UQ Wellness Behaviour Change Programs

UQ has partnered with Bupa to develop a series of behaviour change programs for staff looking to improve and prioritise their health and wellbeing.

The 12-week online programs will run throughout the year, each focusing on a different mental or physical wellbeing areas.

Mood Food nutrition program to enhance your gut, brain and mental health, Goal Set program will focus on physical wellbeing and Mind Set program focuses on mental fitness

Format: programs will be facilitated by qualified experts through an external provider
Eligibility: all fixed-term, continuing and casual staff, regardless of whether you are a Bupa member are eligible to participate
Cost: free to all eligible staff
Data collection: UQ staff who submit an expression of interest to take part in a program will need to provide their name and relevant contact details. The details of participants selected to take part in a program will be passed to Bupa for the purpose of program administration (for example, program communications, calendar invitations, pre/post surveys etc.)
Cancellations: if you are no longer able to participate in the program, please advise UQ Wellness at wellness@uq.edu.au.

Mood Food program

Mood Food is a 12 week online nutrition program that will enhance your gut, brain and mental health.

Next start date: early 2025
Duration: 12 weeks

Express your interest

Expressions of interest (EOI) for the 2024 offerings have now closed. Future cohorts are planned for 2025. Please ensure you are subscribed to the UQ Wellness mailing list to hear when EOI's open for the next cohort. To subscribe, email UQ Wellness at wellness@uq.edu.au

What does Mood Food offer:

5-10 minute weekly on-demand video content
Meal plans and recipes
Fact sheets and resources
1:1 online dietitian consultation - 1 20 minute consultation
Mood Food platform access for one year.

What are the benefits:

Improved wellbeing
Improved mood
Improved diet quality
Reduced chronic inflammation
Prevention and treatment of poor mental health

While following the Mood Food program may produce the added benefit of weight loss. It is important to understand that the aim of this program is to enhance your gut, brain and mental health.

Topics

Week 1: Happy brains need whole grains!
Week 2: Vegetables! We’re talking beautiful, not boring.
Week 3: It’s not up for dispute, eat lots of fruit
Week 4: Dump the junk!
Week 5: Get keen for protein!
Week 6: Pulses, legumes and lentils are diet fundamental
Week 7: Olive Oil, nuts and seeds are what your brain needs.
Week 8: Making and breaking habits
Week 9: Learning labels, brings good food to the table
Week 10: Give a sh*t
Week 11: Make a plate and have a date
Week 12: Thinking diet and beyond will help you positively respond.

Goal Set program

Goal Set wants to assist you to make improvements to your health, lifestyle, and well-being!

This online health coaching program aims to guide you through the journey of making changes to your lifestyle and achieving long-term health and wellness benefits.

Next start date: early 2025
Time commitment: 1.5 hours/fortnight + time set to focus on meeting goals
Duration: 13 weeks (includes 1 week break)

Express your interest

Time commitment

There are 6 topics of physical wellbeing and each will require 1.5 hours (+ time set to focus on meeting goals) of your time each fortnight:

30-minute live webinar (odd weeks)
30-minute live interactive online workshop (even weeks)
20-minute 1:1 online coaching session - by appointment
20-minute exercise video (on demand)

Online resources will be provided during the course: information sheets, tracking sheets, exercise and recipe cards that will assist in developing a personal action plan for long-term health and wellbeing.

For convenience, the live webinar is offered at two time slots each fortnight, so will not be available to download at a later time. 1:1 coaching will be available at different times during each fortnight for participants to book a time that suits.

For the best outcomes it is expected that participants will commit to all aspects of the program, please consider your availability before submitting an expression of interest.

Themes

Gain insight into your current state of health across key risk areas.
Address risk factors for chronic health conditions.
Learn about behavioural patterns and what is a healthy lifestyle, and how this affects your health and wellbeing.
Make changes to your lifestyle to gain physical and mental health improvements.

Topics

Each topic forms the basis of a 2-week campaign of live (webinar) and digital content delivery.

Behaviour Change: goal setting, behaviour change techniques and overcoming road bumps.
Food Choices: variety, smart snacking, diet myths and shopping habits.
Be Active: how to personalise you own exercise plan.
Healthy Sleep: fatigue, sleep hygiene, sleep disorders and sleep habits.
Strong Bodies: strength activities for mobility and injury prevention.
Digital Detox: strategies for efficient screen use.

Mind Set program

Mind Set aims to promote healthy habits across all areas of mental fitness.

You will learn key components of wellbeing and resilience from experts, including how to cope with personal and work-related challenges that may be impacting psychological health.

Next Start Date: early 2025
Time commitment: 2.5 to 3 hours/fortnight
Duration: 13 weeks (includes 1 week break)

Express your interest

Time commitment

There are 6 topics of mental wellbeing and each will require 2.5 to 3 hours of your time each fortnight:

1 hour live interactive webinar (odd weeks)
30-minute online group coaching session (even weeks)
20-minute mindfulness session (even weeks)
20-minute podcast (on demand)
5-minute video bite (on demand)

Online resources will be provided during the course: a workbook, tip sheets, fortnightly podcast, and video learning bites.

The live sessions (webinar, coaching and mindfulness) will not be available to download at a later time.

For the best outcomes it is expected that participants will commit to all aspects of the program, please consider your availability before submitting an expression of interest.

Themes

Dealing with difficult thoughts, unpleasant emotions, and unhelpful mindsets.
Addressing issues that reduce mental fitness through recognising and moving away from unhealthy and/or unsustainable coping mechanisms.
Learning to practise self-acceptance and be motivated by values.
Practising sustainable approaches to building and maintaining mental fitness.

Topics

Each topic forms the basis of a 2-week campaign of live (webinar) and digital content delivery.

Managing burnout: learn how to identify burnout risk factors and respond in healthy ways to support your wellbeing.
Optimising sleep: determine barriers to healthy sleep, the impacts of poor sleep, and strategies for improving sleep habits.
Building coping skills: explore methods for building personal resilience to navigate the ups and downs of everyday life.
Managing conflict: identify pathways to mutual solutions to ensure relationships remain intact.
Re-energising: learn about what impacts our energy reserves and how the 4 quadrants of energy – physical, emotional, mental and values – interact.
Work-life integration: discuss strategies for achieving balance in environments where technology and communication are increasingly blurring the lines between work and personal life.

UQ Wellness Behaviour Change Programs

Mood Food program

Goal Set program

Mind Set program

More information