CBT-Fitness: A Game Changer in the Field of Health and Fitness

What is CBT-Fitness?

CBT-Fitness (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy-Fitness) is a form of psycho-fit-therapy that modifies the connections between a person’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviours with respect to health and fitness. By challenging unbalanced beliefs and attitudes, CBT-Fitness empowers people to break negative patterns of behaviour. The individual is the focal point and CBT-Fitness works to build self-awareness, especially when it comes to unhelpful thinking patterns.

Unlike other forms of psychotherapy, CBT-Fitness concentrates on practical solutions rather than a person’s past experiences. Additionally, it trains people to become their own coach/therapist; which is why it is known as a practical approach to mental and physical wellness that is used to treat a range of diet and training issues. Whether the concern is minor such as an unhealthy habit of constantly nibbling food, or more severe like sleep troubles or an eating disorder, CBT-Fitness can help target the cognitive patterns causing the problem.

Here are some benefits of CBT-Fitness:

Helps Change Perspective

CBT-Fitness actively targets a person’s core beliefs and attitudes about their ‘fitness world’. By challenging negative thought patterns, this form of therapy helps people gain control over the conscious thoughts that influence their behaviours and improve their fitness journey outlook.

Develops New Coping Skills

Building self-awareness helps people learn more effective strategies and techniques to cope, communicate, and recover when dealing with emotional or stressful situations. With CBT-Fitness skills, people have the ability to face future challenges in a positive manner.

Reduces Stress and Anxiety

It is normal to be stressed if you are late for work, forget your prepped food, or lack the time needed to get in a full workout. But believing you are a bad person because you are late, forgetful or ran out of time would indicate a cognitive distortion. CBT-Fitness can help individuals identify and modify distortions that cause distress.

Improves Sleep Quality

For those who cannot clock in the recommended 7-8 hours of sleep each night, CBT-Fitness could be a helpful solution. A 2006 study published in the Journal of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics was able to conclude, “CBT had a long-term effect of improved sleep-related psychological activity and daytime functioning.”

Creates Positive Emotions

CBT-Fitness uses an “upward arrow” approach. This means instead of focusing on what’s wrong, the techniques used encourages people to pinpoint and highlight positive reactions while finding new solutions. Positive emotions affect people’s brain in ways that increase awareness, attention, and memory. They help individuals take in more information and understand how different ideas relate to each other. When positive emotions open up new possibilities, people are more able to learn and build on their skills. They also tend to be happier, healthier and learn more effectively.

Improves Relationships

The results of CBT-Fitness are sustainable and long-lasting, in part because this approach focuses on the social support network. Skills learned can help create new healthy habits which allow people to feel more engaged whether they are at work, at home, or working out with family and friends.

Increases Feelings of Accomplishment

By using the tools of CBT-Fitness, people are able to focus on their capabilities which ultimately lead to more accurate and helpful feelings of accomplishment.

CBT-Fitness believes that an integrative approach is the future for long-term health and fitness success. By joining together multiple pathways, a planned personalized journey will lead to fitness freedom! Pulling principles from cognitive behavioural therapy and positive psychology, CBT-Fitness helps people develop the strength needed to overcome challenges stemming from their negative thought patterns. Above all, the skills and habits learned from CBT-Fitness can empower people to build a sustainably positive lifestyle where they are in control.

Whether you are just starting your fitness journey, are overwhelmed by various diets and trainings, or you are a fitness professional seeking to learn CBT-Fit skills, CBT Meets Fitness is designed for you!