Norfolk County Council is encouraging residents to sign up to a 30-day health challenge this year. UEA Professor of Health Psychology Felix Naughton explains how focusing on making changes for 30 days creates a more manageable goal
Want to make a positive difference to your health in 2025? Don’t know where to begin, or just need some tips and guidance along the way? Norfolk County Council is encouraging residents in Norfolk and Waveney to sign up to the 30-day health challenge this year, through its free online tool Ready to Change.
Ready to Change differs from the usual health improvement tools as it combines real behaviour change science to help and guide you along your health improvement journey. It helps you set achievable goals for you to reach your ultimate target in a realistic timeframe.
The 30-day health challenge is simple, supportive, and provides expert tips and guidance straight to your email inbox to help you stick with it.
How do I 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 expert health guidance, tips and support by email over the following 30 days.
Residents can visit the Ready to Change website where they can take quizzes to help understand what they might need to improve health and wellbeing, and access loads of tips and information about FREE support in Norfolk.
Felix Naughton, Professor of Health Psychology and behaviour change expert at the University of East Anglia, says: ‘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 lots of local organisations which can help you achieve your goals including free weight management, smoking cessation and fitness groups.
Councillor Bill Borrett, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing at the County Council, adds: ‘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 – for whenever you need it. Coupled with support and guidance delivered straight to your inbox, this health challenge is a fantastic way to maintain motivation.’
Visit www.readytochange.co.uk to find out more about the 30-day health challenge, take health quizzes, and sign up for expert health guidance and support to get you the success you deserve in 2025.
Featured image – Felix Naughton. Both images supplied by Norfolk County Council
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