We’re one week in. Seven days done. Just 60 more and all the new activities will have become fixed habits.

My gluten-free, sugar-free, dairy-free diet is going surprisingly well. Today I made a jar of berry jam to go on the loaf of bread that I baked yesterday. I’m learning what flavors taste well together and what things I just don’t like. And I’m trying new things, like bok choy, red peppers, and beets. I’ve found that pure maple syrup makes a good sweetener, chia seeds make a good thickener, and sweet potatoes are delicious when baked into fries.

It’s amazing how many websites there are geared toward the auto-immune diet. It seems like just about anything can be made without dairy, gluten, and sugar. While it’s not exactly the same and it may take some experimentation, it’s usually fairly easy to find a recipe that works and satisfies the cravings.

Until you walk by a pizza shop on the way to the grocery store and get a whiff of a hamburger pizza and mozerella sticks…

Fortunately, my dairy-free and sugar-free diet is temporary. Just until all of the allergies and other issues are under control. Then I can reintroduce them and see how things go. But the gluten-free piece is supposed to be forever. And I just can’t stand the thought of never having another slice of hamburger pizza fresh from the pizza box. Yes, you can get a pizza with a cauliflour crust, and, yes, it tastes really good. But honestly, it’s just not the same. And what about McDonalds Filet-o-fish? Those have the best buns! Oh, and the four cheese honey pepper chicken mac+cheese at Applebees. And the honey barbecue supermelt at Friendly’s…

That last week of 2018, I went to all my favorite places and said good-bye. I got a frozen hot chocolate and a chocolate chip muffin at Dunkins. A filet-o-fish at McDonalds. And the mac+cheese at Applebees. I told the waitress that it was my last meal before going gluten free and to have the chef put their heart into it. It was delicious! And I said good-bye.

If I sit here dwelling on them, I can make myself miserable. So I’m not going to. I’m choosing to focus on all of the things I can have. Like sweet potato fries, and homemade bread with berry jam. Like extra energy and good health.

There was a litte restaurant by a pool in Africa that made the best sauce to go with their fries. I have no idea what was in that sauce. That restaurant is closed now, so even if I were to go back to Africa, I can never get that sauce again. But I smile when I remember it, because of how good I remember it tasting, and the fun we were having while eating it.

I’m placing my old favorite foods into that category. Delicious happy memories that I can never go back to. Because life moves forward. Things change. Priorities change. Needs change. Wants and desires change. And, I think, people change, too. Little by little, decision by decision. Each choice piles on top of the last choice made, gradually changing us into someone different. Make sure your choices reflect who you want to be.

I’m only seven days in, but I’m seeing such positive changes already. I can only imagine who I’ll be in 60 days!