Tag: hydration

Daily Food Diary – Day 89

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It has been 89 Days since I started my Daily Food Diary.  Some days look better than others. 

This one missed the mark. I went over on calories and I went under on protein.  But, if I average the calories and the protein for the past week, it does average out.  And if I take a panoramic view of how I am doing lately, I am not disappointed.

I have been working at improving my water intake.  I was drifting back to my pre diary days for a while, so have been working on a correction there.  I have also been foregoing the carbonated water for regular filtered water.   I read lately that carbonated water is not recommended for people like me, with lung issues. We will see if this helps.

With the cold wind finally dying down, Dan and Molly, and I went walking yesterday.  We stayed in our neighbourhood, traveling down sidewalks that are still covered with ice ruts, snow, and water.   It doesn’t relate well to what I can claim for calories burnt but it is walking, at a slow pace, all stumbling and sliding aside.  One doesn’t get credit for staying upright for the duration – or for the fresh air that helps my lungs.

I have been sleeping well, using my soft headphones to listen to sleep meditations when I go to bed at night. 

And I have been making progress with my stress and anxiety management, which is huge for controlling my asthma, COPD, and bronchiectasis.

Overall, my life is pretty good, and I am doing a pretty solid job of managing my health and wellness.  Candy coated Easter eggs aside… And spoiler alert, if you thought that matrimonial cake went on forever, don’t hold your breath waiting for me to polish off my JUMBO bag of Easter Eggs. 🙄

Food Diary – Day 89

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2) (.3)

(1) fried leftover baked potato (139) (3.7)

(2) eggs (160) (14)

(3) sm. Slices bacon (130) (8.9)

(1) tsp olive oil (79)

(3) tsp butter (103) (.1)

Snacks:

(1) c Lemon Ginger tea

(27) Old Dutch salt & vinegar chips (250) (2)

(1/2) Cup Sunflower seeds – (120) (4)

(6) candy coated mini Easter Eggs (85) (2.4)

(48) oz water

Supper:

(1) 8 oz bowl Cream of Asparagus Soup (278) (15.3)

(5) soda crackers

Total calories: 1409

Less 75 calories (walking) = 1334 Calories

Daily Goal: 1269 calories – 1334 = 65 OVER

Total Protein: 51.1 grams

Protein Goal: 46-58.5 grams

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 84 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is 84 days (11 Weeks) since I started my Daily Food Diary.   It is incredible how quickly the weeks go by.

When I started this diary, we were heading into a brutal winter.  We have left that behind as we now head into spring.  Yesterday, we had our back door open so we could let the fresh air in and Molly could come and go on her own. 

Spring is easily my favourite season of the year! It is the promise of summer – without the bugs.  It is ultimately great grass and trees, flowers, and sunshine! What is not to love?

Spring Dogs.. 😳

Daily Food Diary – Day 84

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2) (.3)

(1) c Raisin Bran Crunch (190) (3)

(1/4) c milk (31) (2)

Lunch:

(1) Granola Bar (160) (3)

(12) oz water

Snack:

(1) c licorice tea

Supper:

(12) oz carbonated water

Chef Salad…

(2) c Romaine Lettuce (12) (.9)

(2) Radishes (3) (.1)

(10) slices cucumber (10) (.4)

(1/2) tomato (11) (.5)

(1/4) c green onions (10) (1)

(3) oz baked ham (140) (14)

(1/3) c shredded cheese (137) (8.4)

(2) hard boiled eggs (156) (14.1)

(1 1/2) tsp sunflower seeds (135) (4.5)

(3) tbsp Peppercorn Ranch dressing (165)

(2) tbsp French’s dry fried onions (200) (8)

Total Calories: 1362

Less 126 calories for 30 minutes aerobics

Net Calories: 1236

Daily Net Calorie Goal:  1269 – 1236 = under 33

Total Protein: 60.2 grams

Daily Protein Goal:  46 to 58.5 grams

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

Happy Belated Birthday to Madison, who turned 15 years old the day BEFORE her sister Prim turned 13. 🤦🎂
 Grandma and Grandpa have ALWAYS known this because Mom went to the hospital as soon as we finished celebrating your second birthday. 🙄🎂

It is impossible to believe our little girls have grown up so fast! We love you both and we are so proud of both of you!

Daily Food Diary – Day 80 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

I am 80 days into my 365 day Daily Food Diary.  There’s only 285 more days to go before I will have to find something else to do first thing every morning.  With my hernia repair hopefully behind me, I am considering upping my daily activity by starting a 365 day Daily Workout Diary. 💪

Right now,  I am maintaining my morning aerobics.  I have been doing You Tube aerobic workouts for over two years now.  While the results have been subtle, they have been there.  I have lost +30 pounds, toned up my body, improved my lung function and  increased my stamina.  I have also  noticed a major improvement in my flexibility and balance – two things that are of major importance as I will soon be in my seventies.  Being able to move forward easily and confidently, is a huge win!

Dan, Molly, and I have also been out doing more walking, with the official arrival of spring this week.  I love walking and  spending dedicated time with Dan and Molly. 

I am looking forward to getting back to more strength training, once my repair is done.  Working with weights – even light weights is important to maintaining muscle and bones.  

I am still looking at  moving outside of my comfort zone and trying some of the  professional workout facilities around the city.   We have a variety of gyms, indoor tracks, climbing walls, trampoline parks… and more.  A Daily Workout Diary – especially one that I posted on here – would definitely give me the incentive to get out and do it.   Hmmm…

Daily Food Diary – Day 80

Breakfast:

1 c coffee (2) (.3)

1 c Cheerios (147) (2.7)

(1/4) c milk (31) (2)

Snacks:

(2) pc Matrimonial Cake (278) (2)

(1) c Licorice Tea

(1/2) c Sunflower Seeds -inc shell (120) (4)

(26) oz water

Supper:

(4) oz Drake Sausage (380) (32)

(1/2) c Sauerkraut (20)

(7) Cheemo Pierogies (385) (10.5)

(1) tbsp Butter (103) (.1)

(1) med. Onion (46) (1.4)

(2) tbsp onion chip dip (45) (2)

(12) oz carbonated water

Total Calories:  1557

Total Protein: 57 Grams

Daily Protein Goal: 46 to 58.5 grams

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 78 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

I am 78 DAYS in and still showing up every morning to post my Daily Food Diary.  It is a small, simple act,  but it is becoming an important part of starting my day on the right track.  Every morning, I commit  to being accountable for my health and wellness.

It is not just about my physical well-being.  My mental and emotional health, affect my physical health.  My lung issues are triggered by stress, so I  have been focussing on dialing it down. 

This cracked me up when it popped up on my Facebook feed the other day.  It’s funny because it’s true. 😂

Stress and anxiety have been an ongoing issue for my entire life.   I have dialed it down A LOT in the past few years, especially since I retired.  But it is still an issue.

I work on it before I go to sleep – listening to soothing music, guided meditations, or inspiring videos.  And I work on it in the morning – by setting my health and wellness as a priority – body, mind, and soul.  Because it doesn’t just happen.  We have to make it happen. 😉

Food Diary – Day 78

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2) (.3)

(2) Potato Patties (240) (2)

(2) Eggs (160) (14)

(3) Slices back bacon (52) (12)

Snacks:

(1) c Cherry Trifle Tea

(1/2) pkg Popcorn (160) (2)

(1) pc Matrimonial Cake (139) (1)

(24) oz water

Supper:

(12) oz carbonated water

(1) porkchops (177) (26)

(1/2) pkg Ramen Noodles (190) (5)

(1) c broccoli (60) (9)

(1) tsp butter (34)

Total Calories: 1215

Total Protein: 71.3 grams

Protein goal per day: 46 to 58.5 grams

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 77 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is 77 Days since I started my Daily Food Diary.  That is 11 Weeks! By the time I knock off another 41 weeks, I might be addicted to this morning exercise and being mindful of what I consume on a regular basis.

Another thing I could easily become addicted to is getting out walking with Dan and Molly. 

Yesterday we ventured down to Waterfall Park.  Our temps were still well in the chilly range, there was yet another fresh layer of snow, and I was walking on an iffy ankle and a slightly wobbly knee.  But… The only hard part is taking the first step (after I put on my sweater, ski pants, boots, jacket, and gloves 🙄).

Once we got to the park, it was all good.  I took Molly’s lead and we made out fairly well.  My knee and ankle felt fine and we even ventured down an unfamiliar path.  It was not as groomed as our regular ones and there was a steep drop off of both sides – one side leading down to the creek.  Molly and I managed to both stay upright.    Dan caught sight of three dogs and a group of kids approaching, so he took Molly’s lead.  It was all good – until Molly’s collar came apart for some reason.   Dan was able to hold onto her while I got the collar back together.  It is a heavy duty pinch collar, with steel links that are almost impossible to take apart and to replace.  Apparently, it just takes the perfect move to slip it apart!  I lucked out getting it back together.

This shot was from a couple of days ago but shows Molly in her element.

The rest of the walk was uneventful. When we got home, Dan brought Molly in and made our tea.  I spent a few minutes shoveling our front walks before I joined them.  At the end of the day, my left knee was fine, my right ankle was fine – and my left foot had a weird kink in it.  It is still bothering me a bit this morning, but I am sure I can walk that off when we head out today.  🙂

Food Diary – Day 77

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2) (.3)

(1/2) Grapefruit (41) (.8)

(1) tsp sugar (16)

(1) Granola Bar (160) (3)

Lunch:

(24) oz water

(1/2) Beef burrito (308) (15)

Snacks:

(1) c Lemon Ginger tea

(25) Lay’s Classic chips (160) (2)

Supper:

(12) oz carbonated water

(1) lg. Taco Salad (520) (16)

(6) Hint of Lime chips (150) (2)

Total Calories: 1357

Total Protein: 39.1 grams

Daily Protein Goal: 46 to 58.5 grams

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 74 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is 74 days since I headed down this rabbit hole of tracking and posting everything I consume each day. 

Some days, I impress myself.  Some days, not so much!  Yesterday would be  ‘not so much’.

First off, there was the lack of any fruit and very little vegetables.  There was nothing in the fresh fruit or vegetable category.  I have noticed for the past three months that I haven’t been eating much fruit or vegetables – fresh or otherwise.  I do eat a lot of both in the summer but I am going to have to start working  on the other nine months of the year.

Second, this month I have been tracking my protein intake.  It is almost always higher than I would have thought.  Yesterday, I set a dubious record. I did a particularly intense aerobics workout yesterday morning  AND I went outside to get some fresh air yesterday afternoon. While I was outside, I shovelled the snow off of all of our walks, broke up and cleared away some ice, and I did my deep breathing exercises to clear my lungs.  Maybe I needed all that protein? 🤔

I have made progress on the quality of my snacks.  I have cut back on potato chips and that Root Beer that has been sitting on the little table in the porch taunting me is still there.

I have decided  that in April  I am going to track my processed sugar consumption. A woman is supposed to limit her daily sugar consumption to 25 GRAMS.   With that Root Beer weighing in at a hefty 46 GRAMS, it might be sitting there until we go to stay with Lucas and Cason in a few weeks.   They are active enough to burn off a little extra sugar. 👍

Cason & Lucas with their big sister Gabby

Food Diary – Day 74

Breakfast

(1) c coffee (2) (.3)

(1) c Shreddies (200) (6)

(1/4) c milk (31) (2)

(1) tsp sugar (16)

Snack:

(1) c Lemon Ginger Tea

(24) oz water

Supper:

(10) chicken wing flats (425) (46)

(1) tbsp Extra Hot Frank’s Sauce

(3) Egg rolls (225) (3)

(4) Riblets (74) (12)

(12) oz carbonated water

Total Calories: 1356

Total Protein:  94 grams

Daily protein goal: 46 to 58.5 grams

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 72 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It has been 72 Days since I began my Daily Food Diary.  I do not plan  our meals for the week or the day in advance,  consider the calories involved, or the nutritional value.  For me, this exercise is about keeping a record of what we eat, watching for unhealthy trends, and ultimately making  adjustments as I progress through the year.

One thing that I have been doing, adjustment wise, has been tweaking a few recipes, and trying a few new ones.

Yesterday, for the very first time, I baked a loaf of NO YEAST Soda Bread. This was the recipe I used.

https://www.mybakingaddiction.com/irish-soda-bread/

This was my result:

Going into the oven
What came out of the oven…

Honestly, I don’t know what the hell my oven did to my soda bread.  Fresh out of the oven it tasted pretty good.  Neither Dan, nor I, had ever tasted soda bread, but it tasted much like regular bread (sweeter).  It also had a similar texture. We tried toasting it. That was a fail. Rather than toast, it dehydrated. 

I have not really missed bread since I quit eating yeast.  I have missed buttered toast with raspberry jam.  This was not the answer.   AND… I have really missed Baked French Onion Soup topped with croutons and hot melted cheese.  I have tried a couple of other options but they were NOT the answer.  I am going to try making croutons out of this Soda Bread and test them out on a couple of bowls of onion soup for Dan and I this weekend.  Wish me luck! 🤞 

I am  going to check out other Soda Bread recipes to see if I can find one with less sugar.  I don’t know how crucial the sugar is to the texture of the final product.   If anyone has  experience making soda bread, I  would be grateful for any advice!

Food Diary – Day 72

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2) (.3)

(1) c Shreddies (200) (6)

(1/4) c 2% milk (31) (2)

(2) tsp sugar (33)

Snacks:

(24) oz water

(1) c Lemon Ginger Tea

(1) Slice homemade soda bread (68) (10)

(1) tsp butter (34)

(1) tsp raspberry jam (17)

(12) Tortilla Hint of Lime chips (300) (4)

(2) Tbsp salsa (8)

Supper:

(4) oz lean roast beef (219) (29.9)

(1) tbsp horseradish (15)

(1) c mashed potatoes (113) (1.9)

(1/4) c gravy (20) (.3)

(1) tsp butter (34)

(7) asparagus spears (23) (2.5)

(1) pc Matrimonial square (139) (1)

(12) oz carbonated water

Total Calories: 1254

Total Protein: 57.9 grams

Protein goal per day: 46 to 58.5 grams

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 70 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is 70 Days since I started my Daily Food Diary.  That is 10 WEEKS! Whoo hoo! Only forty two more weeks to go.

This month, I have gone beyond tracking calories and have been tracking how many grams of protein I consume in a day. 

In January, I learned how little water I drank.  I am still working on it, but I am doing better.

In February, I realized how little it takes to eat a LOT of calories.  After one stop for fast food, I realize how easy it would be to consume  thousands and thousands of extra calories a day.  

In March, I am surprised at how much protein there is in our typical meals.   I am not concerned, because I am trying to build muscle, but I am shocked.

For April, I am seriously thinking of tracking my (processed) sugar intake.   I am not sure I want to know, but I do know it is a problem. 🤦

The only thing I love more than cake is the icing! 🙄

Food Diary – Day 70 of 365

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2) (.3)

(1) c Raisin Bran (190) (3)

(1/4) c 2% milk (31) (2)

Snacks:

(24) oz water

(1) c Hibiscus Tea

(1) PC matrimonial cake (139) (1)

Supper:

(12) oz carbonated water

(6) oz lean roast beef (328) (44.8)

(2) medium onions cooked w/ roast (88) (3)

(1) c mashed potatoes (113) (1.9)

(1/3) c gravy (20) (.3)

(7) pcs asparagus (23) (2.5)

(1) tsp butter (34)

(1) tbsp horseradish (15)

(1/2) c coleslaw with dressing (114) (1.2)

Total calories: 1113

Total protein: 60 gram

Daily goal for Protein: 46 to 58.5 grams

* Six ounces of lean roast beef is a bizarre amount of roast beef, but I powered through and finished it off!  I am sure I used to order 6 oz steaks back in the day, but those days were a while ago! 😯

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 57 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

I am fifty-seven days into my Daily Food Diary.   I have been using the fitness app Lose It! For 10 days now and it gets easier and more useful every day.  I don’t know if I will ever ramp up to the paid version, but will see as time goes on.

These days, I am trying to get more active,  do more deep breathing exercises,  and focused meditation to get my lungs as functional as possible for my hernia repair.  My biggest issue going into this,   is that in recent weeks my asthma is triggered easily and often by any stress.  AND hospitals stress me out.  My surgeon is using general anesthesia to have me as relaxed as possible so I won’t have a coughing fit while he is trying to work on me – but general anesthesia is not the best for someone with my respiratory issues.  So… There is that!  (as my friend Jackie would say 😁)

Yesterday, I did make a little progress in the activity end of things – and I got some fresh air as well.  Dan and I headed down to the walking trails at the south end of the city with Molly.  I took the first shift with Molly’s leash.  That meant crossing the road, climbing over a snowbank, getting across an icy bridge and travelling down a trail  – while holding on to a hundred pound Pyrenees who was excited about being out in the snow, bopping from one side of the trail to the other, and occasionally losing her mind altogether and leaping into the deep snow beside the trail.   Half a kilometre in, I was ready to relinquish the leash to Dan so the rest of our walk was a lot less eventful – at least for me. 

Molly in her element💓

Food Diary – Day 57

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) c Shreddies with milk & sugar (287)

(1) c Vegetable stir fry (72)

(1) oz pork loin (77)

(24) oz water

(1) c tea

(1) small peach (51)

(2) c fried rice with lean pork loin and LOTS of vegetables – onions, celery, red pepper, & mushrooms (580)

(12) oz carbonated water

(1/2) bag popcorn (190)

Total calories: 1259

Using the Lose It! app I registered -206 calories for aerobics and walking.  I’m sure, I earned a few more for sharing popcorn with Molly (which is more physically challenging than one would think – but not  in their list of  exercises. 🫤)

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 31 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Down one month – eleven to go! I have maintained and posted my Daily Food Diary for a solid month.  So far,  I haven’t really changed my diet, other than trying to drink more water and  avoiding mindless snacking.  I have experienced some benefits from the effort including losing a total of three pounds this month. 👍

In February, I am going to count calories.  I did count calories in the past and I’m not a big fan of doing it to control  calories.  It works, but at what nutritional cost? In my mind, it is rather a drastic measure when used for weight loss.  I’m not  actually looking for weight loss.  I am just working on maintaining a reasonable and healthy calorie count.   In future months I am going to focus on specific nutritional targets.

Yesterday, Dan and I celebrated the end of January by taking a hike through a couple of Regina’s best parks – Wascana Lake and Waterfall Park.   I love walking and when I can walk through nature with my favourite human and our Molly dog, that is my perfect  date. 

Wascana Lake
Waterfall Park

Obviously these photos were from my archives of summer pics.  Climbing icy  inclines and stumbling along snow packed trails, in frigid temps, while holding on to a hundred pound dog is not conducive to great photography.  It is fun, a challenging workout, and it must be good for developing balance.

Food Diary – Day 31

(1) c coffee

(1) c Shreddies with 1/4 c milk

(24) oz water

(2) ginger cookies

(1) c tea

(1/2) sm bowl mixed nuts

(20) oz water

(1/2) lg chicken pot pie made with puff pastry crust

** Dan made the chicken pot pie for supper and it was amazing.  It was filled with leftover roast chicken, onions, celery, carrots, mushrooms, peas, potatoes, and gravy.

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