A method that turns health advice into a driver of change

Looking after yourself may look easy on paper: get more exercise, eat better and sleep well. However, in an increasingly fast-paced and demanding world, maintaining healthy habits in the long term has become a challenge for many. Lack of time, stress, sedentary lifestyles and the cost of ongoing access to specialized training, nutrition and physiotherapy often lead to health being put on the back burner.

The problem is that, by the time we take action, it is often too late. Lack of exercise and a poor diet not only affect our daily well-being but are also associated with a higher risk of chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease or loss of function. In Spain, over five million adults live with type 2 diabetes, a condition for which physical inactivity, diet, excess weight and an ageing population are significant factors.

This is where the Fitter method comes in. According to the team behind it, "its aim is to democratize access to a healthier lifestyle through a combination of physical training, nutrition, physiotherapy and technology in a single integrated system". As explained by its creators, the basis of its value proposition is to "turn intention into action: moving away from general and scattered information towards the development of personalized plans tailored to each person's needs, medical conditions or ailments, always grounded in scientific evidence and health education".

"The Fitter method stems from the work carried out by Gerard Planagumà, co-founder of the project, who believes that good health is achieved through an active and mindful lifestyle based on three key pillars: physical training, nutrition and physiotherapy," said Beth Iriarte, former course instructor on the Bachelor's Degree in Communication at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) and co-founder of Fitter, a finalist in the SpinUOC 2026 entrepreneurship programme. As she explained, the Fitter app is "the next natural and digital step for this method. The Fitterapp is the Fitter method's digital spin-off." According to its creators, the aim is to help users follow health plans, expand the method's applications and enable more people to benefit from it, even without attending the centre in person.

Centro Fitter, located in Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona, plays a key role in the project. Every day, team members at the centre work with many different people with a wide range of health profiles, identifying needs, fine-tuning protocols and understanding the barriers to sustained healthy habits in their everyday lives. They describe it as "a living lab, where the method is tested, improved and validated through daily practice. The centre and the Fitter app work together, reinforcing each other: face-to-face sessions are held to identify unmet needs, adjust protocols and learn from individual cases. The app then transfers this knowledge to a digital setting to help users follow the plans created for them and enable the method to reach a wider audience."

Science-based technology with human oversight

According to the team behind it, one of the Fitter project's distinctive features is its use of artificial intelligence (AI) to assist in customizing plans and helping users follow them. However, they also emphasize that technology never replaces professional judgement. "We use what we describe as supervised artificial intelligence because, when it comes to people's health, you can't leave everything to technology," said Iriarte. The team refer to this as a human-in-the-loop model: we use AI to sort information and tailor and speed up processes, but everything is subject to final approval by a professional.

This is key when it comes to understanding Fitter's positioning. Far from being merely a local business or yet another app offering generic routines, it is a method that seeks to bring together professional expertise, personal data and ongoing support. "We use technology for growth, artificial intelligence for optimization, physical premises for guidance, and professionals for support," said Iriarte.

Another important feature that sets the Fitter method apart from similar applications or methods available on the market is its focus on health. Unlike programmes aimed primarily at aesthetic fitness, the Fitter method uses physical training, nutrition and physiotherapy to improve people's health. "The Fitter method focuses on health rather than aesthetics," explained Iriarte. "Nothing that's not backed by scientific validation or evidence or that isn't clearly focused on improving people's health makes its way into our action protocols." According to its co-founder, the aim is not to deny the existence of an aesthetic dimension to fitness but to give it the appropriate level of importance. "Despite its potential aesthetic benefits, our main aim is to improve people's health," she said.

A personalized and supportive method

Another distinctive feature of Fitter is the degree of personalization and monitoring involved. Based on the premise that each person has a unique starting point, Fitter uses its own integrated protocols developed according to professional standards and tailored to various profiles, medical conditions and ailments. These protocols are then entered into Fitter's digital platform where, with the help of AI, plans are customized based on each user's information.

Creating a truly personalized plan is a complex process. "We design a comprehensive health plan for each person based on their unique characteristics," said Iriarte. "The aim is not to tell people what to do but to give them the support they need to do it themselves." Health coaches play a key role in this process. They are professionals who follow up with users, review their progress and adjust the plan when needed. Technology helps to personalize at scale, but human support is still needed to ensure long-term change.

A better and longer active life

The Fitter method seeks to "democratize access to these health services and help more people look after themselves before problems start appearing". Its co-founder noted that most people have "limited access" to such services, which are often targeted at high-performance athletes despite offering significant benefits for the wider public. "Our goal is to give everyone access to a personal trainer, regular contact with a nutritionist and, of course, the opportunity to see a physiotherapist before any pain appears."

In view of this, another clear goal for the founders is to extend people's lifespans. Now that people are living longer but increasingly stressful and sedentary lives, "both physical and mental health issues are more likely to arise. The challenge is therefore no longer simply to live longer but to lead more independent lives, with more energy and better quality of life, during those extra years," said Iriarte. "Health is not a goal: it's a process. At Fitter, our goal is to provide an opportunity for support and personal discovery in order to improve people's daily lives in a way that is sustainable over time."

This entrepreneurial project contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3, Good Health and Well-being.

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