Tag: nutrition

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 73 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is 73 Days since I started my Daily Food Diary.   As much as I could lose a few more pounds, this exercise is more about eating well than it is about restricting calories.

I went into this with three chronic lung conditions – asthma, COPD, and bronchiectasis.  Proper nutrition is only part of my routine to keep these issues in check.  I exercise, I see a respiratory specialist and a respiratory therapist regularly, I use inhalers,  and antibiotics with oral steroids for flare-ups, and I get regular vaccines. 👍

I also went into this exercise with a failed epigastric hernia repair from three years ago.  On February 24th, I went to see a surgeon about having this repaired. 

My hernia is bothersome on occasion and a bit dangerous to ignore,  so it has to be done.  Heading out for my appointment, I was fine.  Dan was driving, we were going to the Pasqua Hospital (a few blocks from home),  the repair I had done last time was laparoscopic surgery done under local anaesthetic. No big deal!

Except, due to delays in traffic, parking issues, and a mix-up at the hospital, we were cutting it close timewise for my appointment.  My stress ramped up, my stress triggered my asthma, and I walked into the surgeon’s office having an uncontrollable coughing fit.

The appointment went as well as possible, but the surgeon decided that he was putting me under anesthesia for the procedure. (It is difficult to do this kind of thing when someone is coughing their lungs out).

I came home upset, demoralized, and annoyed that I try so hard to manage my lung issues and I had failed,  again, big time!  

After a short pity part, I pulled it together.  I got on with my respiratory management routine and soldiered on.

Then, I went for a CT scan that the surgeon had ordered.  On top of a couple of other issues, the scan showed that I now have a NEW lung issue – bronchiolitis.  Seriously!

Cue another pity party, cue another comeback – this time more intense and determined than ever.  Not just to make my lungs stronger but to destroy the stress and anxiety issues that I have battled with forever.

So.. more exercise – more focused and intense,  I switched up my bedtime meditation for Goggins inspirational podcasts/videos, I got an herbal brew  from our local health food store.  I am getting outside for more fresh air and exercise!  👍

And our weather tanked.  More cold, more wind, more wet snow.   Not good for my lungs.   Another pity party… 🤦

Yesterday, I had it together!  I decided to stay indoors and do a serious house cleaning & laundry including bedding.

And our power went out – for hours.  I decided to forgo the pity party.  I messaged my sister Elaine and we chatted back and forth for the duration, exchanging  meal plans and shopping wins (and losses 😂).

It was a good chat and it was good for the soul – much better than another pity party.  🙂

Food Diary:

Breakfast:

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

(2) eggs (180) (14)

(3) slices back bacon (52) (2)

(2) potato patties (240) (2)

Snack:

(24) oz water

(2) oz Dill Pickle peanuts (324) (14.2)

Supper:

(12) oz carbonated water

(1) Burrito –

     (1) Tortilla wrap (170) (5)

     (4) Oz ground beef (280) (19)

     (1) c mixed veggies – onion, red pepper, black olives, mushrooms, oriental cabbage (68) (2.4)

     (1) Tbsp taco sauce

     (2) Oz shredded cheddar (114) (7)

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

Total calories: 1600

Total Protein: 76.9 grams

Protein goal per day: 46- 58 grams

Notes:

  1. I am fairly certain that Molly, our picky Pyrenees, would not be caught dead eating a dill pickle – but if I have Dill Pickle Peanuts, Molly has Dill Pickle Peanuts.
  2. Dan and I made supper together last night, and yes he shredded oriental cabbage for the burritos. (The celery I took out didn’t make the cut… 🙄) Once the cabbage was cooked with the rest of the  burrito filling,  there was no trace of it.   (I trust the nutrients remained? 🤔)

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 71 of 365 

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It has been 71 days since I began my Daily Food Diary.   It has become an important part of my personal healthcare, but it is only one part.

Keeping active is a part that I have been working on for the past three years.  I do aerobics every morning, I dance when the urge hits me, I do strength training with light weights three times a week (when I am not waiting for hernia surgery), and I love to walk – especially when the weather is nice and the path is free of snow and ice.

We are fortunate to have miles and miles of well kept paths in and around our city.  Some of those ‘around’ the city are more challenging, but most are easily walkable. 

When I am out walking, one thing that I generally notice is the lack of others who are likewise out and about.    Regardless of season, weather,  time of day, or path we choose,  these well kept paths are  a lifeless stretch as far as the eye can see (other than squirrels or geese). AND… In Saskatchewan, we can generally see pretty far. 

Walking in nature is such an easy and awesome way to improve and maintain our health and well being.    I can’t imagine why our paths seem so under utilized.  Is this normal?

Food Diary – Day 71

Breakfast:

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

(1) Plain Paratha (240) (7)

(1) Tbsp Peanut Butter (105) (4)

(2) Tsp jam (33) (.1)

Snacks:

(24) oz water

(1) c tea

(1/2) c raspberries (32) (.7)

(1 1/2) pc matrimonial cake (208) (1.5)

(25) Lay’s Salt & Vinegar chips (230) (2)

Supper:

(2) servings Chicken Caesar Salad (700) (16)

(2) slices bacon (87) (5.9)

(2) tbsp dried fried onions (33)

(12) oz carbonated water

Total Calories: 1671

Total Protein:  37.5 grams

Protein goal for the 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 69 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

I have been recording and posting everything that I consume for the past sixty nine days.   Being mindful of every single thing that I eat is a bit challenging, less so as time goes on.   Being mindful that everything I eat (at least at mealtimes), also affects what Dan eats, is slightly more challenging.  It isn’t that much of an issue.  Having been married for almost twenty six years, we have worked out meal plans that work for both of us.

Then there is Molly!

Molly is fed Blue Buffalo dog food, two cups twice a day – plus the occasional dog treat, popcorn, or nut.  For the past several months, we have been putting one Omega gel cap in with her morning food.   Molly would get up every morning, head outside to do her business, walk the perimeter of our yard to make sure everything was in order, and come back in the house to snarf down her breakfast – including the Omega. 

A few days ago, Molly decided that she was offended by the Omega gel cap.  She would balk at eating her food, take the Omega out and place it on a small mat, and finally eat her food.  THEN, she decided she could not eat until she removed the offending gel cap AND we dumped her food and replaced it with fresh, non Omega tainted food.

This week, Molly will eat her breakfast AND her Omega, BUT only if she sees Dan putting her food and the Omega into her bowl.

Trying to improve my eating habits, and Dan’s by default,  has its challenges.   Living with a Pyrenees – and feeding one, these days, takes that challenge to a  whole new level. 🤦

Food Diary – Day 69

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)  (.3)

(1) c Honeynut Cheerios (147) (2.7)

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

Snacks:

(24) oz water

(1) c Tumeric Tea

(2) pc’s  matrimonial cake (278) (2)

Supper:

(12) oz carbonated water

(1/2) c brown beans (300) (20)

(3) Pork Spare Ribs  (300) (16)

(1) Side salad with dressing and dried fried onions  (180) (7.7)

(20) oz water (after supper)

Total calories: 1238

Total Protein: 50.7 grams

Daily goal for protein: 46 to 58.5 grams

* The recipe I used for the matrimonial cake called for Maple Syrup instead of sugar, plus it omitted the lemon juice,  in the date filling.  I am not sure why it would need Maple Syrup or sugar with dates.  We didn’t notice the difference in taste using the Maple Syrup, but I certainly missed the lemon juice! 

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 68 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

I am 68 days into tracking everything I consume in a day and recording it in my Daily Food Diary. 

This daily practice is part of my personal health and fitness journey that I began three years and one month ago. 

My ‘why’ at the time was just being sick and tired of being sick and tired.  Over the past thirty seven months my ‘why’ has changed and evolved.  Overall,  I feel healthy and strong and I want to stay that way – and continue to get healthier and stronger.    I love fitting into clothes that I hadn’t worn for years.  I love knowing that I am doing my best to avoid being a burden to our already overburdened health system. I love being able to easily do things that I struggled with for years. 

For years, I struggled to do my own hair. Reaching my arms up to hold a curling iron or a blow drier was exhausting and beyond painful.   A few months ago, I was told that this is normal for people with lung disease.  People with lung diseases – asthma, COPD, bronchiectasis, or bronchiolitis (I have been diagnosed with all four) find it difficult to lift their arms due to physiological changes caused by lung disease. 

For the past thirty seven months, I have been doing aerobics six mornings a week.  (I did miss a very few weeks due to illness, a broken arm, etc).

I still have chronic respiratory issues and I always will,  to some degree.  But!   I do not struggle to do my own hair.  I can wave my arms in the air, LIKE I JUST DON’T CARE, anytime anywhere – for any reason!

The freedom to move as I want, when I want, is ‘WHY’ enough to keep moving forward on my health and fitness journey,  but I do it for this and for so much more!

Food Diary – Day 68

Breakfast:

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

(2) scrambled eggs (196) (12)

(3) thin sliced bacon (130) (8.9)

(26) oz water

Snacks:

(1) c Licorice tea

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

(1/4) c sunflower seeds (180) (6)

Supper:

(14) oz water

(2) c homemade wonton soup (250) (19)

(2/3) c Butter Pecan Ice Cream with extra pecans and  butterscotch & chocolate topping(415) (5)

Total Calories: 1322

Total Protein: 53.2 grams

Protein Goal for the Day:  46 to 58.5 grams

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 67 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is 67 days since I began tracking everything I consume each day.   This is just another step to living a healthy lifestyle.

Fresh air and exercise are both important to  me as well.  Yesterday, I nailed both with a nice walk along the bike paths in the A. E. Wilson Park on the west side of Regina.  It is a huge park with playgrounds, a toboggan hill, a creek opening up into at least one small lake, open prairie, and miles of well maintained paths for bikers, hikers, and dogs to enjoy.

It was warm enough to take my gloves off, so I took a few photos. You might have to zoom in to see what I was trying to take a picture of.  🙄

Canada Geese by the open water
Dan & Molly – Molly was excellent yesterday, even when we encountered other dogs. 👍
Bunnies in the snow

Food Diary – Day 67

Breakfast:

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

(2) potato patties (240) (2)

(2) Eggs with ham and green onions pan fried in olive oil (260) (24)

Snack:

(24) oz water

(1) c tea

(1/3) c Dill Pickle peanuts (170) (8)

(1/2) c Raspberries (32) (.7)

(1) Vodka Caesar with Pickled Asparagus                   (178) (3)

Supper:

(1) c Homemade Bacon Beans (300) (12)

(2) Hotdogs (no bun) (360) (12)

(1) Side Salad with dressing & dried fried onions  (160) (5)

(14) oz water

Total Calories: 1702

Total Protein: 67 grams

Protein Daily Goal: 46-58 grams

Notes:

  1. It has been a few weeks since Dan bought me a cruet for olive oil to keep on the cupboard next to the stove.   We have been using the oil for any pan frying, instead of butter.   It has been a simple and painless cut to a less healthy option.
  2. The baked beans yesterday were amazing.  I found a recipe that we both like.   I did switch out the one cup of tomato juice and five cups of water for two cups of tomato juice and four cups of home made chicken broth.         https://www.food.com/recipe/crock-pot-baked-beans-in-tomato-sauce-341593

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 65 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It has been 65 days since I started to monitor what I consume in a day.  AND… It has been just over 3 years since I started working on my overall health and fitness with exercise, fresh air, and meditation.

I have been encouraged by the benefits that I have experienced along the way.   Recently, I have celebrated excellent results on blood tests, a slight drop in weight, and  perfect blood pressure readings.    Yay me!

The only health issue I have experienced has been ongoing problems with my epigastric hernia.  Recently, I saw a surgeon who sent me for a ct scan to check out the exact details before he goes in for the repair.

I went in for the scan last Sunday,  feeling confident that the only thing of note on the report would be the details of my hernia.  That report showed up on my Saskatchewan Health Account a couple of days ago.

The report noted the hernia details.  It included numerous non hernia related details.   Everything was normal and healthy from my liver to my spleen, and other internal bits and pieces. 

Then things started to get a bit disturbing…

VASCULATURE:  Normal caliber mildly
atherosclerotic abdominal aorta. (Not bad but why is my abdominal aorta anything short of perfect?)

BONES/SOFT TISSUES:  L5-S1 advanced disc height loss and bilateral pars
defects with associated grade 1 anterolisthesis. (Google notes this is a slipped disk, suggests pain management.  Which could be a plan, except I have never experienced any pain in my spine or radiating elsewhere – so there is that.)

PELVIS: The bladder is collapsed.  (News to me and I have had  zero symptoms.)

LUNGS:   Diffuse bronchiectasis of the visualized lungs with tree-in-bud nodularity within the lower lobes is suggestive of small airway disease such as infectious bronchiolitis. (No indication of infection in blood tests taken last week 🙄.)

The only really disturbing note is the one regarding the new lung issue.  I have already been diagnosed with asthma, COPD, and bronchiectasis 🙄. I should probably call my respiratory specialist to see if this is anything worth checking into.   😢

Food Diary – Day 65

Breakfast:

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

(2) potato patties (240) (.2)

(3)strips bacon (130) (8.9)

(2) eggs (160) (14)

(24) oz water

Snack:

(1) c licorice tea

(1/3) c almonds and cashews (192) (6.6)

Supper:

(1) c linguine with sauce (270) (9)

(9) large shrimps (180) (34.5)

(1/2) c asparagus with butter (47) (1.5)

(1) Side salad with French Dressing (210) (5)

(12) oz carbonated water

Total Calories: 1431

Total Protein: 81.8 grams 😯

Protein daily goal: 46 to 58.5 grams

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 64 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness, Uncategorized

I have been tracking, recording, and blogging everything that I have consumed for the past 64 days.  I haven’t been obsessing over everything I eat, but I have noticed one change in my eating habits.

Through January and into February, I had a lot of cravings or urges to eat or drink empty calories – a root beer here, a cookie there.  I had to make a deliberate effort NOT to nibble and snack from the time I got up to the time I went to bed.  Lately, that is no longer an issue.   Unless, I am sitting down to have a meal, or our afternoon tea and snack, I just go about my day – sipping on my water bottle and oblivious to the tempting  snack type foods on the table or in the pantry.

Due to this one change in habit more than anything, I am excited to report that as of this morning, my weight is down to 128 Pounds. On January 1st, I recorded my weight at 133.5 pounds, so I am happy with the progress I have made so far. 🤗

Food Diary – Day 64

Breakfast

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

(1) c Shreddies (200) (6))

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

Lunch

(1/2) c dark chicken (267) (4.9)

(1/2) c coleslaw (74) (1.2)

(25) Lay’s salt & vinegar chips (230) (2)

Snacks

(1/3) c mixed salted nuts with peanuts (85) (8)

(1) c green  tea  (2) (-)

Supper

(3) c chicken Caesar salad (350) (8)

(2) slices thin sliced bacon (87) (5.9)

(1) PC Chocolate Fudge Cake (300) (40.3)

Total Calories: 1759

Total Protein: 40.3 grams

Daily protein goal: 46 to 58.5 grand

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

Dan’s Bleeding Heart  – Daughter Jen and Granddaughter Genie keep replacing them  when our winters prove too much for them. 💞