Connect your mind! #changeonething

Mental health is just as important as physical wellbeing, but is often overlooked. I'm not a mental health expert(!) but a clear mind does help to keep your health balanced.

Learning new skills can give you a sense of achievement and a new confidence. So why not sign up for that cooking course, start learning to play a musical instrument, or figure out how to fix your bike? Update me with your plans and we can help each other along the way!

Check out the NHS website for more help with developing a great outlook and great mental wellbeing!

Up your level of exercise! #changeonething

Now the kids are back at school, it's time for me to step up the exercise routine! 10 minutes a day is a great base to start from but to add to this, we (me and my other half!) will be cycling or walking for at least an hour, three times a week (and not rewarding ourselves with a huge hot chocolate and a cake when we've done it!).

Please don't rush into a heavy regime if you're not used to exercising; there's a great training plan available from the NHS - Couch to 5K. And, always consult your doctor practice nurse of starting something for the first time, if you're unsure about anything health-related or if you just want to talk things over!

Back to School - Smart Restart with Change4Life!

September's the perfect time to make a new start!

The school year is just beginning. Make it a great start with Change4Life's new back to school booster - Smart Restart!

www.nhs.uk/Change4Life

All you need to do is choose one healthy change - like swapping some of your kids' treats for healthier alternatives. Or some of your car or bus journeys for walking, cycling or scooting - and you'll get offers, discounts and lots of support with our free app, emails and texts.

Every parent wants their kids to get the most out of the year ahead, but did you know that even simple changes can make a huge difference to the way kids feel, behave and learn in school?

Just choose one healthy change, and get started today! For example, stretch your legs, 10 minute moves, screen-time switches, beat the treats and super lunches! You can sign up here.

The Smart Restart app is a great, FREE tool, full of fun ideas and support - to help your healthy change, become a healthy habit:

• Five brilliant tools, packed full of ideas, games and inspiration to get the kids moving more and eating more healthily.
• Weekly action lists to help you form healthier habits over six weeks.
• A progress wall so you can see how well you're doing.

Download the app here.

Why not catch up with others on the Change4Life Facebook page? It's a great place to share your experiences and find lots of inspirational ideas and advice from families just like yours!

Be Food Smart - Change4Life

Change4Life is a government initiative that helps families and individuals to eat healthier and keep fit.  Their latest leaflet publication helps us to “Be Food Smart”.

We all like food to be cheap, easy and tasty and so often reach for the ready-made foods, snacks and take-aways, but it’s often cheaper (not to mention tastier!) to make your own!

The five principles of the Change4Life Be Food Smart campaign are:

1. 5 a day – aim for a variety of 5 portions of fruit and vegetables per day.  Remember, they don’t all have to be fresh.  Frozen, juiced, dried or canned – they all count.
2. Sugar swaps – swap sugary drinks for no added sugar drinks like water or skimmed/1% fat milk.  Switch sweet snacks for fruit or unsalted popcorn.  And why not replace your sugary puddings with plain low-fat yoghurts and fruit?
3. Watch the salt – most us don’t realise that there’s hidden salt in every day products that don’t even taste salty – bread, cereals, pizza and some sauces.  So, go easy with ketchup, mayo and soy sauce and skip adding salt next time you tuck into a meal. 
4. Cut back on fat – we all know that too much fat is bad for us but often we don’t realise that fat is hidden in many of the foods we eat.  It’s easy to be food smart about fat; choose lower fat spreads, lower fat dairy products and leaner cuts of meat to make a good start! 
5.  Be calorie smart – calories are a clue to what you should be eating each day and area really handy for planning how much to eat and when.  Try to aim for 400 calories for breakfast, 600 for lunch and 600 for your evening meal.  That leaves a few calories for any healthy snacks.  And remember, we don’t all need to eat the same amounts.  Women don’t need as many calories as men and kids need even less – so get into the habit of “me-sized” meals!

Here’s the link to the Meal Mixer app from the Change4Life website.  So when you are stuck for inspiration, because it happens to everyone(!) - have a browse through their recipes and your creatuve cokoing juices will be flowing once again!

And lastly, there are many ways to be food smart all day.

Being food smart at breakfast means you’ll be less tempted to reach for a mid-morning snack:

• Pick cereals with no added sugar – you  can always sweeten it up with a bit of chopped fruit. 
•  Swap white toast for wholegrain toast to release energy throughout the morning to keep you on the go.

Perk up a packed lunch with these tips:

• It’s fun to dunk – cucumber, pepper and carrot sticks are delicious with a low fat dip. 
•  Low fat yoghurts always go down well – they’re a good source of calcium too.

For a quick and simple snack after school:

• Swap crisps for plain rice cakes dunked in low fat cream cheese. 
•  For a sweet tooth, forget the cakes and biscuits – fresh fruit is great for munching on the go.

For more meal ideas and food smart tips, search online for Change4Life.