The Health Habits You Can’t Undo: Why Discipline Now Beats Regret Later

You Don’t Get to Rewind

There's a Chinese proverb that I think about all the time: “A healthy man wants a thousand things. A sick man wants only one.”

That one hits hard when you see it up close. I just spent time with a friend dealing with his second round of colon cancer. Two surgeries, radiation, chemo infusion. A colostomy bag. Our time together really reinforced my conviction on health. Not in the sense of getting your "summer body," but as a foundational habit.

Here’s what many people get wrong: we think we can start taking our health seriously later. But the body doesn’t always forgive us for waiting. You can’t undo years of damage with a 6-week bootcamp. And you definitely can’t out-hustle chronic disease.

Data shows that physical inactivity alone contributes to:

• 6% of the burden of disease from coronary heart disease

• 7% of type 2 diabetes

• 10% of breast and colon cancers

• 28% of U.S. adolescents aged 12 to 19 have prediabetes

  [source: WHO]

Tens of millions of people live their lives unable to move freely or consistently, many of them because of preventable conditions that stem from poor habits.

Let that land: it's not just about fitness. It's about access to a thousand things you won’t even think about until they’re gone.

A Torn Thumb and a Sick Friend

I once tore a ligament in my thumb during a jiujitsu class. Just one digit out of 20. And suddenly: no lifting, no cooking, no picking up my kids, no typing without pain. That tiny injury made my whole life harder.

And it made me think: if one thumb can sideline you, what happens when it’s your back? Your heart? Your kidneys? Your metabolic system?

My friend fighting cancer? He didn’t really get a fair shot. Genetics, environment, all of it stacked against him from the start. He’s about to go back into the thick of chemo again. And you know what? He’s a very smart and driven guy but it's unlikely that he's consumed with work goals, bank accounts, or bucket lists. He’s thinking about survival.

Meanwhile, most of us walk around like we’ve got unlimited lives, haphazard about the habits that will shape our greatest asset: our health.

I used to be severely underweight and was bullied relentlessly as a kid. That pain lit a fire. I went on to gain 50 pounds of muscle in a year, and then 50 more after that. It was extreme, but it taught me something vital: when you understand your body, you start to understand your life.

The systems I built for movement and nutrition became the scaffolding for everything else I’ve accomplished. Whenever I dive deep into new work, I don’t ask “can I make time to train?” I ask, “how will I train while I’m doing this?”

Because everything else breaks when your health breaks.

6 Habits That Create a Health Foundation You Can Count On

Not hacks. Not shortcuts. Just the things that add up like deposits in a bank, compounding over time.

1. Protect your sleep like it’s sacred.

This is where repair happens. Mental clarity, hormonal regulation, immune function - none of it works without sleep. I neglected this for far too long. Block 7-8 hours and treat it like an important meeting you simply cannot miss.

2. Train your body to move in multiple planes.

Walk, lift, sprint, stretch, flow. You don’t need to be elite; just consistent. Get 3-5 movement “inputs” daily. Even two-minute "exercise snacks" add up. If you find something you really enjoy, it's the ultimate fitness cheat-code. But it requires a lot of trial and error. If you can cycle through strength, endurance, and mobility - you'll be unstoppable (for a taste of all three at once, try a Power Yoga class).

3. Eat like your life depends on it. Because it does.

Whole foods. Prioritize protein to support lean muscle. Minimize ultra-processed garbage. Understand your body; especially if you’re fighting cholesterol, blood sugar, or inflammation. I was dealt a poor genetic hand for blood sugar and cholesterol, but my eating decisions that help or further harm me. Of all the nutrition advice out there, I like author Michael Pollan's best: "Eat [real] food, not too much, mostly plants."

4. Build a real relationship with your stress.

Cortisol isn't just a “bad guy.” It's the lens through which your body filters challenge. Physical activity is the most reliable way to metabolize it - followed by deep breathing, nature, and connection. The damage inflicted on your physical body by the mind is as real as any external harm.

5. Track what matters.

You don’t need to obsess. But if you can’t measure something, you can’t improve it. Tools like WHOOP, Garmin, Oura, MyFitnessPal, or simple journaling go a long way. And a great accountability buddy beats a fitness tracker any day of the week.

6. Don't wait to feel like it. Discipline beats motivation every time.

Movement doesn’t need to be joyful to be beneficial. When in doubt, get the reps in. The joy often follows. Most mornings I don't feel like lacing up my shoes, going to the gym, or pedaling the bike. But about 15 minutes in, I've never regretted showing up. Sometimes inspiration strikes, but on most day if I waited for it to appear, I'd never end up getting the workout done.

You Only Get One

There’s a quote I love:

“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.” - Jim Rohn

You can rebuild a business. You can bounce back from a breakup. But your body? It doesn’t always give you second chances.

Work on your habits now. Because the time to get ready is before the diagnosis.

Find your next edge,

Eli