Daily Food Diary – Day 304 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is 304 Days since I started posting my Daily Food Diary. ☺️

Today is November 1st. TEN months down and Two to go.

I generally begin each month with a fresh focus for my diary.  This month, I am just going to wing it.  Each day, I will focus on a different aspect of nutrition – good, bad, or otherwise. 🤷

Since yesterday was Halloween, prepackaged treats seem to be a good place to begin.

This year as always, we stocked up on Halloween  treats to hand out, and as always we overstocked! Now that we are retired, we do not have the option of donating such leftovers to company lunch rooms. 

Fortunately, daughter Jen’s girls have aged out of Trick or Treating… and her youngest (Prim) chose the option of having a sleepover with Grandma and Grandpa.

While she arrived costumed up from her school dance, she soon opted to get comfortable.

After a supper of enchiladas, an evening of watching the Blue Jays,  a surprise visit from  her best friend, a good night sleep, and a breakfast bacon & tomato sandwich,  she headed home WITH our leftover Halloween treats to share with her sisters!

Another sugar and salt crisis averted – at least for us. 😁

Daily Food Diary – Day 304

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(2) potato patties (240)

(2) eggs (160)

(3) slices back bacon (52)

(1) tsp olive oil (40)

Snacks:

(3) black licorice Twizzlers (68)

(1) mini bag ripple chips (86)

(48) oz water

Supper:

(1 1/2) homemade enchiladas: ground chicken with onions, peppers & taco sauce, rice with green salsa, refried bees, shredded marble cheese,  cheese tortilla shell (600)

Total consumed calories: 1249

Total used calories: 104

(40) min walking (104)

Total net calories: 1145

Net calories goal: 1208 – 1145 = 64 under 👎

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

Flashback to 2023

Daily Food Diary – Day 303 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 303 of my Daily Food Diary. 💝

For the past few weeks, I have been struggling to eat as well, or to eat less poorly, than I would hope to be doing at this point.  

From early September when I went through my latest round of antibiotics and Prednisone to the last few days when my allergies have been out of control, it seems that  there is always one thing or another.  My appetite is up, but my inclination to prepare nutritious meals or snacks is way down. 🙄

I am too close to finishing this 365 day Challenge to stop now, so I persist.  

Unfortunately….

Persistence is not enough. One must decide whether to persist as a sufferer or persist as a warrior.  –  author unknown

I thought of this quote earlier this morning when I took Molly for her morning walk.  It was just Molly and I and it didn’t start off well.   I was feeling pretty rough and Molly wasn’t feeling particularly co-operative. 

At first, I was hesitant to commit.  I walked her around our block.   I reluctantly, decided to keep going past our house and try for another block…and another.  Finally I reached a point where I either turned back or pushed out of my comfort zone and went the distance.

We went the distance!

Either way, it would have been a win.  Either way, it would have been a walk and some fresh air.   But with a change of attitude, we went the distance and that felt pretty empowering today!

Now, I just have to warrior up in the kitchen and get my diet on track.   😊

Daily Food Diary – Day 303

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(3) Eggo Waffles (270)

(2) tsp butter (68)

(2) tbsp Maple syrup (104)

(3) sl. Bacon (130)

Snacks:

(48) oz water

(3) black licorice Twizzlers (68)

(1/4) hickory almonds (180)

(6) mini chocolate treats (240)

Supper:

(1) bowl Campbell’s chicken noodle soup (120)

(1) sourdough bun (190)

(2) slices havarti cheese (160)

(2) tsp butter (68)

Total consumed calories: 1600

Total used calories: 0

Total net calories: 1600

Net calories goal: 1208 – 1600 = 392 over 👎

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 302 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 302 of my Daily Food Diary.  🥳

It is cold, it is WINDY, and my allergies are through the roof.

Molly,  back from her walk with Dan.   If the weather doesn’t improve, he might be on his own tomorrow.

About the most exciting thing around here these days, has been watching the Blue Jays play in the World Series this week. 

For the record, I do not follow sports.  I have watched more baseball in the past few days than I have in my lifetime.  While I can’t say I have been enjoying it –  I can see why people get caught up in the hype.   The game that went on for eighteen innings had me so engaged, I had to go to bed before I got too into it.  

I was hoping the Blue Jays would win – Canadian pride and all.  🇨🇦 But it just got weird that I was getting so desperate for a win.  🙄🤦

It was a relief to see last night’s game over in the allotted nine innings. 

Only a couple of more games and life can return to our less intense normal. 😂🙆

Daily Food Diary – Day 302

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) plain paratha (240)

(1) tbsp peanut butter (105)

(1) tbsp jam (50)

Lunch:

(1) cabbage roll (197)

(6) Hint of Lime tortilla chips (150)

(3) black licorice Twizzlers (68)

Supper:

(2) bowls wonton soup (450)

(1) mini peanut butter cup (40)

(1) snack size Reese’s pieces (67)

Total consumed calories: 1369

Total used calories:

(30) min walking (68)

(30) min treadmill (80)

(30) min weights (73)

Total net calories: 1149

Net calories goal: 1208 – 1149 = 60 under 👍

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 301 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 301 of my Daily Food Diary!  That is 43 WEEKS without a single miss. 🙌

Today, I am feeling a solid improvement in how I am feeling!  I am four months into using Collagen Supplements and they are doing wonders for me.  My strength has improved, my endurance has improved, and best of all – my breathing has significantly improved.    I can breathe without feeling like my sinuses and respiratory airways are  collapsing and I can even lay flat on my back  without feeling like I am smothering!

My only respiratory issues these days are obviously caused by allergies.  Since we started running an air purifier in our bedroom at night, I am good there.  In the daytime, my eyes are burning, my nose is runny, and I am still coughing. 

The third Honeywell air purifier we have bought and I am happy with all of them.

We have our best air purifier running in the living room so I’m not sure what my problem is.   I have taken Claritin (which doesn’t work for me) and  some ‘natural’ antihistamines which just seem to make me sleepy. 😴

Yesterday, I got some black licorice to see if that would help.  I know it is something that is not good to eat regularly or in excess, but it also helps to control allergies,  so we will see. 

Daily Food Diary – Day 301

Breakfast:

2) c coffee (4)

(1/4 c milk (28)

(1) c cinnamon cheerios (200)

Snacks:

(2) black licorice Twizzlers (45)

(1/8) c mixed nuts (90)

(48) oz water

Supper:

(2) servings c nachos – Hint of Lime tortilla chips with seasoned ground beef, peppers, green onions, black olives, shredded cheese, and salsa (865)

(12) oz carbonated water

(1) PC Chocolate cake (300)

Total consumed calories:  1530

Total used calories: 501

(30) min walking (68)

(30) min aerobics (244)

(1) hr housecleaning (134)

(30) min food prep/cooking (55)

Total net calories: 1029

Net calories goal: 1208 – 1029 = 179 under 👍

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 300 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 300 of my Daily Food Diary! 💗 I remember when the days of my diary were in the double digits.  100 Days seemed incredibly distant.  Here we are, with less than 100 Days to go and it seems like the year is all but over.   Funny how things always look so much closer in the rear view mirror!

Earlier today, I tagged along for the morning walk with Dan and Molly.  Fall has finally arrived.  

Not only are the leaves changing color, they are also falling – fast and furious.    

Dan just got home from shopping.  He said this seems like a good day for wonton soup for supper.   In the overall scheme of things, any kind of home made soup seems like a good plan for supper for the foreseeable future. 

Daily Food Diary – Day 300

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(2) Brazilian cheese rolls (249)

(3) slices low sodium bacon (130)

Lunch:

(1) Harvest wiener (188)

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

(1) c coleslaw (50)

(48) oz water

Supper:

(2) cabbage rolls (394)

(1) pc chocolate cake (300)

Total consumed calories: 1445

Total used calories: 384

(42) min aerobics (244)

(35) min walking (68)

(30) min light weights (73)

Total net calories: 1061

Net calories goal: 1208 – 1061 = 148 under 👍

University of Alberta Botanic Gardens

Daily Food Diary – Day 299 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 299 of my Daily Food Diary. 💗

In keeping with my monthly focus of planning meals that reflect our October change of seasons, I served up a summery garden salad for last night.  It has been back and forth between light meals for warm days and hearty comfort foods to get us through the first snow of the season.  That is October in Saskatchewan!

Today is Monday.  Starting a new workout week, I was excited to come across a motivating quote while browsing social media this morning.

I do not work out to be better than anyone else.  I WORK OUT TO BE THE BEST I CAN BE.

That is the truth – and it has been my strongest motivation since I first read David Goggins’ “Can’t Hurt Me”.  The human body is amazing – and the potential for how amazing it can become is fascinating.

But the ongoing quest to find my true potential can be frustrating at times.   I can have a bad night, I can experience setbacks, I can get cocky and try to walk our dog Molly without her pinch collar….. 

Feeling my full potential this morning, that’s  the direction my day took!    By the time we got to the park, I had to take a break at a bench in the kids playground.   By the time we got to the other side of the park, I had to hand her over to Dan.  By the time we got home, I felt like I had wrestled a steer and lost the rodeo.

Someday, I will be the best I can be (I am not there yet).   I hope that by the time I do get there, I will be able to manhandle Molly without a pinch collar.  That would be incredible! 

Daily Food Diary – Day 299

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(3) slices low salt thin slice bacon (135)

(2) potato patties (240)

(2) egg cheese omelet (260)

(1) medium tomato (22)

Snacks:

(36) oz water

(16) oz cherry tea

(2) pieces chocolate cake (600)

Supper:

(1) chicken salad: lettuce, tomato, cucumber, cauliflower, green onion, green olives, chicken breast, sesame seeds, dried fried onion, peppercorn ranch salad dressing (473)

(12) oz carbonated water

Total consumed calories: 1731

Total used calories: 0

Total net calories: 1731

Net calories goal: 1208 – 1731 = 523 over 👎

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

Fun times in Deadwood, ND – Spring 2024 with daughter Jen.  Getting up there was less than half the battle.  The real challenge was getting back down. 🙄

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! 💖😊