Free Aussie-FIT program coming to Albany for the first time later this month

A free program will soon empower middle-aged men to lose weight and get fit as Aussie-FIT prepares to launch in Albany for the first time.

Two in three adults are overweight or obese in Australia with a higher rate of obesity found in Australian men compared with women.

Helping men from 35 to 65 lose weight, the Aussie-FIT is a unique footy-themed program running over 12 weeks from September 23.

Matthew McDonald from the Curtin School of Population Health is the program co-ordinator.

Mr McDonald said the program strived for a “motivational atmosphere”.

“It’s a structured 12-week program, based on evidence,” Mr McDonald said. “It’s targeting guys between the age of 35 to 65 who might want to be losing a bit of weight, who may be inactive and who want to improve their health.

“An important part of the program is the motivational atmosphere within the group. The idea really is of getting guys to come into a setting that they’re comfortable being in. It’s not a clinical setting, it’s a footy setting.”

The program is an off-shoot of another program called Football Fans in Training which has enjoyed success in the UK .

Visit aussiefit.org.