Tag: active living

Daily Food Diary – Day 48 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

I am 48 days into my Daily Food Diary and 17 days down for tracking my calorie intake.

More days than not this month,  I have consumed more calories than I should, if I am looking to LOSE weight.  Many of those calories tend to be ones that have little, to no,  nutritional value.   So far this month, my biggest  WIN has been that I can see why I am not losing weight and why my diet is not helping me to feel as good as I should.  🙄

Keeping a Daily Food Diary was never just about losing weight, or even mainly about losing weight.  Likewise, it was never meant to be a quick, magical fix for improving my overall health. 

My Daily Food Diary is simply a tool.  It shows me in black and white what I need to do to improve my diet.  It cuts through the excuses and the mindless eating  and will ultimately get me to a point where I am adequately nourishing my body with the nutrients it needs to function at a higher, healthier level.  

Every new day is a new opportunity to do a little better, so that by the end of the year I will have made noticeable progress and eating well is just another part of living well. That’s the plan!

Food Diary – Day 48 of 365

(1) c coffee (2)

(3) Eggo Waffles (330) with butter (103) and syrup (100)

(3) thin slices of bacon (180)

(24) oz water

(1) c tea (1)

(2) cookies (146)

(25) Lay’s Classic Chips (140)

(3) Small cabbage rolls (300)

(3) Bulk Barn Allsorts (64)

(12) oz carbonated water

(1) c tea (1)

Total Calories: 1367

Yesterday, I started tracking my calories on an app called  ‘Lose It!’ , recommended by Terry from http://radicallyretired.com. So far it seems simple enough even for someone who is technically challenged (such as myself).   I am still learning the ropes and going back and forth between my manual method and automated,  but from what I have seen, I would definitely suggest checking it out.  

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 45 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Yesterday was the first day of Year Four of my health and fitness lifestyle.  🎊🎈🎊

45 days ago, I began noting and posting everything I consume from one day to the next.   Meeting my nutritional needs (and breaking unhealthy eating habits) is just part of this lifestyle that I am creating for myself, but one I am ready to tackle.

There are three other major parts of this equation.  

The first part, and the first step I took to  improve my lifestyle was literally taking that first step, doing that first dance, lifting that first dumbbell, completing that first You Tube aerobics workout.   Over the past three years I have gradually increased the intensity, the amount, and frequency of the activity in my life.    

Most of my fitness routines come from Emma Fitness, Eva Fitness, and Aerobics Inc.   I remember the first time I tried one of these workouts.  It was Eva Fitness, I lasted a miserable two minutes and thought I was going to die.   Now, I go through one of these workouts every morning (with the very very occasional miss) and I am energized, breathing easier,  loosened up, and happier coming out than I was going in. 👍🤗

The second part of my health and fitness lifestyle is working to improve the quality of my sleep.  To this end, I purchased a pair of soft sleep headphones and have adopted a habit of going to sleep listening to You Tube meditation videos.  For the most part, I sleep like a rock from the time my head hits the pillow until I wake up to Molly’s smiling face.

Every Morning MOLLY!

The third  part of my health and fitness lifestyle is the ‘health’ portion of my lifestyle.   I have a number of health  professionals who monitor my health, help me to prevent issues, provide me with the means to maintain my health, and when worse comes to worse – deal with any issues that arise.  I am fortunate that I don’t have to see them too often, but also fortunate that they are there for me any time that I do need them.

Cycling back to nutrition – Looking at any day of my Food Diary, it doesn’t look like I am making a lot of progress so far – but overall I do know that this exercise is helping.   There are a lot of things I am choosing not to eat (that I would have previously mindlessly munched on).  There are also the healthier raw  fruits and vegetables that I have been making more of an effort to incorporate into my day.  I have increased my water intake.   AND..  while I have never been a heavy or regular drinker, I have decreased my alcohol intake. 

“It’s about progress, not perfection.”

Food Diary – Day 45

(1) c coffee (2)

(2) Eggs (160) (2) slices back bacon (40) green onions (10)

(13) Tater tots (210)

(24) oz water

(1) c tea (1)

(1/2) c raspberries (40)

(25) Salt & vinegar chips (270)

(1) Gin & tonic with lime (179)

(6) oz sirloin grilling steak (no fat)  (280)

(1) c mushroom fried rice (200)

(1 1/2) c steamed asparagus with butter, salt, & pepper (100)

(1) sm side salad (150)

(2) mini chocolate cupcakes (200)

Total Calories:  1842

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 44 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

First off today…Happy Valentine’s Day To You and to all of the significant others in your life!

It is the 44th day of my Daily Food Diary and the very FIRST day of of the FOURTH YEAR of  my Health and Fitness Lifestyle. 

While losing weight has never been my number one priority over the past three years, I was hoping to weigh in  less than 130 pounds today.   I have been fluctuating over and below that magic mark for at least a week and today I am …. Ta Da..   slightly over. 🤦 I am in the normal range for my height (5′-1″ tall)  and age (69 going on 70 in July).   But still… 🙄

Three years ago, I would have been upset at the fail.  I would have made excuses, blamed God, the universe and anyone who always had it easier/better than me.   I would have  wanted to give up trying for anything that I wanted in  my life.  My day and my life would have been a bust!

One of the benefits of the work that I have put in over the past three years, is that today I am in a way better place attitude wise.   I could have done better and it was only through lack of effort and better choices that I did not. 

While I did not nail this goal, I have gradually come a long way in the past three years…

I feel better physically, mentally, and emotionally.   I am better as proven by my weight,  blood pressure, cholesterol levels, blood sugar, and all of my other health markers that are in the normal range (naturally – without the aid of prescribed or OTC drugs or herbal remedies).   I am less judgemental of others and more aware of what I am doing, and what I can be doing better.  That is far more empowering and way less frustrating.  I am stronger.  A few years ago, I retired to take life easy.  I learned that life is easier when I do the work to make, and keep myself,  stronger.   It hasn’t been difficult, time consuming, or expensive.   It has meant moving more, eating better, and meditating at bedtime.  Most of all it has meant being consistent and developing a desire to Do Better, Be Better, Live Better.

Food Diary – Day 44

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) Potato patty (120)

(3) Slices back bacon (60)

(24) oz water

(1) c tea (1)

(1) Robin’s Walnut Crunch (360) ***

(12) oz carbonated water

(2) Bowls homemade chicken soup (238)

(12) oz water

(1/4) c sunflower seeds – with shell (65)

(1/6) c almonds (150)

(17) mini licorice allsorts (148)

Total Calories: 1126

N.B. The Walnut Crunch was the treat Dan got me for Valentine’s Day.  I ate it yesterday because he also got the mini cupcakes I had requested.

Spoiler Alert…. Today’s Daily Food Diary,  which I will post tomorrow morning, will include mini cupcakes, pan seared and oven baked steak, and probably a Caesar. 😉

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 42 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It’s Day 42 of tracking and reporting my daily intake.  It is also two days before I begin Year Four – of the health and fitness journey I began in 2022.  It is ALSO my daughter Jennifer’s 44th birthday! 

Jennifer is my youngest of two sons and one daughter.  When she was born, Mark was 3 1/2 years old, Danny was 1 1/2, and of course Jen was a newborn.   I was NOT in the shape I am today.   I’m glad that young mothers now seem to be much more aware of their health and fitness and take better care of themselves than I did back in the day.   

Celebrating Jen’s birthday last year

We are still in the deep freeze. This morning it is -38c without the windchill.   I won’t be venturing far today.   Dan and I were out and about a bit yesterday.  We went to a mall to check out a couple of sales.   I didn’t break the bank shopping but did come away with a new pair of summer shorts.  We also stopped for lunch at Burger King on the way home.  It’s funny how I miss fast food, but the reality never meets my experiences.  🤔

Food Diary – Day 42

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) c Cheerios & (1/4) c 2% milk.  (200)

(1) Burger King Whopper (without bun), medium fries, medium gravy, three mozza fingers, and  2/3s of a medium root beer  (1251)

(1) c tea (1)

(24) oz water

(2) Bowls of amazing homemade chicken noodle soup (238)

(5) Licorice allsorts (107)

(12) oz water

Total calories: 1889

The BK was not worth the cost, the calories, or the salt content.  And the burger was definitely not worth the effort of eating it with wooden utensils.  I am not sure what the options would be if plastic is no longer allowed, but wood does not cut it. (No pun intended 😂).  The only thing that was worth it was sharing the experience with Dan.  Our meals out in general are few and far between and still moments to be treasured.

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 41 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Good morning to yet another frigid day in Saskatchewan!  I feel for those who have to be out and about in this weather, life and business as usual. 🥶

I have three days remaining to Year Three of my health and fitness journey.  I am satisfied with how this past year has progressed.  While I will always have chronic lung issues – asthma, COPD, & bronchiectasis – I managed to dodge any infections this year requiring antibiotics and oral steroids. 👍 My mental and emotional health has become ever stronger along with my physical strength 👍 I have missed minimal morning aerobics (very minimal due to health issues). 👍 I lost another ten pounds this past year and toned up noticeably. 👍 My life continues  to get easier as I grow progressively stronger! 🤗

I am ending this year on one frustrating note.  My strength and cardio training has been on hold for the past few weeks due to issues with my epigastric hernia.  I have an appointment with a surgeon in a couple of weeks to discuss repairing the repair that I had done three years ago.  In the meantime, I am being cautious.  I have enjoyed  getting out and walking with Dan and Molly in lieu of more strenuous workouts, but on the minus forty days that is not an option.

Molly keeping otherwise occupied on another minus 40C  day.

Food Diary – Day 41

(1) c coffee (1)

(1) Denver (no toast) (2) eggs/ ham/onions (260)

(2) Potato patties (240)

(24) oz water

(1) Mango (202)

(2) cookies (146)

(1) c tea (1)

(1) 6 oz pork chop (283)

(1) c white rice (206)

(1) c broccoli & cauliflower with butter (89)

(6) Large olives (30)

(12) oz carbonated water

Total calories: 1458

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 40 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Yesterday, I posted a few photos of summer in Saskatchewan.  Today is Monday and it is time to get back to the reality of winter in Saskatchewan.

Quick pic of my front yard flower bed. 
Molly Dog –  Her spot was on the sofa beside Dan.  Since we got our new living room furniture, she is torn between Dan and her blanket which I appropriated to protect my chair in case she happened to jump up on it.
Molly and I out walking Waterfall Park yesterday.

It’s a minus 41C (feels like) this morning.  We are in preservation mode at this point.  Dan and I just started a big pot of stewing hen broth.  Tomorrow, we will be warming up with hearty homemade chicken noodle soup.

A couple of chicken soup suppers will be a good thing this week.  First because it will be great for warming us up, second because it will be lean meat and lots of fresh vegetables (plus egg noodles). 

Today marks FOUR DAYS until I complete three years of my health and fitness journey.  When I started out, I was tipping the scales over 160 pounds.   Now I am just a few ounces over 130 pounds.  I would love to weigh in under 130 pounds this Friday.  Our chicken soup might do it for me, especially if I up my aerobics to make up for the lack of weight workouts and minus 40 walks. 

Food Diary – Day 40

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) Breakfast Sandwich – Back bacon, egg, cheese & tea biscuit. (465)

(24) oz water

(8) Licorice allsorts (167)

(25) BBQ chips (270)

(1) c tea (1)

(2) chilli dogs – no bun, with cheese, onions, and (14) multi grain crackers (710)

(12) oz Carbonated water

Total calories: 1515

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

No outdoor flowers to enjoy for a while, but the orchid Dan got me last Valentine’s Day is still blooming! (Blooming again for the forth time)

Daily Food Diary – Day 34 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Thirty-four days in and it seems I am past the worst of the flu that I have been fighting off.    Yesterday I wasn’t dealing with the exhaustion and aches and pains that I had been.  I was even somewhat productive.

I got my aerobic workout done yesterday morning.  I vacuumed the living room and porch (no small task when one has a huge hair shedding Pyrenees).  I  baked a large batch of oatmeal/coconut cookies (not sure why but I had a major craving for them and they are Dan’s favorite).  I worked on my current sewing project. 🤦 And, I made Taco salads for supper, which is always worth the slicing and dicing.   

At the end of the day, I felt fairly accomplished.   After the sewing debacle, I decided to go all out and enjoy a Caesar with my Taco Salad.  I have never been a ‘drinker’ and since I have had to avoid yeast, alcoholic beverages are  typically on my ‘don’t go there’  list.   Last night I was feeling it and today I am paying for it. 🙄

Food Diary – Day 34

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) Pear (102)

(1) Granola bar (170)

(1) c tea (1)

(2) Oatmeal/coconut cookies (146)

(1) Taco salad (791)

(1) Caesar (188)

(24) oz water

(1) c tea

Total Calories:  1401

** Taco Salad included: Lettuce, green onions, radishes, tomato, olives, orange pepper, seasoned ground turkey, shredded habanero cheese, fried dried onions, salsa salad dressing, and 5 Hint of Lime Tostitos chips

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 33 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

I am thirty three days into my food diary and eleven days away from celebrating the third anniversary of my health and fitness journey.  I am pumped up!

I am also struggling to work my way through some strange form of seasonal flu.  I know it is a flu because my symptoms are a lesser form of all of the symptoms my daughter has been dealing with for the past few days.  It still sucks because I want to be going hard to wrap up YEAR THREE on a high note!  💪

All is not lost.  I will manage a less intense aerobic workout, possibly have a nap, and hopefully complete a sewing project that I am working on – making a couple of rice bag door draft stoppers.    Sewing is NOT one of my talents or passions.  Fortunately, daughter Jen lent me her Maddy’s basic sewing machine because she knew I would get overly frustrated dealing with her own  more complicated electronic madel. 

Two You Tube videos and one speaker phone call with Jen and Maddy AND I got the little beast threaded yesterday. 👍

Food Diary – Day 33 of 365

(1) c coffee (2)

(2) egg omelet with ham & onions    (254)

(2) Potato patties (240)

(24) oz water

(1) c tea (1)

(2) bowls Knorr vegetable soup – extra broth and fresh vegetables carrots, onions, cabbage, spinach, and celery.   (140)

(6) soda crackers (60)

(11) Hint of Lime Tostito chips (250)

(1) c tea (1)

Total calories (946)

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 32 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

I am posting my Food Diary for February 1st.  In reality, today is February 2nd which of course is Groundhog Day!

I am not counting on spring magically bounding into Saskatchewan if some rodent didn’t see his shadow this morning.  Incredibly, on this day three years ago that is exactly what I was counting on.  Counting, hoping, praying, wishing ( THE WORKS)! 🤦

The fact was I was always hoping, praying, and wishing for something that would happen to turn my life around – something that would have me bounding out of bed to do what needed to be done, to take our little Cavalier Kat for long walks, to find myself whole and fit and healthy,  and to be fully embracing and enjoying life as it is meant to be.  The fact is, I was delusional. 😳

But three years ago, Groundhog Day 2022, I had a major epiphany.  I realized that nothing was going to change unless I did.  It took me twelve more days to act on this realization but finally on February 14th, I did act.  I took my first step on my health and fitness journey and the rest is history!

My life isn’t perfect, my commitment to my  health and fitness is not always perfect,  but it is in my hands – and not at the mercy of some rodent who is out and about looking for his shadow today.  🤗

Our precious Kat, who we lost to congenital heart failure in March 2022.

Food Diary  –  Day 32

(1) c coffee (2)

(3) eggo waffles with butter and syrup (411)

(24) oz water

(1) c tea (1)

(27) onion & garlic chips (260)

(12) oz carbonated water

(1) Dbl Arby’s beef with horsey sauce (300)

(1) medium fries with gravy (465)

(1) mozza stick (115)

(1) c tea (1)

Total calories: 1555

A nutritional fail today  but this diary is about reality – and ultimately a commitment to do better.

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 27 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Twenty seven days and I am still here – keeping track and posting my food diary.   I  am making a little progress and building habits to carry me through the year.

I have been getting outside for some fresh air and a bit of exercise.  I kicked that up a bit yesterday.

Dan and I walked Molly to the dogpark in the morning and we spent an hour watching her and her friends cavort, while we got some fresh air and socialized with the other humans.

In the afternoon, I drove our granddaughter Maddy to Walmart to grab a new pair of sneakers.  She was in high spirits as she had just finished her finals from her  first school  semester and was confident that  she would make the honor roll.  She not only found her new sneakers, but had the funds left to pick up a couple of small things for herself  and her younger sister Prim.  We came back to the house and I made her favourite Toasted Bacon and Tomato Sandwich and grabbed a box of costume jewellery that I wanted to send over to Prim.

Maddy & Prim with big sister Genie on the left.

I always enjoy time spent with any of the grands and yesterday was no exception.  They never fail to amuse me, enlighten me, and inspire me to be better.   Whether it is your children, your grandchildren, or any young people that you have regular contact with…

YOUR CHILDREN WILL BECOME WHAT YOU ARE;  SO BE WHAT YOU WANT THEM  TO BE…

For better or worse that is the truth!

Food Diary – Day 27

(1) c coffee

(1) 2 egg omelet with ham and green onions

(24) oz water

(1) c tea

(1) sm bowl chips and dip

(12) oz carbonated water

(1) Roasted chicken drumstick and thigh (with skin)

(2) c air fried French Fries with Gravy

(1 1/2) c green beans

(3) sm scoops of Butter Pecan Ice Cream – with 12 pecan halves, 2 tbsp butterscotch sauce and 1 tbsp chocolate sauce (which is why I avoid eating ice cream 🤦)

(16) oz water

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

Maddy helped me pick out a few packets of seeds to start flower plants in February. 🤗