Motivational Interviewing: The Missing Skill Every Fitness and Nutrition Professional Needs in 2026
Craig Alexander, Director of Anatomy Gyms
Craig Alexander, Director of Anatomy Gyms
Over the last decade, I’ve coached clients who wanted to lose weight, improve their health, and make long‑term changes to their lifestyle. I’ve seen firsthand that knowledge alone rarely transforms people’s behaviour. Alongside my work as a personal trainer, I completed a Master’s degree in Obesity and Weight Management at the University of Chester and trained in Motivational Interviewing under Dr Gary Mendoza. Motivational Interviewing (MI) formed the foundation of my postgraduate research, where I explored how behaviour change influences long‑term success in weight management.
Through this work, one thing became clear:
“People don’t struggle because they lack information.
They struggle because change is hard – emotionally, physically, and psychologically”
In this article, I want to break down what Motivational Interviewing is, why it matters for fitness and nutrition professionals, and how it can dramatically improve client outcomes.
Traditional health and fitness approaches often assume that if people know what to do, they’ll do it. Eat less. Move more. Be consistent. But human behaviour doesn’t work like that.
But the reality is far more complex. Weight and health are influenced by:
Telling someone what to do rarely helps them change how they live. Behaviour change science acknowledges something important:
“People shift through stages of readiness, and support must match the stage they’re in – not the stage we want them to be in.”
One of the most useful frameworks in behaviour change is the Stages of Change model. It describes how people move toward lasting change:
People don’t move through these stages in a straight line. They pause, regress, restart, and recycle. That’s normal.
“Motivational Interviewing is designed to help people move through these stages at their own pace, without pressure or shame.”
Motivational Interviewing was developed in the 1980s by William Miller and Stephen Rollnick, originally in the field of addiction treatment. It was designed to help people resolve ambivalence, that internal tug-of-war between wanting to change and wanting to stay the same. Over time, MI has been used across healthcare, psychology, nutrition, fitness, and lifestyle medicine.
At its core, MI is:
“A collaborative, person-centred style of conversation that helps people strengthen their own motivation to change.”
Instead of telling people what they should do, MI helps them explore:
This is crucial in fitness and nutrition, where people often feel judged, pressured, or talked down to.
MI uses a simple set of communication skills known as OARS:
O – Open Questions
These invite conversation rather than shut it down.
Instead of:
“Do you exercise much?”
Try:
“What does your current routine look like right now?”
A – Affirmations
These recognise effort, not just outcomes.
“You’ve clearly thought about this a lot.”
“It sounds like you’ve already made changes before.”
Affirmations build confidence and self-belief.
R – Reflections
This is where real listening happens.
You reflect back what you hear, not to repeat, but to show understanding.
“So part of you wants to lose weight, but another part feels overwhelmed.”
When people feel heard, they open up.
S – Summaries
Summaries pull together the key points the client has shared, especially their own reasons for change.
This helps reinforce motivation and clarity.
Client:
“I know I should eat better, but every time work gets stressful, I just grab whatever’s easiest.”
Traditional response:
“You need to plan better and improve your discipline.”
MI-informed response:
“It sounds like work stress really drains your energy, and convenience takes over – but you’re also aware that this pattern isn’t helping you.”
That reflection opens the door to problem-solving with the client, rather than telling them off.
From there, questions like:
Suddenly, the client is leading the change.
Research shows that MI:
The real power of MI is this:
“It builds internal motivation – the only type of motivation that truly lasts.”
That matters because motivation driven from within is far more sustainable than motivation imposed from outside.
Motivational Interviewing isn’t something you master overnight. It’s a skill that must be learned, practised, and refined. Early on, it can feel unnatural, especially if you’re used to giving advice or solutions quickly. But like any coaching skill, it improves with time, feedback, and intention.
You won’t always get it right. And that’s okay. What matters is adopting the mindset:
When applied well, Motivational Interviewing doesn’t just change behaviours, it changes relationships, conversations, and outcomes. And in Fitness and Nutrition, that can make all the difference.