It was a busy day yesterday and today isn’t much better. I am checking in late, but better late than never. It still counts!
Saturday is my serious house clean of the week. After I got my aerobic workout done, I scrubbed down the kitchen, vacuumed, and moved furniture to do a thorough sweeping of the living room and the kitchen. I also washed clothes and bedding, and we gave Molly a thorough brushing. And, I fed the squirrels TWICE.
I also did a bit of garden/yard work. A BIG bit. I watered EVERYTHING, fertilized the flowers and vegetables, and sprayed the tomatoes cucumbers, and peppers. My ailing tomato plant is still alive, but hanging by a thread. Most of the tomatoes are suddenly thriving, but the San Marzano are still fighting the rust fungus.
By suppertime, I was ready for something simple supper.
It wasn’t our most colorful meal but there was yellow corn, white mashed potatoes, and dark brown brownies (which probably doesn’t count as a healthy colour).
Daily Food Diary – Day 214
Breakfast:
(1) c coffee (2)
(1) plain paratha (240)
(1) tbsp peanut butter (105)
(1) tbsp jam (90)
Snacks:
(60) oz water
Supper:
(1) Hungry Man Fried Chicken (520)
(1) Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookie (50)
Total Net Calories: 793
Net calorie goal: 1222 – 793 = 429 under
That’s it for today. Take care and have a great day! 💗 😊
A touch of colour for Mom & Dad’s graves when we go to Gravelbourg. Always red carnations for Dad and yellow flowers for Mom.
It is 213 Days since I began posting my Daily Food Diary. 😊🌹
I have completed SEVEN of the twelve months that I set out to post. Every month I choose a different focus and for August I planned to do likewise.
Choosing a new focus is always a challenge and this month (August) has been the most difficult. I drew a blank for the past week, I settled on making this a month to focus on weekly meal planning. But our summers are notoriously short and meal planning is just too September Greige for me to get excited about.
So… I chose to go with COLOURFUL foods for August. While our garden is struggling this year, we do have a variety of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, carrots, rhubarb, and several herbs to provide color (and healthy goodness) to our meals. Of course, we also have access to all of the fresh colorful foods available at our supermarkets and local Farmer’s Market.
To kick the month off, I sourced out this short article which offers information on why a colorful diet is beneficial, plus the specific nutrients relative to each basic food color.
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! 💖😊
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 cardandthe 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. 👍
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! ☺️ ❣️
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! 💞🌞
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! 😊💞
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. 🤗💓
* 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) 💞
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! 💝😊
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! ❤️😊
Seclusion 101 with AnneMarie 