Tag: healthy living

Daily Food Diary – Day 273 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is my  273rd consecutive day of posting my Daily Food Diary! 🎀

For some reason it is getting harder to post in the morning these days, but I am getting it done. 🙂

I get up early enough to see the sun rise…and to see weird alien clouds across the street.

Today is shaping up to be another relatively quiet day.  I have my aerobics and light weights to do, a bit of touching up around the house, and I will hopefully get the Jeep cleaned today. 

My big excitement will be venturing over to granddaughter Maddy’s school tonight to pick her up after her band retreat.  It’s only a few blocks from here so the only real challenge will be dealing with the other parents and grandparents who will be doing likewise.   I cannot imagine how this school has such huge band events.   It is nuts just dropping her off at a regular early morning band practice.

Maddy and I went to see a friend of hers who was involved in a band/choir event at his school a few months ago.  There were about fifty people there including the performers.  And there are way more students attending his school. 😧

Anyway, I have things to do so I should get on with it.

Daily Food Diary – Day 273

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(3) crumpets (240)

(2) tsp butter 68)

(1) tbsp jam (50)

Lunch:

(1/2) c beef broth (15)

(10) low salt ripple chips (75)

(1/2) PC Chocolate Coconut Brownies (60)

Snacks:

(1/3) c mixed nuts (216)

(48) oz water

Supper:

(1) lg dinner salad – lettuce, spinach, radishes, cauliflower, green onions, dried fried onions, sesame seeds, salad dressing (256)

(2) chicken drumsticks (401)

(1) PC Chocolate Amaretto cheesecake (257)

Total consumed calories: 1641

Total used calories: 489

(30) min walking (53)

(30) min aerobics (176)

(30) min treadmill (59)

(1) hour housework (202

Total net calories: 1152

Net calories goal: 1229 – 1152 = 78 under 👍

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 272 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

This is Day 272 of my Daily Food Diary! 💖

This is also September 30th – mere hours away from October.   It is beautiful out now, with a bit of wind, and forecast to reach 29 degrees Celsius (84 F).  👍

Dan went golfing a few days ago.  The lack of leaves on the fairway was amazing for this time of year!

I am having a good if somewhat muddled day, but I have been for a walk with Dan and Molly.  I have done my aerobics. I am ready to start some laundry as soon as I am done my blog.  And the plan is to clean the inside of the Jeep and do thirty minutes on the treadmill before supper.

My plan yesterday, was to do my treadmill but I tweaked my back walking Molly in the morning.  After Dan rubbed it with CBD cream, I felt so much better I fell asleep at 8 pm and basically slept through the night.   At some point I got off my recliner and went to bed. 🙄

Daily Food Diary – Day 272

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) granola bar (160)

Lunch:

(1/2) c beef broth  (15)

Snacks:

(6) hint of lime tortilla chips (150)

(1) PC puffed wheat cake (226)

(48) oz water

Supper:

(2) servings pork fried rice (894)

(12) oz carbonated water

Total consumed calories: 1447

Total used calories: 445

(30) min aerobics (176)

(30) min light weights (73)

(30) min walk (53)

(30) min food prep & cooking (56)

(30) min yard and garden (88)

Total net calories: 1002

Net calories goal: 1229 – 1002 = 227 under 👍

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

A bit of color in Regent Park, but most of the leaves are still on the trees in the city as well! 🤩

Daily Food Diary – Day 269 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 269 of my Daily Food Diary. 💝

Yesterday was a pretty good day in the life of.  I did forget to do my weights after my aerobics and never did get back to them but that is okay.  I will do them today, as well as my aerobics and treadmill.

I made the second of two cheesecakes I had planned to make this week.  The first one was Blueberry, this one Amaretto, chocolate, and Skorr Bits.

We haven’t tasted it yet, but it looks doable.

Granddaughter Genie dropped by after work to pick up some baking.  As usual, we enjoyed the visit and Molly was besides herself.

Today, I am making a large roaster of Smoked Beans to be divided between Jen & girls, Genie & Alec, and us.

It must be fall, I am enjoying my kitchen time. ☺️

Daily Food Diary – Day 269

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) c Cheerios (147)

(1/4) c milk

Lunch:

(1/2) c chicken broth (5)

(1) c Apple crisp (227)

Supper:

(1 1/2) servings nachos w/minced turkey (870)

Total consumed calories: 1279

Total used calories: 287

(30) min. Aerobics (176)

(1) hour food prep/cooking/cleanup (111)

Total net calories: 992

Net calories goal: 1229 – 992 = 237 under

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 261 of 365 Days

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today it is 261 Days since I started posting my Daily Food Diary. 💓

Today it is also my sister Elaine’s BIRTHDAY!

Happy Birthday Elaine! 🎈

Speaking of birthday cake… I love cake, I love icing, and I especially love the icing on commercially made cakes. 👍

Unfortunately, I (as well as my daughter and her daughters) cannot eat yeast and commercially baked anything these days is made with powdered egg whites – which are made with yeast. 

That is just one of the allergy/ intolerances discoveries that I have made recently. 

A few weeks ago, I ate something that should have been perfectly fine.  I immediately got seriously bloated and started experiencing violent abdominal cramps.  🙄

I checked the ingredients and the only thing that was slightly questionable was that the product contained palm oil.  I decided to keep that in mind.

A couple of days later, daughter Jen messaged  me that she was violently ill.  She sent me the nutritional label/ingredient list for what she had just eaten…and it noted  palm oil.

I have been fine since, but Jen has been checking anything she eats for palm oil (she has several severe food allergies so she is generally extra careful). 

She has not been feeling well for some time and been experiencing allergy type issues – but she couldn’t pinpoint the issue.

This morning she messaged me that she happened to notice that the margarine that she has been using for cooking and baking has palm oil in it now. 

No doubt, palm oil is becoming as ubiquitous as yeast!

That is the issue I have with a number of professionals – business administrators, doctors, investment counsellors, chefs apparently… They find one thing that works and that becomes the norm for the entire industry  – until it turns out that the norm doesn’t work all that well. (At least for some  of their customers) 🤦

In the meantime  buyer beware, be mindful, be alert…

Daily Food Diary – Day 261

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) paratha (240)

(1) tbsp jam (50)

(1) tbsp peanut butter (105)

Lunch:

(1 1/2) oz ham (43)

(1) tomato (22)

(12) Doritos (153)

Snacks:

(1) vodka Caesar (168)

(48) oz water

(12) oz lemon water

Supper:

(11) chicken air fried wing flats (468)

(2) tbsp Frank’s Honey Garlic sauce (80)

(1) Serving Caesar Salad (250)

(1) c Apple crisp (227)

Total calories consumed: 1808

Total calories used: 439

(30) min aerobics (176)

(30) min walking (53)

(30) min garden/yardwork (88)

(30) min housework (67)

(30) min food prep/cooking (56)

Total net calories: 1369

Net calories goal: 1229 – 1369 = 139 over

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 259 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 259 of my Daily Food Diary.  That is a full 37 WEEKS! 😊💞 I remember celebrating my first week in.  I thought that was a major accomplishment at the time. 😂

I found a photo of my high school year book entry recently.  (I have no idea why it is black and white.  I am pretty sure color was a thing in 1973. 🤦)

Two things of note here: 

It is funny how much I thought I knew when I graduated.  😂 I was so naive and clueless but I thought I knew myself and everything about the world around me.

And… I still have no idea where I am going or  where I will end up  (or what places this adventure will take me along the way).  I do however, totally believe that I am on the right path. 👍

At seventy years old, I do not know everything, but I have stopped talking to plastic cows – so there is that!

I am feeling great this morning but Molly and Dan went walking without me due to another foggy morning.  I will be doing my aerobics, weights, and treadmill – indoors, with the dehumidifier doing its magic.

Daily Food Diary – Day 259

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) c Cheerios (147)

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

Lunch:

(4) slices shaved turkey (60)

(1) medium tomato (22)

(12) Lightly salted Lay’s chips (160)

Snacks:

(1/3) c mixed nuts (216)

(1/2) c chicken broth (10)

(48) oz water

Supper:

(1) sm. Taco Time Mexi Fries (265)

(1)Taco Time Crisp Meat Burrito (428)

(2) Taco Time Hard Shell Tacos (520)

(1) 355 ml can RootBeer (170)

Total Calories consumed: 2028

Total calories used: 363

(30) min. Walk (53)

(30) min. Aerobics (176)

(1) hour house cleaning (135)

Total net calories: 1665

Net Calorie Goal: 1229 – 1665 = 435 over 👎

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 255 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 255 of my Daily Food Diary! 💝

Yesterday and today our weather has been WARM and WET.  I think we have gotten more rain in these two days than we have had all summer.  And the humidity is through the roof!

Things are looking green and clean around here, but I can’t imagine that this is what the farmers need right now.

I am taking one final (regular) workout day off  today but I am excited about getting back into my routine on Monday.  It will be fun to see what I can do on our ‘new to us’ treadmill, now that my lung infection is cleared up.

Today, I will proceed with my fall cleaning and do a bit of baking.

Dan picked up a nice bag of apples yesterday, so I am going to make a double batch of Apple Crisp to split with Jen and Genie.   They are both excited and it will save everyone here from reading about Dan and I eating one piece of Apple Crisp a day for the next month. 😊

The flower pots are some of the ones that Dan bought this week to use on the new plant rack he is making next summer,  using  a  repurposed pool ladder. 

Daily Food Diary – Day 255

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) c Cheerios (147)

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

Lunch:

(12) Doritos (153)

(2) oz shaved turkey (60)

(1) small tomato (22)

Snacks:

(1/3) c mixed nuts (216)

(1/2) c beef broth (5)

Supper:

(1 1/2) servings nachos (975)

Total calories consumed: 1608

Total calories used: 360

(30) min. cooking (56)

(1 1/2) hour house cleaning (202)

(30) min. pet care (103)

Total net calories: 1248

Net calorie goal: 1229 – 1248 = 18 over 👎

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

A younger Genie at Wascana Park

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 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 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! ☺️💗