A healthier life campaign shows easy changes make a difference

Are some or all of these on your New Year’s Resolution list, again? Plus, while you’ll give them a go, you also know that list will be shelved within a few days or weeks as life gets in the way of well-meant plans.

A new campaign to help people make healthier choices has launched in Norfolk, aiming to ensure those New Year New You resolutions become a way of life.

ITV’s Dr Hilary Jones is supporting the platform which highlights that making small changes is more sustainable than setting over ambitious goals (Image: Norfolk County Council)

Backed by ITV’s Dr Hilary Jones and This Morning’s Dr Zoe Williams, Ready to Change, created by Norfolk County Council Public Health with health and behaviour experts from the University of East Anglia, helps people towards a healthier lifestyle.

Ready to Change focuses on achievable small changes to tackle unhealthy behaviour, with an emphasis on alcohol consumption, a healthy weight, being more active and not smoking.

It works by helping people understand their lifestyles and what changes they might need to make, with masses of support for those times when making a healthier choice feels hard.

There is also help for when people may feel they can’t continue with the small changes, with tips for finding your own support network and explaining exactly how individuals can help you – such as a partner not automatically pouring an alcoholic drink or friends encouraging the no-smoking habit.

This Morning’s Dr Zoe Williams, said: “If you’re looking to lose weight, stop smoking, become more active or even just drink less, Ready to Change can really help you reach your goals. It’s one of the best free behaviour change tools I’ve seen.”

There’s proven science behind the website too, which builds on people’s ability to change their behaviour, even when they are not convinced they can.

The Covid-19 pandemic proved that we can manage rapid changes, such as more frequent hand washing, social distancing and mask wearing.

Dr Felix Naughton, associate professor in Health Psychology at the UEA, which was very involved in developing the Ready for Change website, said: “The platform is based on the latest scientific evidence. This included identifying and embedding multiple ‘behavioural change techniques’, which studies have found are effective at helping people change their health behaviours.

“A key element of the website is the inclusion of self-assessment quizzes where people can learn how they are doing with their current health behaviours.”

Dr Naughton explained: “The site is based on the latest evidence from the field of behavioural science and uses cutting edge tools and techniques to ensure people are not just given advice about what they can do to improve their health but are given support to achieve and sustain the positive changes they want to make.”

The quizzes on the website can help you discover how healthy your life is, from whether you drink within sensible limits to looking at what you eat. Then there are tools to help set realistic goals and make plans for how to tackle difficult moments when they arise – and maintain new healthier behaviour.

It suggests reasons for changing behaviour, such as saving money, improving your health, being able to spend more time with friends, having more energy to run around with your children and grandchildren and even cycling more rather than driving to protect children walking to school.

The website explains that there can be many reasons why trying to change hasn’t worked in the past, and helps people understand the best way for them to succeed. It helps everyone consider capabilities, opportunities, motivation and behaviour. It also emphasises that sometimes we set our goals too high and give up when we fail – so small changes are better.

Author Jo Malone is making small changes as suggested by Ready to Change in the hope of a long term heathier life (Image: Jo Malone)

I’m trying the Ready for Change way after completing the online quizzes and confirming what I thought: I drink way too much alcohol, eat too much fatty and sugary food and, disappointingly, I’m fooling myself by thinking that occasionally going running cancels out that unhealthy behaviour.

So I’m setting mini goals and will be using the Ready for Change system to see if I can finish the month still on track to a healthier lifestyle.

I’ve tried Dry January several times, once fairly successfully, but I’ve always gone back to the ‘beer after work’ or ‘wine as soon as the children are in bed’ habit.

I’ll keep you posted.

Have a go yourself – Ready to Change does make change feel possible.

Check it out at www.norfolk.gov.uk/readytochange