Tag: active aging

Daily Food Diary – Day 338 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 338 of my Daily Food Diary. 👍

Recently, I have been trying to recognize and appreciate the wins in my daily life.  I was anticipating my annual December funk and thought this would help me to keep my emotions and stress in check.  It was going fairly well, too.

And now..it isn’t. 

For ten months I have been waiting for a hernia repair.  This morning surgical booking called with a date.

December 17th .... not a good date for me historically and four years to the day since my last hernia surgery (which failed).

I am going to have to ramp up the wins if I am going to get through this without having a massive asthma attack heading into the operating room.

Anyway,  back to the wins… this morning I did an aerobics workout that I had never done before.

Apparently the one and only video on YouTube Tube that cannot be shared but worth looking for if you need a good workout! 😊

My December Daily Food Diary roundup win for today is a timely one…

While I started this Food Diary to improve my physical wellness, I learned how much my diet could improve (or destroy) my mental and emotional wellbeing.   That being said,  I am looking forward to a heaping helping of comfort food for supper.

Daily Food Diary – Day 338

Breakfast:

(1) coffee (2)

(1) plain paratha (240)

(2) tbsp peanut butter (105)

(1) tbsp jam (50)

Snacks:

(2/3) c maple walnut ice cream (198)

(2) tbsp chocolate sauce (105)

(1/8) c planters dry roasted peanuts (162)

Supper:

(1) Garden salad (367)

(2) Chicken drumsticks (242)

(1) Rootbeer (170)

Total consumed calories: 1640

Total used calories: 71

(30) min treadmill (71)

Total net calories: 1569

Net calories goal: 1208 – 1569 = 360 over

That’s it for today.  Take care and have a great rest of your day! 💞💖

Daily Food Diary – Day 336 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 336 of my Daily Food Diary! 💥

I am three days into my Food Diary recap.  As I have mentioned regularly, this challenge was never about losing weight, however in February I decided to up my effort by counting calories.  This led to 3 distinct wins!

1) I did lose  a total of 12 pounds in 2025

2) Terry from http://radicallyretired.com, a friend that I have made here on Jetpack introduced me to Lose It! an app that has been very educational and extremely helpful in maintaining my Daily Food Diary.

3) Counting calories was far more interesting and educational that I thought it would be.   

I thought I had a pretty good handle on portion control (I didn’t). I was comparing the portions I ate versus those that others ate – like my 220 lb husband, who until recently worked 13 hour, 24/7 shifts in a steel pipe plant.  🤦‍♀️

I also thought I had foods figured out calorie wise..

Salad was good… until I put salad dressing, sesame seeds, or cheese on it.

Nuts are good for you – until you look at the calories in them! (Salt and saturated fats add to the mayhem)

Sugar has tons of calories..not really, but sugar seriously ramps up my appetite so leads to a revolving door of calories

Chicken is low in calories – unless like me you like the dark meat skin on. That is where they hide the calories but that is also where the collagen is – so I have to balance that one.

Anyway, counting calories takes time but I would definitely recommend it, especially if one is trying to lose weight.

I am super late posting today.  I didn’t forget to post, we were just out and about so I did not have time to post …walking Molly, running errands, doing a bit of shopping, having lunch at The Canadian Brewpub – which was win Number 1 today.  Neither of us had brew but Dan’s chicken wings looked delicious and my taco salad was amazing.

Paying our annual house insurance was painful, but I did score a new fridge calendar for win Number 2.

Daily Food Diary – Day 336

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) Denver wrap (537)

Snacks:

(1/8) c peanuts (162)

Supper:

(1) Manwich bun (811)

(8) lightly salted lays chips (116)

(1/2) Oz chip dip (20)

Total consumed calories: 1648

Less calories used: 337

(30) min. walking (137)

(35) min aerobics (200)

Net total calories: 1311

Net calories goal: 1208 – 1311 = 103 over 👎

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 332 0f 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 332 of my Daily Food Diary. 😚

This morning, Facebook sent me a ‘memory’ of the last Christmas tree we had.   That was FOUR years ago.  That was not a memorable Christmas Season, nor was it a memorable Christmas tree – at least not in a good way.

The tree was perfect, in every sparkly way – until we realized it came complete with a family of shrews.  A big family – and they were indestructible, cocky, bizarre little creatures.  They lived with us for months before the last of them moved out in the spring.

Good times… 🤦‍♀️

I am so glad that life has turned around and that we are at a place where I can count my wins each and every day!

#1 – Our first REAL snow of the season. I declined to walk Molly solo this morning, but I did go outside with her to clean our walks and paths around our patios.
#2 – I did laundry, including the living room blankets.  A win for me because it didn’t bother my lungs AT ALL to spend time in our basement.  (Dan has been doing the laundry because it had gotten to be such a struggle for me.) 😊
#3 – A win for Molly – Dan had to run over to a friend’s,  so he took Molly to meet Tucker, their young Labradoodle. 😁

#4 – Yesterday, I finally hit the trifecta – a walk with Molly, time on the treadmill, and a session with light weights and cardio. 👍

Daily Food Diary – Day 332

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) paratha (240)

(1) tbsp peanut butter (105)

(1) tbsp jam (50)

Lunch:

(1) Harvest hot dog (160)

(10) Lays lightly salted chips (1=5)

(1/2) Oz onion dip (20)

Supper:

(2) servings nachos with ground turkey, red pepper, jalapeños, olives, green onions, shredded habanero cheese. Salsa (865)

Total consumed calories: 1587

Total used calories: 280

(30) min walking (137)

(30) min treadmill (71)

(30) min light weights (71)

Total net calories: 1307

Net calories goal: 1208  – 1307 = 99 over

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

Daily Food Diary –  Day 329 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 329 of my Daily Food Diary! 😆

This morning we woke up to find our city shrouded in fog.  That seems to be the norm lately, more often that not.   I am not loving the high humidity, as it is one thing that triggers my asthma – and the one thing that I cannot control. 

8 A.M. this morning

Staying indoors does help, but it is 11 AM and the fog is still hanging on. 

Molly is not a happy camper.  Dan’s back went out a couple of days ago.   The pain is  easing off but he is not ready to take Molly for her walk.   It will be on me again, but we won’t get far if this fog does not ease up.

There is nothing sadder than a sad Pyrenees 😔

Other than the fog (and Dan’s back issue) , all is relatively well.   I have a couple of more wins to celebrate…

1) Yesterday, for the second day in a row I put together a passable healthy lunch for myself – raw vegetables, bacon, and crackers.

2) Plus,  I got in two workouts on top of my walk with Molly yesterday – light weights and treadmill

Also, not really a win for me, but definitely something to appreciate… I have spoken to granddaughter Genie.  If Grandpa is still struggling on the weekend, she will be able to detour out of her way and drive Maddy for work.  It is so nice that they are sisters, workmates, and the best of friends!

Genie training Maddy on the first day of her first job. (March 2024) 💞

Daily Food Diary – Day 329

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) Granola bar (160)

Lunch:

(2) slices thick cut bacon (170)

(2 1/4) c raw vegetables (37)

(2) tbsp Dilly Dip (100)

(14)  crackers (128)

(48) Oz water

Supper:

(1) c cream of mushroom soup (200)

(1) Pan fried Ham, cheese, and onion wrap (382)

(2/3) maple walnut ice cream with chocolate sauce (303)

Total consumed calories: 1483

Total used calories: 280

(30) min walking (137)

(30) min treadmill (71)

(30) min light weights (71)

Total net calories: 1203

Net calories goal: 1208 – 1203 = 5 under 👍

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 323 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

This is Day 323 of my Daily Food Diary.  323 Days in and this is the closest I have come to missing posting my blog.  😳

Our humidity was finally down this morning, so I joined Dan and Molly for a  walk.   We stopped at the dog park for a while so Molly got in a good run with her friends, but set us back a bit.  

We got home and I did some poo cleanup in the yard, fed the squirrels, brought in the mail, and had a bath.  By then, I was just all sorts of off track for the day.

It has been almost five months since I started taking collagen supplements.  I have seen a number of benefits and a few changes in my health/body that I wasn’t expecting.

The weirdest change could be to my hands.  They feel a little better and they are stronger, but they also look different!

They look kind of alien- ish and the color is off  (seriously difficult to take pictures of my own  hands) but my veins (or arteries?) are almost gone.  The left side photos were taken in July.

I have been noticing the change for a few months.  Whatever is going on, my blood pressure and pulse are fine.  🤷‍♀️

Daily Food Diary – Day 323

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1/4) c milk (28)

(1) c brown sugar  Shreddies (210)

Lunch:

(2/3) c chicken broth (10)

(3/4) c Hamburger Helper Lasagna (210)

Snacks:

(1) tbsp honey (40)

(10) Hint of Lime Tortilla Chips (200)

Supper:

(1) Hungry Man Chicken Dinner (520)

(1) extra brownie (50)

Total consumed calories: 1360

Total used calories: 174

(30) min aerobics (174)

Total net calories: 1186

Net calories goal: 1208 – 1186 = 22 under 👎

That’s it for today.  TAKE CARE AND HAVE A GREAT DAY! 😊💖

In front of the main branch of our library.  We drove downtown just to see this elephant (a few years ago).   Im not surprised I hadn’t seen it before – it was almost impossible to see it when we were looking for it. 😂

Daily Food Diary – Day 319 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 319 of my Daily Food Diary. 😁

I missed my  walk with Dan and Molly this morning.  That was partly because I was making bacon for our Sunday Brunch.  Mostly, it was our 100% humidity.  Molly was anxious to get on with it and I knew waiting was not going to make it any better.  The fog is here to stay today.

I did do a more thorough than usual kitchen clean up after we ate.  I have an ivy plant from Jen hanging in our kitchen window.  I finally gave it a trim the other day. 

This was an old picture.  It got WAY more out of control after that.  The window was obliterated.
After the trim. 🤭

Now that we actually have light coming in through the window, it is worth a bit more elbow grease to keep the kitchen shining. 🙄

There isn’t a lot more planned for today.  I want to do some reading and clock some time on the treadmill. 

Later, Dan will probably watch the Grey Cup game since the Saskatchewan  Roughriders are playing.   🏈

Daily Food Diary – Day 319

Breakfast:

(1) coffee (2)

(2) Eggo waffles (180)

(2) tsp butter (68)

(2) tsp maple syrup (104)

Snacks:

(10) Hint of Lime tortilla chips (250)

(3) tsp salsa (12)

(2) Black licorice twizzlers (45)

(60) Oz water

(1) gin & tonic (130)

Supper:

(1) Homemade nachos (865)

Total consumed calories: 1656

Total used calories: 311

(30) minutes (174)

(30) minutes walking (137)

Total net calories: 1345

Net calories goal: 1208 – 1345 = 137 over 👎

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

Daily Food Diary –  Day 318 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 318 of my Daily Food Diary.   318 DAYS without a single miss! 🤩

Today, I am celebrating another non-scale victory.  This morning, I checked my blood pressure – 100/65.  I also checked my blood oxygen 95% and pulse 74 btm.  My scale fluctuates a few pounds every day, but today I weighed in at 122.6 pounds (normal for my 5′-1″).  All in all, not bad for my current age 70 yrs and 4 months. 😁

Yesterday, I received my latest Amazon order: 

Collagen drops for Molly (the jury is still out as to how they are helping her, but they obviously aren’t hurting and she seems to scratch less than she did)

A case for my new phone – It’s a teal wallet type that holds my bank cards, health card, driver’s license and the like.  It works for me – better than anything I could find here.  

And… pink earmuffs to keep my ears comfy, cozy on our Molly walks.

No, I did not know they would be that big and fluffy.   Also NO,  I will not care when it is 40 below and I am out plodding through the snow with Molly and Dan.

Daily Food Diary – Day 318

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(23) brown sugar shreddies (210)

(1/4) c 2% milk

Snacks:

(1) apple (95)

(1/4) c Planters dry roast peanuts (324)

(14) low salt chips (130)

(1) snickerdoodle (90)

(48) Oz water

Supper:

(1) sourdough bun (190)

(2) top butter (68)

(3) Oz mini steaks (200)

(1/8) c mushrooms (5)

(1/4) c onions (15)

(1) c airfield French fries (115)

(2) Belgium chocolate cookies (95)

Total consumed calories: 1579

Total used calories: 210

(30) minutes walking (137)

(30) minutes treadmill (73)

Total net calories: 1369

Net calories goal: 1208 – 1369 = 161 over 👎

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

For our grandson Logan who turns four years old today.  We have never met him, but we think of him and his brother, Dominic every day. 💝

Daily Food Diary – Day 310 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 310 of my Daily Food Diary! 💓

310 days, since I have been maintaining and posting my Daily Food Diary.   Every day,  for 310 days,  of being mindful of everything that I consume – and virtually 310 days of thinking that I could and should be doing better. 

But today I realized how different things would feel if I had a Daily Food Diary from  last year to use as a comparison. 😳

1. I do not drink enough water – but I drink a lot more than I drank in the past.

2. I still drink an occasional soda.  I have probably averaged one each month this year. Last year… Probably at least 4 each week.

3. I still have a snack most days – depending on what I have for breakfast. I used to mindlessly snack from morning to night.

4. A snack used to often be regular or seasoned  potato chips – now virtually all of our chips are lightly salted – as is our bacon, broth, and anything that we season as we cook.

5. I used to snack in the evening – especially when Dan was out.  Industrial sized snacks – a bag of popcorn, toffee by the handful, big bowls of icecream with unlimited toppings, cookies, the occasional cake…. Now,  I do not snack in the evenings.

Setting myself up for Dart Night (pre Food Diary) 🙄

6. I used to eat at least a couple of FULL servings every night, cooked with butter, seasoned with lots of salt, unlimited cheese.. Now my meals are generally one reasonable serving cooked in olive oil – light on the salt and cheese.

7. Take out or eat out used to be a regular thing – Chinese, KFC, Taco Time, Arby’s, steak & lobster on special occasions.  Now we have take out, Arby’s, Taco Time, or DQ once every couple of weeks – maybe!

There are more changes that I/we have made in the past year.   Being mindful of what I eat, has influenced what we eat and what Dan buys (since he does the shopping in our house).

Improvements can,  and may eventually,  be made to our daily diet.  But today I’m feeling pretty good about how far we have come! 😊

Daily Food Diary – Day 310

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(2) crumpets (160)

(1) tsp butter (34)

(1) tbsp raspberry jam (50)

Lunch:

(2) chicken drumsticks (152)

(2/3) scalloped potatoes (150)

Snacks:

(3) mini chocolate treats (120)

(1) tbsp raw local honey (40)

(48) oz water

Supper:

(1 1/2) c Herb & Butter Sidekicks (240)

(3) sticks souvlaki (345)

(1) c broccoli & cauliflower (55)

(1) tsp butter (34)

Total consumed calories: 1382

Total used calories: 183

(30) min treadmill (73)

(1) hr food prep/cooking/cleanup (110)

Total net calories: 1199

Net calories goal: 1208 – 1199 = 9 under 👍

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 305 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 305 of my Daily Food Diary.  Sixty more days and I will have successfully completed one full year of mindful eating via tracking and posting everything I consume- one day at a time.  🤗

This challenge has been less about losing weight than anything.  It has been about eating better – cutting back on salt and  sugar, increasing more natural and less processed foods and identifying foods that have been causing digestive issues for as long as I could remember.

For decades, I dealt with bloating, severe abdominal cramps, chronic diarrhea, heartburn, and oddly enough hiccups.

Doctors sent me for ultrasounds, cat scans, blood tests, and a surgery for an epigastric hernia.  I was given prescription strength medication for excess stomach acid.

At one point, I suggested an allergy test for yeast.  Despite the fact that my daughter had tested positive for a yeast allergy I was told that there was no such thing.  I was sent for a blood test for celiac disease, because it was probably a gluten intolerance.  It wasn’t.

Finally, I took it upon myself to eliminate yeast from my diet.   Amazingly, to everyone but me, my digestive issues disappeared with the yeast in my diet.  

I have no idea why doctors are so averse to allergy testing in this province – or why we have virtually no allergy specialists.

I do know that being allergic to yeast is a thing.  A bad thing.   And I know it is a thing that other people are still struggling with and still being misled about.  When my granddaughter met with a potential family physician recently she told him about her digestive issues and her family history of yeast allergy.  She was told there is no such thing.  🤦  Fortunately, she does know better.

Sometimes it’s not that obvious.

It’s not just that yeast is an allergen, it is also used as an additive to foods where no one would expect it to be found – from prepared meat sauce to powdered egg whites (plus anything made using such products).  

And being a fungus, yeast is a relative to many other fungi that can cause issues – mold, mildew, mushrooms, foods that are susceptible to mold and mildew, anything that is pickled or fermented…

Plus anyone who is allergic to yeast is also sensitive to any form of  processed or natural sugar,  which yeast feeds on.

It is complicated and one of the reasons  I have ultimately become proactive about my health.   Every body is different.  Even if multiple doctors cannot diagnose an issue it does not mean that there isn’t one – or that it cannot be dealt with.  

Daily Food Diary – Day 305

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) c Jordans Morning Crisp cereal (333)

(1/4)  c milk (28)

Snacks:

(1/4) c peanuts (162)

(1/4) c corn nuts (132)

(3) Black Licorice Twizzlers (68)

(3) mini chocolate treats (100)

(48) oz water

Supper:

(3) c garden salad (190)

(2) tbsp French Dressing (146)

(3) oz pork tenderloin (206)

Total consumed calories: 1367

Total used calories: 174

(30) min aerobics (174)

Total net calories: 1193

Net calories goal: 1208 – 1193 = 16 under 👍

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! ❤️😊