, meditate, and   get adequate sleep.

That might seem a bit much – but it really is not THAT much, especially since doing these things gives me the ability to forget about my lung issues and live a normal healthy life for the rest of the day.

That is what I am really obsessed about – my life.   Spending time with Dan,  and with Jen and her girls when they stop by for random visits.  Spending time with Molly – brushing her, feeding her, cleaning up after her. Spending time in our yard, cleaning away the winter debris and preparing for spring planting.

Spending time with my little seedlings – the tomatoes and some of the flowers are going hard.  The peppers and herbs are dawdling,  as usual.

Spending time chatting with friends and family and catching up on social media.  Spending time cooking, cleaning, doing laundry and generally nurturing our little home.  Spending time reading, paying bills, and managing our finances. 

All in all, I have a good life.  Making the most of it by taking care of my health is not an obsession – it is just time and effort   well spent. 🤗

My life, my world… 🌞

Daily Food Diary – Day 104

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2) (4.7 mg)

(2) eggs (160) (140 mg)

(1/2) tsp olive oil (20)

(1/3) c green onions (12)

(1 1/2) oz ham (54) (46.8 g)

(1/4) c red pepper (12) (1.5 mg)

(5) asparagus spears (16) (10.5 mg)

(1/8) tsp table salt (0) (291 mg)

(1/4) c shredded marble cheese (114) (175) (.1 g)

Snacks:

(1) c Licorice tea

(24) Lay’s Lightly Salted chips (134) (48 mg) (.5 g)

(36) oz water

Supper:

(4) oz Lean beef (251) (56.7 mg)

(7) oz Crinkle cut fries (280) (397 mg)

(6) tbsp gravy (30) (480 mg)

(1) c broccoli (60)

(2) tsp olive oil (79)

(2) tsp butter (69) (63.3 mg)

(1/8) tsp seasoning salt (190 mg)

(1) tbsp horseradish (45) (120 mg)

Total Net Calories: 1163

Calorie Goal: 1269 – 1163 = 96 under 👍

Total Sodium: 2024 mg

Sodium goal: 1500 to 2300 mg 👍

Total Processed Sugar:   .6 grams

Processed sugar goal: 25 grams 👍

That’s it for today.  Take care and have a great day! 💞☺️

Daily Food Diary – Day 103 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness, Uncategorized

It has been 103 days since I started tracking my ‘numbers’ on  my Daily Food Diary.  When I started this adventure, I did not have any solid goals or expectations, but I have found it to be educational and beneficial.

I began the year at 133.5 pounds with an  ultimate goal of reaching 115 pounds.  I am 5′ – 1″ with a smaller frame.   115 pounds is pretty much perfect for me – and where I can fit into my  favourite jeans. 

I have been doing ok working towards my weight  goal, but I have been struggling to get under 128 pounds.   Yesterday, I weighed in at 126.4 pounds!  😁

This month, I have been tracking and struggling to get my sodium and processed sugar consumption under control.  On day 100, my sugar maxed out at 58.1 grams. (I am trying to keep it under 25 grams.)   My last three days have been – 2.5 g, 5.6 g, and 9.9 g.  I was happy about that, but what I was really happy about was the numbers on my Oximeter last night.  My pulse registered at 70 BPM and my blood oxygen was up to 99%.   (Typically 90 to 92%). My lungs were noticeably, and thankfully,  clear. 

Yesterday, my processed sugar crept up a bit.  Today my lungs are somewhat more congested and  my weight is up 4 ounces. 🙄

I am definitely motivated to make more of an effort to avoid PROCESSED SUGAR.  I believe everyone should avoid processed sugar as much as possible.    For me,  I think it is worse due to my compromised lungs and my intolerance for yeast.  Sugar feeds yeast so there is definitely a connection.

I do know it is well worth continuing my focus on processed sugar  for the remainder of this month.

Daily Food Diary – Day 103

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2) (4.7 mg)

(2) eggs (160) (140 mg)

(1/8) c milk (15) (14.3 mg) (1.5g)

(1/2) tsp olive oil  (20)

(2) potato patties (240) (420 mg)

(4) slices thin sliced bacon (173) (739 mg)

(1/2) tomato (11) (3.1 mg)

(1/8) tsp salt  (291 mg)

Snacks:

(1) c Tumeric Tea

(48) oz water

Supper:

(23) shrimp (shrimp ring) (263) (1117 mg)

(2) tbsp seafood sauce (40) (237 mg) (6.9 g)

(2) radishes (3) (7 mg)

(1/4) c broccoli (10) (13.8 mg)

(1/4) c green onions (12)

(1/2) c cauliflower (14) (9.3 mg)

(1) tbsp Dilly Dip (80) (110 mg) (.5 g)

(6) multi-grain crackers (60) (471 mg)

(5) Triscuits (100) (133 mg)

(6) Vegetable things (40) (85.7 mg) (.6 g)

(1) tbsp onion chip dip (10) (59.8 mg) (.4 g)

(1) oz Aged cheddar (113) (198 mg)

Total Net Calories:  1365

Net Calorie Goal: 1269 – 1365 = 106 over 😕

Total Sodium: 3629.8 mg

Sodium goal: 1500  to 2300 mg 😕

Total Processed Sugar: 9.9 grams

Processed sugar goal: <25 grams 👍

That’s it for today. Take care and have a great day.💗🌞