An exciting new campaign, the Great Swapathon, has been launched.  The Great Swapathon is the next stage of the government’s Change4Life movement and will help people to make small changes to their lifestyle.  Families and individuals will be able to get tips, help and advice that is tailored to their needs.

 The Great Swapathon encourages us to think about the simple swaps that we can make to help us lead healthier lives.  Ideas include:

•  swap sugary drinks like fizzy drinks or squash for water or milk. This could be in packed lunches, on the way to school or work and during breaks
• swap fry-ups for grill-ups. Everyone enjoys a nice cooked breakfast, but you can easily make it healthier by poaching or scrambling the eggs and grilling the sausages or bacon rather than frying them
• swap the sweets jar for a bowl of fruit
• swap snacking on the run for three meals a day – it’s easier to make healthier choices and keep hunger pangs at bay
• swap big plates to smaller plates. Using smaller plates is a good way to keep portion sizes in check (and it’ll look like you’ve got more food!)
• swap four wheels for two feet whenever you can – maybe for the school run, journeys to work or trips to the shops
• swap sitting around indoors for racing around outside. Kids love it and they’ll probably sleep more soundly afterwards
• swap the lift for the stairs – it’s a great way to get your heart going
• swap vegging on the sofa for a swim in your local pool. Find a time that works for you and try to make it a weekly trip
• swap white bread for wholemeal for your sandwiches or toast. It’s tastier and full of fibre.

 As part of the campaign, Your Great Swapathon, is an online tool that has been created to give you handy tips, set your own goals and record achievements. The Your Great Swapathon tool is available for you to use on both the Change4Life website at https://swapathon.co.uk/ and on the Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/change4life .

 Dr Judith Hooper, Director of Public Health at NHS Kirklees and Kirklees Council, said: “The Change4Life campaign has positive ideas about our behaviours to becoming healthier and addressing our rising levels of obesity.  By making simple swaps and sticking to them long term, such as taking the stairs instead of the lift or switching from full-fat to skimmed milk, we all will begin to live a healthier lifestyle without making drastic changes. For more ideas go to http://swapathon.co.uk”.

 Change4life in Kirklees builds on existing programmes to create a greater awareness of ways to help encourage and motivate children and families to lead a healthier way of life. As the Change4life initiative develops at a national level, here in Kirklees organisations will support new activities for local people to move more, eat well and live longer which will have a huge benefit in helping people feel well and lower the risk of contracting a range of health problems.  For more ideas visit www.kirklees.gov.uk/sport or ring the Kirklees Sport and Physical Activity Development Team on 01484 234095.

 ‘Eat Well4Life’ involves NHS Kirklees working closely with the public, community and voluntary sector to carry out initiatives such as luncheon clubs offering healthy meals, fruit and vegetable co-operative schemes and community cooking tutors, visit http://eatwell4life.kirklees.nhs.uk/ for more information. 

 ENDS