FIT incorporates three extensive bodies of research: 1) Mental imagery and its role in emotion, craving and desire, 2) Motivational Interviewing and 3) Mental Contrasting (a future where things stay the same versus a future where change has occurred, challenges have been acknowledged and successfully managed) with Implementation Intentions (specific if-then scenarios coupled with detailed rehearsal in imagination).
FIT prominently uses the elicitation and practice of personal mental imagery- the ability to experience people, objects, actions, feelings, scenarios in imagination, drawing on all senses to motivate and support change long-term. It is not a form of therapy as such; FIT is a training that teaches clients to use a new way of thinking, to build an entire toolbox drawing on and further training their own cognitive abilities in using mental imagery to mentally contrast, vividly and creatively consider valued goals and to effectively address challenges as well as solutions, affecting positive behaviour and/or performance change.
A core part of FIT builds on two decades of peer-reviewed, published scientific research (see for example Prof Jackie Andrade; Prof David Kavanagh; Prof Emily Holmes; Prof Simon Blackwell; Prof Jon May, Dr Fritz Renner) showing that mental imagery is much more strongly emotionally charged than other types of thought and that mental imagery is what gives a drug and/or dysfunctional cravings and behaviours dominance over other thoughts, but conversely, it can also be what makes us work consistently and successfully towards a new goal despite obstacles.
FIT builds on this strong potential. It uses a variety of mental imagery exercises to continue building goal and success imagery and crucially, to teach clients how to do this for themselves, rather than depending on a coach or therapist long-term.

FIT teaches clients/patients to practice not only imagery of actions and processes, but most importantly of how good it will feel, once they have achieved the change (have become that best version of themselves), how this will affect them and permeate into all areas of their lives, while not losing sight of how to tackle obstacles along the way. Many years of research by Prof Gabriele Oettingen have shown this to be fundamentally important to achieve excellent goal outcomes. Simply thinking positive thoughts and daydreaming about a future where we have achieved the desired outcomes for ourselves is not enough to get going, in fact counterproductive and neither fit for maintaining success once we have reached our goal.
The verbal coaching side of FIT is delivered via the empathic, widely published (around 1500 trials) and well-established behaviour change intervention style of motivational interviewing by William Miller and Stephen Rollnick to work in partnership with clients, helping them to resolve dilemmas, clearly explore and develop their very own valued incentives for change, to find solutions, and to develop strategies and confidence for achieving their goals.
However, it differs from motivational interviewing, in
explicitly eliciting vivid personalized mental imagery at each stage, and
teaching people how to apply motivational imagery themselves using behavioural cueing, audios and an app to support imagery practice for building self-regulation/control.
Importantly, it also teaches people new ways of thinking about their very immediate future to help them stay motivated as they work on achieving each small step towards their best version of themselves.

My private practice-based evidence and the qualitative evidence from our peer-reviewed and published FIT versus Motivational Interviewing weight-loss trial I led at the University of Plymouth (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41366-018-0122-1), shows great promise for FIT in the treatment of anxiety, as well as stress, especially work-based stress. My PhD student Despina Djama is currently dedicating her PhD to investigating this even further at the University of Plymouth.
Using the FIT way of approaching and supporting motivation in behaviour change, such as changing eating habits to affect weight-loss (for which we have the strongest, published ‘gold standard’ scientific data), has shown that people on average will lose 5x more weight compared with the highly acclaimed and well-established coaching/counselling intervention motivational interviewing.
This figure represents one individual per square. It shows how many people out of 100, could expect a % bodyweight reduction (and how much reduction) if they received FIT compared to motivational interviewing which represented the comparison intervention in the weight-loss study:

The full study, entitled Functional Imagery Training versus Motivational Interviewing for Weight Loss: A randomised controlled trial of brief individual interventions for overweight and obesity is available to view in the International Journal of Obesity. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41366-018-0122-1
FIT is unique because it aims to replace the need for ongoing support and is wholly designed to equip clients/patients with all the skills they need to quickly become their own coach.
For those of you who are keen to read even more about the development and testing of FIT for weight management and physical inactivity, please see my doctoral thesis here: https://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/10026.1/12300/2018solbrig10343301phd.pdf?sequence=3

I am one of only two academic FIT developers who have experience in delivering FIT to research participants, and the only developer who has experience of treating patients on the National Health Service and in Public Health settings with FIT. I managed and conducted the first Randomised Controlled Trial of FIT (published in the leading obesity journal https://www.nature.com/articles/s41366-018-0122-1) for my PhD which allowed me to accumulate over 700 hours of experience in delivering FIT to members of the public who took part in our weight-loss trial. Additionally, I started my own private practice through which I have furthered FIT’s portfolio by successfully applying it to a diverse range of issues, including stress, public speaking anxiety, anxiety disorders, imposter syndrome, binge-eating disorder and alcohol use.
In combination with Body Reprogramming which is based on the Hyland Model (http://www.bodyreprogramming.org/HylandModel.aspx) I have also been able to use FIT to help patients in community health settings and private clients make strides in reducing symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS/ME) and Fibromyalgia. Learn more about FIT practitioner training here or contact me: linda.solbrig@plymouth.ac.uk or Linda@doctorlindasolbrig.com
“My training courses in FIT and Motivational Interviewing are very applied and hands-on. I ensure trainees acquire new skills and build on their existing skills in such a way that it will give them the confidence to start using what they take away from training right away, flexibly and creatively to compliment and extend their usual ways of working with individuals.”
Dr Linda Solbrig