Tag: daily journal

Daily Food Diary – Day 260 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 260 of my Daily Food Diary. 🌞

Yesterday was a great day!  I did a complete aerobics and light weight routine plus I did twenty minutes on the treadmill.  We also had visits from Maddy and Genie & Alec!

Yesterday was also another day that my collagen supplements proved their worth.  At suppertime I opened a new jar of horseradish and a new can of coffee with my bare hands!   The coffee comes with a top seal that requires hand strength to grab the tab and pull the seal off.   Until now, I have had to take a sharp knife and slice it off.  Less than three months after starting Collagen Supplements I can easily remove it as directed.

After supper and twenty minutes on our treadmill, I did my lung clearing with my Aerobika device.  I take deep breath in and blow out which engages a flutter valve that vibrates and loosens the mucus in my lungs.  In two years, my best effort generally involves one to two breaths before I have a coughing fit and start  choking up large amounts of mucus. (Sorry, I know that  sounds gross).   Anyway, it is a long messy process. 

Last night, I did THREE sets of TEN deep breaths, coughing up a minute amount of mucus. 

That is amazing!

I did cough up a bit of mucus when I went to bed, when I woke up at 4 AM and after I got up this morning.  Absolutely NOTHING compared to what I have been dealing with for the past five to twenty years.

Purchased from Amazon for less than $30 cdn for a month’s worth.

For twenty years, I have been telling doctors that my biggest health issue (possibly a tie with my yeast intolerance) was a collagen issue.   Every one of them told me collagen issues are  nothing.

Three months ago, Martha from http://walkingchester.wordpress.com left a comment on one of my blogs telling me how much collagen supplements had improved her mobility and quality of life.   I ordered my first bottle of Collagen Supplements that day and they have been more effective than I could possibly have hoped for (with zero side effects).

I could be upset, or sad for the quality time I have lost in my life, but I am not.  I am just grateful to Martha for encouraging me to try  Collagen Supplements.

And I just want to share my results going forward in hopes that others seeing my results will look into trying  the collagen option for dealing with their stubborn chronic pain, weak muscle, general health issues that do not respond to typical treatments.  Especially, as we age… Collagen deficiency becomes a real issue.  🧓🧑‍🦳

(* As with any supplement anyone with health or allergy issues must do their own due diligence.)

Daily Food Diary – Day 260

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(2) Eggo waffles (180)

(2) tsp butter (68)

(2) tbsp syrup (104)

(2) slices bacon (87)

Snacks:

(1) Asian pear (116)

(1/3) c mixed nuts (216)

(48) oz water

Supper:

(6) oz beef roast (376)

(1) c mashed potatoes (237)

(2) tsp butter (68)

(1/2) c gravy (50)

(1) c beets (75)

(2) tbsp horseradish (14)

Total consumed calories: 1593

Total used calories: 363

(30) min. Aerobics (176)

(30) min. Light weights (73)

(20) min. Treadmill (35)

(30) min. Food prep/cooking (56)

(30) min. Cleaning (67)

Total net calories: 1186

Net calories goal: 1229 – 1176  = 43 under 👍

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 158 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is 158 Days since I began my Daily Food Diary! 🙌

It is 3 Years and 4 Months since I became more mindful and pro-active about my health in general.

As it has been with my previous efforts – exercise, stress management, sleep habits, deep breathing – my Daily Food Diary has been a positive experience.   The benefits have far exceeded the effort I have put into it.

Rather than trying to improve my diet all at once, I am focussing  on one diet issue each  month.

In January, I noted everything I consumed each day – and for accountability purposes began posting it on my blog… That was enough to discover that I do not drink nearly enough water and that I was constantly reaching for something to snack on.  I wasn’t hungry, it was not emotional eating… It was just mindless snacking.    I am still working on the water but the mindless snacking is no longer an issue.   And I have lost Ten Pounds since January 1st.

In February, I started counting calories – and pretty much quit eating Fast Food, which is seriously high in calories, sodium, processed sugar,  and saturated fats.

In March, I tracked the protein I was consuming.   I eat a lot of high protein food.  I wasn’t too concerned as I do daily workouts and protein builds muscle! 💪

In April, I tracked my processed sugar and sodium consumption.  I found how even a little sugar negatively affects my lungs and that I consume way too much sodium. I am still working on both!

In May, I tracked the saturated fats I consumed.  That high protein diet from March came back to bite me in the butt.  I am still working on cutting back on the saturated fats and incorporating more brown beans, barley, and oatmeal into our diet to keep our arteries clear and our cholesterol levels down.

In June, my focus is on tracking and  increasing the fruits and vegetables that I consume.  I thought this month was going to be an easy win.  It isn’t, but I will save that story for tomorrow’s blog. 🥕

Dan got our little lawn ornaments clear coated this week.  The ‘Kat’ angel is tucked into her forever home in the ground cedar.  The frog will find a place by the pond once we get it cleaned out and the pumps operating.

Daily Food Diary – Day 158

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(3) crumpets (240)

(2) tsp butter (69)

(1 1/2) tsp jam (75)

Snacks:

48 oz water

(1) pear (103) (1 SVG)

(1) kiwi (46) (1 SVG)

(1) oz almonds (168)

(6) mini Easter eggs  (85)

*** Yes, I did give our granddaughter Genie a couple of hundred of those candy coated chocolate Easter eggs, but the bag just keeps on giving.  Note to self – never buy a little bag of candy when standing in a BIG store.  Size is relative. 🤦

Supper:

(2) Pork Souvlaki Kebabs (160)

(1) c white rice (242)

(1) c broccoli (60) (2 SVG)

(2) tsp butter (69)

(1) tbsp soya sauce (15)

(8) lg. Grape tomatoes (22) (1 SVG)

(1) mini cucumber (10) (1 SVG)

(1) tbsp Dilly Dip (80)

Total Net Calories: 1270

Net calorie goal: 1238 – 1270 = 32 over 👎

Total Fruits & Vegetables: 6 servings

Fruits & Vegetable goal: 7 servings 👎

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 131 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is 131 Days since I started posting my Daily Food Diary. 🎉

My Mother’s Day yesterday was very nice! I spent the day with Dan and Molly, soaking in more heat than we were prepared for!

Dan drove Maddy to work and came home to make me a perfect cheese omelet and bacon breakfast.  He made one stop on the way to buy me a beautiful bouquet of orange roses.

I heard from Jennifer (who was working), Genie & her fiance Alec (who was working, but took time to message all the mothers in his life – 😊), and son Dan called when he got home from work last night.  I didn’t hear from son Mark, (nor expected to) but I did have him, his fiance and his boys in mind.💞

My one big food treat for the day was a little wee chocolate Rolo ice cream cone.  I was up at 4:00 this morning.   I’ll say it was worth it.

Dan made delicious ham salad wraps for supper last night. Neither of us were feeling a hot heavy meal. If it cools off a bit this week, I’m sure we will share a steak one night. 🙂

Today is all about Molly.  I’m going to do what I can with a brush this morning and we will take her to PetSmart for a nice bath.

Daily Food Diary – Day 131

Breakfast:

(1) coffee (2)

(2) egg omelet with cheese (260) (10 grams)

(3) slices bacon (130) (3.3 grams)

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

(1) tsp butter (34) (2.3 grams)

(1/2 tomato (11)

(2) potato patties (240)

Snacks:

(60) oz water

(1) Rolo ice cream cone (310) (11 grams)

Supper:

(3/4) c Ham salad (235) (4 grams)

(1) cheese tortilla wrap (170) (1.5)

(1) Bick’s Baby Dill Pickle (3)

(6) No Name lightly salted ripple chips (65) (.2 grams)

Total net calories: 1500

Net calorie goal: 1243 – 1500 = 257 over 👎

Total saturated fats: 33.1 grams

Saturated fats goal: 13.75 grams 👎

My stats for the past week show my saturated fats averaged 22 grams per day, which isn’t good, but my sodium was only 1765 mg per day, which I am really happy with. And my processed sugar was 19.58 grams which isn’t bad – but something that I still have to work on. (At 32 grams of sugar and 11 grams of saturated fats, that Rolo ice cream cone did some damage even to my weekly stats. 🙂)

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! 💞🌞