4 Steps Fitness Coaches Should Use to Help Clients Improve Their Decision-Making Skills

Are you a fitness coach whose clients are struggling to make long-term behavior changes?

I, Coach Kasey, have a Ph.D. in psychology and am an expert in health behavior change. My favorite thing to do is teach health coaches the skills necessary to help clients make lasting changes (and make the coaching experience less frustrating for everyone involved!).

Although there are thousands of evidence-based behavior change tools, here I break down one of my go-to strategies – a favorite amongst the fitness coaches I work with inside the Health Mindset Coaching Certification.

Improving the Decision-Making Process

The method is what I call “playing out the script.”

Based on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), this exercise was originally created to help with anxiety and working through worst-case scenarios, but we find it useful in helping our coaching clients create health and fitness behavior change as well.⁣

You might want to try this approach if your clients are struggling with the decision-making process on their fitness journey.

And if you are not a fitness coach but are someone who wants to improve their decision-making skills, you can still try this either by yourself through journaling or by taking it out with a trusted friend or family member.

Effective Decision Making

What clients realize through the "playing out the script" exercise is typically that the worst case is either not that bad or not likely to happen. 

We can use this in the traditional “worst case scenario” manner, but find there are other ways to leverage playing the script within health and fitness coaching or simply helping our clients work through life decisions and improve their problem-solving skills.⁣

How to Help Your Clients Make Behavior Changes

The original framework requires a person to determine the situation they are anxious or fearful about and then ask themselves: if that were actually to happen, what would that lead to?

And then, with that response, ask themselves again: if THAT were to happen, what would that lead to?⁣

And repeat.

This process is similar to other CBT tools taught in the Health Mindset Coaching Certification for breaking negative thought patterns.

However, your clients need more substance for decision-making for their health and fitness-related goals.⁣

One example of how this can play out is if a client is in the midst of a big life decision. 

Here are the four steps a fitness coach should go through when helping their client improve their decision-making skills.

Step 1: Identify the options and situations your client is uncertain about

Have your client lay out each possible direction their situation could take. 

Suggest to your client, "Instead of feeling paralyzed by the options, think about each one alone, without the influence of the other options.”⁣

Bonus points if your client writes it down or talks about it with you or someone else! Writing things down (journaling) can be very helpful for effective decision-making, creating change, and creating awareness.

Step 2: Have your client really think about what would play out in each direction

The conversation with your client could go as follows:

“With each direction you listed, what exactly would it look like? How would you feel? What outcome will transpire? How might you feel about that decision a month after the fact?”⁣

Have your client do this with each option separately, without considering the influence of the other options.

Step 3: Have your client visualize living through specific circumstances in each direction

This is where we believe visualization can actually be quite helpful.⁣

Your clients can visualize themselves making that decision, doing the thing, taking action, etc.⁣

Ask your client, “What does it feel like? How will others feel? What comes of it?⁣”

Encourage your client to feel the emotions and lean into them as if they were happening in real time and have them share with you (and/or write down) what comes up!

Step 4: Review the data

Now that your client has gathered the data, it's time to analyze it and determine an objective conclusion. 

Your client should answer the questions, “What feels best? Which direction aligns best with your values and priorities? Which will best support your future self?”

Once you go through these steps with your client, the right decisions will be much clearer to them, and over time, they can use these coaching sessions as past experiences to guide them in the right direction when they are faced with difficult decisions.

CBT for Behavior Change and Decision-Making

It sounds like “woo woo” stuff, but this exercise can be helpful even for the more simple things, like the battle to go to the gym vs. relax on the couch or have that second glass of wine vs. sticking to the one glass you planned.⁣

Next time your clients feel like they're in the middle of a tough decision, no matter how big or how small, you can encourage them to tap into that big, beautiful prefrontal cortex of theirs (the control, attention, and decision-making center of their brain!) and use this exercise to play out the script.

They will find their decision-making skills are much stronger once they get used to going through this process.

Improve Your Fitness Coaching Skills

Teaching your clients how to make better decisions isn't only good for them. It's good for you and your business, too.

Once your clients see they have the ability to make good decisions that get them closer to their fitness goals, they start adhering more to their protocols, which makes them more successful in their wellness pursuits, increases your retention rate as a coach, and boosts the credibility of your business because you're actually helping people create long-term change. 

If you found this helpful and are interested in further improving your skills as a health and fitness coach, I encourage you to join the Health Mindset Coaching Certification.

Becoming an exceptional fitness coach requires more than just nutrition and training knowledge. 

I can teach you how to cultivate a growth mindset in your clients and guide them to sustained behavior change using evidence-based practices based on psychology. 

This 13-week program will teach you to leverage the science of mindset and health behavior change to promote increased retention, connection, adherence, and success with your fitness coaching clients. 

Sign up for the waitlist to grab some FREE mindset coaching lessons and get first dibs (and bonuses) when the time comes to join the next round of The Health Mindset Coaching Certification.

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Email: [email protected] 

IG: @coachkaseyjo @healthmindsetcert