Functional Imagery Training FIT teaches people to imagine what it would be like to achieve their goals, whether it be weight loss or climbing mountain. Having people visualise what it would smell, look, feel and taste like to meet this ambition, they are thought to become more motivated to make it a reality. Research has shown FIT reduces a dieter’s desire to snack and makes them more likely to go to gym.
To lose weight, you need to eat less and exercise more, but in many cases, people aren’t motivated to heed this advice. FIT encourages people to come up with their imagery of what change might look and feel like to them, how it might be achieved and kept, even when challenges arise.
People lost significantly more weight on this intervention, as, unlike most studies, it provided no diet/physical activity advice or education. FIT is thought to be more effective than MI due to it’s stimulating different senses. This allows dieters to visualise what weight loss would be like, which may motivate them to achieve their goal.