Tag: Sunday vibes

February 15th – Day 45  of My 2026 Daily Activity Journal

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2026, Health and Fitness

Yesterday marked the forth anniversary of my Health and Fitness Journey.

This journey has taken me to places I  could never have imagined. 

Over the past four years:

1) I have… Done things I would never have attempted to do.  (Balance has never been my friend!)

2) I have …  Met my two BEST Forever Friends 💞💞💞 (two people who both live thousands of miles away from me, who are decade(s), younger than me, and who (on the surface) couldn’t possibly have anything in common with me. 🕺💃

3) I have… Traveled the narrow gravel backroads through the Black Hills of South Dakota with my daughter – going around curves with  a five mile per hour speed limit 😳

4) I have … With my husband’s cautious approval, adopted a GIANT Molly dog!

5) I have… Attempted, and successfully completed, major challenges  – like my 2025 Daily Food Diary. 

6) I have… Lost 40 pounds and fit back into my favourite Size 6 jeans

Seventy years old and they fit like they did when I was forty! 👍
Smoke break in my laundry room with my BIL Jerry same pants! 🤣

7) I have… read books by authors I would never considered reading!

I have been reading motivational books for decades –  spiritual, academic,  or philisophical type books.

I read the likes of Wayne Dyer, Louise Hay, Norman Vincent Peale, Eckart Tolle, and Rhonda Byrne…

Over the past four years, I have expanded my reading to include authors such as James Clear (a former sports coach) and David Goggins (a former US Navy Seal, ultra marathon runner, and forest fire jumper) .   Motivation through Physical Fitness authors.

Not only have I read their books – I continue to follow them on social media! In their pages and on their posts I have acquired wisdom and practical advice that I would never have been aware of if I had stayed within my typical reading gendre. 

That is the thing about journeys that take us out of our comfort zone.. we learn, we grow, and we change!  ☺️

A couple of weeks ago, I attended an online Tony Robbins seminar.  On the final day, my husband Dan went out and bought me this poster that now hangs on our kitchen wall.    I am so fortunate that I have a husband who always has, and continues to,  support my Health & Fitness Journey.

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

January 18th – Day 15, 16 & 17  of My 2026 Daily Activity Journal

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2026, Health and Fitness

I am back! It has been a few days since  I last posted.  I haven’t been overly busy or out of commission.    I have just been plugging along.  Not much to see here!

Our winter weather has returned with a vengeance.   I did not meet my weekly goal for executing an outting.  With ice, snow, frigid temps and winds blowing from 75 to 100 kmh at times – most times – outtings were not on the agenda.

I have been doing my aerobics, treadmill time, sinus and lung clearing… the usual.  It is far from from fascinating to write (or read) about.  But, it is the dull, persistent, consistent efforts that ultimately pay off – regardless of what one’s  goals are.

Yesterday, Dan and I  made a pot of chicken noodle soup for supper. That warmed us up. The cheese baking powder biscuits rounded off the meal nicely.

This morning, I had a bath, did my hair, and put on a dress that my niece Brigette sent up before Christmas.

It felt good to dress up for a change!  Also, this dress is so warm and comfortable I could live in it. 😁

It was a timely decision, as shortly thereafter granddaughter Genie showed up.  She returned some containers from Christmas baking. 👍 We had tea and a nice long chat. 

Her Jeep Cherokee is in need of a major differential repair so her and Grandpa bonded over some vehicle talk.

Molly was beside herself, as is usual when her favourite human drops by.

That’s it for today.   Tomorrow, I hope to get outside to clear some snow  off of  our walks and to get some fresh air in the process. 

Take care and have a great day! 🤗💞

January 11th – Day 10 of My 2026 Daily Activity Journal

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2026, Health and Fitness

Today is Sunday – almost midway through January!  This year, much like the past few, seems to be flying by.

I should be deep into hibernation mode by now, but life does not seem to be co-operating.  Yesterday, I was ready for a nice relaxing day, but Microsoft decided to pick a fight.  I would say I won, but while I may or may not have saved my account from some hacker, I have locked myself out of my phone.  I can gain access by entering my handy dandy new PIN code, but that has already gotten old.

Our weather is likewise failing to co-operate.  While we should be facing frigid temps, cloudy skies, and occasional blizzards – we have clear skies, above freezing temps and the only snow we have has packed down to a solid sheet of ice. Other than the ice, I can live with this, but it does make hibernating a challenge.

I continue to work on my winter crochet project.

I have now formed three balls of yarns out of skeins that had self destructed.   I also made two flowers which I tossed due to their less than professional appearance.  I will give it a couple of more tries before I move on.   Maybe I possess more skills creating fluffy pastel insects…

This week I am planning on another fieldtrip – either to Walmart or to our Victoria Square Mall. 

I have always been partial to Vic Square and  apparently they have added mini golf to their offerings and Spunky’s Nuttery Bar.   Spunky appears to be dowright edgy since he carries cigarettes, vape products, Watkins spice and extract products, as well as his own  line of Spunky Nuts. 

It has been a long while but there are memories awaiting at Vic Square.  (Like..a young Maddy charging into a virtual reality battle while Mom stood by to ensure she stayed on her saddle.)

That is it for today.  Take care and have a great rest of your day!

January 4th – Day 3 of My 2026 Daily Activity Journal

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2026, Health and Fitness

Today things are starting to come together!

For the past few days, I have been seriously focussed on healing – daily aerobics, healthy diet, serious hydration, fresh air, and SOLID sleep – 8 to 10 hours a night!

Molly sleeping in solidarity…

Today is Sunday.  Typically this is my ‘rest’ day.  At this point, I do not work out hard enough to need a day to rest,  but Health and Fitness is more than physical – SO  today, I will indulge in some self pampering – show  my hands some love with a hot waxing and a manicure, do some reading, maybe (finally) finish my Christmas Jigsaw puzzle.

Tomorrow, I will get back on track to increase my activity levels in 2026.   As well as doing my daily aerobics, getting back on the treadmill, and starting back to light weight workouts, I have set one goal for the first week of 2026…

This week, I am going to get out and about to visit one of our local malls.  There is nothing that I particularly need to buy – I just need space space to walk (preferably space that is not covered with ice and snow) and the opportunity to mingle with humanity outside of my immediate family.

It is not that I am totally antisocial.   Since Covid I have avoided unnecessary contact.  Since I developed this miserable chronic cough,  that I am working to overcome, I have been avoiding necessary contact as well.

I am well overdue for a haircut, an eye examination, a visit to my dentist, and probably more!

So… first steps first.. I need to get myself out there and prove to myself that I am ready to re-enter society. 

This seems to be a happening place!  I wonder what happened to all my fellow shoppers?

If this goes well, who knows where it  will lead?  Museums, art galleries, floral conservatory…my options are endless. 

Daily Food Diary – Day 361 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 361 of my Daily Food Diary! With only FIVE more days to go, I should finish off my 2025 Daily Food Diary Challenge without one single glitch! 😁

My Daily WINS since I posted yesterday were pretty cool:

1) Dan and I watched not one, but TWO movies last night and we enjoyed both of them.. “The Hitman’s Body Guard” and “Hitman’s Wife’s Body Guard”.

2) Making bacon.. not just any BACON, son Dan’s home smoked bacon that I fried up for breakfast this morning – to perfection!

Son Dan’s Traeger Smoker/Barbecue – where all the magic happens.   (Husband Dan starting the Father’s Day Prime Rib.)

3) Getting my aerobics done yesterday, plus a bit of snow removal from our front and back steps and clearing Molly’s track on our  side patio.   (It was way more about getting a bit of fresh air than getting a workout.)

My Daily Food Diary WIN was a super special one for me. 

This win was all about practicing self discipline, which came in handy over the past few days.  Having a houseful of sweet treats following a couple of major hits to my compromised lungs, was NOT a good thing – but I was able to keep my indulgence in check!   I even managed to take a pass on the rootbeer I really wanted with my nachos last last night, and today I reaped the reward.

Short term pain for long term gain! 97 percent blood oxygen is VERY GOOD and would not have happened if my lungs were  clogged with thick mucus caused by ingesting excess sugar.

This win is the heart and soul of my Health and Wellness Journey.  It isn’t about  winning medals or beauty contests, or living forever.    It is ALL about Living Well and Feeling Good. 

Today I feel Good!  ☺️

Daily Food Diary – Day 361

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) c Mini Wheats (190)

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

Lunch:

(1) cabbage rolls (120)

(1) pc chocolate coconut bar (225)

Snacks:

(1) c tea

(1) chocolate toffee (63)

(1) c caramel corn (170)

(48) Oz water

Supper:

(1 1/2) serving nachos (865)

Total consumed calories: 1663

Total used calories: 171

(30) minutes aerobics (171)

Total net calories: 1492

Net calorie goal: 1208 – 1492 = 284 over 👎

Thats it for today.  Take care and have a great day! 💞🤗

Northern lights lighting up the sky in Southern Saskatchewan

Daily Food Diary – Day 354 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 354 of my Daily Food Diary! 🌺

Yesterday after I posted my blog, I hit a setback of sorts on my way to recovery.   I did get the livingroom floor done, decorations up, and some general tidying up done before I crashed.  My surgical wound was swollen and ITCHY and I was just exhausted.  Fortunately, today I am back on track and I feel just FINE!

So,  for today’s wins:

1) I feel FINE!

2) Dan, Amanda, and family are on the road and the roads are in relatively good shape today.  (Much better than usual these days!)  We are looking forward to seeing them and their pups.

Bacardii & Cornelius

3) We have sunshine today! Once again,  Dan and Molly walked without me due to the cold and the poor walking conditions which I am not quite ready to tackle – but it is uplifting to see the sunshine, nonetheless!

My Daily Food Diary roundup WIN for the day…

Balance – Balancing calories, protein, cholesterol (saturated fats), and collagen was a challenge for sure – but it  is something that I have, and continue to, work on!

Air fried chicken wings – high in collagen, protein and calories – relatively low in fat. 🤷‍♀️

Daily Food Diary – Day 354

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(3) crumpets (240)

(2) tsp butter (69)

(1) tbsp jam (50)

Lunch:

(2) Harvest hotdogs (320)

(8) Hint of Lime tortilla chips (200)

(1) pc Christmas cake (240)

Supper:

(1 1/2) c stirfry with beefsteak, vegetables, and udon noodles  (714)

Total consumed calories: 1835

Total used calories: 0

Total net calories: 1835

Net calories goal: 1208 – 1835 = 627 over 👎

That’s it for today.  Take care and have a great Sunday! 🤨💞

Daily Food Diary – Day 340 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 340 of my Daily Food Diary. 💝

This month, I am reviewing the past eleven   months during which I was maintaining and posting my Daily Food Diary.   I am focusing on the wins that I have experienced. 

(If there have been any losses, they have been few and far between – unlike the period of time years ago when my daughter and I went on a Saturday morning search for the best brunch in the city.  We experienced a few non wins, my worst of which was the smoked salmon eggs Benedict.  🙁)

Brunch at ‘The Cottage’ with a young Maddy and Genie

Getting back on track here … Yesterday, I noted how my Daily Food Diary had inspired communication between Dan and I – which is always a good thing between marital partners.

Today, the win I am celebrating, is how  my Daily Food Diary has inspired my daughter and granddaughters to be more mindful of what they eat.   Not only did my  efforts and results affect them, but “what went around, came around”.   Jen, Genie, and Maddie all work in foodservice.  They have access to a lot of product information which they passed along to me – especially when it came to food allergies and  ingredients used to produce restaurant meals.  All in all – a double win!

Moving on to my current day to day general win for the day…

Today’s win comes courtesy of husband Dan…  With frigid temperatures and snow coming down, Dan ventured out to drive Maddy to work.  On returning to our nice warm house, he bundled on a couple of more layers and headed out to take Molly for her walk – without me. 😁

I stayed warm and dry while they ventured off, hardly for the first time.

For a man who was more than a little apprehensive when I first spoke of getting a fluffy little white puppy – that would inevitably become a huge, hairy, energetic,  loud, stubborn, unco-operative, overly affectionate, Molly dog,  Dan has taken on much more than his share of doggie duties around here.   She in turn, adores him! 💞

Daily Food Diary – Day 340

(1) c coffee (2)

(3) eggo waffles (270)

(2) tsp butter (69)

(3) tbsp maple syrup (157)

Snacks:

(11) Hint of Lime Tortilla chips (275)

(48) Oz water

Supper:

(4) Oz pork tenderloin (275)

(1 1/2) servings garlic raffaello sidekick (180)

(1) c green beans & peas (98)

(3) LG stuffed olives (22)

(2/3) c caramel praline ice cream (200)

(1) tbsp chocolate sauce (52)

(2) tbsp caramel syrup (52)

Total consumed calorie: 1655

Total used calories: 379

(30) min walking (137)

(30) min aerobics (171)

(30) min treadmill (71)

Total net calories: 1276

Net calories goal: 1208 – 1276 = 68 over 👎

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 333 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 333 of my Daily Food Diary. 🥰

Tomorrow is the first day of December.  I have always thought that in December my focus would be to review my 2025 Food Diary.  Since I have been working on being mindful of and grateful for the wins in my life lately, this will work out perfectly.    Everyday, I will note the wins that I have experienced from my 365 day challenge.  🥳

Today it is the coldest of our cold days so far.  Molly doesn’t even seem terribly excited about a walk so I am pretty sure it will be another off day.  Dan’s back  is feeling somewhat better, but another rest day will be good for him as well.

Latest wins…

1) Dan washed dishes after supper last night.  I did wipe them and put them away, but that is easy easy compared to washing, so it was a nice break. 

2) I completed most of our shopping last night.  It took me a long time to get up to speed with online shopping, but nowadays it is a definite win.  

3) I received my 6th monthly shipment of collagen supplements this morning.   They are my first ever subscription order – very handy and a bit of a deal, too.

Definitely the biggest win from my ‘Daily Food Diary’.   These collagen supplements have been life changing – and only  in a good way! 💞

Daily Food Diary – Day 333

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(2) eggo waffles (180)

(2) tsp butter (69)

(2) tbsp maple syrup (104)

(2) slices bacon(87)

Snacks:

(12) Hint of Lime chips (300)

(36) Oz water

Supper:

(1) sourdough bun (190)

(3) Oz roast beef (188)

(1) slices onion (6)

(1) tbsp horseradish (7)

(1/2) c gravy (50)

(2) Belgium chocolate cookies (107)

(12) Oz carbonated water

Total consumed calories: 1405

Total used calories: 205

(36) min aerobics (205)

Total net calories: 1200

Net calories goal: 1208 – 1200 = 8 under 👍

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 312 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is 312 Days since I began maintaining and posting my Daily Food Diary.  🌟

From the very beginning of this challenge, I knew it would not be about perfection.  As it is with my Health and Fitness Lifestyle in general – it is about balance. 

My Daily Food Diary has been very helpful in making regular  improvements to my diet.   But, there have been days that have shown my diet to be less impressive than others.

Yesterday, on the other hand, was a good day! I started the morning with half a grapefruit, for a shot of vitamin C.  My lunch included a couple of chicken wing drumettes, which are high in collagen.  My snack was a tablespoon of raw local honey to help mitigate the environmental allergies that I have been struggling with.  The beef, barley, vegetable soup for supper was the star of the day with homemade broth – low in salt and rich in collagen, barley – part of any cholesterol diet, and mega vegetables rich in vitamins and minerals.

Yesterday’s good for body, mind, and soul menu was just part of my good day ….

I went for a morning walk with Dan and Molly, easily covering the full circuit in the crisp, fresh air.   In the afternoon, I completed (3) sets of light (8 pound dumbbell) weight exercises.   And, in the evening, after straightening up the kitchen and doing dishes (with Dan)….

I hit the treadmill for thirty minutes. 😊

Action shot…

Today, being Sunday, I will probably scale things back as usual – possibly focus more on the Mind and Soul with some reading and relaxation.

We did go for our walk this morning, after Grandpa Dan got back from taking Maddy to work.   It was quite the interesting walk with the city closing off an intersection that affects access to two major streets and one avenue in our area.   The traffic on our quiet little side streets was uncharacteristically heavy and with many of the drivers looking fairly lost, confused, and frustrated, the intersections were pretty dicey! Not to mention icy from yesterday’s snowfall.   Fun stuff, but we made it home in one piece and we all felt  better for having gotten the fresh air and exercise!

Daily Food Diary – Day 312

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1/2) grapefruit (39)

(1/2) tsp sugar (8)

(1) granola bar (160)

Lunch:

(2) chicken wing drumettes (122)

(6) onion rings (150)

(8) tater tots (124)

Snacks:

(1) tbsp raw local honey (40)

(36) oz water

Supper:

(12) oz carbonated water

(2) bowls beef, barley, vegetable soup (360)

(3) mini chocolate treats (120)

Total consumed calories: 1188

Total used calories: 282

(30) min walking (137)

(30) min weights (73)

(30) min treadmill (73)

Total net calories: 906

Net calories goal: 1208 – 906 = 302 under 👍

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 305 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 305 of my Daily Food Diary.  Sixty more days and I will have successfully completed one full year of mindful eating via tracking and posting everything I consume- one day at a time.  🤗

This challenge has been less about losing weight than anything.  It has been about eating better – cutting back on salt and  sugar, increasing more natural and less processed foods and identifying foods that have been causing digestive issues for as long as I could remember.

For decades, I dealt with bloating, severe abdominal cramps, chronic diarrhea, heartburn, and oddly enough hiccups.

Doctors sent me for ultrasounds, cat scans, blood tests, and a surgery for an epigastric hernia.  I was given prescription strength medication for excess stomach acid.

At one point, I suggested an allergy test for yeast.  Despite the fact that my daughter had tested positive for a yeast allergy I was told that there was no such thing.  I was sent for a blood test for celiac disease, because it was probably a gluten intolerance.  It wasn’t.

Finally, I took it upon myself to eliminate yeast from my diet.   Amazingly, to everyone but me, my digestive issues disappeared with the yeast in my diet.  

I have no idea why doctors are so averse to allergy testing in this province – or why we have virtually no allergy specialists.

I do know that being allergic to yeast is a thing.  A bad thing.   And I know it is a thing that other people are still struggling with and still being misled about.  When my granddaughter met with a potential family physician recently she told him about her digestive issues and her family history of yeast allergy.  She was told there is no such thing.  🤦  Fortunately, she does know better.

Sometimes it’s not that obvious.

It’s not just that yeast is an allergen, it is also used as an additive to foods where no one would expect it to be found – from prepared meat sauce to powdered egg whites (plus anything made using such products).  

And being a fungus, yeast is a relative to many other fungi that can cause issues – mold, mildew, mushrooms, foods that are susceptible to mold and mildew, anything that is pickled or fermented…

Plus anyone who is allergic to yeast is also sensitive to any form of  processed or natural sugar,  which yeast feeds on.

It is complicated and one of the reasons  I have ultimately become proactive about my health.   Every body is different.  Even if multiple doctors cannot diagnose an issue it does not mean that there isn’t one – or that it cannot be dealt with.  

Daily Food Diary – Day 305

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) c Jordans Morning Crisp cereal (333)

(1/4)  c milk (28)

Snacks:

(1/4) c peanuts (162)

(1/4) c corn nuts (132)

(3) Black Licorice Twizzlers (68)

(3) mini chocolate treats (100)

(48) oz water

Supper:

(3) c garden salad (190)

(2) tbsp French Dressing (146)

(3) oz pork tenderloin (206)

Total consumed calories: 1367

Total used calories: 174

(30) min aerobics (174)

Total net calories: 1193

Net calories goal: 1208 – 1193 = 16 under 👍

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