How cognitive behavioural therapy can lead to a healthier body long-term
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Getting in shape can feel like a one-step-forward, two-steps-backward dance that doesn’t stop. Sure, we all know what calories are. We also know the magic equation: combine a healthy diet with exercise, and your dream body will become a reality. So why do our efforts involve so much struggle and often end in frustration?
Research suggests that 80% of people who shed a significant amount of body fat can’t maintain their new weight for 12 months. Furthermore, they’re likely to regain more than half of what they lost within two years. These alarming statistics result from weight-loss programs that don’t take into account one major factor: the mind.
Scientists have discovered that there is a psychological aspect that explains why people struggle to lose weight and keep it off. They theorize that your mind is so powerful that if you don’t work on it, your resolve to eat healthfully or exercise more might not last long.
This ground-breaking discovery is behind the development of a new weight loss strategy that involves cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). It is a psychology-based approach that involves not just changing eating and exercise habits, but also one’s mindset.
Several studies have been done to find out whether CBT actually works. The findings are impressive. In one study the participants lost 15% body fat in 12 months and didn’t regain it within the following 12 months. In another study, participants who adhered to the CBT program lost 9.9% body fat over 18 months.
Fuelled by these new findings, the BetterMe app is out to help users unlock their full potential. BetterMe’s CBT-powered program is all about discovering and overcoming mental obstacles to healthy living.
Focus your mindset with BetterMe and the CBT approach
After years of research into what really works, the BetterMe team realized that the ideal weight-loss program is focused on both psychology and lifestyle changes. Science agrees with this realization. Here are some of the benefits that a mindset shift can have for both physical and mental health.
Take positive action
First, your mindset determines whether you actually follow through with your plans. Psychologists call this the cognitive triangle and it looks something like this: thoughts → feelings → behaviours. Our thoughts change how we feel and our emotions influence how we act. So positive thoughts result in positive action. The reverse is also true; negativity can make it harder for you to stick to your diet and exercise plans.
De-stress and burn fat
Secondly—this comes as a surprise to many—changing your mindset can boost your body’s fat-burning abilities. Several studies have shown that the stress hormone cortisol, which your adrenal glands secrete every time you get down on yourself or worry about how you measure up on the scale, increases distribution of fat around the abdomen. Reframing your mindset and focusing on positive thoughts lowers cortisol and boosts your body’s fat-burning ability.
Face your fears
Thirdly, a positive mindset can help you avoid procrastination. We’re all guilty of resolving to establish and stick to healthy habits at the start of the year, even going as far as paying for a gym membership, yet we hardly ever make it to the gym. Most of us chalk it up to laziness, a busy schedule, or our poor planning skills. We laugh it off and vow to start again before summer.
The truth is, procrastination is often a result of long-held beliefs, fears and negative thoughts. Research from Syracuse University shows that the more dissatisfied women are with their bodies, the more likely they are to avoid exercise. When you take a CBT-based approach, you’ll finally deal with the inner fear that’s been holding you back for so long.
Harness the power of CBT
CBT is a strategy that combines the traditional habit-changing procedures with specific mind-changing procedures to help you find and maintain a healthy weight.
BetterMe uses this model to create a long-term behaviour change program that begins with a mindset shift. This program runs for six to 12 months and takes up no more than 10 minutes of your day. Each day, you’ll access informative content, quizzes, open-ended questions, diaries, scales and tests. These tools will prompt you to change how you think about yourself and the world. They help you work on the core issue, not the consequence.
This strategy helps users to address mental obstacles that make them:
Quit before achieving their target Take longer to reach their target Regain lost weight
The primary goals of a CBT-powered program are:
Achieve healthy weight loss Adopt a lifestyle that allows weight control Develop a stable weight control mindset
BetterMe’s CBT-powered program works by making you pause and evaluate every action you take. You’re empowered with tools to analyze the emotions and thoughts behind each action. The knowledge you draw from this analysis will help you reframe thinking and eventually change your habits. Gradually and consistently embracing new habits results in a healthy mind and body.
Retrain your mind to lose weight with BetterMe
If you’re ready to escape the endless cycle of temporary weight loss and regain there’s a way out. BetterMe has created a lifestyle-changing program that uses psychology to help you change how you think, feel and act. You’ll acquire all the tools you need for a long-term behaviour change that’s vital for healthy weight management.
Change your mindset with this psychology-based course 
Do any of these statements sound familiar? If yes, your mind might be getting in the way of your hard work and dream body:
Negative thoughts: “I’m too lazy. I can’t stick to any fitness plan.” Holding on to memories of negative experiences: “This weight loss app won’t work for me—none of them ever do.” Having unrealistic expectations: “According to this calculator, I can lose 15 pounds in two weeks.” Justifying negative habits: “I’ve had a rough week. I get to eat greasy food all weekend.”
Picture this: Instead of spending days researching and trying to implement cognitive behavioural therapy for weight loss, you get daily doses of information directly to your phone. And that’s not all; you also get:
Quizzes to recap what you’ve learned Self-assessment questions to help you discover new ways of thinking Homework to implement new healthy strategies
BetterMe offers all that and more through its in-app CBT-powered course. The course is divided into several chapters that cover topics like:
How to change your mindset How to develop healthy habits Choosing the right foods Creating an optimal weight loss plan
From one chapter to the next, this course will change your mind and body. The aim of the program is to equip you with the tools you need to manage your thoughts, actions and habits. Eventually, each change adds up to improve your overall quality of life.
BetterMe is focused on developing a new mindset, but they don’t leave out the tools you need for a physical transformation: diet and exercise.
Transform your body with workouts 
Ever looked at a weight-loss workout plan and immediately thought: “There’s no way I’ll do 10 reps of that without falling flat on my face!” The BetterMe team understands that slow and steady wins the race, so they’ve created workouts that you can do at your own pace.
New to fitness? They have simple, full-body workouts for you. Looking for an intense workout? Try their military-style sessions. Looking to tone specific muscles? Check out the ab, upper body and lower body workouts. Looking for something less intense? Try one of their dance workouts.
Seniors and people in wheelchairs are also represented within the comprehensive exercise section of the app. The best aspect of each of these workouts is that they’re actually demonstrated so that you can use the correct form.
Meal plan with ease 
So many weight-loss meal plans are really fad diets or involve extreme restriction. But have you considered going for diet-based meal plans, created by nutritionists to suit your preferences and goals?
The BetterMe app will tell you what to eat based on whichever of the following diets you choose:
Traditional Vegetarian Vegan Keto Keto vegan Pescatarian Lactose-free Gluten-free Paleo Mediterranean diet
You’ll also get insights into how much you should eat, based on your goals. The weight loss meal plans range from 1200-3000 calories.
The in-app calorie tracker can help you stay on top of your diet as you log your meals. Plus, there’s a water tracker that you can use to make sure you’re well hydrated throughout the day.
Go all in with BetterMe
Digging deep and discovering that all the beliefs and habits you’ve had for years have been holding you back seems scary. It’s natural to fear the unknown. And after trying so many diets and workouts to no avail, it’s normal to feel worn out.
But what if we told you that this time it’s going to be different? That signing up for this app doesn’t mean doing all the leg work yourself? That the BetterMe team will hold your hand every step of the way, helping you discover how to use your mind for healthy weight loss?
Download the BetterMe app today to get all the tools you need to lead a healthier and happier life.
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