Tag: accountability

Daily Food Diary – Day 209 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is Day 209 of my Daily Food Diary.  🤗💞 I celebrate the accomplishment each and every day, but I am to the point where it doesn’t really surprise me how far I have come.  It is just a natural part of my day to day life.

I track everything I consume.  I am mindful of everything I consume.  My health is better for it.

Two years ago I quit eating yeast because I realized it was having a seriously detrimental effect on my health.  I am still on the waiting list to see an allergy specialist, but in the meantime  I am  working out the details of my yeast  issue.   I have learned that there are many yeast related foods – like mushrooms, which are also fungi.  There are foods that are very susceptible to mold (another fungi),  like strawberries and black berries.  There are foods that trigger yeast issues (generally any form of sugar).   AND, while we often think of yeast as being used to rise bread doughs or  to ferment beer and wine, it can be used and found ANYWHERE especially in processed or restaurant foods. 

Keeping a Daily Food Diary has been a huge help in sorting this all out.  I keep track of everything I consume over the course of the day.  When I come to post it the next day, I am feeling any ill effects from anything I should have steered clear of, and it doesn’t take long to pinpoint the problem.

It is pretty cool actually, for something that is just a natural part of my day. 🙂

This week,  I have started something else that I hope to make a natural part of my day. Yesterday,  while Dan and I were out walking Molly, I broke away to go for a short run.  I ran from a bench to the first intersection on our park path.   This morning, I did likewise except I ran  through the intersection to a big rock (just short of the small dog park).   It is still not much, but  I know that within a few days, I will be running the entire length of our park path.  🤗

Daily Food Diary – Day 209

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(2) crumpets (160)

(1 1/2) tsp butter (51)

(1) tbsp raspberry jam (50)

(3) slices back bacon (100)

Snacks:

(60) oz water

(4) oz lemon water

(1) apple (95)

(10) raspberries (10)

Supper:

(6) tempura shrimp (285)

(1) lg PC Buttermilk Chicken (240)

(3) Pork riblets (49)

(2) egg rolls (380)

(4) Gyoza (180)

(1) tsp plum sauce (6)

(1) tbsp shrimp sauce  (20)

(1) tbsp Gyoza dip (50)

(1/2) PC caramel toffee cake (525)

Total net calories: 1904

Net calorie goal: 1229 – 1904 = 683

* Highlighted items contain significant collagen or significantly  contribute to the production of collagen

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 207 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is Day 207 of my Daily Food Diary.  🙌

Yesterday was my birthday.  It was a great day.  I appreciated all of the well wishes from friends and family.  I appreciated the calls from son Dan and daughter Jennifer.  And we all appreciated the visit from the newly weds (Genie & Alec) – especially MOLLY!

I love the card and the flowers.  The sourdough buns are pretty good. (Toasted & buttered with ham & cheese omelets to fill). Grandpa and I might have to check out the farmers market ourselves soon!

My Daily Food Diary entry for the day looks pretty brutal, but it was my 70th Birthday and we did go to Montana’s for (a very early)  supper followed by Birthday Cake later in the evening.

Takeaway from this entry.. my total calories for the day were BAD And my food choices were not the most nutritionally sound.  While I ate what I wanted… I could have done worse.  Dan and I both had water with our meal.  We generally pass on soda or alcoholic beverages.  I gave Dan part of my (Ribfest) entree.  The one I chose had 4 breaded hot wings.  Dan ordered a smaller entree and took the yeast hit.   And when we had cake, we both passed on the ice cream.

This cake does not require ice cream!

Today we are both back on track.  We started our day with coffee before taking Molly on a good trek around the neighborhood.   And, we had a relatively  light meal for our Sunday brunch. 

Our air is finally clear and our humidity is  down.  I am breathing somewhat easier.   so I am thinking of going for a jog around our neighbourhood to kick off my 70’s tomorrow morning.    I’ll let you know how that plays out. 👍

Daily Food Diary – Day 207

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(2) crumpets (160)

(1 1/2) tsp  butter (51)

(1) tbsp jam (50)

Supper:

(6) Montana’s Honey Garlic Pork Ribs w/cornbread  (880)

(1) serving seasoned fries (790)

(1) side gravy (25)

(1) 85g side baked beans (110)

Snacks:

(72) oz water

(1) pc caramel toffee cake (1050)

Total net calories:  3118

Net calorie goal: 1222 – 3118  = 1898 😲

* Highlighted items contain significant collagen or significantly  contribute to the production of collagen

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 204 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is 204 Days since I started my Daily Food Diary.

While I am counting the calories that I consume each day, losing weight is not my sole or main  goal. 

I am doing this in an attempt to eat better, not necessarily less.  I have cut some foods out of my diet, added others, and tweaked a few.    This week, I had a craving for chocolate chip cookies.   Switching out the normally  processed white flour for almond flour, using dark chocolate chips and adding chopped walnuts all helped to make them a bit more nutritious – and didn’t hurt the taste any.

Other than baking (way too many) nutritionally improved  cookies,  my week hasn’t been going too bad – but it is definitely not one of my best.

Our weather has been cool, our  HUMIDITY  high, and we have poor air quality due to smoke from northern wildfires.   The humidity does nothing for my respiratory system and the smoke (which I am allergic to) destroys it. 

I have been managing… Taking my meds, clearing my lungs and sinuses,  doing my aerobics and weight & cardio exercises, watching my diet, keeping active, managing my stress … and avoiding outside air (as much as possible). 

But my lungs are struggling and I am booked for my annual pulmonary function test tomorrow.   I cannot see this going  well.

Am I the only one who is mortified at the thought of  failing a health test?   🤦

Daily Food Diary – Day 204

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1/2) grapefruit (39)

(1/2) tsp. Sugar (8)

(2) crumpets (160)

(2) tsp butter (34)

(1) tbsp raspberry jam (50)

Lunch:

(1/2) c potato salad (236)

(1/4) c radishes (5)

(1/4) c green onions (10)

(1 1/2) oz Piller’s Ham (43)

(5) Hint of Lime tortilla chips (125)

(2) Almond flour chocolate chip cookies (100)

(48) oz water

Supper:

(1 1/2) servings nachos – tortilla chips, ground turkey, red pepper, green onion, hot pepper, black olives, shredded marble cheese, salsa (657)

Total net calories: 1188

Net calories goal: 1229 – 1188 = 40 under 👍

* Highlighted items contain significant collagen or significant contribute to the production of collagen

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 203 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is Day 203 of my Daily Food Diary.  💖🤗

That is a full 29 weeks since I became mindful of my daily diet.   The real story is what does not appear in my diary – everything I reach for, then walk away from  or  each time I pivot and  go with a healthier choice,  rather than my first choice.

I have done temporary Food Diaries in the past (for medical reasons) and I found them to be an  annoying inconvenience – and not particularly useful to anyone.  For two or three days, I could easily deprive myself of anything that might seem questionable to a doctor or nutritionist.  Which of course would  defeat the purpose…

Now,  I  appreciate having this constant nudge to eat mindfully and (relatively)  responsibly.   

It is  bizarre how seldom it is that we seriously consider what we consume.  In that regard, I think we are far more aware of how we nourish our pets and our plants than our own bodies. (Maybe it’s just me.  😔)

This is a supermarket orchid that Dan bought me.   The instruction card said it should bloom once a year.  I have replanted it in a specific orchid potting mix, I water it sparingly, and I feed it a mixture of ground eggshells and dried banana peels.  It has been blooming for three years.  Every  set of blossoms get bigger, last longer, and are replaced by a new set as soon as they fall. 

In retrospect, it seems beyond bizarre that I have been more conscientious about nurturing a  plant than my own body.   (Even if it is a cool plant. 🤔)

Daily Food Diary – Day 203

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1/2) Grapefruit (39)

(1 1/2) c sugar (24)

(1) c Shreddies (200)

Lunch:

(2) oz Rotisserie chicken (100)

(8) Lay’s BBQ potato chips (75)

Snacks:

(1) Coffee Crisp Ice Cream cone (280)

(1) Almond flour/dark chocolate chip cookie (50)

(48) oz water

Supper:

(1) Chef Salad – lettuce, green onions, radishes, cucumber, tomato, olives, ham, boiled eggs, shredded cheese, sunflower seeds, dried fried onions, Black Peppercorn Ranch salad dressing (500)

(12) oz carbonated water

(1) Almond flour/dark chocolate chip cookie (50)

Total net calories:  1146

Net calorie goal:  1229 – 1146 = 83 under

* Highlighted items contain significant collagen or significant contribute to the production of collagen

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 201 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is 201 Days since I began posting my Daily Food Diary.   It is two years since I eliminated yeast from diet and started taking a serious look at improving my diet in general.    And, it is three and a half years since I started living a healthier and more active lifestyle.

One would think, I would have it all down to a science by now, but looking at my Food Diary entry from yesterday – obviously NOT.

What is truly ironic, is that yesterday I was  messaging  back and forth with my sister Lorraine and we were discussing our health issues, our eating habits, and our frustration with North American attitudes towards diet in general.  Every day is a celebration  – and every celebration needs an overindulgence of poor food choices and alcohol fueled fun. (At least I dodged the alcohol fueled fun. 🙂) 

Fortunately, another Monday has come around and it is a new opportunity to dial back on the calories and amp up on the exercise.  I’ve been one of the 35% of Canadians living with obesity, and I am not going back there!

We  started our Monday with a walk with Molly.   Dan and I both struggled  with the  100% humidity – as well as with trying to keep  Molly out of the burr laden weeds along one stretch of roadway. 

We  managed to walk a respectable distance – and brought Molly home ready for a nice quiet nap. 👍

Being Monday, I still have my aerobics to do this morning, weights this afternoon, and chicken salad is on the menu for supper. 😊

Daily Food Diary – Day 201

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(2) potato Patties (240)

(2) eggs (160)

(1/4) c shredded marble cheese (114)

(5) asparagus spears (16)

(1) tsp butter (34)

(3) slices bacon (130)

Snacks:

(25) No Name Barbecue Chips (270)

(48) oz water

Supper:

(7) oz New York Strip Steak (546)

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

(1/2) c red pepper (23)

(1/4) c red onion (15)

(1/2) c celery (8)

(1/2) c mushrooms (22)

(2) tsp butter (69)

(2) tbsp soya sauce (30)

(1) c broccoli (30)

(1/2) c cauliflower (14)

Total net calories: 2086

Net calories goal: 1229 – 2086 = 857 over 👎

* Highlighted items contain significant collagen or significant contribute to the production of collagen

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 192 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is 192 Days since I started my Daily Food Diary.  192 Days without one single miss! 😊🙌

I plan to stop posting my diary at the end of 365 days as I originally planned, but I may keep tracking my food intake indefinitely.  It’s never going to be about perfecting my diet – but I do appreciate the practice of being mindful of what I eat.

Speaking of being mindful…

Yesterday morning I went on a very rare shopping expedition.  I had THREE specific goals:

(1) To buy an outfit for a family event this coming week

(2) To buy new sneakers (the price of an increasingly active lifestyle)

(3) And.. to buy a card for said family event

Dan came with me to chauffeur and offer his input as required. 

After a frustrating walk around Southland Mall, Dan led me down a hallway that I had missed. (My sense of direction is as lacking as my shopping skills 🤦)

To my delight, we came across a Ricki’s store.  I thought the entire chain had closed down, but apparently not!  I went in and the  amazing sales clerk helped me to find the perfect dress – which was on sale! 

Our next stop was DSW – Designer Shoe Warehouse.  I scored not one pair of sneakers but TWO – and both for less than the regular price of one, including taxes.

In keeping with my lack of shopping skills, I totally forgot about the card (Goal #3) when I realized it was lunch time.

With my yeast allergy/intolerance, choosing a restaurant gets complicated.  There  was an Olive Garden in the same general parking lot as DSW, so that seemed like a good sign. 🤭

On the good side… The service was great.  When I asked the waitress to hold the croutons on my salad, she (very professionally) asked if that was simply a preference.  When I told her about my  yeast allergy, she brought the manager to our table to discuss yeast free options.   He provided not only a crouton free salad, but also a yeast free butter & garlic alternative for their regular scampi sauce.   My lunch was amazing and I suffered no ill effects.  And the price for our meal was very reasonable. 👍

On the not so good side.. I was reminded how dicey it is for me to eat anywhere outside of our own kitchen.   I thought Olive Garden would be a pretty safe bet compared to most restaurants where much of the lunch menu is sandwiches (bread or bun).   I was wrong.   At Olive Garden most of their appetizers are breaded, there is yeast in all of  their pasta sauces, and there is even yeast in their Tuxedo Cake (which was a HUGE  disappointment for me. 😢) Fortunately, the manager and our waitress made sure I didn’t order anything containing yeast, for which I am grateful, but the experience will make me even more cautious going forward.

*** After Dan dropped me off at home, he did go to a store to pick up the card that we needed.  🤗💓

Daily Food Diary – Day 192

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) c Shreddies (200)

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

(1) tsp sugar (16)

Lunch:

(1) Olive Garden salad (140)

(1) Olive Garden shrimp scampi – shrimp, red pepper, & asparagus (490)

Snacks:

(3/4) c Butterscotch Sundae ice cream (180)

(2) tbsp dark chocolate sauce (105)

(9) pecan halves (59)

(25) light salted ripple chips (160)

(60) oz water

Total net calories: 1133

Net calorie goal: 1229 – 1133 = 95 under

* Highlighted items contain significant collagen or significant contribute to the production of collagen

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

Thank you, granddaughter Genie for this photo taken during your time in Toronto (working for the midway and wandering the streets looking for photos to take and restaurants that served homemade soup) 💞

Daily Food Diary – Day 190 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

This is Day 190 of my Daily Food Diary!  💓🎉

This is also Alec’s birthday! 🤗🎂 Alec is granddaughter Genie’s fiance.    She is fortunate to have him in her life and we are happy to have him in our family.  Happy Birthday  Alec!

Prim, Alec & Genie’s friend, Alec, and Genie…this photo is a decade old.  It was the day we met Alec and back when their story was just beginning. (I scared him 😂)

This month, my Daily Food Focus is on collagen production and maintenance…

Last week, I started taking collagen supplements.  It is too soon to see any benefits but so far I haven’t suffered any side effects, so that’s a win.

I have been sourcing out foods that contain collagen or aid in the natural production and maintenance of collagen.   I highlight such foods in my Daily Food Diary.  

I continue to exercise daily (also very important to producing and maintaining collagen).  I do aerobics Monday thru Saturday, light weights and cardio Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and walk with Molly and Dan daily – weather and/or wildfire smoke permitting.  

It never fails to amaze me how few people (with or without dogs)   we encounter on our walks through our neighborhood parks.  👀

Daily Food Diary – Day 190

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(2) eggs (160)

(2) potato patties (240)

(3) slices back bacon (52)

Snacks:

(48) oz water

(1) pear (103)

(15) raspberries (15)

(3) PC’s dark chocolate (106)

Supper:

(6) oz roast beef (328)

(25) French fries (250)

(1/3) c gravy (40)

(1) tbsp horseradish (10)

(1 1/2) c broccoli (90)

Total net calories: 1075

Net calorie goal: 1229 – 1075 = 154 under

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 180 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is 180 Days since I started posting my Daily Food Diary. 🤗

It is  3 Years and 4 1/2 Months since I started working out,  improving my eating habits, and working on stress management. 

Increasing my  strength and stamina (even minimally) was my original goal.    I am reminded of that goal every day and I cannot believe how far I have come.  It is so much more than feeling better,  looking better, or being more comfortable in my own body.   It is my life in general, from working out  six days a week to being capable of doing basic everyday tasks.

It is hard to get excited about taking out the trash, but when I pulled the garbage bag out of the trashcan this weekend – with little to no effort – I was the heavy weight champion! YES 💪 I pulled a few deep rooted weeds out of our front yard. Again, YES 💪 I walked Molly, all by myself, last week. HELL YES! 💪

Anyone can sit in a rocking chair, watching imaginary people living imaginary lives.   I am living my life!  The fact that I CAN never fails to amaze me and it is more than enough to keep me moving forward.   

Daily Food Diary – Day 180

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(2) poached eggs (143)

(1) potato patties (120)

(2) slices back bacon (3)

Snacks:

(1) c cinnamon apple tea

(48) oz water

(1) peach (58) (1 SVG)

(15) raspberries (15) (1 SVG)

(1/3) c mixed nuts (131)

Supper:

(2) c spaghetti & meat sauce (574) (1 SVG)

(1 1/2) c broccoli & cauliflower (90) (3 SVG)

(1) tsp butter (34)

(4) lg olives (64) (1 SVG)

Total net calories: 1406

Net calories goal:  1233 – 1406 = 173 over 👎

Fruits & vegetables: 7 servings

Fruits & vegetables goal: 7 servings 👍

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 175 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is 175 Days since I started posting my Daily Food Diary.  🤗

My Daily Food Diary is part of the Health and Wellness Lifestyle that I adopted three years ago.

This week, summer has (sort of)  returned to Saskatchewan.   At least,   it is warm and DRY enough to resume our morning walks.

And Molly is ready to go!

School is winding down and the kids around here are ready for their annual summer break.  The schools are feeding into their enthusiasm by taking them on field trips to our neighbourhood park where they have basketball courts, a soccer field, a huge handicap accessible play structure, and an equally huge spray pad.

Part of the kids’ entertainment, is hiking past our front yard where Molly sits in her corner and soaks in all the attention as the kids hike by.

When we take our walk, we pass the park and Molly again becomes the centre of attention for many of the kids.   On the best days, like yesterday,  some of the kids run up to the fence to interact with her.  💞

Whether we are making memories, or trying to preserve them,  Molly takes dog walking to a new level.

Walking is only one part of the healthy active retirement lifestyle that Dan and I are working to build.   Being out in nature, together, enjoying the sunshine and fresh air,  with Molly for ongoing entertainment makes it the best part. ❤️

Daily Food Diary – Day 175

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) tsp butter (34)

(1) tsp olive oil (40)

(2) eggs (160)

(3) tbsp bacon bits (90)

(2) potato patties (240)

Snacks:

(1) pear (103) (1 SVG)

(20) lightly salted potato chips (104)

(48) oz water

Supper:

(1) tomato (22) (1 SVG)

(1) mini cucumber (10) (1 SVG)

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

(2) oz pork tenderloin (91)

(1 1/2) c vegetables – red pepper, *mushrooms, cabbage, leek, gr onions, celery, carrots (80) (2 SVG)

* Mushrooms do not count as vegetables

(2) tbsp soya sauce (30)

(1) tbsp butter (103)

(2) lg vegetable spring rolls (250) (2 SVG)

(2) Gyoza (90)

(1) tbsp plum sauce (35)

Total net calories: 1589

Net calorie goal: 1238 – 1589 = 351 over 👎

Fruits & vegetables: 7 servings

Fruits & vegetables goal: 7 servings 👍

Dan’s Bleeding Heart continues to THRIVE.

Daily Food Diary – Day 168 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is 168 Days since I began posting my Daily Food Diary.  That is a full 24 WEEKS.

Going into this challenge, I thought the most difficult part was going to be getting it done  consistently every day for a FULL YEAR.  There have been a few days when I have posted later in the day than usual, but it has proven to be doable.  In 168 Days, I have not had a single miss. 🥳

What has proven to be more difficult is keeping it real.  There have been days when I cringe while I am doing this.  The days when I miss my goals by a mile and it looks like I wasn’t even trying.  The days when I fall far short on hydration.  The days when I eat the same snack or dessert for days on end.  The days when my meals are just weird. 🤦

On those days, it is tempting to tweak things a bit… Make it look like I am trying harder than I am.  Make it look like I am more focused.  Make myself look ‘better’.  I could tweak things, but then this would all be a waste of my time and yours. 

Honestly, I am not looking for drastic weight loss or  unsustainable changes in my diet or lifestyle.    This is just me,  gradually developing better eating habits. It isn’t an exciting process, but hopefully when this year wraps up, all of the small changes I have made will be obvious and will remain beneficial going forward. That’s the plan.

This is the amazing salad we had at son Dan’s  on Sunday.   Sorry I forgot to post it on my blog yesterday.  We did enjoy it!   😀

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/a25324371/romaine-salad-with-lemon-pecorino-vinaigrette-recipe/

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) plain paratha (240)

(1) tbsp peanut butter (105)

(1) tbsp raspberry jam (50)

Snacks:

(1) pear (103) (1 SVG)

(60) oz water

Supper:

(1) large salad – romaine lettuce, tomato, cucumber, orange pepper, radishes, green onions, olives, sunflower seeds, dried fried onions (270) (4 SVG)

(2) tbsp French salad dressing (120)

(2) BBQ chicken drumsticks (220)

Total net calories: 934

Net calorie goal: 1238 – 934 = 304 under

Fruits & vegetables: 5 servings

Fruits & vegetables goal: 7 servings

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