Tag: chronic health issues

Daily Food Diary – Day 301 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 301 of my Daily Food Diary!  That is 43 WEEKS without a single miss. 🙌

Today, I am feeling a solid improvement in how I am feeling!  I am four months into using Collagen Supplements and they are doing wonders for me.  My strength has improved, my endurance has improved, and best of all – my breathing has significantly improved.    I can breathe without feeling like my sinuses and respiratory airways are  collapsing and I can even lay flat on my back  without feeling like I am smothering!

My only respiratory issues these days are obviously caused by allergies.  Since we started running an air purifier in our bedroom at night, I am good there.  In the daytime, my eyes are burning, my nose is runny, and I am still coughing. 

The third Honeywell air purifier we have bought and I am happy with all of them.

We have our best air purifier running in the living room so I’m not sure what my problem is.   I have taken Claritin (which doesn’t work for me) and  some ‘natural’ antihistamines which just seem to make me sleepy. 😴

Yesterday, I got some black licorice to see if that would help.  I know it is something that is not good to eat regularly or in excess, but it also helps to control allergies,  so we will see. 

Daily Food Diary – Day 301

Breakfast:

2) c coffee (4)

(1/4 c milk (28)

(1) c cinnamon cheerios (200)

Snacks:

(2) black licorice Twizzlers (45)

(1/8) c mixed nuts (90)

(48) oz water

Supper:

(2) servings c nachos – Hint of Lime tortilla chips with seasoned ground beef, peppers, green onions, black olives, shredded cheese, and salsa (865)

(12) oz carbonated water

(1) PC Chocolate cake (300)

Total consumed calories:  1530

Total used calories: 501

(30) min walking (68)

(30) min aerobics (244)

(1) hr housecleaning (134)

(30) min food prep/cooking (55)

Total net calories: 1029

Net calories goal: 1208 – 1029 = 179 under 👍

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 300 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 300 of my Daily Food Diary! 💗 I remember when the days of my diary were in the double digits.  100 Days seemed incredibly distant.  Here we are, with less than 100 Days to go and it seems like the year is all but over.   Funny how things always look so much closer in the rear view mirror!

Earlier today, I tagged along for the morning walk with Dan and Molly.  Fall has finally arrived.  

Not only are the leaves changing color, they are also falling – fast and furious.    

Dan just got home from shopping.  He said this seems like a good day for wonton soup for supper.   In the overall scheme of things, any kind of home made soup seems like a good plan for supper for the foreseeable future. 

Daily Food Diary – Day 300

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(2) Brazilian cheese rolls (249)

(3) slices low sodium bacon (130)

Lunch:

(1) Harvest wiener (188)

(12) Lay’s lightly salted ripple chips (140)

(1) c coleslaw (50)

(48) oz water

Supper:

(2) cabbage rolls (394)

(1) pc chocolate cake (300)

Total consumed calories: 1445

Total used calories: 384

(42) min aerobics (244)

(35) min walking (68)

(30) min light weights (73)

Total net calories: 1061

Net calories goal: 1208 – 1061 = 148 under 👍

University of Alberta Botanic Gardens

Daily Food Diary – Day 299 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 299 of my Daily Food Diary. 💗

In keeping with my monthly focus of planning meals that reflect our October change of seasons, I served up a summery garden salad for last night.  It has been back and forth between light meals for warm days and hearty comfort foods to get us through the first snow of the season.  That is October in Saskatchewan!

Today is Monday.  Starting a new workout week, I was excited to come across a motivating quote while browsing social media this morning.

I do not work out to be better than anyone else.  I WORK OUT TO BE THE BEST I CAN BE.

That is the truth – and it has been my strongest motivation since I first read David Goggins’ “Can’t Hurt Me”.  The human body is amazing – and the potential for how amazing it can become is fascinating.

But the ongoing quest to find my true potential can be frustrating at times.   I can have a bad night, I can experience setbacks, I can get cocky and try to walk our dog Molly without her pinch collar….. 

Feeling my full potential this morning, that’s  the direction my day took!    By the time we got to the park, I had to take a break at a bench in the kids playground.   By the time we got to the other side of the park, I had to hand her over to Dan.  By the time we got home, I felt like I had wrestled a steer and lost the rodeo.

Someday, I will be the best I can be (I am not there yet).   I hope that by the time I do get there, I will be able to manhandle Molly without a pinch collar.  That would be incredible! 

Daily Food Diary – Day 299

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(3) slices low salt thin slice bacon (135)

(2) potato patties (240)

(2) egg cheese omelet (260)

(1) medium tomato (22)

Snacks:

(36) oz water

(16) oz cherry tea

(2) pieces chocolate cake (600)

Supper:

(1) chicken salad: lettuce, tomato, cucumber, cauliflower, green onion, green olives, chicken breast, sesame seeds, dried fried onion, peppercorn ranch salad dressing (473)

(12) oz carbonated water

Total consumed calories: 1731

Total used calories: 0

Total net calories: 1731

Net calories goal: 1208 – 1731 = 523 over 👎

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

Fun times in Deadwood, ND – Spring 2024 with daughter Jen.  Getting up there was less than half the battle.  The real challenge was getting back down. 🙄

Daily Food Diary – Day 298 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 298 of my Daily Food Diary. 🙌

I don’t know if anyone has noticed, but every time I register a drop in my weight, the LoseIt! app that I use drops my calorie goal for the day.   When I began using the app, my goal was 1255 calories a day – now I am down to 1208.   Weight loss apps  do not reward one for success. 😒

Next year, rather than focusing on calories consumed, I am going to count calories used.  My main goal has always been more about health and wellness, than about losing weight – so it just makes sense to track (and expand) my level of activity.

Lately, I have been looking at different activities, how effective they are for increasing fitness, strength, flexibility, balance…. plus how effective they are at burning calories.

One such ‘activity’ that I have encountered in this search is coughing.  One cough should burn 1/2 to 2 calories.   Right now I am doing very well, and not coughing at night.  VERY Conservatively, if I calculate 10 coughs per hour, 15 hours per day – I should burn 54,000 calories a year which should result in a 15  pound weight loss.  Just for coughing!   In 2023, when I coughed continuously and violently day and night, I should have disappeared.  

Obviously, coughing will not be recorded on my Calories Used Diary, but it does make me wonder what else is at play here.  I am recording every calorie I consume – and obviously I am still here. 🙄

Once I have had my hernia surgery, I look forward to expanding my light weight exercises using the weight bench and guide on our treadmill. 💪

Daily Food Diary – Day 298

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(3) crumpets (240)

(1) tsp butter (34)

(1) tbsp jam (50)

Lunch:

(1) c pepper steak (150)

(1) c white rice (242)

(1) mini peanut butter cup (40)

(1) snack pack Reese’s pieces (67)

Snacks:

(36) oz water

(1) Mott’s Clamato Caesar (168)

(12) Lay’s lightly salted ripple chips (140)

Supper:

(1) serving chilli (190)

(2) all beef Top Dogs (240)

(2) Brazilian Cheese Rolls (249)

Total consumed calories: 1812

Total used calories: 383

(30) min walking (68)

(30) min treadmill (80)

(30) min yardwork (102)

(1) hr cleaning (134)

Total net calories: 1429

Net calories goal: 1208 – 1429 = 221 over 👎

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 296 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 296 of my Daily Food Diary. 🥳

Yesterday I did not do the  30 minutes of treadmill that was on my workout plan.  There was no real reason for this miss – other than my decision to indulge in a Smirnoff Ice Original with my supper.  As mentioned previously, drinking alcohol is not my strong point.  It took me a couple of hours to finish it and by then I did not think getting on a treadmill would be the best move.  🤦

Yesterday, I also indulged in a couple of the Halloween treats that Dan brought home a few weeks ago.

Talk about shrinkflation!

I’m not sure why it took me so long to break into the Halloween chocolate – or why they even bother making them anymore.  The packaging to chocolate ratio has gotten beyond ridiculous.  Homemade chocolate/peanut butter squares taste exactly the same and I can make a cake pan full without taking down a forest.  Of course, one cannot hand out home  baked goods for Halloween, but we generally end up eating or giving most of our Halloween treats to family anyway.  🤷

I did make some Brazilian Cheese Rolls for supper last night.

I shredded the cheese in our food processor, then just added the rest of the ingredients before mixing well.   I used half a tablespoon of salt – I also could have used less oil and garlic for us but they were ok.  This recipe made 18 full sized rolls, so a bit much for us.

Daily Food Diary – Day 296

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) c cinnamon cheerios (200)

(1/4) c milk (28)

Snacks:

(1) peach (58)

(1/3) c dry roast peanuts (102)

(1) mini peanut butter cup (40)

(1) mini Oh Henry bar (69)

(48) oz water

Supper:

(2) c chilli con carne (380)

(2) Brazilian cheese rolls (249)

(1) Smirnoff Ice Original (114)

Total calories consumed: 1243

Total calories used: 242

(30) min walking (68)

(30) min aerobics (174)

Total net calories: 1001

Net calories goal: 1223 – 1001 = 222 under 👍

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 295 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 265 of my Daily Food Diary.  Only 70 Days or 10 Weeks to go!  I thought that by being mindful of what I ate each and every day, 2025 would pass by at an overall slower pace.  But here we are, the year is almost over, and the days and weeks are flying by.

I am four nights into using our living room air purifier in our bedroom.  This has proven itself helpful enough for keeping my sinuses and lungs clear at night  that I ordered another air purifier last night – one that will live in our bedroom but that can be easily moved into the kitchen occasionally – if need be. 

Every little thing helps or hurts when it comes to living with chronic health issues.   With my lung issues diet, air quality, stress, sleep, and level of  activity can mean the difference between a really good day or a struggle.   Some things I can control, others I just have to deal with.

The worst thing these days is excess humidity.  We can control that to a point  with our dehumidifier but there’s not a lot I can do outdoors.  If I avoid the outdoors, it means less fresh air and less activity.  🤷

The best thing these days is taking collagen supplements.   They have been a gamechanger for me – strengthening and stabilizing my respiratory system and improving  my health and wellbeing in general.   🤗

Daily Food Diary – Day 295

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(3) Eggo waffles (330)

(2) tsp butter (68)

(2) tbsp Maple syrup (104)

(2) slices bacon (87)

Snacks:

(12) Doritos (153)

Supper:

(1) serving pepper steak (300)

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

Total consumed calories: 1407

Total used calories: 315

(30) minutes walking (68)

(30) minutes aerobics (174)

(30) minutes light weights (73)

Total net calories: 1092

Net calories goal: 1229 – 1092 = 137 under 👍

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 294 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 294 of my Daily Food Diary. 💓

Dan and Molly and I got back from our morning walk a bit ago.   Since we headed out a bit later than usual, the sun had a nice warmth to it.  Unfortunately, the air was heavy and humid and much of the time we were dealing with a cloud of cement dust – the result of some work being done to the pool in the park.   It was a bit hard going, but I made the distance.

When we got home, I fed the squirrels and picked up in the yard. 

Once the critters were fed, I came into the house and Dan and I checked our Amazon for an air purifier that can live in our bedroom.   I think we agreed on what would work best for the space, but he was on his way out so said he would check Canadian Tire to see if he could find something comparable.  👍

Today is Wednesday, so I am about to do my aerobics followed by light weights.

Yesterday morning I did my aerobics but left my treadmill session for later.  Later ended up being after supper once Dan was gone to darts and I was watching Homestead Rescue.  By the time my show was done, it was a toss up between doing my treadmill or cracking open a box of Halloween treats and pouring myself a glass of wine. 

I went with the treadmill with no regrets.  I even went up one level on the speed.   🤗

Daily Food Diary – Day 294

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) cheese tortilla wrap (170)

(1) Denver omelet (235)

Snacks:

(1/3) c mixed nuts (238)

Supper:

(1) Hungry Man chicken cutlet TV dinner (520)

(1) extra (ie Dan’s) brownie (121)

Total Consumed Calories: 1286

Total used calories: 317

(30) min aerobics (176)

(30) min walking (68)

(30) min treadmill (73)

Total net calories: 969

Net calories goal: 1229 – 969  = 250 under 👍

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 293 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 293 of my Daily Food Diary! 😋

Yesterday was a pretty good day.  I only made one block of the walk I set out on with Dan and Molly.  I could have handled the cold and wind, but the rain was a bit much.   I came home and did my aerobics and weights – plus I did half an hour on the treadmill before supper. 👍

For supper last night, I decided we should indulge in some Taco Time.   One of the most  mind-boggling  things I have found since I began tracking my Daily Food Diary is how many calories there are in such meals.     I knew it was bad, but I had no idea. 🤦

Obviously, last night’s indulgence is a hard one to report on my Daily Food Diary, but it’s all about balance.  Last night, I was balancing out the salad I had for supper on Saturday. 🙄

Last night, for the second night in a row, we put the air purifier from our living room in our bedroom.    I slept really well both nights and with minimal coughing before I fell asleep and after I woke up.    I have to try it for a few days, but we might have to get another one before we get tired of hauling this one back and forth between rooms.

Daily Food Diary – Day 293

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) c Cinnamon Cheerios (200)

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

Lunch:

(4) air fried chicken wing flats & (4) drummets (440)

(14) Lay’s lightly salted ripple chips (140)

(36) oz water

(8) oz lemon water

Supper:

(1) 12 oz A & W Rootbeer (170)

(1) Small Mexi Fries (265)

(2) hardshell tacos (520)

(1) crisp meat burrito (390)

Total calories consumed: 2155

Total calories used: 329

(30) min aerobics (176)

(30) min weights (73)

(30) min treadmill (80)

Total net calories: 1826

Net calories goal: 1229 – 1826 = 597 over 👎

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

Sunrise Through the Fog

Daily Food Diary – Day 291 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today it is 291 Days since I started my Daily Food Diary.  💖

That is commitment people!  I have made some improvements in my diet – not GRAND improvements,  but at least I am mindful of how less than healthy my diet is.

Since I started my health and wellness journey almost four years ago, I have always kept it balanced and sustainable.  My  first year of Daily Workouts seem pretty lame now, but almost four years in I see a world of difference in how I look and feel, and my workouts are in the solid moderate range. 😋

Yesterday, I posted photos of the old and the  modern swinging bridges in Souris, Manitoba.  

Today, I wanted to send along a couple of photos of the 500 year old Mystic Oak Tree that we also visited while we were there.

It took us a couple of tries to find the path that led to the Mystic Tree, but well worth the effort.   The energy surrounding this tree does make for a mystical experience! 💞

Daily Food Diary – Day 291

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) c Harvest Crunch Protein (270)

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

Snacks:

(9) wine gums (158)

(1) pear (103)

(15) Lay’s Lightly Salted ripple chips (150)

Dinner:

(2) c lettuce (12)

(1/2) c green onions (20)

(1) sm can Flakes of Chicken (210)

(2) tbsp mayo (200)

(12) Doritos (153)

Total consumed calories: 1306

Total used calories: 332

(30) min walking (83)

(30) min aerobics (176)

(30) min treadmill (73)

Total net calories: 974

Net calories goal: 1229 – 974 = 255 under 👍

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

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. 😊