We’re three days in to the new year. The newness is just beginning to wear off. It’s definitely a lot harder to focus on the resolutions and positive changes when you have to get up in the morning to go to work. Is it too soon to start counting down to February break?

But really, it’s going pretty well.

One of my bigger resolutions this year has to do with food. A couple of weeks ago, I took a day off work to visit with a couple of my doctors. At my first meeting, with my primary care, he suggested that it was time I go gluten-free again. Then he gave me a bear hug and sent me on my way. Unfortunately, his cologne promptly triggered my allergies.

At my next appointment, another doctor commented that this wasn’t allergy season. I explained that I don’t have seasonal allergies. I’m simply allergic to most strong smells. She then told me about an auto-immune diet she’d been reading up on. Apparently, allergies can be caused by an intolerance to gluten and other ingredients.

So, I hurried home, ordered a couple of books on Amazon, and began planning out meals. On the first of the year, I began a gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free diet. And so far, it hasn’t been that bad.

I’ve gotten really good at making sweet potato fries. Today I made ‘icecream’ with frozen bananas, almond butter, and cocoa powder. I even made my own citrus ginger salad dressing! (This is much more impressive when you consider that I usually nuke my meals out of a cardboard box). Today, as I ate my meal of crumbled hamburger over garlic rice with a side of steamed green beans and carrots (with sweet potato fries, of course), I commented that it tasted really good. “It tastes like real food!” I said. Wesley just laughed. “That’s what I’ve been telling you all along.”

I’m not sure what I was expecting. But I’ve been pleasantly surprised. Apparently I can cook. And apparently cooking can be fun.

So, we’re three days in to the new year, and the newness is beginning to wear off. But I still think it’s going to be a really good year.

Now I have to ask. How are you doing with your goals? Don’t give up! You’ve got this. You’re already three days in.