Tag: counting calories

Daily Food Diary – Day 253 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 253 of my Daily Food Diary! 😊

AND…today is a good day.  With only one more dose of Prednisone to go and this round of antibiotics done, I am doing GOOD!

I slept well last night, waking up once for  a few minutes – just long enough to realize I felt much better.

My overall word for the day today is MOMENTUM – and it is all going in the right direction. 👆

When it comes to health and fitness, momentum is such a powerful concept.  Downward momentum can destroy  in no time, with one health issue, one poor survival method employed, one bad habit formed, piling up to crush you in no time.  Upward momentum – the exact opposite! One  minor health issue resolved and we are off to the races in no time. 🤗

On my feet and ready to go!

Daily Food Diary – Day 253

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) plain paratha (240)

(1) tbsp peanut butter (105)

(1) tbsp raspberry jam (50)

Snacks:

(1/2) c beef broth (5)

(12) Doritos (153)

(1) peach (58)

(1/4) c raspberries (32)

Supper:

(3) Barbecue chicken drumsticks (405)

(1) serving macaroni casserole (400)

(1) tomato (22)

(5) slices cucumber (4)

Total consumed calories: 1477

Total used calories: 269

(2) hours house cleaning (269)

Total net calories: 1208

Net calories goal: 1229 – 1208 = 22 under 👍

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 250 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 250 of my Daily Food Diary! 🥰

Today is off to a bit of a rocky start.  It is Day 6 of my latest round of antibiotics and oral steroids for a lung infection.  I don’t know if there are any prescription medications that agree with me, but I do know Prednisone is not one of them. 

This morning, I made Dan and I each a Cheese Biscuit breakfast sandwich.  I took my Prednisone and set off on our morning walk with Dan and Molly.   I made it about four blocks before I was feeling so wobbly, that I decided I had better head back home.  Dan and Molly walked me back and I am fine, but definitely not the start of my week that I was hoping for. 😥

But the day has just begun and yesterday made a good turn around for me!

Yesterday morning, my glasses met with an unfortunate fatal incident.  I found an older pair of single vision glasses and decided they would have to do until I got in to see my optometrist.  I wasn’t thrilled but, you do what you have to do!

For over a decade, I have been wearing progressive bifocals.  I have never been particularly happy with them, but I got used to dealing with them.  The biggest issue was the bottom part of the lens that was set for reading.   I never could read through them (I  just read without glasses) and I struggled to go down steps or walk outside on any uneven ground. 

Walking with progressives vs single vision glasses.

So yesterday, I put on my old single vision glasses and didn’t notice much difference puttering around indoors.  I stepped outside onto the back landing, and when I went to go down the steps EVERYTHING was in perfect focus.    I walked around our yard in complete confidence – over uneven ground, cracked sidewalk, anything.  It was amazing.  This morning, on my short walk, I also noticed a drastic difference on the streets and sidewalks. 

I can’t wait to see my optometrist to get a new (updated prescription) for a pair of glasses that work FOR ME! 

In the meantime, these will work just fine!

Daily Food Diary – Day 250

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(2) pancakes (350)

(2) breakfast sausages (270)

(2) slices bacon (87)

(2) tsp butter (68)

(2) tbsp Maple syrup (104)

Snack:

(1/4) c mixed nuts (180)

(48) oz water

Supper:

(2) servings homemade wonton soup (300)

Total calories consumed: 1361

Total calories used: 56

(30) minutes cooking/food prep: 56

Total net calories: 1306

Net calories goal: 1229 – 1306 = 76 over

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 249 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 249 of my Daily Food Diary! 🥳

Today is also Sunday September 7th.  I am on my 5th day of my latest round of antibiotics and oral steroids.  I am feeling pretty decent – helped no doubt by the solid sleep that I have been getting for the past couple of nights.

All things considered, my only major issue today is that I destroyed my glasses this morning.  I am pretty much blind without them so that’s not good.   I do have one older pair that I can wear until I get replacements but they are single vision glasses AND the only time that they did not make me look goofy was when I tried them on in the optometrist’s office. 🤦 Fortunately, as long as I avoid mirrors I don’t have to see myself. 😊

Maybe I have them upside down? They are Versace frames, so great quality,  but they just don’t suit me. 🙄
Molly is having a GREAT weekend.  Yesterday, Jen and Maddy were here for an hour AND this morning Genie came by to join Molly & Grandpa for their morning walk.   (Genie took the photo)

Daily Food Diary – Day 249

Breakfast:

(1) c Coffee (2)

(1) c Honey Nut Cheerios (147)

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

Lunch:

(1) Harvest All Beef Wiener (150)

(1) No Name Low Salt Ripple Chips (130)

Snacks:

(1/2) c Home made chicken broth (27)

(60) oz water

Supper:

(1) Extra Large homemade quesadilla (861)

(3) tbsp salsa (12)

Total consumed calories: 1357

Total used calories: 243

(30) minutes housecleaning (67)

(1) hour gardening (176)

Total net calories: 1114

Net calories goal: 1229 – 1114 = 116 under 👍

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 248 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

This is Day 248 of my Daily Food Diary and I am still on a roll! 🥳

I am still feeling pretty adequate on Day 4 of my antibiotics and Prednisone.   A couple of news bites since yesterday morning.

* The hospital surgical unit called yesterday to book my hernia repair for September 19th.  Unfortunately, they have to delay it until I have the Prednisone out of my system, but at least I am on their radar!  And someone else gets their procedure bumped up. 👍

* I got the results of my blood tests. I’m no expert but they seem to indicate that I have an infection. 👍

* And… I have plans this weekend  to help daughter Jen work on her Jeep.  She is changing out the motor, transmission, wheels etc. from the Jeep they rolled a couple of years ago to the one they bought this spring.  My mechanical proficiency won’t help her out, but I’m pretty sure I can hand her the tools she needs and take away the parts she doesn’t.  👍

And ‘Flea’ will be back rolling better than ever, sooner than later!

Daily Food Diary – Day 248

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

Brunch:

(1) lg cheese biscuit (258)

(2) oz Piller ham (57)

(1 1/2) oz cheese (170)

(2) tsp butter (68)

Snacks:

(1/2) c caramel corn (85)

(1/2) c ice cream (120)

(2) tbsp chocolate sauce (105)

Supper:

(1) lg cheese biscuit (258)

(2) tsp butter (68)

(1) beef wiener (150)

(2) tbsp salsa (8)

(1) green onion (8)

(6) onion rings (270)

(3) cheese sticks

(1) tomato (22)

(5) sl. Cucumber (4)

Total calories consumed: 1843

Calories used: 172

(20) min. Walking (49)

(30) min min. Housecleaning (67)

(30) min. Cooking/food prep (56)

Total net calories: 1843 – 172 = 1671

Net calories goal: 1229 – 1671 = 442 over 👎

* Prednisone zoomies gone… Raging hunger on! 🤦

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 243 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 243 of my Daily Food Diary. 😁

Today is also Labour Day and a stat holiday in Canada. 

Tools of the trade… (Maybe my trade lunch 🙄)

Kudos to those who labour to provide the goods and services that we require.  And kudos to those who have in the past, and those who still do, dedicate their lives to ensure the safety, fair wages and benefits, decent working conditions, and fair/honest treatment of those in our workforce.  

Being employed in today’s work environment is far from perfect,  but fortunately improving work standards  is an ongoing process.

Happy Labour Day!

It is eight months since I began posting my Daily Food Diary. As I approach each new  month, I struggle to find another monthly focus.   This month (September) I have finally decided on calories used. 

Every month since February, I have counted my calories consumed and subtracted my calories used (by legit exercise).  This month, I am going to highlight all significant calories used – by exercise, housework, yardwork, Petcare, shopping, and the like.

Since being unwell the past few days, I need the motivation to get back to my regular level of activity.  Let’s see how that goes!

Daily Food Diary – Day 243

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(2) Eggs (160)

(2) slices Bacon (170)

(1/2) red tomato (22)

Snacks:

(48) oz water

(1/2) c caramel corn (85)

(1) c ice cream (120)

(2) tbsp chocolate sauce (105)

(10) filberts (88)

Supper:

(1) rotisserie chicken thigh/drumstick (320)

(1)c raw vegetables and – green onions, broccoli, & cucumbers, red radishes, orange carrots, white cauliflower (100)

(1) tbsp Dilly Dip (50)

(1) Lightly salted ripple chips (135)

Total net calories: 1597

Net calorie goal: 1229 – 1597 = 368 over 👎

* Another day of zero activity to deduct calories.   I walked with Dan and Molly this morning.  We’ll see if I can burn anymore calories off.

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 242 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 242 of my Daily Food Diary. 💯

Yesterday, I came out 76 calories over my Net Calorie Goal.  This was not because I ate more than I should have.  I just took a day off from any of the workout routines that  I  usually indulge in to burn off extra  calories. 

No walk with Molly, no aerobics, no weights, and no treadmill. 

I did drive Dan out to his golf tournament, did my typical house chores, and watered the garden.  By the time I finished my blog and did my check-in with my workout buddies I was done.

I have been under the weather this past week and yesterday I  had no gas left in the tank.

I’m not feeling any better today, so my plan is to post my blog and head off for nap.

Hopefully, by tomorrow I will be getting up to a better day – ALL DAY!

Looks good to me.  See you tomorrow!  🙂

Daily Food Diary – Day 242

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) c Cheerios (147)

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

Lunch:

(2) scrambled eggs (182)

(1 1/2) oz leftover Tbone steak (125)

(1/4) c white mushrooms (11)

(2) green onions (16)

(2) tsp butter (34)

(48) oz water

Supper:

(1) Hungry Man chicken cutlet dinner with yellow corn (520)

Total net calories: 1305

Net calories goal: 1229 – 1305 = 76 over 👎

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 241 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 241 of my Daily Food Diary. 👍

Yesterday was a less than stellar day for me.  Despite our perfect weather and clear air, I struggled. 

My walk with Dan and Molly was too much for my lungs (For whatever reason!). I came home and had to rest easy for a few hours before I did my aerobics and weight workout.  We had takeout for supper and instead of doing my treadmill I went to bed.

After a couple of hours of sleep, I got up to have a bottle of carbonated water and a couple of aspirin.  My chest was congested, I was  feverish and headachy, and I felt nauseous.  

Having lived with asthma, COPD, and bronchiectasis for years, it is easy to overthink these questionable days and start to panic.

I do have prescriptions for antibiotics and oral steroids at our pharmacy, but this being a long weekend our pharmacy is open limited hours today and then  closed Sunday and Monday.   Other pharmacies in the city are open but they do not have my ‘action plan’ on file.   If I can’t make it through the weekend without meds, it would mean a long wait in an overcrowded emergency ward being miserable.

Fortunately,  whatever was bothering me passed during the night. Today, I am perfectly fine.  I am ready to take on my aerobics, Saturday house cleaning, yardwork, and a session on our treadmill.  Plus, I drove Dan out of the city to his golf tournament this morning.

It is great to feel good again, but I do get rather frustrated with myself for panicking every time I have a poorly day.   My health has come a LONG way since a sniffle automatically meant I was in for an extended miserable health event.  🤦

It is hard to remember how strong, healthy, and resilient I am, after three and a half years of creating and maintaining a health and wellness lifestyle for myself.

I can relate to people who lose hundreds of pounds of  weight, but feel mentally stuck in that pre-weightloss mindset. 

It’s a weird challenge, but one to be conquered nonetheless. 🥴

I need to see myself as I am now, not like I used to be.  (Dan is looking pretty good too these days! Retirement looks good on him.)

Daily Food Diary – Day 241

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(26) Light sugar Mini Wheats (190)

(1/4) c milk (28)

Snacks:

(1/3) c mixed nuts (238)

(48) oz water

(12) oz carbonated water

Supper:

(1) Crisp Meat Burrito (428)

(2) Hardshell tacos (520)

(1) Sm. Mexi Fries (387)

Total net calories: 1321

Net calories goal: 1229 – 1321 = 92 over 👎

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 240 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today  is Day 240 of my Daily Food Diary! 🥳

Today is also our daughter-in-law Amanda’s birthday!  🎂

Every day is special, but when we have one dedicated to someone we truly appreciate, it makes days like today all the better

There is so much to appreciate about Amanda that it is difficult to put into words – she is caring, upbeat, hilariously funny in her unique Amanda way.  She is adventurous, intelligent, LOUD but unassuming, high energy, and totally loving and loveable. 

Best of all, Amanda is an amazing mother and a genuinely great wife and partner for son Dan.    Truly, those two deserve each other and the life they have built together!

Happy Birthday, Amanda – and MANY more! 💞

Daily Food Diary – Day 240

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) sausage patty (150)

(2) potato patties (240)

(2) eggs (160)

Snacks:

(15) Lay’s lightly salted ripple chips (218)

(60) oz water

Supper:

(5) oz Tbone steak (375)

(1) baked white potato (100)

(1) yellow ear of corn (80)

(5) tsp butter (171)

(1) red tomato (22)

(5) slices green cucumber (4)

(1/2) c  brown mushrooms  (8)

Total net calories: 1253

Net calories goal: 1229 – 1253 = 24 over

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 239 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is 239 Days since I started posting my Daily Food Blog. 💗👍

I continue to enjoy this exercise, especially the benefits that I have received from it,  and the comments that I receive from posting it.

What I do not enjoy is interacting via technology. 

The most frustrating aspect of technology this year is the emergence of AI, which is hellbent on making life difficult for the technically challenged folks like Yours Truly.

But,  I have a couple of glitches that have been  directed specifically towards me.  A few weeks ago the letter  ‘A’ vanished from my online vocabulary.  Tht ws frustrting!

My ‘A’ has returned,  but with its return, my spacebar has retired any reliable operation.  I’mgettingtoooldforthisnonsense!

Yesterday, while Dan and I were walking Molly, we started talking about all of the progress over the past few decades that have proven to be less than positive..

– Anything/everything disposable from plastic bags, to diapers, to appliances….

-24 hours a day television along with streaming services (any electronic device that keeps us from fresh air and regular human interactions and activities)

– Technology in general, but specifically software updates

– Electric vehicles (especially in the wide open spaces of Saskatchewan but pretty much anywhere)

– New math (what was wrong with the old math?)

– Fast and/or junk food (remember real food that wasn’t packed full of sugar, sodium, chemicals, and yeast?)

I am probably missing a few here.  Feel free to add them in your comments. (Space breaks and random vowels  optional). 🙂

Daily Food Diary – Day 239

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(3) crumpets (240)

(3) tsp butter (103)

(1 1/2) tbsp jam (75)

Snacks:

(12) Doritos (153)

(1/3) c mixed nuts (238)

Supper:

(3) c salad – green lettuce, onions & cucumber, white cauliflower, red tomatoes & radishes (190)

(2) sticks pork souvlaki (270)

(2) tbsp French salad dressing (146)

Total net calories: 994

Net calories goal: 1229 – 994 = 235 under 👍

That is it for today.  Take care and have a great day! ☺️💗

It would appear that I have finally killed my last orchid.   Dan went out of his way yesterday to secure this one to take its place. 💞😊

Daily Food Diary – Day 233 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 233 of my Daily Food Diary! 🎉

Yesterday our family acquired a newly licensed driver. (Learners license, but still!)

They grow up too fast!

From day one, Maddy was determined to be “one of the big kids” like her older siblings Genie and Rory.   She has done a good job of becoming a mature and responsible young lady.

But, to be honest I never thought she would be determined enough to embrace driving.  She just doesn’t seem to be the ‘driver’ type.  (Unlike younger sister Prim who can’t wait to get behind the wheel!)

Not only does Maddy have her license, but last night she took her first drive in the country with her Mom.  She got behind the wheel and  drove a few miles before swerving to avoid hitting a dog.  As she left the gravel road and hit the ditch, she remembered her driver trainer’s instructions and kept her wheels straight. 

First challenge in the driver’s seat and she handled it like a pro.  The dog is fine, Maddy & Mom are fine, my Taurus is almost fine – and the heat shield for my Taurus is in the trunk. 🙄

Good job Maddy! 💞

Daily Food Diary – Day 233

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) c Rice Krispies (120)

(1/4) c 2% milk

(1) tsp sugar (8)

Lunch:

(1) Beef & pork burger with cheese (221)

(1/2) c brown mushrooms (22)

(1/4) c white onions (15)

(12) Low sodium ripple chips (159)

(48) oz water

Supper:

(12) oz carbonated water

(1) ground chicken taco salad: green lettuce, cucumber, pepper, olives, onion, red radishes, tomato (400)

(10) Hint of Lime chips (250)

Total net calories: 883

Net calories goal: 1222 – 883 = 339 under 👍

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