Health tip of the day: start small - don’t overdo it

We all know we should aim to be healthier. We know we should exercise several times a week, eat a varied and nutritious diet, get enough sleep, go to the doctor for check-ups, don’t smoke, don’t drink too much - the list is endless.

Making healthy lifestyle choices will always benefit you, but changing everything at once is hard to sustain. According to the American Psychological Association, unhealthy behaviours develop over time and so, also require time to change. They recommend focusing on one goal or change at a time, and as that becomes a habit, you can add another goal to work towards the overall change you want.

Start by identifying realistic short-term and long-term goals, and break them down into manageable steps. For example, if you want to eat healthier, your goal for week one could be replacing dessert with a healthier option like fruit or yoghurt. At the end of the week, you’ll feel successful having mastered that and can tackle the next step.