Introduction

Whether it's responsibilities, lack of motivation or time, demanding circumstances, or tight finances, maintaining a healthier lifestyle can be difficult. Our health and wellness hub has been designed to provide you with top tips, resources, and information to help you to take simple, affordable, and small steps to help improve your physical and mental health.

Food and diet

Eating a healthy, balanced diet is an important part of maintaining good health, and can help you feel your best, including boosting your energy, and lifting your mood.

This means eating a wide variety of foods in the right proportions, and consuming the right amount of food and drink to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.

Due to the demands of modern day lifestyles, along with the Cost of Living Crisis causing inflation on the price of food, drinks, and ingredients, it is often difficult to maintain a consistent and nutritious diet. However, there are simple steps you can take to improve your everyday diet.

Here are some of our top tips:

Aim to eat at least five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day.
Make a meal plan and stick to it.
Prepare food at home and bring it with you wherever you go.
Write a shopping list and check what food you already have at home to avoid buying things you don’t need.
Try to choose a variety of different foods from the five main food groups to get a wide range of nutrients. The five main food groups are: dairy, vegetables, fruits, grains and protein.
If you can, avoid shopping on an empty stomach as it may affect what and how much you buy.
Buy ingredients in bulk, allowing you to make more portions for multiple people, or to eat throughout the week.
If you're having foods and drinks that are high in fat, salt and sugar, have these less often and in small amounts.
Select seasonal fruits and vegetables as they are widely available and less expensive, for example strawberries in summer and parsnips in winter.
Follow recipes and include the instructed amount of ingredients.
Tinned fruits and vegetables are cheap and quick options to add to meals. For example, a portion of baked beans is one of your five-a-day and a source of protein.
Go vegetarian or vegan for one or more meal a week.
Eat three meals a day at consistent, sensible times.
Try to avoid snacking, however, be sure to treat yourself once in a while!

Looking for some inspiration? Why not try these delicious, specially selected healthy recipes? Adorable choices for the whole family!

Apps

Looking for discounted food and deals? Why not check out these apps:

Too Good To Go Search for unsold food, then pre-pay through the app for a Magic Bag of ingredients. You can order from well-known brands including Morrisons, Costa, Pret, Yo Sushi, and more!

Trolley.co.uk Compare your favourite supermarkets and get the best prices on all of your favourite groceries.

SMASH - The Food Discount App Available for free for under 25's, saving you money on better food and drinks options in restaurants.

Food banks and support

There are food banks across London, including:

Can't find a food bank near you? Visit Food Cycle to locate your nearest one.

Exercise

While it is important to maintain a healthy diet, it is equally as important to exercise regularly.

It's free, easy, can be tailored to you and your needs, and has an immediate effect!

Whether it's dancing around your kitchen to your favourite song with a friend, or going to your weekly gym class, there's a form of exercise for everyone!

Exercise can include:

Walking
Jogging or brisk walking
Running
Dancing
Jumping or skipping
Climbing stairs or hills
Playing a sport, such as football, tennis, rugby, basketball, hockey, badminton, or athletics
Garden work, including mowing or raking the lawn
Aerobics
Swimming
Team sports
Fitness classes
Stretching
Yoga
Pilates
Zumba
Cycling

There are lots of fantastic free fitness apps you can use, including:

Strong - Record your workouts in an easy and intuitive way.

Nike Training Club - More than 185 workouts in categories such as strength, endurance, yoga, and mobility.

Strava - Can be used for cycling, swimming, and running activities. It can track your distance, speed, altitude, and calories burned.

Daily Yoga - Containing more than 50 yoga courses and more than 400 yoga asanas.

Don't have access to apps? No problem! Why not pick one of the exercises from the list above, and give one a go each week? Exercise doesn't have to involve paying for a gym membership, it could be as simple as going for a long walk with your friend, family, or solo once a day.

Mindfulness

It can be easy to rush through life without stopping to notice much.

Mindfulness is something that can be practiced daily, or whenever required. It's purpose is to know directly what is going on inside and outside ourselves, moment by moment.

Paying more attention to the present moment – to your own thoughts and feelings, and to the world around you – can improve your mental wellbeing.

How can I be more mindful?

Here are some top tips of how you can become more mindful:

Reminding yourself to take notice of your thoughts, feelings, body sensations and the world around you.
Keep it regular: pick a dedicated time each day, during which you decide to be aware of the sensations created by the world around you.
Trying new things, such as sitting in a different seat in meetings or going somewhere new for lunch.
Watch your thoughts: If you find yourself feeling anxious, or with an over-busy mind, focus on your breathing and your surroundings.
Name thoughts and feelings: if you have a regular thought or feeling, it may be beneficial to name this, for example, "This is anxiety".

Alternatively, why not try Calm the #1 app for sleep, mindfulness and meditation.

Mental Health

If you are feeling isolated, lonely, or otherwise struggling with your mental health, free resources are available.

There are also a number of free mental health support lines and services that can be used by anyone:

NHS: from 8:00am to 8:00pm, 7 days a week: 0808 196 3646.

Samaritans: 24 hours a day, 365 days a year: 116 123

SANEline: 4:30pm-10:30pm, 7 days a week: 0300 304 7000

National Suicide Prevention Helpline UK: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week: 0800 6895652