January: fitness
This month is about getting moving, building consistency, and laying the foundation to reach your goals this year.
Total Health Challenge
12 HEALTHY DAYS OF CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE
The final free challenge is all about staying grounded while enjoying the holidays. The 12 Healthy Days of Christmas gives you simple, achievable habits that help you stay energised, balanced, and well through December. From movement and mindfulness to nourishing meals and better sleep, each day brings a small win that supports your body and mind during the busiest time of the year
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Giving your health attention over Christmas
December is joyful, but it’s also the month when healthy habits slip the fastest. Research shows our behaviour changes with the seasons: we move less, eat more, get less daylight, and feel the effects both mentally and physically. At the same time, online search patterns show a spike in “healthy intentions” every winter. In other words, your body may struggle more in December, but your motivation is highest, making it the perfect time to stay on top of your health.1
Here’s why staying mindful matters:1
Winter behaviours shift: Activity levels naturally drop in colder, darker months, while cravings and comfort eating rise. This combination contributes to weight gain and lower mood.
Vitamin D levels fall sharply: Sunlight drops in winter, and so do vitamin D levels, affecting immunity, energy, and mental wellbeing.
Health risks climb: Sedentary time and heavier festive eating are linked with increased risks of obesity and cardiovascular issues.
Your healthy intentions peak now: Search data shows people think more about diet and exercise in winter than in summer, making December a key moment to take action, not wait for January.
Your year of transformation: monthly highlights
Over the course of the year, we'll challenge you to improve upon different areas of your health, with hopes to create lasting, sustainable change that facilitates better health and wellbeing.
February: heart health
Show your heart some love with cardio moves and heart-healthy meal swaps.
March: mindfulness
March is all about meditation, journaling, and mindfulness to help you stay balanced and clear-headed.
April: clean eating
This April, we’re focusing on the powerhouse of health - the gut, and how to keep it thriving.
May: outdoor
Summer's creeping up, so we're taking your workouts outside to reap the benefits of fresh air.
June: strength
Feel the summer pump with strength workouts that build power, boost flexibility, and keep injuries at bay with moves that deliver results.
July: hydration and kidney health
Beat the summer heat with hydration tips, water-rich foods, and creative ways to keep your water intake consistent.
August: commuting
Turn your commute into an adventure this August and watch your step count soar.
September: sleep
Build a bedtime routine, reduce screen time, and create the perfect sleep environment for a more energised you.
October: selflessness
Lift your mood and strengthen connections through acts of kindness and self-care.
November: new skill
Step out of your comfort zone by mastering a new exercise or skill that challenges you to grow.
December: 12 healthy days
Celebrate 12 healthy days of Christmas with treats and activities that keep your progress on track without impacting enjoyment.
This year's previous challenges
Our Total Health Challenge is a year long. Each month focuses on healthy habits that can be built into your routine in the long term. So even if you miss a month, you can download it for free and follow the core principles of the challenge.
February's Heart Health Challenge
April's Clean Eating Challenge
July's Hydration and Kidney Health Challenge
August's Commuting Challenge
August's challenge focused on transforming your daily journeys into opportunities for movement. Whether it’s swapping the bus for a bike or walking to your local coffee spot instead of driving, we helped you turn your commute into a health boost. With weekly goals and simple tips, we guide you to move more, stress less, and feel better. Click on the button below to download the challenge.
September's Sleep Challenge
September’s challenge focused on transforming your nights to improve your days. From building a better bedtime routine to cutting down on late-night screen time, we guided you through weekly goals and science-backed tips to help you sleep deeper, wake more refreshed, and feel sharper throughout the day. Click the button below to download the challenge.
October's Selflessness Challenge
November's New Skill Challenge
November’s challenge was all about learning a new skill you can carry into the new year and weave into everything you’ve built so far. By learning a new exercise skill, you built on the habits from previous months and prepared yourself for a stronger year ahead. Click below to download the challenge.
WHY THE 12 HEALTHY DAYS CHALLENGE?
The festive season isn’t just busy; it’s a known risk zone for quiet, long-term weight gain. Research shows that adults typically gain around 0.4–0.9 kg between late November and early January, and much of that weight often isn’t lost afterwards.2 Even people who are actively trying to lose weight or carefully monitoring their health still tend to gain a little over this period. The main culprit isn’t one big Christmas dinner, but weeks of richer food, extra drinks, and less movement.2
The 12 Healthy Days of Christmas challenge is designed to work with that reality, not against it. By building in simple, structured habits across the month, it helps you stay grounded through a naturally “riskier” time of year. The goal isn’t perfection; it’s to protect your progress, feel better in your body, and step into January a little stronger than you left November.
What makes our challenge different?
Each month of the 2025 Total Health Challenge focuses on a different part of your wellbeing, and December is all about staying balanced through the festive season. This challenge encourages you to enjoy the celebrations while keeping simple, healthy habits in the mix. helping you protect your energy, mood, and routine during a month that’s famously busy (and snack-filled).
What's in it for you?
This challenge is your gateway to lasting change, each month building on the last, creating routines that stick and transform the way you approach your health. And if you’re working with a health coach, you’ll have someone to cheer you on, track those wins with you, and help you overcome any hurdles along the way.
You’ll become part of a growing community—people just like you, sharing their triumphs, setbacks, and everything in between. With the hashtag #NumanHealthChallenge, you can document your progress on social media, inspire others to take that first step, and celebrate those small-but-mighty wins that add up to something remarkable. Below are just some of the benefits of signing up to this challenge now.
Try eating in a "time window"
Chronobiology, which is the science of how our internal body clocks influence everything from metabolism to sleep, shows that the timing of our meals can have a meaningful impact on our health. Our circadian rhythm is designed to process food more efficiently earlier in the day, while late-night eating can disrupt digestion, encourage weight gain, and make it harder for our hormones to regulate appetite and blood sugar.3
During the festive season, when meals are richer and routines slip, a simple strategy grounded in chronobiology can help: choose a daily eating window. Aim to enjoy all meals and caloric drinks within a 10–12 hour period (for example, 8am–6pm), giving your body a longer overnight break from digestion. This approach doesn’t restrict what you eat – you can still enjoy your Christmas favourites – but it supports your natural rhythms, helps stabilise energy levels, and may reduce the likelihood of holiday weight gain.
Staying active in winter
When the days get shorter and colder, it’s completely normal for your activity levels and motivation to dip. But research shows that keeping your body moving through winter has a powerful impact on your health.4 People who stay active outdoors during the colder months experience healthier body composition, stronger muscles, better flexibility, and improved overall fitness. Meanwhile, those who slow down see declines in these same areas, along with a rise in abdominal fat and a drop in endurance.4
Winter activity also supports your mood, energy, and immunity. Exercising outdoors increases oxygen flow to the brain and boosts endorphins at a time when many people struggle with low motivation or seasonal blues. And because vitamin D levels naturally fall during darker months, getting outside during daylight, even for a short burst, helps your body make more of this essential nutrient for immunity, bone health, and mood regulation.
Knowledge
Take a deeper dive into all things health
References
1. Haith AM, Krakauer JW. The multiple effects of practice: skill, habit and reduced cognitive load. Curr Opin Behav Sci. 2018;20:196–201.
2. Yang CS, Cowan NJ, Haith AM. Control becomes habitual early on when learning a novel motor skill. J Neurophysiol. 2022;128(5):1278–91.
3. Mei M, Yang F, Tang M. Does practice enhance adaptability? The role of personality trait, supervisor behavior, and career development training. Front Psychol. 2020;11:594791.
4. Flexman R. Lifelong learning:: A key weapon in Delaware’s fight against cognitive decline. Dela J Public Health. 2021;7(4):124–7.