Here you’ll find out about healthy eating and physical activity, and how small changes can lead to big benefits. A poor diet and inactivity can lead to health problems, but by taking on board our healthy eating advice and physical activity tips you’ll soon see yourself on the way to a healthier lifestyle.

Getting started on eating healthily can be challenging, but making some simple changes can make a world of difference to our health! Here’s some simple tips

• Don’t spread your toast, bread or sandwiches with butter or margarine - try low-fat spreads, or else try without any spread at all.

• Check tinned fruit labels - some fruits are in sugar syrup. Natural fruit juice is better.

• Take a light meal with you to work - better than a snack from the vending machine and a whole lot cheaper, too!

• For snacks, choose fruit, low-fat yoghurts, breadsticks, toast or a bowl of cereal.

• Drink plenty of fluids between meals, but avoid sugary drinks

How much is a lot?

Remember to check food labels when you’re out shopping, in particular for the amount of sugar, salt and fat present in food. Healthier living involves being aware of what manufacturers put in food, and knowing what’s good for you, and what’s not. For healthier diet advice on labels and labelling claims.

Checking labels only takes a little time, but it’s a big step toward healthier living and healthy eating. Try using the following indicators to give you an idea whether a food has ’a lot’ or ’a little’ of a particular nutrient.

For a complete main meal or 100g of a snack food:

A lot is this amount or more:
10g of sugars
20g of fat
5g of saturates
3g of fibre
0.5g of sodium

A little is this amount or less:
2g of sugars
3g of fat
1g of saturates
0.5g of fibre
0.1g of sodium

Quick Activity Tips

• walk or cycle for short errands rather than taking the car
• be active to music - it’s amazing how quickly the time will go
• choose activities that you enjoy doing. Physical activity should never be a chore.

• watch only the TV programmes you really want to see and do something active in between.

• remember that the best time for you to exercise or be active is always the most convenient time for you.

• write down how good you felt the last time you did some physical activity and keep it on hand to read whenever you feel that you’re too tired to get motivated.

• keep comfortable shoes and clothes in a place that you spend a lot of time - the car, work, even a friends house. That way, you’ve never got an excuse not to be active.