Norfolk County Council encouraging residents to sign up to 30-day health challenge
Norfolk County Council is encouraging residents to sign up for a 30-day health challenge through its free online tool Ready to Change.
Ready to Change uses behaviour change science to guide participants along their health improvement journey - and the council hopes it can help people improve their lifestyle this year.
It helps people set achievable goals in order for them to reach their target in a realistic timeframe.
The 30-day challenge is simple, supportive, and provides expert tips and guidance straight to people’s email inboxes to help them stick with it.
Cllr Bill Borrett, the county council cabinet member for public health and wellbeing, said: “New year provides a great opportunity to take stock of our health, and by signing up to the 30-day health challenge, I believe that we can all make real tangible, proactive steps to improve our health and lifestyles by setting realistic goals over 30 days.
“The Ready to Change website is a brilliant free tool to help us all stick to our goals and is available all year round – whenever you need it.
“Coupled with support and guidance delivered straight to your inbox, this health challenge is a fantastic way to maintain motivation.”
How to get involved?
Step 1: Visit the Ready to Change website and choose your health challenge from the following:
- Aim for a healthier weight
- Drink less alcohol
- Quit smoking
- Eat more healthily
- Be more active
Step 2: Sign up for free health guidance, tips and support by email over the following 30 days.
On the website, people can take quizzes to help understand what they might need to improve health and wellbeing, and access tips and information about free support in Norfolk.
Felix Naughton, professor of health psychology and behaviour change expert at the University of East Anglia, said: “Changing your lifestyle behaviours can feel daunting, but focusing on making changes for 30 days creates a more manageable goal that is achievable for most if not all of us.
“This challenge is perfect for those who would like to make changes but have been putting it off and for those who keep trying to change but don’t quite achieve their goals.
“Ready to Change uses behaviour change tools and science to help people make the changes they want to make and prepare them for any setbacks and difficulties they may experience along the way.
“And the benefits don’t take long to emerge – just a short time after making changes such as increased activity, reduced alcohol, improved diet quality or stopping smoking, studies show that people report a boost to their wellbeing and mental health.”
Ready to Change also signposts to a range of organisations which can help people achieve their goals, including free weight management, smoking cessation and fitness groups.
