We Become What We Repeatedly Choose

A reflection on food, balance, and why one choice does not define your health, but your repeated patterns do.

I’m writing this on the train from Cannes to Milan, thinking about the past few days and what they reminded me of. We spent the week with my partner’s colleague and his wife while the men attended work related events in Cannes. They are a German couple, and I always enjoy spending time with people from other places and hearing how they live. His wife is a health and nutrition coach in Germany, and by coincidence we have both studied food science. That gave our conversations a natural depth, because we both notice the details in food, routines, and daily choices.

One thing I found especially interesting was hearing about everyday life in Germany compared with Norway. Access to organic food seems much better there, and that affects what becomes normal in daily life. She is very into juicing vegetables, and that brought me back to a part of myself I used to be more connected to years ago. I used to juice a lot, and I still want to start again. The same goes for fermenting food from scratch at home. Those are things I would like to bring back into my life when we are settled again in our own apartment in Oslo. Right now that is not realistic, because we are traveling and living in different places, but the intention is still there.

In Cannes, we found a lunch place that felt exactly right for both of us. Everything was organic, and you could tell the food was made with care. Every day I had a quinoa salad with chickpeas, poached or scrambled eggs, avocado, sourdough bread, feta cheese, and carrots. I also had a couple of fresh pressed juices with celery, ginger, and apple each day. This is the kind of food I know my body responds well to. It gives me energy, supports me, and feels like real nourishment rather than just something to fill the stomach.

At the same time, when you are in France, it is natural to also want some of the traditional food. I had one croissant during the whole trip, but not every day. That, to me, is what balance looks like. Enjoying something because you are there and because it is part of the experience, without turning it into a daily habit just because it is available.

I think many people get stuck because they put too much weight on single choices. One croissant is not what shapes your health. One restaurant meal is not what shapes your body. One healthy lunch is not enough either. What matters is the accumulation. We are the sum of what we repeatedly do. We are shaped by the pattern, not by one isolated moment.

That is why it is absolutely fine to indulge sometimes. It is normal, human, and part of a good life. But if indulgence starts happening too often, it stops being an exception and starts becoming your normal. That is where people need honesty with themselves. You do not need perfection, but you do need a strong foundation. In my view, about eighty percent should be built on habits that support your body, and at most twenty percent can be the things that are more for pleasure, spontaneity, or indulgence. That gives room for real life without losing the structure that keeps you well.

I notice this even when I go to nice restaurants. I try not to fall into the habit of always choosing the fries just because they are there. I would rather choose food that is still enjoyable, but also made from high quality ingredients and better for my body. Yesterday, for example, I had tuna and beetroot as a starter, followed by fresh white fish with vegetables. That is still a restaurant meal. It is still enjoyable. But it also reflects the kind of pattern I want my life to have.

This way of thinking is useful because it removes some of the drama around food and lifestyle. You do not need to panic over a single meal, and you do not need to act as if one healthy choice cancels out weeks of poor routines either. What matters more is what your choices look like over time. Are you mostly choosing what supports your body, your energy, and your long term wellbeing, or are you mostly pulled by convenience, cravings, and the moment.

Yesterday I also went to the beach and spent time just calming down and enjoying the weather. I think that matters too. A good lifestyle is not only about food. It is also about how you live, how stressed you are, how much rest you allow yourself, and whether your daily life contains moments that actually feel good and grounding.

For me, this week was a reminder that health is built in ordinary moments. In what you eat most days. In what you choose when no one is watching. In how you balance enjoyment with self respect. Not by never indulging, but by making sure indulgence does not become the main pattern. That is really the point. One choice does not define you. But the accumulation of your choices does.