THI's Live Transformed Podcast
Live Transformed Podcast — Redefining What Health Really Means
The Live Transformed Podcast dives deep into what it truly means to build a stronger body, sharper mind, and more fulfilled life. Hosted by Coach Adam Kelley of Transformed Health Initiative, each episode blends evidence-based health and fitness insights with real-life transformation stories that challenge the way we think about success, discipline, and purpose.
This isn’t just about workouts and nutrition—it’s about who you become through the process.
We explore topics like sustainable fat loss, muscle building, stress resilience, faith, family, mindset, and the pursuit of excellence in every area of life.
Because living transformed isn’t about being perfect—it’s about becoming intentional, consistent, and grounded in truth so you can lead yourself first and live stronger for those who matter most.
THI's Live Transformed Podcast
Why Diets Fail and What Actually Works: (Part 3)- Habit Change Over Hype: What Actually Works for Long-Term Results
Have you ever wondered why you can't seem to stick with your health goals despite your best intentions? The answer might surprise you.
Duke University research reveals that a staggering 45% of your daily actions aren't driven by conscious choice at all—they're automatic habits shaped by your environment. This groundbreaking insight forms the foundation of this episode, where we explore why traditional diets fail and what actually creates lasting transformation.
Traditional approaches to health rely heavily on motivation and willpower, both of which are finite resources that inevitably deplete when life gets chaotic. The alternative? Building powerful systems and identity-based habits that operate in the background even when motivation fades. Forget the myth that habits form in just 21 days—research shows it takes an average of 66 days to build truly automatic behaviors.
The most successful health transformations happen when you shift from outcome-focused thinking ("I want to lose weight") to identity-based habits ("I'm the kind of person who prioritizes nutrition"). This subtle but powerful reframing rewires your neural pathways, turning conscious effort into automatic behavior over time. Combined with environmental design that removes friction from healthy choices, you create a foundation for lasting change without relying on willpower alone.
Ready to break free from the cycle of motivation, burnout, and repeat? Apply the 80% rule (consistency most of the time yields 100% of results), embrace imperfection as part of the journey, and focus on building systems that support sustainable progress. Visit transformhealthcoach.com to learn how our THI Rebuild program can help you build evidence-based health routines that stick, even when life doesn't cooperate.
REFERENCES
- Lally, P., et al. (2009). How are habits formed: Modelling habit formation in the real world. European Journal of Social Psychology, 40(6), 998–1009.
- Wood, W., et al. (2002). Habits in everyday life: Thought, emotion, and action. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 83(6), 1281–1297.
- Wing, R. R., & Phelan, S. (2005). Long-term weight loss maintenance. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 82(1), 222S–225S.
- Clear, J. (2018). Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones. Avery.
- Gardner, B., et al. (2012). Making health habitual: The psychology of 'habit-formation' and general practice. British Journal of General Practice, 62(605), 664–666.
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Research from Duke University found that up to 45% of daily actions are driven by habit, not conscience decision-making. Okay, let that sink in a little bit. Up to 45% of daily actions are driven by habits, not conscience decision-making. That means that your environment shapes nearly half of your behavior. Guys, just really think on that for a second. Your environment shapes nearly, if not more than, half of your behavior. You don't need more motivation, you need a better design.
Speaker 2:Welcome to the Win On Purpose podcast From health and fitness, business, personal development, relationships and more. We promise you will find inspiration to help you win on purpose in all areas of your life journey. Now for your host, adam Kelly.
Speaker 1:What's up, guys? Welcome back to the Win On Purpose podcast, where we strip through the noise, the nonsense and all the trendy talk out there so you can build a body and lifestyle that actually lasts. I'm your host, coach Adam Kelly, and this is part three of our series why Diets Fail and what Actually Works. I'm excited, host Coach Adam Kelly, and this is part three of our series why Diets Fail and what Actually Works. So I'm excited to be back. Guys, it may not seem like long for you, depending on if you're listening to each episode each week when they release or you're just batch listening and, you know, just cramming it all in. You may have just gotten listening to the previous episode. So, for me at least, I tend to batch record episodes, you know, at least three or four episodes ahead of time. That way I can, you know, make my day to day, week to week, a little bit easier, rather than having to constantly record episodes every week, and that way I can devote more of my time to helping people and, you know, working with my clients, stuff like that. So, for me, I'm excited to be back because I really enjoy this. I really enjoy having this outlet and this platform to be able to talk to you guys, not only share you know sound advice and recommendations and my own findings through my own journey and the journey of my clients, and you know the research and study that I've done over the years, the decades but also, just, you know, to be able to provide something good out there. There's so much noise, there's so much talk. So many people are confused and not sure what to do, not sure what's right, not sure who's trying to just sell them something and who actually has a heart to help, and so I just am super happy that I have this outlet, so I really enjoy it and I like to talk, so this is a great way to do that.
Speaker 1:So in episodes one and two, I'm going to give you a little recap so you know where we're at. We unpacked how diets fail both your mind and your metabolism, how they trigger restriction, binge eating cycles, how it slows down your metabolism and leaves you feeling worse off physically and emotionally. So if diets don't work at least in the general context, most people think of dieting then what actually does? That's what today's episode is all about Habit, change over hype. Real transformation doesn't come from the latest 30-day challenge. It comes from small, consistent actions done with purpose. All right, so let's get into this thing.
Speaker 1:So why habits win every time? Diets rely on motivation, okay. Habits rely on structure. Motivation fades Life gets busy, you get tired, you get busy stressed, you're distracted. But well-built habits, they operate in the background, even when life doesn't seem to go as planned, okay.
Speaker 1:A 2009 study in European Journal of Science Psychology found that it takes an average of 66 days to build a new habit. Sometimes more, sometimes less. So the whole idea of you build habits in 21 days, 30 days all that, guys? Usually not true. For most people, it takes quite a bit more time than you would suspect, and that's depending on the complexity and the consistency of the behavior. So, depending on how hard, how much of a challenge it is, what type of sacrifice it requires from you, what you have to dedicate, what you have to give up for it is also going to determine that. That's why the 21 day reset and the 28 day shred often doesn't stick. It ends before the habit actually forms, before you've even had time to really recreate. You know what you do on a daily basis and that's if it's even sustainable to begin with. Which a lot of those challenges because they're made to help you get results as fast as possible. Those results aren't even sustainable at all unless you have systems built to stay there.
Speaker 1:Ok, but not all habits are created equal. All right, let's just. We got to establish that. So let's talk about the specific types of behaviors that create lasting change in your health.
Speaker 1:Identity-based habits is what we're going to call this. So, james, clear is said it best. In atomic habits, every action you take is a vote for the type of person that you want to become. All right, when I, when you build habits based on your identity, not just your outcome, they tend to long last or they tend to last longer. Sorry, as I can't get my words out. So instead of I want to lose 20 pounds, it becomes I'm the kind of person who trains three times a week and eats to feel good.
Speaker 1:Ok, you see, that identity shift right there between those two outlooks, even though you know the goal is still, at the end of the day, is the same. How you frame that and how you see yourself in that, and what is going to be the outcome, a lot of times determines how successful you're going to be. So this subtle shift, it rewires your brain actually. So you're not forcing change. You're becoming someone new through repetition. So the longer that you do this and practice this, the more you just transform into someone new. Now this is just your natural behavior patterns and not something you're making yourself do every day. So, even like behavior, neuroscience supports this right. So, as habits are repeated, neural pathways strengthen, turning conscious effort into automatic behavior. So it becomes like you know, when people say, like your subconscious things like that, that's what you're actually rewiring. So now you just instinctually, almost to a degree, do certain things that you used to have to make yourself do every single day. Now it's just part of who you are. This is how real health transformation happens, not from intensity, but from consistency anchored in identity.
Speaker 1:Ok, so how do we actually build these kinds of habits in a world full of distractions and busy schedules? That's the question we're left with, and that is where systems come in. So systems over willpower. So remember back in episode one, when we talked about how willpower is finite, right, systems are repeatable, though. Okay, that's the difference. Your environment, your schedule and social, your social circle, matter more than you may think that they do. They have a much bigger impact on your journey and on your health. So when you design your day around your goals, you remove friction, okay. You remove those hard parts at least some of those hard parts and the healthier choice becomes the easier choice, okay.
Speaker 1:So how this can play out, just to give you a few examples like know you prep meals on Sunday? Okay, now you don't have to rely on takeout when you're exhausted Tuesday night, because you have meals ready, unless you just decide not to eat them. But you still put yourself in a position to win with the system that you developed. You know, if you lay out your gym clothes the night before, then the morning workout comes automatic, because now you have those clothes in front of you. You wake up before you even have time to think, you start getting ready and now you're in your gym clothes. You brush your teeth, hopefully, put on deodorant, please, and then you're like okay, well, now I'm dressed and ready, I might as well go get this workout in, and you'll never regret those workouts.
Speaker 1:Another example, like if your snacks are portioned out, you can avoid grazing through half of that bag of trail mix while you're working. Ok, so we all know how that can be tempting with our snacks that are sitting around, but when we're prepared ahead of time and we have a plan for when that hunger spikes up or when we need that little snack, and we have our snack proportioned out based on what our goals are and our needs are, you can completely miss that situation. Research from Duke University found that up to 45 percent of daily actions are driven by habit, not conscience decision making. Ok, let that sink in a little bit. Up to 45% of daily actions are driven by habits, not conscious decision making. That means that your environment shapes nearly half of your behavior. Guys, just really think on that for a second. Your environment shapes nearly, if not more than, half of your behavior. You don't need more motivation, you need a better design. Hey guys, sorry to interrupt the episode, but real quick man.
Speaker 1:Our goal here at THI Transform Health Initiative is to help as episode. But real quick man. What our goal here at THI Transform Health Initiative is to help as many people as we can in this world, to bring them sound advice and just guidance, to help them be successful once and for all. So if you find help from this, if you find help from anything that we put out, please share this episode with somebody you know. Send it to somebody that truly could benefit, because you could be the difference maker in someone being successful at their goals or throwing in the towel once again and giving up. So please, if you don't mind, send this to somebody you love and help us out there. All right back to the episode.
Speaker 1:But of course, even with systems, life will throw curve balls, guaranteed. So let's talk about how to stay consistent when motivation is gone and how to build habits that survive the chaos. So consistency through chaos and what we like to call the 80% rule. So perfection is the enemy of progress every time. And diet culture thrives on the all or nothing thinking. You're either on plan or you're off the wagon. You're either on or off, you're either hot or you're cold, and that's not how real life works. You understand that. That's not how real change sticks either. The 80% rule says this if you're consistent 80% of the time, you'll get 100% of the long-term results and, better yet, you'll maintain them. It's not just about achieving a goal, it's about being able to stay in that place or get better as time goes on. That's the true win. And we have some longitudinal data from the National Weight Control Registry, which is basically just a study of people who've lost and kept off over 30 pounds for over a year. So this is more looking into long-term weight loss success and it shows that those who maintain their weight loss long-term are flexible not perfect. They know how to adapt, they exercise self-control and self-correct and they stay in motion. They don't let instances get them down. They keep doing those things and keep those systems of control in place so they can keep building on that success.
Speaker 1:Consistency through chaos wins over intensity during short bursts every time. All right, consistency through chaos wins over intensity during short bursts every time. So what do all these insights mean for you right now, like today? Okay, what can we actually apply? Let's turn this into some clear, actionable takeaways for you so you can actually start, you know, making yourself better today. So practical takeaways. If you're serious about long-term change, here's what matters most.
Speaker 1:Okay, I'm going to give you five bullet points. All right, bullet bullet point number one start small and stack wins. Okay, progress happens over time and the more you stack these wins, the further and further you're going to get before you know it. Bullet point number two tie habits to your identity, not just your goals. Make sure that your habits are built in something bigger than just what you're trying to accomplish, because then when you accomplish your goal, you never lose that character building that you developed during that time. Okay.
Speaker 1:Number three build systems that lower friction. Okay, the smoother you can make things, the more planned out you are, the more ahead of the curve that you are. Just the less chaos you're going to have, the smoother things are going to be, the easier it's going to be and the more you're going to enjoy the process. That's a big one. Number four expect imperfection, matter of fact. Actually plan for imperfection. Just understand that nobody's journey is easy. I don't care how successful they are, I don't care how much they lost, how much muscle they built, whatever they overcame, nobody's journey is easy. It's going to come with setbacks. It's going to come with mistakes and errors and learning it the hard way and all that stuff. Okay, do not let that throw you off. Just know it's going to be there and that you will overcome if you rely on your habits that you're building.
Speaker 1:And number five definitely the biggest one by far be consistent, not extreme. Okay, Consistency is everything. That sounds super cliche because people say it all the time time, but those people are usually the successful ones because they understand that it's not doing something super quick to get a quick result. It's the daily things, what people consider the boring things. Day in and day out, day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year. Those are the things that determine people's success. Not doing extreme things. The extreme people rarely win in the end.
Speaker 1:So instead of asking what's the fastest way to lose weight, start asking things like what's the most sustainable way to become healthier? That question leads to better answers and better results every time. So what's next? In our final episode of the series, we'll help you shift fully from the diet mindset to a health first mindset. So your choices are driven by self-respect and not self-punishment. It's time to start rewarding yourself rather than punishing yourself. That's what health transformation is all about.
Speaker 1:But before we close, let's talk about how we can help you do all this without going at it alone. All right, if you spent years stuck in the loop of motivation, burnout, repeat, then you already know that intensity doesn't work long term. You don't need another meal plan. You need real structure, support and strategy to build habits that match your lifestyle and your identity. That's exactly what we help clients do inside the THI Rebuild.
Speaker 1:It's our flagship coaching program, designed to build powerful, evidence-based health routines that stick even when life doesn't cooperate. So you can apply for our coaching program at transformhealthcoachcom. Just click the apply button on the homepage screen and we will personally review your application to see if you're a good fit for our next intake of clients, because we are very selective. I'm not just saying this to motivate you to apply. We are very selective and we only choose people that we know that we can help and that we know are gonna be truly committed to the process of transformation, because this isn't just change, this is transformation. And I promise you we do not sell hype, we build systems and results that last okay, results or nothing. And remember whatever you do today, do something good for your health, do something good for those you care about and, whatever you do, make sure you win on purpose. Talk to you next time.