Tag: boomer fitness

Daily Food Diary – Day 320 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 320 of my Daily Food Diary. 😋

With fog blanketing the city yesterday, it was a long rough day.   It seems every time I celebrate a really good day, things have to go sideways.  There are not a lot of things that will trigger my asthma anymore, but fog will do it every time.

Anyways, I missed our walk yesterday morning due to the high humidity.  I wasn’t terribly active all day, and I rounded the day off with a poor night’s sleep. 

Fortunately, the humidity is down today so I am feeling much better.  I made the morning walk and even managed to hang onto Molly’s leash for the distance – almost.  Dan took her solo for a bit after I decided I was done.

There’s not much else happening around here today so here is a photo for anyone who needs a Monday boost.

One of daughter Jen’s regulars at Superstore gave it to her a while back.  I thought it was such a special random act of kindness.   Who couldn’t use an emotional support pickle! 💓💓💓

Daily Food Diary – Day 320

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(2) scrambled eggs (182)

(3) slices bacon (130)

(2) potato patties (240)

(1/2) sm tomato (5)

Snacks:

(48) Oz water

(1) tbsp raw local honey (40)

Supper:

(1) Gin & tonic (130)

(1) Ham salad wrap (400)

(8) Lightly salted ripple chips (116)

(1) Oz onion chip dip (40)

(3) baby dill pickles (9)

(1) snickerdoodle (9)

Total consumed calories: 1384

Total used calories: 0

Total net calories: 1384

Net calories goal: 1208 – 1384 = 176 over 👎

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

Wascana Trails

Daily Food Diary – Day 289 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 289 of my Daily Food Diary! 💝

This morning I went for a walk with Dan & Molly.  Since Dan was taking the leash, I didn’t bother switching Molly to her pinch collar.  As usual when Dan takes the leash, she was perfectly well behaved.   No trying to leap into random vehicles, no trying to chase FedEx trucks, not even a yip when she passed barking dogs.   🙄

Yesterday, Dan turned up our forced air furnace.  Since it sits idle, collecting months of dust and dog hair, turning up the furnace is a bit of an ordeal.  He covers the vents and then vacuums each vent for a full cycle before moving on to the next.  We did have ‘experts’ come in a couple of times, but honestly this works just as well in our little house and is less of a hassle (at least Molly wise).

This morning, I cleaned the filters for our air purifiers and we are ready to go.

Yesterday morning, I did my aerobics.  Last night, I did a full thirty minutes on our treadmill.  I had zero incline, but did up the speed to level five for three (three minute) rounds.   Today I am doing aerobics and thirty minutes of light weights and cardio.  I am pumped about upping the weights to eight pounders.   I know I am more than ready. 💪

Still no word on when I will be called in for my hernia surgery, but I am hoping it won’t be until after Christmas.  The surgeon wants me under general anesthesia to do it, so I want to be in the best possible shape. 

Now that the Prednisone is obviously out of my system,  and I am moving forward once again, the last thing I want is another drug induced setback.  😋

Daily Food Diary – Day 289

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(38) lightly frosted mini wheats (278)

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

Lunch:

(3) oz turkey dark meat (175)

(15) Doritos (140)

Supper:

(1) Reuben – sourdough bun, corned beef, havarti cheese, sauerkraut, hot mustard (658)

Total consumed calories: 1282

Total used calories: 317

(30) min walking (83)

(30) min aerobics (176)

(30) min treadmill (59)

Total net calories: 965

Net calories goal: 1229 – 965 = 264 under 👍

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

My bedside bowl of stones. 😊

Daily Food Diary – Day 226 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 226 of my Daily Food Diary. 🥳

Yesterday was another busy day around here!

A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that I was thinking of buying a portable folding treadmill to keep me walking through smokey summer days and the worst of our winter days (December thru March).

A few days later, granddaughter Genie called to say they had Alec’s Grandma’s treadmill in their garage.  Since it wasn’t being used, she said if I would be welcome to it.

Dan and I, decided it would work so we made a deal.  A modest sum for Alec’s Grandma and a batch of Caramel Popcorn and a couple of Apple Pies for delivery.  They didn’t ask – I was happy to offer. 🤗

Yesterday, we got our ‘new to us’ treadmill/cross trainer and Alec and Genie were eating caramel corn before they got out the door.

I don’t know if  I will be using the exercise bench before my hernia operation but I will put the treadmill to use.  In fact, I took a spin on it last night.  It will take me a while before I am ready to reach its full potential.  It has a pretty good incline that I didn’t try and I’m thinking it has a top speed of about 40 miles an hour.  😳 I used the first two warm up speeds and I was hustling. 😂

This morning,  we went for our walk and defrosted our stand up freezer. As soon as, it has cooled off, we will put everything back into it.  Then, I can finally tackle my morning aerobics and my Friday weights/cardio workout.  💪

Daily Food Diary – Day 226

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) c Lightly Frosted Mini Wheats (190)

(1/4) 2 % milk (28)

Snacks:

(12) tortilla chips (140)

(2) tbsp salsa – red (10)

Supper:

(1 1/2) srv nachos – red, green, white (870)

(3) tbsp salsa (15)

Total net calories: 1201

Net calories goal: 1222 – 1201  = 20 under

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 216 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is Day 216 of my Daily Food Diary.

We are home and our heatwave is over.  It is forecast to be cooler and wetter today.   The  humidity is already 100%. (Good thing I watered our garden yesterday!)

Between wildfire smoke and high humidity this summer, my lungs are struggling.  I can’t imagine how I would manage if I wasn’t on inhalers, using my Aerobika, doing  aerobics,  breathing exercises,  weights and cardio,  walking (weather permitting) – and running (a little bit).

It’s funny, in an odd way,  that  I used to think working out was for athletes and healthy young  people who joined gyms to keep in shape.

I am infinitely grateful that I have learned that living a life based on exercise and healthy habits is for anyone wanting to enjoy quality of life. (Even seventy year olds with multiple chronic lung conditions 😊). 

Daily Food Diary – Day 216

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) c Cheerios – no milk (147)

Lunch:

(4) radishes – red/white (21)

(1) c broccoli –  green (31)

(2) pcs celery – green (14)

(1/2) c red pepper – red (23)

(1) tbsp Dilly Dip (80)

(1 1/2) oz marble cheese (170)

(2) oz Piller’s Ham (57)

(9) Lay’s wavy lightly salted chips (131)

Snacks:

(48) oz water

(11) Hint of Lime chips (275)

(3) tbsp salsa – red (12)

(1) Rolo ice cream cone (310)

Total net calories: 1273

Net calorie goal: 1222 – 1273 = 51 over

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

I haven’t planted sunflowers for years, but always manage to have a few of them pop up in our flower bed.  I don’t have the heart to pull them out as they have always been granddaughter Maddy’s favourite flower.

Daily Food Diary – Day 210 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is 210 Days (30 WEEKS) since I started posting my Daily Food Diary.  Thirty full weeks without a single miss. 🤗💞

It is 3 days since I started running daily.   Today our air quality is ‘moderate’ coming in at a number 5.  Dan and Molly walked alone.  Today being a Wednesday, I will do a  weight/cardio  workout after my aerobics.  Tomorrow, hopefully the smoke will clear and I will be able to get in Run #3.

This is summer in Saskatchewan.   Cold, wet, hot, humid, smokey, clear, dry, and windy! This morning it was +6 Celsius when I got up. (42.8 Fahrenheit). 😯

The one positive of having a cold smokey summer day, is that it helps control the mosquitos and other obnoxious little bugs that generally thrive around here.  Of course it also discourages the butterflies and bees as well.  Such is life!

On the upside, I spent yesterday dressing up our patio furniture with the new seat cushions Dan bought yesterday.   If the smoke clears, I am ready to drag out a space heater and blanket to enjoy a bit of fresh air.

In other news, my  Lose It!  app sent me a notice this morning.  For the past 29 days, I have averaged 221 calories over my net calorie daily goal.  🙄

And in more news, Google just noted that I should have written ‘lost it’  instead of ‘Lose It!’  (Google isn’t wrong. 😂)

To be honest… While I have been noting a LOT of extra calories this month, I haven’t taken any credit for extra calories burnt this month.  I do spend as much time as possible out in our yard – cleaning, weeding, watering (much of it with a heavy metal watering can).  And, Molly is into super shedding mode so I also spend a lot of time in the  house dealing with that situation.

It’s exhausting losing so much hair and spreading it throughout the house.

Daily Food Diary – Day 210

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) c Shreddies (200)

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

(1) tsp sugar (16)

Lunch:

(1) PC Buttermilk chicken (240)

(1/3) c potato salad w/radish & green onion (113)

(2) Gyoza (90)

(1) egg roll (190)

(1) almond flour/chocolate chip cookie (50)

Snacks:

(1/3) c mixed nuts (216)

(4) oz lemon water

Supper:

(1) sourdough bun (259)

(5 1/2) oz lean ground beef  patty (334)

(1) slice havarti cheese (80)

(1) tsp butter (34)

(1) tbsp bacon bits (30)

(1/2) c fried mushrooms & onions (30)

(10) lightly salted potato chips (52)

Total net calories: 1730

Net calorie goal: 1222 – 1730 = 509 over 👎

*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 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 155 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is Day 155 of my Daily Food Diary! 🌞

The sun is shining and we are looking forward to having a good day – much of it spent outdoors in our yard and garden and of course taking Molly for a walk  around the neighborhood.

Yesterday, I spent a couple of hours in the garden, working up one planter,  planting more tomatoes, and watering my thriving little plants.  I can’t believe how quickly these plants are getting established and  growing to fit their environment.

They grow up so fast!

I also can’t believe how much stronger I am than I was three years ago.  Before I started  living my ‘healthier and fitter lifestyle’,  everything was such a struggle.  Yesterday, I was lifting five gallon pails of dirt, full (full size) watering cans, and using a garden fork to dig deep into packed  earth.  I was amazed at what I could do – and how easily it could be done!

This watering can used to be heavy even when it was empty.  🙄

I will always have compromised lungs.  The damage from asthma, bronchiectasis, and COPD doesn’t go away.  But,  with being active, eating well, stress management, adequate rest, fresh air, and proper healthcare, I can have a quality of life I couldn’t imagine possible three years ago.

Daily Food Diary – Day 155

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1/2) grapefruit (39) (1 SVG)

(1/2) tsp sugar (8)

Lunch:

Ham & vegetable omelet:

(2) eggs (160)

(4) sl. Pillers shaved ham (54)

(1) tsp olive oil (40)

(1/4) c red pepper (12) (.5 SVG)

(2) green onions (16) (.5 SVG)

(5) lg. asparagus spears (16) (1 SVG)

Snacks:

(48) oz water

(3/4) c sliced strawberries (40) (1 SVG)

Supper:

Chicken salad:

(3) chicken thighs (360)

(1) tsp olive oil (40)

Vegetables – (2 1/2)  c lettuce, (1) mini cucumber, (5) grape tomatoes, (2) green onions, (3) radishes, (1/4) c red pepper, (1/2) c cauliflower  (125) (4 SVG)

(2) tsp sunflower seeds (33)

(3) tbsp dried onions (50)

(2) tbsp French Dressing (120)

(1) serving Apple Crisp (227) (1 SVG)

Total net calories: 1053

Net calorie goal: 1238 – 1053 = 185 under 👍

Total fruit & vegetable: 9 servings

Fruit & vegetable goal: 7 servings 👍

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 149 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is Day 149 of my Daily Food Diary and it is shaping up to be another beautiful sunny day in Saskatchewan.

I just got back from a nice walk around the neighborhood with Dan and Molly. 

I wanted Dan to take this picture so I could show off my new handy-dandy dog walking fanny pack.  I was laughing because Molly was looking at everything except  Dan and the camera.  She is photogenic but she will not pose.  😂

We are on a great round of visits from the grandkids.  Last night it was Prim’s turn.   We had monster chicken salads for supper  and she finished hers off  no problem.  After supper, she polished off a bowl of ice cream with fresh fruit.  She helped me with dishes 😊…. and we played cribbage.  Prim had never played before.  I have played a bit but not for at least two years.  Fortunately,  Grandpa Dan  was here to help us with the first couple of rounds.

And yes, Prim WON.  At least I got past the skunk line. 🙂

Yesterday, I wrote about my efforts to embody my core values.  I have been making a list to use in my daily “I AM” meditation.  I don’t expect everyone would agree with the values on my list.  I know some of these words could be questionable as values, but they are ‘valuable’ to me.   I know some are considered obsolete or a weakness in our society.   I don’t. 🙄 I know some would think there are important values missing.  I do keep adding to the list and some values are just not my values.

I’m always open to suggestions, if anyone has values to share in the comment section, please do!

Daily Food Diary – Day 149

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) tsp olive oil (40) (.7 grams)

(2) slices back bacon (100) (1 gram)

(2) potato patties (240)

Snacks:

(72) oz water (it was very hot and dry outside yesterday)

(3/4) c French vanilla ice cream (208) (6.6 grams)

(2) tbsp chocolate sauce (105) (.2 grams)

(9) pecan halves (59)

Supper:

Grilled chicken salad:

(2) chicken thighs (228) (1.8 grams)

(1) tsp olive oil (40) (.7 grams)

(2) slices bacon (65) (1.6 grams)

(2 1/2)  c lettuce (15)

(1/2) tomato (11)

(2) radishes (1)

(1/4) c broccoli (10)

(2) green onions (16)

(2) tsp sunflower seeds (33) (.4 grams)

(1/5) c shredded cheese (72) (4.2 grams)

(3) tbsp dried fried onions (50) (1.7 grams)

(2) tbsp Vidalia Onion salad dressing (180) (1) gram

Total net calories: 1148

Net calorie goal: 1243 – 1148 = 96 under 👍

Total saturated fats: 19.9 grams

Saturated fats goal: 13.75 👎

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