Seeing people that are really overweight, I sometimes wonder how it happened. Then I remember my own experience.

I joined the corporate world after college. My normal breakfast was a pastry or muffin and a 20 ounce soda. My normal lunch was a sandwich with chips or fries. Another soda in the afternoon. Dinner featured lots of pasta and bread.

It’s not surprising that I gained 40 pounds over 10 years. I barely noticed my steady decline. I realized how far I had sunk when I started feeling unwell after every meal.

To bring myself back to good health, I made a series of small changes. Maybe I could have done it faster, but I wasn’t ready for big changes. In hindsight, it was a great approach. By the time I lost the excess weight (almost 2 years later), it was easy to maintain. That was my new normal.

We are the result of what we do most frequently. Where is your normal taking you?