Our approach
Your coach isn't guessing. There's a method, and it has a name.
Most wellness apps run on willpower talk — push harder, want it more, stop making excuses. That approach has already failed most of the people reading this. So we built on something else: the published science of what actually changes behavior.
Do This With Me
Four principles sit underneath every screen, every coach reply, and every reminder we send.
- Movement over exercise
- Progress over perfection
- Community over comparison
- Together over alone
The method has a name
Researchers have spent years cataloguing the specific, repeatable things that help people change what they do — and separating them from the things that only sound motivating. That work lives in two open scientific taxonomies: the Behaviour Change Intervention Ontology (BCIO) and the Behaviour Change Technique Ontology (BCTO).
We use them as our build spec. Every coach in this app is described in BCIO terms — the behaviors it targets, how it's delivered, and how it's meant to work — and every single thing it does with you comes from a named, deliberately chosen BCTO technique. Nothing is improvised, and nothing is in there because it makes for a good marketing line.
What we're targeting
daily movement · eating patterns · self-monitoring (logging) · hydration · sleep and rest · self-talk and reflection
How it's delivered
one-to-one text-based digital coaching inside the app, plus peer support from a small invited squad, plus scheduled prompts by push, email, and SMS
How it's meant to work
autonomous motivation · self-efficacy · behavioural cueing and habit formation · perceived social support · self-regulation through monitoring and feedback
On top of that sits self-determination theory, which says lasting motivation needs three things: autonomy — you choose your own goals, we never assign them; competence — the next step is always small enough that you can actually do it; and relatedness — you're not doing this alone, which is the whole reason the squad exists.
These are descriptions of our method, not a clinical trial, a certification, or a medical endorsement.
What your coach actually does
Each of these is a named technique from the taxonomy, translated into how it feels when you're using the app.
Your goals are the ones you chose, in your words — never ones assigned to you.
Goal setting (behaviour) — you'll see it in: intake wins, weekly movement plan.
Your coach helps you pin down when, where, and how long — not just what.
Action planning — you'll see it in: small steps, movement plan days.
You name what gets in your way up front, so your coach can plan around it with you.
Problem solving / barrier identification — you'll see it in: intake barriers, barrier check-in card.
Logging food, water, movement, and mood is information — not a grade.
Self-monitoring of behaviour — you'll see it in: log page, micro-wins.
You get credit for what you did, not just what the scale says.
Feedback on behaviour — you'll see it in: badges, streaks, progress charts.
Your squad is part of the method, not a bonus feature.
Social support (emotional and practical) — you'll see it in: squad feed, squad chat, shared wins.
Everything starts one step from where you actually are today.
Graded tasks — you'll see it in: movement level, suggested plan targets.
New habits get anchored to something you already do every day.
Prompts, cues, and habit formation — you'll see it in: movement-day texts, nudges, reminders.
Your coach notices how you talk about yourself, and offers a kinder true version.
Self-talk and reframing — you'll see it in: coach chat, mood check-ins.
Plans get revisited on your schedule. Making a goal smaller counts as progress.
Review of behaviour goals — you'll see it in: check-in cadence, weekly recap.
You pick your own rewards up front, and your coach remembers them.
Incentive and self-reward — you'll see it in: intake rewards, milestone celebrations.
Your six coach voices differ in method, not just personality. Marcus reaches for planning and review. Joy reaches for feedback and celebration. Sage reaches for how you talk to yourself. Pick the one that fits the day — you can switch any time.
What your coach will never do
Some techniques are effective on paper and corrosive in practice. Others simply aren't ours to use. These are ruled out in the coach's own instructions, not just in our intentions.
Fear or threat about health consequences
Scaring people about what happens if they don't change reliably backfires and it isn't ours to say.
Punishment, penalties, or losing streaks as leverage
A missed day is data, not a debt. Nothing here is designed to make you feel behind.
Body or weight-based social comparison
Community over comparison. No leaderboards, no before-and-afters, no ranking bodies.
Prescribing restriction — calorie targets, fasting windows, elimination plans
That is clinical territory. Your coach talks habits, not protocols.
Anything requiring clinical judgment — diagnosing, reading labs, advising on medication
Your coach is not a medical, nutritional, or mental-health professional and will say so plainly.
Shaming your weight, your body, or your food
Non-negotiable. Ever.
Your coach is not a medical, nutritional, or mental-health professional, and it will tell you so plainly rather than guess. If a conversation ever touches a crisis, it will point you to a licensed professional or the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (US) and stay with you kindly in the meantime.
Why your first month has no scale
You'll weigh in once when you join, and then the scale rests for 30 days. This isn't a gimmick — it's the feedback principle taken seriously.
Feedback only builds motivation when it reflects something you controlled. Weight on any given morning reflects water, hormones, sodium, sleep, and timing far more than it reflects the walk you took. Handing you that number in week one teaches you that showing up doesn't matter — which is the opposite of what's true.
So for the first month, the feedback you get is the feedback you earned: days you moved, minutes you logged, water you drank, meals you noticed, times you showed up for someone in your squad. Then the scale comes back as one signal among many, instead of the only judge in the room.
Meet a coach that starts where you are
Fourteen days free — cancel anytime. Bring your squad — they join free.
Start your 14-day trialDisclaimer: Coaching responses in Do This With Me Wellness are generated with the help of AI. They are for general wellness support only and are not a substitute for medical, nutritional, or mental-health advice from a licensed professional. Always consult your doctor before starting a new eating plan or movement routine. In an emergency, call your local emergency number.