Category: Health and Fitness

Daily Food Diary – Day 298 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 298 of my Daily Food Diary. 🙌

I don’t know if anyone has noticed, but every time I register a drop in my weight, the LoseIt! app that I use drops my calorie goal for the day.   When I began using the app, my goal was 1255 calories a day – now I am down to 1208.   Weight loss apps  do not reward one for success. 😒

Next year, rather than focusing on calories consumed, I am going to count calories used.  My main goal has always been more about health and wellness, than about losing weight – so it just makes sense to track (and expand) my level of activity.

Lately, I have been looking at different activities, how effective they are for increasing fitness, strength, flexibility, balance…. plus how effective they are at burning calories.

One such ‘activity’ that I have encountered in this search is coughing.  One cough should burn 1/2 to 2 calories.   Right now I am doing very well, and not coughing at night.  VERY Conservatively, if I calculate 10 coughs per hour, 15 hours per day – I should burn 54,000 calories a year which should result in a 15  pound weight loss.  Just for coughing!   In 2023, when I coughed continuously and violently day and night, I should have disappeared.  

Obviously, coughing will not be recorded on my Calories Used Diary, but it does make me wonder what else is at play here.  I am recording every calorie I consume – and obviously I am still here. 🙄

Once I have had my hernia surgery, I look forward to expanding my light weight exercises using the weight bench and guide on our treadmill. 💪

Daily Food Diary – Day 298

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(3) crumpets (240)

(1) tsp butter (34)

(1) tbsp jam (50)

Lunch:

(1) c pepper steak (150)

(1) c white rice (242)

(1) mini peanut butter cup (40)

(1) snack pack Reese’s pieces (67)

Snacks:

(36) oz water

(1) Mott’s Clamato Caesar (168)

(12) Lay’s lightly salted ripple chips (140)

Supper:

(1) serving chilli (190)

(2) all beef Top Dogs (240)

(2) Brazilian Cheese Rolls (249)

Total consumed calories: 1812

Total used calories: 383

(30) min walking (68)

(30) min treadmill (80)

(30) min yardwork (102)

(1) hr cleaning (134)

Total net calories: 1429

Net calories goal: 1208 – 1429 = 221 over 👎

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 297 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Daily Food Diary – Day 297 of 365

Today is Day 297 of my Daily Food Diary! 🤗

Today is a day that I have been waiting six months for.  Today is the day, I post  my Daily Food Diary for my sister Lorraine!

You were right, Lorraine.  It was the socks!

I lost the socks this morning and I weighed in at 119.8 pounds !  I have not  broken 120 pounds in the past two decades.  But I have done it now.  The last 4.8 pounds to my goal will be easy peasy!

Speaking of socks…

One size does NOT fit all!

Should you be in the market for a good pair of winter socks, these are not built to fit anyone our size – unless paired with a solid pair of suspenders or pinned to shoulder pads – either way, they are still awkward.

Speaking of siblings, yesterday was my brother Pete’s 80th birthday.   Jen and I saw him and his wife at my sister Jeanne’s 80th  birthday get together last May.    They are all (Pete, his wife Janice, and Jeanne)  looking great and doing really well.

As the youngest in my family, I have always looked up to, admired, and tried to catch up to my older siblings.   I never imagined that I would still be trying at this point!  But here we are!

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(3) crumpets (240)

(2) tsp butter (68)

(1) tablespoon jam (50)

Snacks:

(36) oz water

(1/3) c hickory smoked almonds (186)

Supper:

(4) small battered fish fillets (520)

(2) tbsp tartar sauce (80)

(1) c air fried potatoes (250)

(1) c home made coleslaw (208)

(12) oz carbonated water

Total consumed calories: 1604

Total used calories: 492

(30) min walking (68)

(30) min aerobics (174)

(1 1/2) hrs cooking/cleaning (177)

(30) min light weights (73)

Total net calories: 1112

Net calories goal: 1223 – 1112 = 111 under 👎

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

Butterfly House at the University of Alberta Botanic Gardens

Daily Food Diary – Day 296 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 296 of my Daily Food Diary. 🥳

Yesterday I did not do the  30 minutes of treadmill that was on my workout plan.  There was no real reason for this miss – other than my decision to indulge in a Smirnoff Ice Original with my supper.  As mentioned previously, drinking alcohol is not my strong point.  It took me a couple of hours to finish it and by then I did not think getting on a treadmill would be the best move.  🤦

Yesterday, I also indulged in a couple of the Halloween treats that Dan brought home a few weeks ago.

Talk about shrinkflation!

I’m not sure why it took me so long to break into the Halloween chocolate – or why they even bother making them anymore.  The packaging to chocolate ratio has gotten beyond ridiculous.  Homemade chocolate/peanut butter squares taste exactly the same and I can make a cake pan full without taking down a forest.  Of course, one cannot hand out home  baked goods for Halloween, but we generally end up eating or giving most of our Halloween treats to family anyway.  🤷

I did make some Brazilian Cheese Rolls for supper last night.

I shredded the cheese in our food processor, then just added the rest of the ingredients before mixing well.   I used half a tablespoon of salt – I also could have used less oil and garlic for us but they were ok.  This recipe made 18 full sized rolls, so a bit much for us.

Daily Food Diary – Day 296

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) c cinnamon cheerios (200)

(1/4) c milk (28)

Snacks:

(1) peach (58)

(1/3) c dry roast peanuts (102)

(1) mini peanut butter cup (40)

(1) mini Oh Henry bar (69)

(48) oz water

Supper:

(2) c chilli con carne (380)

(2) Brazilian cheese rolls (249)

(1) Smirnoff Ice Original (114)

Total calories consumed: 1243

Total calories used: 242

(30) min walking (68)

(30) min aerobics (174)

Total net calories: 1001

Net calories goal: 1223 – 1001 = 222 under 👍

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 295 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 265 of my Daily Food Diary.  Only 70 Days or 10 Weeks to go!  I thought that by being mindful of what I ate each and every day, 2025 would pass by at an overall slower pace.  But here we are, the year is almost over, and the days and weeks are flying by.

I am four nights into using our living room air purifier in our bedroom.  This has proven itself helpful enough for keeping my sinuses and lungs clear at night  that I ordered another air purifier last night – one that will live in our bedroom but that can be easily moved into the kitchen occasionally – if need be. 

Every little thing helps or hurts when it comes to living with chronic health issues.   With my lung issues diet, air quality, stress, sleep, and level of  activity can mean the difference between a really good day or a struggle.   Some things I can control, others I just have to deal with.

The worst thing these days is excess humidity.  We can control that to a point  with our dehumidifier but there’s not a lot I can do outdoors.  If I avoid the outdoors, it means less fresh air and less activity.  🤷

The best thing these days is taking collagen supplements.   They have been a gamechanger for me – strengthening and stabilizing my respiratory system and improving  my health and wellbeing in general.   🤗

Daily Food Diary – Day 295

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(3) Eggo waffles (330)

(2) tsp butter (68)

(2) tbsp Maple syrup (104)

(2) slices bacon (87)

Snacks:

(12) Doritos (153)

Supper:

(1) serving pepper steak (300)

(1 1/2) c white rice (363)

Total consumed calories: 1407

Total used calories: 315

(30) minutes walking (68)

(30) minutes aerobics (174)

(30) minutes light weights (73)

Total net calories: 1092

Net calories goal: 1229 – 1092 = 137 under 👍

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 294 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 294 of my Daily Food Diary. 💓

Dan and Molly and I got back from our morning walk a bit ago.   Since we headed out a bit later than usual, the sun had a nice warmth to it.  Unfortunately, the air was heavy and humid and much of the time we were dealing with a cloud of cement dust – the result of some work being done to the pool in the park.   It was a bit hard going, but I made the distance.

When we got home, I fed the squirrels and picked up in the yard. 

Once the critters were fed, I came into the house and Dan and I checked our Amazon for an air purifier that can live in our bedroom.   I think we agreed on what would work best for the space, but he was on his way out so said he would check Canadian Tire to see if he could find something comparable.  👍

Today is Wednesday, so I am about to do my aerobics followed by light weights.

Yesterday morning I did my aerobics but left my treadmill session for later.  Later ended up being after supper once Dan was gone to darts and I was watching Homestead Rescue.  By the time my show was done, it was a toss up between doing my treadmill or cracking open a box of Halloween treats and pouring myself a glass of wine. 

I went with the treadmill with no regrets.  I even went up one level on the speed.   🤗

Daily Food Diary – Day 294

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) cheese tortilla wrap (170)

(1) Denver omelet (235)

Snacks:

(1/3) c mixed nuts (238)

Supper:

(1) Hungry Man chicken cutlet TV dinner (520)

(1) extra (ie Dan’s) brownie (121)

Total Consumed Calories: 1286

Total used calories: 317

(30) min aerobics (176)

(30) min walking (68)

(30) min treadmill (73)

Total net calories: 969

Net calories goal: 1229 – 969  = 250 under 👍

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 293 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 293 of my Daily Food Diary! 😋

Yesterday was a pretty good day.  I only made one block of the walk I set out on with Dan and Molly.  I could have handled the cold and wind, but the rain was a bit much.   I came home and did my aerobics and weights – plus I did half an hour on the treadmill before supper. 👍

For supper last night, I decided we should indulge in some Taco Time.   One of the most  mind-boggling  things I have found since I began tracking my Daily Food Diary is how many calories there are in such meals.     I knew it was bad, but I had no idea. 🤦

Obviously, last night’s indulgence is a hard one to report on my Daily Food Diary, but it’s all about balance.  Last night, I was balancing out the salad I had for supper on Saturday. 🙄

Last night, for the second night in a row, we put the air purifier from our living room in our bedroom.    I slept really well both nights and with minimal coughing before I fell asleep and after I woke up.    I have to try it for a few days, but we might have to get another one before we get tired of hauling this one back and forth between rooms.

Daily Food Diary – Day 293

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) c Cinnamon Cheerios (200)

(1/4) c 2% milk (28)

Lunch:

(4) air fried chicken wing flats & (4) drummets (440)

(14) Lay’s lightly salted ripple chips (140)

(36) oz water

(8) oz lemon water

Supper:

(1) 12 oz A & W Rootbeer (170)

(1) Small Mexi Fries (265)

(2) hardshell tacos (520)

(1) crisp meat burrito (390)

Total calories consumed: 2155

Total calories used: 329

(30) min aerobics (176)

(30) min weights (73)

(30) min treadmill (80)

Total net calories: 1826

Net calories goal: 1229 – 1826 = 597 over 👎

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

Sunrise Through the Fog

Daily Food Diary – Day 292 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 292 of my Daily Food Diary! 🌟

We had a nice quiet weekend.  Husband Dan  was a bit under the weather, but he was back on his feet by the time Maddy was ready to be picked up from work yesterday.

Not her work uniform 😂

Like all the grands, Maddy enjoys her time with Grandpa.  When she called to ask if she could get a ride yesterday morning, she made an effort not to sound disappointed when I told her I would be picking her up.  But, when she called to say she was done work and ready to go, she did not do as well at hiding her excitement when I told her Grandpa was on his way. 😂

To be fair, Grandpa does take a quicker route, let’s her drive home, waits while she runs in to change, AND THEN let’s her drive over to her friend’s house, before he comes home.  🙄

Number 1 Grandpa 💖

Today starts a new week.  I have decided that Monday, Wednesday, and Friday will be for aerobics and light weights (8 pounders!) and Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday will be aerobics and treadmill.

Aerobics will always be a solid part of my daily workouts.  The routines that I do help to clear my lungs, are good for balance and flexibility.  Apparently, a lot of people with chronic lung disease cannot lift their arms over their heads.  While that was a struggle for me at one time, I have overcome it and plan to keep it that way.

Plus these routines are just a great way to start the day. 😁

Weights workouts – light or not,  are great at any age but more important than ever as we age.  They provide multiple benefits but helping us to maintain muscle strength and bone density is reason enough for me to keep doing them.

Time on the treadmill (and morning walks with Dan and Molly) are great for cardio vascular health and lung function – which is always my top priority. 

I only take one full day off a week (Sunday), but my favourite day of the week is still  Monday, when I  get back to my weekly workout routine.   😁

Daily Food Diary – Day 292

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(2) eggs (160)

(1) tsp butter (34)

(2) potato patties (240)

(2) slices bacon (87)

Snacks:

(36) oz water

(9) wine gums (158)

Supper:

(12) oz carbonated water

(9) chicken hot wing flats (383)

(1) Caesar salad (250)

Total consumed calories: 1336

Total used calories: 111

(1) hour food prep/cook (111)

Total net calories: 1225

Net calories goal: 1229-1225 = 4 under 👍

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 291 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today it is 291 Days since I started my Daily Food Diary.  💖

That is commitment people!  I have made some improvements in my diet – not GRAND improvements,  but at least I am mindful of how less than healthy my diet is.

Since I started my health and wellness journey almost four years ago, I have always kept it balanced and sustainable.  My  first year of Daily Workouts seem pretty lame now, but almost four years in I see a world of difference in how I look and feel, and my workouts are in the solid moderate range. 😋

Yesterday, I posted photos of the old and the  modern swinging bridges in Souris, Manitoba.  

Today, I wanted to send along a couple of photos of the 500 year old Mystic Oak Tree that we also visited while we were there.

It took us a couple of tries to find the path that led to the Mystic Tree, but well worth the effort.   The energy surrounding this tree does make for a mystical experience! 💞

Daily Food Diary – Day 291

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) c Harvest Crunch Protein (270)

(1/4) c 2% milk (28)

Snacks:

(9) wine gums (158)

(1) pear (103)

(15) Lay’s Lightly Salted ripple chips (150)

Dinner:

(2) c lettuce (12)

(1/2) c green onions (20)

(1) sm can Flakes of Chicken (210)

(2) tbsp mayo (200)

(12) Doritos (153)

Total consumed calories: 1306

Total used calories: 332

(30) min walking (83)

(30) min aerobics (176)

(30) min treadmill (73)

Total net calories: 974

Net calories goal: 1229 – 974 = 255 under 👍

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 290 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is 290 days since I began posting my Daily Food Diary! 💐

It has been Three Years and Eight Months since I began my Health and Fitness Journey.

During the time, there have been multiple setbacks – and just as many ‘get back ups‘. There have been many days of plodding through ‘another day in the life of’ and there have been many less  days of the ‘TA DA moments‘.

Yesterday, was one of the ‘Ta Da moments’ type of day.  Yesterday, I decided to up my weights from 5 pound dumbbells to 8 pounders.   I set out for the same routine – three sets of 10 reps of 8 exercises (with dancing to some classic rock tunes before, between, and after each set).  I wasn’t sure I could do it, but… I crushed it! TA DA!

It seems like a small victory, but reminded me of other victories over the years – like a ta da moment I had when I was struggling to overcome my anxiety a few years ago…

I had been struggling with anxiety for as long as I could remember.  In fact, my very first memory was one of sheer terror as I crossed a bridge with my mother and my much less anxious sister, Lorraine.  

This is a section of the original Source Swinging Bridge – chicken wire ‘railings‘ and a total width of maybe two feet?

I was no more than two years old and Lorraine was about five.  As I clung to my mother’s leg, Lorraine ran, skipped, and bounced across this flimsy excuse of a bridge.

At some point, I decided if I could conquer this bridge, I could overcome my lifetime of anxiety.   So, on our anniversary that year, Dan took me to Souris, Manitoba to confront my demons.

Thank God, the Town of Souris had retired the bridge from  hell with this much sturdier and stabler, one. 

I made a few trips back and forth on the new bridge, and while it wasn’t the challenge I was dreading, I took it as a win!

It wasn’t a complete ‘ah ha moment’.  I still have anxious thoughts and experiences on occasion, but I do have a new appreciation for bridges.  The act of crossing a bridge excites me now  – at least as long as it is a modern, stable bridge – and I am not crossing it with sister Lorraine. 😂

Daily Food Diary – Day 290

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) plain paratha (240)

(1) tbsp peanut butter (105)

(1) tbsp raspberry jam (50)

Snacks:

(1) pear (103)

(1/8) c mixed nuts (90)

(9) wine gums (158)

Supper:

(2 1/2) c spaghetti with meat sauce (718)

(2) Bick’s Baby Dill Pickles (10)

Total consumed calories: 1476

Total used calories: 466

(30) min walking (83)

(30) min aerobics (176)

(30) min light weights (73)

(1) hour house cleaning (135)

Total net calories: 1010

Net calories goal: 1229 – 1010 = 219 under 👍

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 289 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 289 of my Daily Food Diary! 💝

This morning I went for a walk with Dan & Molly.  Since Dan was taking the leash, I didn’t bother switching Molly to her pinch collar.  As usual when Dan takes the leash, she was perfectly well behaved.   No trying to leap into random vehicles, no trying to chase FedEx trucks, not even a yip when she passed barking dogs.   🙄

Yesterday, Dan turned up our forced air furnace.  Since it sits idle, collecting months of dust and dog hair, turning up the furnace is a bit of an ordeal.  He covers the vents and then vacuums each vent for a full cycle before moving on to the next.  We did have ‘experts’ come in a couple of times, but honestly this works just as well in our little house and is less of a hassle (at least Molly wise).

This morning, I cleaned the filters for our air purifiers and we are ready to go.

Yesterday morning, I did my aerobics.  Last night, I did a full thirty minutes on our treadmill.  I had zero incline, but did up the speed to level five for three (three minute) rounds.   Today I am doing aerobics and thirty minutes of light weights and cardio.  I am pumped about upping the weights to eight pounders.   I know I am more than ready. 💪

Still no word on when I will be called in for my hernia surgery, but I am hoping it won’t be until after Christmas.  The surgeon wants me under general anesthesia to do it, so I want to be in the best possible shape. 

Now that the Prednisone is obviously out of my system,  and I am moving forward once again, the last thing I want is another drug induced setback.  😋

Daily Food Diary – Day 289

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(38) lightly frosted mini wheats (278)

(1/4) c 2% milk (28)

Lunch:

(3) oz turkey dark meat (175)

(15) Doritos (140)

Supper:

(1) Reuben – sourdough bun, corned beef, havarti cheese, sauerkraut, hot mustard (658)

Total consumed calories: 1282

Total used calories: 317

(30) min walking (83)

(30) min aerobics (176)

(30) min treadmill (59)

Total net calories: 965

Net calories goal: 1229 – 965 = 264 under 👍

That’s it for today.  Take care and have a good day! 😊💞

My bedside bowl of stones. 😊