Step 1: Get in the zone

Prepare your mindset for success. Find focus, motivation and belief in your ability to achieve your lifestyle goals.

Congratulations on starting your journey with Cholesterol Smart!

You’ve taken the first step towards improving your cholesterol and supporting your heart health. Change isn’t always easy, but getting into the right mindset can make all the difference.

What do we mean by “Getting in the zone”?

It’s all about preparing yourself mentally for the journey ahead.

This step helps you:

  • reflect on what motivates you
  • think about potential challenges
  • plan how to overcome those challenges with practical solutions.

Why is this step so important?

Getting in the zone sets the foundation for lasting success. By understanding what drives you and preparing for potential bumps in the road, you’ll feel more confident and ready to take on this challenge.

Changing habits built over a lifetime isn't always straightforward, even when you know what to do. That’s why small steps and a positive mindset are essential. And remember, lapses are normal, it’s how you respond that matters. Dust yourself off, refocus, and keep going. Every small step forward counts!

Ready to get in the zone?

Get inspired, keep motivated and plan for challenges

Download and complete our 'Get in the Zone' activity sheet

Use our activity sheet to:

  • Focus on what drives and motivates you. Why is lowering cholesterol important to you? Is it about staying healthy for your family, having more energy, or feeling your best? Write it down and keep it somewhere you can see it to keep you inspired.
  • Spot potential challenges. Think about what might make sticking to your plans difficult – like a busy work schedule or social events. It’s completely normal! Write down these challenges so you’re aware of them. Completing our food, mood and activity diary can help you pinpoint challenges more clearly.
  • Plan your solutions. For every challenge, there’s a solution. For example:

Busy schedule? Solution: Plan quick, heart-healthy meals or snacks in advance.

Dining out? Solution: Check menus in advance for healthier options.

Understand your lifestyle choices

Sometimes, we think we know what we’re eating and how active we are, but the reality can be surprising. To really understand your habits and focus on the improvements that matter most, it helps to track them as you go.

Download our 'Food, Mood & Activity' diary

Complete our Food, Mood & Activity diary for at least three days. This will:

  • help you understand your current habits
  • give you the information you need to get the most out of Step 2: Assess.

Use our downloadable diary or a digital app if you prefer, whatever works best for you!

Need ideas to stay motivated and overcome challenges?

See our top tips

More Cholesterol Smart steps


Our cookies

We use cookies, which are small text files, to improve your experience on our website.
You can allow or reject non essential cookies or manage them individually.

Manage cookiesAllow all

Cookie policy

Our cookies

Allow all

We use cookies, which are small text files, to improve your experience on our website. You can allow all or manage them individually.

You can find out more on our cookie page at any time.

EssentialThese cookies are needed for essential functions such as logging in and making payments. Standard cookies can't be switched off and they don't store any of your information.
AnalyticsThese cookies help us collect information such as how many people are using our site or which pages are popular to help us improve customer experience. Switching off these cookies will reduce our ability to gather information to improve the experience.
FunctionalThese cookies are related to features that make your experience better. They enable basic functions such as social media sharing. Switching off these cookies will mean that areas of our website can't work properly.
AdvertisingThese cookies help us to learn what you're interested in so we can show you relevant adverts on other websites and track the effectiveness of our advertising.
PersonalisationThese cookies help us to learn what you're interested in so we can show you relevant content.

Save preferences