Exploring how men's physical activity behaviour changes during and after the Australian Fans‐In‐Training (Aussie‐FIT) program: A qualitative study using the theoretical domains framework

Abstract

Objectives

Sufficient physical activity (PA) reduces the risk of chronic disease. In Australia, men experience higher rates of overweight, obesity and cardiovascular disease than women. Gender‐sensitized PA interventions like Australian Fans‐In‐Training (Aussie‐FIT) leverage men's interest in sport to promote behaviour change and have shown promise for initiating PA. However, maintaining these changes remains a challenge. While previous research has identified barriers and facilitators to men's PA engagement, fewer studies examine how engagement evolves over time. This study aimed to explore how men make sense of their PA behaviour change journey during and after the 12‐week Aussie‐FIT program.

Design

Qualitative study using individual semistructured interviews conducted 3 months post‐program.

Methods

Ten men (mean age = 58.2, SD = 8.85 years) participated in interviews. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, with themes deductively mapped to the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF).

Results

Five themes were developed: Rediscovering the joy of physical activity through football; Social support in multiple contexts; Physical activity becoming ‘second nature’; Seeking and seizing opportunities and ‘It really inspired me to keep going, but then it stopped’. Themes mapped to seven TDF domains, with behavioural regulation, environmental context and resources and social influences most relevant for sustaining PA. Early engagement was supported by sport‐based identity, nostalgia and social connection, while later engagement involved self‐regulatory strategies and transitional support needs.

Conclusions

These results offer novel, process‐oriented insights into how men engage with PA over time, reinforcing the dynamic nature of PA maintenance and the value of tailoring interventions to support men across the behaviour change journey.

Statement of Contribution.

What is already known on this subject?

• Gender‐tailored interventions can support men's physical activity behaviour change efforts.

• While many studies explore why men engage with, or disengage from, physical activity programs, fewer examine how PA behaviour change occurs during and after program delivery.

What does this study add?

• Reveals how men make sense of their physical activity behaviour change journey during and after a gender‐tailored physical activity program.

• Identifies dynamic social and identity‐based mechanisms supporting physical activity maintenance.

• Mapping to the Theoretical Domains Framework enhances the applicability of findings for future men's physical activity programs.

INTRODUCTION

The health benefits of physical activity (PA) are well‐established. For adults, meeting the World Health Organization's recommended guidelines of at least 150 min of moderate to vigorous, or 75–150 min of vigorous intensity PA per week, is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and site‐specific cancers, and improvements in mental health, cognitive functioning and sleep (Bull et al., 2020). Conversely, insufficient PA is associated with increased mortality, with adverse effects of prolonged sedentary time particularly pronounced among those who are insufficiently active (Lavie et al., 2019). While insufficient PA poses health risks for all, the burden of related non‐communicable diseases tends to be higher among men. In Australia, men are twice as likely as women to be at risk of coronary heart disease (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2023), have a higher incidence of overweight/obesity (75% vs. 60%) and have a lower life expectancy by 4.1 years (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021). Insufficient PA engagement among men is, therefore, a critical health concern.

Barriers to PA among men include limited perceived personal relevance, discomfort in mixed‐gender settings and a lack of culturally tailored content (Sharp et al., 2020). Men's engagement in PA and PA programs is influenced by masculine norms that discourage help‐seeking, emotional expression and participation in conventional health services (McCreary et al., 2020). Programs that align with men's interests, values and preferences can effectively attract and engage them in PA (Sharp et al., 2020). Sports settings have been a successful ‘hook’ for drawing men into health interventions (George et al., 2022). Examples include Football Fans in Training (FFIT; Hunt et al., 2014) and its Australian counterpart, Aussie Fans in Training (Aussie‐FIT; Kwasnicka et al., 2020; Quested et al., 2018), which leverage men's enthusiasm for professional sport to engage them in PA and dietary behaviour change. These interventions have been shown to support men to make small, sustainable changes to their health behaviours.

Structured programs like FFIT and Aussie‐FIT can effectively initiate PA behaviour change, but maintaining those changes remains challenging, with many individuals relapsing (Kwasnicka et al., 2016). Qualitative research has provided some insight into why men engage with or disengage from group‐based PA and behavioural interventions. For example, Bell et al. (2023) conducted focus group interviews with 25 men who were interested in improving their PA. Men highlighted a range of barriers, including time constraints, mental health challenges and perceived stigma around participating in support programs that could conflict with masculine norms. Masculine gender norms, such as ideals of self‐reliance, risk‐taking and reduced emotional expression, can make participating in support or health programs feel incongruent with how some men believe they should behave (Burns et al., 2025). Gender‐sensitized programs such as FFIT, delivered in male spaces such as football clubs, can make participation feel acceptable and aligned with masculine norms (Hunt et al., 2020). While this study helps explain how men come to engage with structured PA programs, understanding PA maintenance remains a challenge across intervention contexts. Physical activity maintenance is poorly understood, with limited theoretical frameworks specifically addressing long‐term adherence (Rhodes & Sui, 2021). Much of what is known about maintaining PA following participation in structured PA programs has come from quantitative follow‐up studies and systematic reviews. This work shows that while many interventions achieve short‐term increases in PA, long‐term effectiveness is mixed, with declines in PA observed 6–12 months post‐intervention (Ominyi et al., 2024). Studies have also identified associations between sustained PA and factors such as self‐regulatory behaviour change techniques and baseline fitness (Ax et al., 2025; Mazzoni et al., 2021). More recently, qualitative research has begun to explore barriers and enablers to PA maintenance, identifying factors such as social support and autonomous motivation as important for sustaining PA (Gavin et al., 2025). However, this literature provides little insight into how PA is sustained during the transition away from structured program support. A smaller but emerging body of qualitative work has begun to examine how behaviour change and maintenance occur during and after delivery of these gender‐sensitized programs, focusing on the specific strategies, routines and supports men use. For instance, following interviews as part of the Aussie‐FIT process evaluation, Kwasnicka et al. (2022) reported that men developed structured routines such as regular self‐weight monitoring, food planning and walking with peers and described how accountability to others and a shared team ethos supported behaviour change and maintenance. However, there remains a relative lack of in‐depth qualitative research on how men maintain PA, particularly as they transition from structured support to independent maintenance. These insights are needed to better understand variability in the long‐term success of PA programs to inform the design of future men's health programs. Qualitative methods are well‐suited to this objective because they provide access to lived experiences and meanings people attach to them, offering insights that cannot be captured through quantitative measures (Braun & Clarke, 2019). This study aims to explore men's experiences of being physically active during and after the Aussie‐FIT program. Specifically, we investigated (i) how the men made sense of their PA behaviour change journey and (ii) men's perspectives of the factors that influenced or hindered how their PA behaviour unfolded over time.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Study design

This study employed a qualitative design, using semistructured interviews, to explore men's reflections on their experiences during and after participation in the Aussie‐FIT program. We employed Reflexive Thematic Analysis (RTA) (Braun & Clarke, 2021) to guide the development of themes, which were subsequently mapped to the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) (Atkins et al., 2017) to provide a theoretically informed interpretation of the behavioural mechanisms influencing PA maintenance.

Philosophical underpinnings

We applied an experiential realist approach, which combines ontological realism and interpretive epistemology (Bhaskar, 1997). Our focus was on developing experiential themes that capture participants' experiences and perspectives as reflected in the data. The first author (BS) developed and refined the interview guide, conducted the interviews and led the analysis. We acknowledge that BS brings his own subjectivity, professional experience and theoretical assumptions to the study. He is a PhD candidate and an endorsed Sport and Exercise Psychologist with over a decade of practical experience. BS has undertaken research assistant roles in previous Aussie‐FIT pilot and feasibility studies (Kwasnicka et al., 2020; McDonald et al., 2025; Smith et al., 2024). Beyond his professional responsibilities, BS actively engages in team sports and maintains a general enthusiasm for PA. Reflexive journaling and regular peer debriefing were undertaken throughout the study to critically reflect on how his perspectives, assumptions and interactions with participants shaped the research.

Context: The Aussie‐FIT trial and program

This study was part of a hybrid effectiveness‐implementation randomized controlled trial of the Aussie‐FIT program, described in detail elsewhere (McDonald et al., 2023). Briefly, the trial aimed to recruit 320 men aged 35–75 years with or at‐risk of CVD in Perth, Darwin and Brisbane, Australia. The trial adopted a 6‐month waitlist control, whereby participants were randomized to receive the program immediately (intervention group) or after a 6‐month delay (waitlist control group). As our focus was on men who had completed the Aussie‐FIT program and not the trial itself, this qualitative study only involved participants from the intervention group. For this group, health outcomes were assessed at baseline, 6 months (post‐program) and 12 months (6‐month post‐program follow‐up). Aussie‐FIT is a free program consisting of 12 weekly, 90‐min sessions designed to encourage men to make small, sustainable changes to PA and dietary behaviours. Trained coaches delivered the sessions in sports settings, supported by an Accredited Exercise Physiologist.

Participants

Eligible participants were men from the Perth arm of the Aussie‐FIT trial who were randomized to the intervention group, had completed the program and had completed the 6‐month post‐program follow‐up assessment in 2023. This group was selected for pragmatic reasons: at the time the interviews were conducted, only intervention group participants had reached the 6‐month post‐program timepoint. At the time of recruitment, 32 men were randomized to the intervention group. Of these, 25 met the criteria and were invited to participate in individual semistructured interviews. Of the 25 eligible men, 10 did not respond to attempts to contact and 5 declined. Ten men (mean age = 58.2, SD = 8.85 years, mean BMI = 30.92, SD = 1.14 kg/m²) participated. Of the included men, four had a diagnosed heart condition, while six had multiple cardiovascular risk factors.

Procedures

Ethical approval was granted by the Western Australia Health Central Human Research Ethics Committee (Approval number: RGS0000004254). We developed a semistructured interview guide to explore men's experiences with PA behaviour change, including previous and current PA routines (e.g. ‘Can you describe your experiences with physical activity before joining Aussie‐FIT?’), perceived barriers and facilitators of PA (e.g. ‘Was there anything that prevented you from being active during the program?’) and factors influencing PA maintenance (e.g. ‘What helped you stay active after the program?’). The development of the interview guide was informed by previous Aussie‐FIT studies, which highlighted factors men commonly discussed in relation to PA behaviour change, such as the role of social support and program features (Kwasnicka et al., 2022; McDonald et al., 2025). These studies evaluated the feasibility, acceptability and implementation of Aussie‐FIT, including men's engagement experiences during program delivery. However, they did not directly address how men make sense of their PA behaviour change journey after program completion, how routines and motivations evolved over time and how PA was sustained in the absence of ongoing program support, which was the focus of the present study. The TDF (Atkins et al., 2017) was used to guide the focus of the questions and ensure that they covered a broad range of potential influences on PA behaviour. The TDF integrates constructs from multiple behaviour change theories into 14 domains and has been widely used to explore determinants of health behaviour and to inform intervention development and evaluation (Atkins et al., 2017). In the present study, the TDF provided a theoretically informed lens for understanding the behavioural mechanism underpinning PA maintenance following the Aussie‐FIT program. Questions encouraged men to reflect on their PA goals and intentions, how their social relationships supported or hindered activity and whether aspects of the environment made PA easier of more difficult. However, the guide was not structured by the TDF, instead, questions were organized temporally (early program, mid‐program and post‐program) to support participants in reflecting on their behaviour change journey. A preliminary version of the interview guide was reviewed by a local consumer advisory board (three men; including two former Aussie‐FIT participants). Their feedback focused on simplifying the language, which was incorporated into the final version. Flexible question design encouraged participants to speak naturally and openly, in line with best practice for interviews (Rubin & Rubin, 2011). Interviews were conducted by BS, who had no prior relationship with the participants. Interview length ranged from 26 to 48 min. Participants received an AUD$20 gift voucher as a token of appreciation.

Data analysis

Interview recordings were transcribed using an automated service (Otter.ai, Los Altos, CA), then reviewed and edited for accuracy by BS. NVivo software (QSR, 2020) was used for data management and coding. The analysis combined inductive and deductive processes. First, we used RTA (Braun & Clarke, 2021) to develop themes that best represent men's perspectives and experiences with PA behaviour change during and following the Aussie‐FIT program.

This involved following Braun and Clarke's (2021) six‐phase thematic analysis process, which involves moving back and forth between phases, occasionally returning to the data to enhance understanding. In phase 1, BS read and re‐read transcripts, noting initial reflections. In phase 2, BS generated descriptive codes (e.g. ‘positive reinforcement from peers encouraging participation’, ‘utilizing technology for real‐time feedback’). In phase 3, BS constructed initial themes to represent aggregate meanings across the dataset. In phase 4, BS and BS reviewed and discussed themes to ensure they were distinct and informative. Phase 5 involved naming and (re)defining themes to ensure each theme presented a distinct, coherent and internally consistent account of the data. After developing the inductive themes, we applied a secondary, deductive layer of analysis using the TDF (Atkins et al., 2017). The TDF was used as an analytical framework to interpret participants' experiences of maintaining PA following the program. Specifically, themes derived inductively from the qualitative data were deductively mapped to the TDF to enable a theoretically grounded interpretation of the mechanisms influencing behaviour maintenance. This provided a structured way to interpret the factors that men perceived as influencing or hindering their PA over time, complementing the research questions and supporting the translation of findings into future intervention design. To conduct the mapping, each theme and its associated codes and illustrative excerpts were reviewed for conceptual alignment with relevant TDF domains. Themes were mapped to the 14 TDF domains relevant to each theme, with no predetermined assumptions about which domains would be represented or how many. When themes spanned multiple domains, these overlaps were discussed among the research team. Phase 6 (writing) was ongoing throughout the process. Final interpretations were represented visually along a behavioural timeline (Figure 1) to illustrate participants' evolving experiences with PA maintenance.

FIGURE 1.

Themes and theoretical domains unfolding during and following the Aussie‐FIT intervention.

RESULTS

We present five themes that were developed to capture men's experiences engaging in PA and to understand their perspectives of factors that influenced these experiences. To provide a theoretically grounded interpretation of the mechanisms underlying PA maintenance, these themes were subsequently mapped to relevant domains of the TDF. Seven TDF domains were identified as particularly salient to men's PA experiences: Memory, Attention and Decisional Processes; Behavioural Regulation; Social/Professional Role and Identity; Intentions; Emotion; Environmental Context and Resources and Social Influences. Figure 1 illustrates the prominence of the themes and domains throughout their PA behaviour change journey. Pseudonyms are used when quotes are given.

Rediscovering the joy of physical activity through football

This theme highlights the behavioural and cognitive processes and the social and environmental supports that facilitated men's (re)engagement in PA. The structured football activities, nostalgic connections and club environment collectively provided a pathway for men to rediscover their enjoyment of sport and PA. When reflecting on the early stages of the program, men shared how engaging in football‐like activities, such as kicking and handballing, was a tangible way to re‐engage in PA, allowing them to practice and refine skills they had not used in years.

I played over 300 games… I can kick, handball, I can do all the fundamentals and the basics. But hadn't done them in years. So really enjoyed getting back out there. (Peter, age 55)

The structured football drills helped men feel capable of re‐engaging with PA again, as they were able to utilize many of the skills they already possessed and were accustomed to using. The drills also allowed the men to experience a sense of enjoyment and drew on familiar, meaningful experiences, which supported early engagement. The act of participating in football‐like activities also triggered nostalgic memories from men's prior sports experience. Men framed these memories as a source of motivation to re‐engage with PA.

It does come back to you. You'd pair up and then you'd kick the ball. Then, the other guy would have to chase it…So that stuff I love. [Football‐specific activities] got the competitive juices going again. And you just want to beat the guy next to you…when you introduce a competitive element to it, so that's motivation for me. I don't mind losing, I can handle losing but I just love the competition. (Owen, age 55)

The competitive elements of football‐themed activities reignited their motivation to engage. Alluding to the ‘love of the competition’ in particular, emphasizes intrinsic motives to engage. This motivational pull was closely connected to the football club environment more broadly. This setting fostered a sense of belonging and camaraderie, which participants identified as important in sustaining their engagement with PA.

I started to enjoy physical activity again…because it's in a football environment, I grew up playing football, and I stopped playing football when I was about in my mid 20s. I've missed it. I've missed that club camaraderie. (Ben, age 57)

Men also highlighted their own and their family's emotional connection to the club itself as an attractive reason to engage in PA in that setting. These connections reinforced a sense of identity and belonging, making the club environment a more compelling space for re‐engaging with PA.

[I'm] definitely a supporter of [football club] and my family are big supporters as well. I've been to quite a few grand finals sitting over there [in the stands] and watching the footy, and yeah so that [club setting] was appealing. (Nathan, age 55)

Others similarly valued the sense of history associated with the venue, noting that it was ‘…nice to come down and connect with a pretty historic venue, and a pretty historic club’. (Mike, age 36). Together, these personal and cultural connections reinforced men's emotional investment in the program, thereby strengthening their motivation to be active in a place that felt personally meaningful.

Men consistently emphasized the enjoyment derived from football‐specific activities as a key factor for (re)engaging in PA. This enjoyment stemmed from competitive elements, social interactions, and the opportunity to reconnect with a sport they loved.

I think everyone has that memory of when they were good at sport, or when they enjoyed sport, and this program is very good at igniting that memory, and a desire to actually try it again. (Mike, age 36)

This theme aligns most strongly with the men's experiences in the early weeks of the program, as shown in Figure 1, as it shows how early engagement was supported by affective (e.g., enjoyment, nostalgia), cognitive (e.g., remembering prior skills) and social (e.g., camaraderie, belonging) processes. While not exclusive to the early weeks of the program, these experiences seemed to reignite men's motivation to be active, often after long periods of inactivity.

Social support in multiple contexts

Social support played a critical role in facilitating behaviour change by providing encouragement, fostering accountability and creating a sense of belonging. During the sessions, men highlighted how peer and facilitator support helped them stay on track with their goals and navigate challenges. Honest group discussions created a supportive environment that encouraged accountability.

I definitely felt supported. So you would sit around and have honest discussions amongst the group. Some guys were honest enough to say they weren't achieving what they hoped to achieve for that week. But they were honest about it and shared it with the group and we move on. That's what helps keep people on track. (Ben, age 57)

Support from peers was complemented by program facilitators. Their approach created a supportive atmosphere by balancing encouragement with understanding, helping men to feel comfortable and motivated to continue.

It was just a good group. The coaches were good. They were there to listen. They didn't push you over the edge. I don't want to get pushed over the edge, otherwise you get back up and say, ‘I'm not doing this’. (Justin, age 63)

Social support extended beyond the program itself. Men described how interactions with club members, players and staff contributed to a sense of belonging and pride, motivating them to continue to engage in PA.

We knew what we probably looked like. Especially to the young guys who were training as well. But it was just the club itself, even the young fellas at the club. They were encouraging, they'd come past and say ‘g'day’ and ‘great to see you out there’ and then the football club management would be there as well. They would pop in. So, you've got the feel that you belong to the club as well. So that was good…There's no judgement even by the young fellas, they're just like, ‘yeah, these old boys are out there doing what they're doing’. (Steve, age 61)

Beyond the sessions, men described how social support in other contexts helped them sustain PA. Engaging in different types of PA, including informal activities (e.g. walking the dog) and organized activities (e.g. cycling clubs or workplace walking programs) expanded their experiences. One man described joining a bike group with his spouse midway through the Aussie‐FIT program.

They [Aussie‐FIT coaches and peers] are a good bunch. It's that sort of sense of belonging to a group again, could you do this program by yourself? Probably not, because you want to be part of the team and it's like what happened to us joining the bike group…We bought some mountain bikes and joined a bike group. That was just sensational…we went on holiday with the group and rode 47km. It's just a good bunch. It's that sort of sense of belonging. (Scott, age 67)

In the workplace, social support from colleagues encouraged men to stay active, even in prohibitive conditions to outdoor PA. These examples illustrate that when similar forms of encouragement appeared in everyday environments, they helped sustain motivation and made PA feel more achievable, reinforcing the value of social support beyond the program setting.

It rained one day and I still went out for a walk, primarily because of how they [colleagues] encouraged you to. [They said] ‘don't worry about the conditions and such, let's just go out and do it’. (Owen, age 55)

Across different life contexts, social support facilitated behaviour change by fostering accountability, creating opportunities for shared activities and reinforcing men's sense of belonging. These influences extended beyond the Aussie‐FIT program, highlighting the importance of social support in sustaining PA into men's broader lives. Based on this interpretation, in Figure 1, we positioned this theme across the middle to later weeks of the program and into the post‐program period, to reflect the ongoing role that social support played in helping men embed PA into their daily lives.

Physical activity becoming ‘second nature’

This theme describes how men integrated PA into their daily lives, ranging from seamless routines to efforts requiring ongoing planning and motivation. The experiences highlight the dynamic and non‐linear nature of adopting PA as a part of everyday life. In the early stages of the program, men described making deliberate efforts to incorporate PA into their routines.

I changed my routines in life just to make sure I got in some physical activity. Even if it meant getting up at 5am, that's what I did…I started planning physical activity better. (Ben, age 57)

For some, the fact that the program was free, was important to getting started and, gave men, ‘that jolt again, to get going’ (Steve, age 61). Over time, men reported that PA became more automatic and enjoyable, reflecting a shift from effortful planning to routine behaviour.

It became a routine for me and I wasn't even thinking about it, even now, I don't really have to think about it, about exercising as much. It's not really a chore for me anymore. I get enjoyment out of it now. I actually crave it to some extent. (Ben, age 57)

This movement towards routine was accompanied by changes in motivation. Men described an evolution from early resistance or uncertainty to a point where the activity felt familiar, manageable and increasingly aligned with how they wanted to live. This shift is reflected in accounts where PA, initially experienced as burdensome, eventually became something embraced.

The motivation was there to increase it [PA]. At the beginning I was thinking why are we doing it? I don't really want to do it, that sort of mentality. But at the end, we just got into it and it was second nature. (Justin, age 63)

Despite this shift towards routine, some participants acknowledged that maintaining PA required ongoing effort. Even when PA became part of their daily lives, it wasn't always easy.

Getting active didn't just happen for me, I still have to plan it [and] put it into my days. Even when it [is] part of the routine, it isn't easy to do. (Josh, age 69)

Most men highlighted that while PA could be embedded as part of their everyday routine, sustaining it required intentional planning and adaptability. This reflects the evolving nature of integrating PA into daily life, where routine and effort both contribute to maintaining an active lifestyle. In Figure 1, this theme is positioned towards the end of the program and into post‐program, as the blend of routine and conscious planning marked a transitional phase in how PA was maintained over time.

Seeking and seizing opportunities

Men described proactively looking for opportunities to be physically active and how their receptivity to engage in new opportunities increased in the later weeks of the program and beyond. This included incidental activities (e.g., taking the stairs) and planned activities (e.g., joining a workplace sports competition). For some, this meant proactively searching for PA opportunities in their local area. One man explained how they began looking for activities to join, even if they were outside their usual skill set.

I'm always looking to see if there's something going on… at work we had a badminton competition. A couple of the guys were playing badminton, so I just joined in. Just for the fun of it. I didn't keep up to their level but I still enjoyed it. So I'm looking for opportunities whenever I can. (Steve, age 61)

Some participants focused on taking up new opportunities to be active, highlighting the importance of participation and enjoyment rather than mastery of the activity for those men. Others extended this proactive attitude to their leisure and travel experiences. One participant shared how they started packing running gear for holidays, indicating a growing commitment to PA. Reflecting on a trip, they described taking the initiative to invite the tour guide to go running.

I was in [holiday location], and the tour guide was into running. I said, do you want to go for a run? He said yeah. So I got a bit of activity in and I felt like I wanted to and I even packed my running gear. Which is something I wouldn't have done before the program. I wouldn't have bothered taking a pair of running shoes, or gear on holiday with me, no way. (Ben, age 57)

This deliberate preparation and action demonstrated a shift in how Ben prioritized PA. Men also found opportunities for movement in activities previously considered mundane. For instance, one participant reflected on how small, intentional choices added up.

It was a realisation or a memory, that you can actually incorporate it [PA] with doing simple things, getting up from the chair, getting a glass of water, going to the toilet, if you need to get a piece of paper, or something from the printer, go the long way. (Mike, age 36)

These accounts demonstrate a change in the way men approached PA. By actively seeking and seizing opportunities, the men showed they were flexible and adaptive, intentionally integrating PA into their daily routines in a way that felt seamless and sustainable. In Figure 1, we positioned this theme midway through and into the latter weeks of the program, as it reflects the men's growing tendency to notice, prioritize and act on opportunities for PA in everyday life. This shift towards opportunistic and self‐initiated behaviour marks a meaningful step in sustaining PA beyond structured settings.

‘It really inspired me to keep going, but then it stopped’

The men emphasized that program features such as regular check‐ins, reviewing weekly PA targets, group accountability and advice from facilitators were particularly valued as mechanisms that helped them stay on track with PA during the program, but were absent in other contexts or once the program concluded.

It was just the advice we were getting from the people on the program. And also the fact that we were checking in on a weekly basis of what we were achieving. Yeah, it really inspired me to keep going, but then it stopped. There's nothing like that at work. (Steve, age 61)

Some participants felt that the benefits of social support and interactions with facilitators and peers in the program were difficult to sustain without an ongoing structure. The accountability and shared purpose created during the program did not always carry over into everyday settings, making it harder to maintain the same level of engagement. This highlighted how integral continued connection with others could be for supporting PA maintenance.

It would be good to see the group getting together sometime down the beach on a particular day of the week [or] go for a walk together to maintain the relationship…and you might not do it [PA] on your own…but if there are other people that are waiting for you, you get the good motivation [to] overcome the ‘geez, I feel buggered’ [exhaustion]. (Steve, age 61)

When reflecting on the later stages and the early weeks following the program conclusion, men described a desire for the program to continue or for other structured opportunities to support their PA journeys, especially within a group setting. The structured nature of the program, combined with the social connection and support it provided, created an environment that men felt was beneficial for maintaining their PA. Participants reflected on the importance of having an ongoing program to maintain their PA.

Some sort of ongoing opportunity would be really good if that was something that was available, [it] was something that I would look at getting involved with. (Blake, age 64)

The transition to independent PA after the program had ended was not without challenges. Some men described conversations with peers about continuing informal group activities, but later reflected that these plans had not eventuated, largely because no one had taken the initiative to organize the group.

I realised none of us followed that up [arranging a meet‐up post‐program]. And we probably should have, because we kind of talked about meeting up to walk and to encourage each other. That would be a good idea, and maybe something that we should look at. We intended to. But it didn't eventuate. It would have just taken one of us to go let's do something. So maybe I should be that guy. (Owen, age 55)

These accounts highlight a tension between the desire to maintain progress and the realities of doing so without structured support. Generally, the men described maintaining some level of PA; however, they emphasized that doing so required greater personal initiative. They missed the structure and the social environment the program provided, features they felt were difficult to replicate on their own.

Mapping themes to the theoretical domains framework

The themes mapped to seven of the 14 domains of the TDF, with behavioural regulation, environmental context and resources and social influences identified as most relevant to sustaining PA behaviour (Table 1). These domains were identified as most relevant based on the strength and consistency of their alignment with the inductively developed themes, the number of themes they encompassed and the degree to which men's accounts reflected processes central to these domains during PA initiation and maintenance. Five domains were linked to more than one theme, reflecting the interconnected nature of individual, social and environmental determinants of PA behaviour.

TABLE 1.

Themes mapped to the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF).

TDF domain (definition a )	Illustrative quote	Theme
Memory attention and decisional processes (The ability to retain information, focus selectively on aspects of the environment and choose between two or more alternatives)	I played over 300 games. And I played in Queensland. Not at WAFL [Western Australian Football League] level. Just a little bit below that. But, I can kick, handball, I can do all the fundamentals and the basics. But hadn't done them in years. So really enjoyed getting back out there.—Peter, age 55 I actually started to enjoy physical activity again…because it's in a football environment, I grew up playing football, and I stopped playing football when I was about in my mid 20s. I've sort of missed it. I've missed that club camaraderie—Ben, age 57	Rediscovering the joy of physical activity through football
Behavioural regulation (Anything aimed at managing or changing objectively observed or measured actions)	I changed my routines in life just to make sure I got in some physical activity. Even if it meant getting up at 5 am, that's what I did if I knew it was going to be busy in the afternoon…I started planning physical activity better—Ben, age 57 …then I started doing other things like if I come up to a hill, I'd run up the hill. And then when I go down the other side, walk down it. So I was doing it the opposite way around, just to give yourself that little, make your heart work a bit harder—Ben, age 57 We talked about how to build up stamina and it was not necessarily going for one long continuous run, but to break it up and maybe even run faster for, I don't know 200 m and then just back off. It was interval training. I started to schedule interval training and that helped me a lot because I actually found my aerobic capacity improved after that—Ben, age 57 I worked out that from my house it was about a 25 min walk around the railway line to get there. So I [used] that as an additional exercise to walk to and from the session—Josh, age 69	Seeking and seizing opportunities Physical activity becoming ‘second nature’ ‘It really inspired me to keep going, but then it stopped’
Social/professional role and identity (A coherent set of behaviours and displayed personal qualities of an individual in a social or work setting)	I was an amateur fighter years ago. So …I'm just doing what I was comfortable with…I'll do like a round of skipping and just some jumping jacks, you know, just some aerobic kind of things and some push ups as well. And I probably did that once a fortnight—Owen, age 55 I'm always looking for other things to do. I'm travelling in July for 7 weeks overseas. So when I come back there is the local bowling league, even though it's only lawn bowls again, it's that team environment. It's literally two steps away from the house. So I'm going to join that as well. So that I maintain, even though it's not a great physical activity, the thing is, it's more the sportsmanship. I get into that—Steve, age 61	Rediscovering the joy of physical activity through football Seeking and seizing opportunities
Intentions (A conscious decision to perform a behaviour or a resolve to act a certain way)	Some sort of ongoing opportunity would be really good if that was something that was available, [it] was probably something that I would look at getting involved with—Blake, age 64 If it had of gone on for longer than 12 weeks I would have kept coming— Justin, age 63	Physical activity becoming ‘second nature’ ‘It really inspired me to keep going, but then it stopped’
Emotion (A complex reaction pattern, involving experiential, behavioural and physiological elements, by which the individual attempts to deal with a personally significant matter or event)	It does sort of come back to you, like, you'd pair up and then you'd kick the ball. And then the other guy would have to chase it…So that stuff I love. [Football‐specific activities] got the competitive juices going again. And you just want to beat the guy next to you…when you introduce a competitive element to it, so that's motivation for me. I don't mind losing, I can handle losing but I just love the competition—Owen, age 55 I think everyone sort of has that, you know, memory of when they were good at sport, or when they enjoyed sport, and this program is very good at igniting that memory, and a desire to actually try it again—Mike, age 36	Rediscovering the joy of physical activity through football
Environmental context and resources (Any circumstance of a person's situation or environment that discourages or encourages the development of skills and abilities, independence, social competence and adaptive behaviour)	…you'd pair up and then you'd kick the ball. And then the other guy would have to chase it…And the handball drills are good because, you handball and you got to run around a little bit like tunnel ball or leaderball—Owen, age 55 I'm always looking to see if there's something going on, if it's an activity like, at work, we had a badminton competition. A couple of the guys playing badminton, so I just joined in. Just for the fun of it. I didn't keep up to their level but I still enjoyed it. So I'm looking for opportunities whenever I can—Steve, age 61	Rediscovering the joy of physical activity through football Seeking and seizing opportunities ‘It really inspired me to keep going, but then it stopped’
Social influences (Those interpersonal processes that can cause individuals to change their thoughts, feelings or behaviours)	I definitely felt supported. So you would sit around and have honest discussions among the group. There was some guys there that were honest enough to say they weren't achieving what they hoped to achieve for that week gone by. But they were honest about it and shared it with the group and we move on. That's what I think helps keep people on track a bit.—Ben, age 57 It was just a good group. The coaches were good. They were there to listen. They didn't push you over the edge. I don't want to get pushed over the edge, otherwise you get back up and say, ‘I'm not doing this’.—Justin, age 63	Rediscovering the joy of physical activity through football Social support in multiple contexts ‘It really inspired me to keep going, but then it stopped’

^a Atkins et al. (2017).

The behavioural regulation domain was observed across three themes, where participants described actively engaging in strategies to initiate and maintain PA. For instance, waking up earlier to fit PA into their day and walking longer routes to build incidental movement into their routines.

Social/professional role and identity was reflected in two themes. Participants discussed how personal and social identities shaped their engagement in PA, with some drawing motivation from their identities as former athletes. Others highlighted how group‐based interactions within and outside the program reinforced their sense of connection and participation.

The domain of intentions, tied to two themes. It was evident in men's efforts to prioritize PA through deliberate practice, such as packing running shoes to bring on vacation or deciding in advance to walk to program sessions. These behaviours illustrate a proactive commitment to maintain PA, consistent with this domain.

The environmental context and resources domain spanned three themes. The football club environment provided a supportive setting with access to exercise facilities and equipment, which the men found beneficial. However, barriers such as financial constraints limiting access to fitness facilities, including gyms, as well as the lack of opportunity to continue with a structured program, were also reported.

Finally, the social influences domain was tied to three themes, highlighting the role of interpersonal interactions in maintaining PA behaviour. Participants described how camaraderie and mutual encouragement from program peers positively influenced their PA engagement, emphasizing the importance of a supportive social environment.

DISCUSSION

This study explored men's experiences of engaging in PA during and after a gender‐specific, sports‐themed behaviour change program. Using inductive RTA, five themes were developed and deductively mapped to seven TDF domains. The themes reflected how men experienced their PA behaviour change journey during and in the months following the Aussie‐FIT program. Men spoke of the journey as one that evoked memories of positive past experiences, connection with peers and physical and emotional connections to sport and PA. Social support was greatly influential throughout and beyond the program. The themes also represent men's acknowledgement that maintaining PA is a dynamic process. Participants expressed that there are moments when being active feels natural and easy, yet they acknowledge that sustaining the behaviour requires consistent effort and forward planning.

Social support was perceived as a crucial component of men's motivations to engage in PA throughout the PA behaviour change process. The importance of social support in helping to change PA behaviour has been demonstrated across populations (Van Luchene & Delens, 2021) and within male‐specific interventions (Huang et al., 2022). Indeed, relatedness, a driver for PA behaviour change (Teixeira et al., 2012), is part of the core theoretical underpinning of the Aussie‐FIT program. This study reaffirms the importance of promoting interpersonal connection when designing male‐specific PA interventions and supporting men to maintain social contact after structured programs end. Although the Aussie‐FIT program included strategies to help men sustain connections and continue to be active together, this did not eventuate for the men interviewed, likely due to the absence of a formal structure.

Results from our study highlight the motivational effects of nostalgia, reflected in participants' accounts of reconnecting with the joy of sport and PA. Nostalgia is a positive emotion that involves reflecting on personally meaningful memories, often shared with close others (Layous & Kurtz, 2023). These reflections appeared to reconnect men with past identities and valued aspects of self, such as being a ‘footy player’ or ‘teammate’, which reignited interest in being active. In this way, nostalgia may facilitate PA behaviour change by enhancing self‐continuity and reinforcing self‐congruent motives (Sheldon & Elliot, 1999). When PA aligns with one's enduring self‐concept, behaviour change is more likely to be sustained as it is experienced as self‐endorsed and personally meaningful, core tenets of both the self‐concordance model (Sheldon & Elliot, 1999) and self‐determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000). In this context, sport may serve as an effective vehicle for promoting PA among men, as many hold longstanding identity connections to sport. By grounding program activities in these pre‐existing identities, programs like Aussie‐FIT are already doing some of the ‘heavy lifting’ in fostering sustained PA engagement. Beyond theoretical accounts, nostalgia has been shown to act as a psychological resource for health and well‐being (Kersten & Cox, 2023). One study found that increased PA was statistically mediated by heightened feelings of health optimism, suggesting that recalling nostalgic events can indirectly promote PA by boosting optimism about health (Kersten et al., 2016). Nostalgia can also foster a sense of connectedness, meaning and self‐continuity (Juhl & Biskas, 2023), psychological experiences that may help initiate or sustain PA. Further research is required to understand how nostalgic recall might serve as a motivational tool in PA behaviour change.

The present study demonstrated how sports‐specific activities served as an accessible and familiar entry point for re‐engaging men in PA. While gender‐tailored programs often incorporate sport associations to increase initial appeal (Hunt et al., 2014), our findings highlight that opportunities to re‐experience the joy of a familiar sport may also enhance psychological investment in PA behaviour change. By integrating culturally and experientially meaningful activities, programs like Aussie‐FIT may be better positioned to foster sustained engagement by reconnecting men with valued aspects of self, such as sporting competence, membership in a team and identity. Notably, all interviewees had prior experience playing sport, which may have supported the program's ability to activate behaviour change through identity‐relevant experiences. The program may be less effective in engaging men without a sporting background. Nonetheless, our results point to the benefit of incorporating a range of culturally relevant and personally resonant activities in future interventions to support PA behaviour change among men with diverse interests and identities.

As PA behaviour change progressed, identity‐relevant triggers appeared to evolve into more automatic, routine‐based mechanisms. Our findings align with habit theory, which distinguishes between habitual instigation (automatic decision to act) and habitual execution (automatically performing the behaviour once started) (Gardner, 2022). Men described routines becoming ‘second nature’, particularly in familiar social or environmental contexts, suggesting instigation habits may have developed. This supports the idea that complex behaviours like PA can be sustained through repeated, context‐cued instigation (Gardner, 2022). Participants' need for conscious planning also aligns with Gardner's suggestion that execution habits are less relevant for complex behaviours. For maintaining PA, building consistent cues and reinforcing automatic initiation (e.g. same time, same walking group) may be especially important.

Another key observation of our study is the transitional challenges men experienced after the structured program ended. Our results suggest that, for some participants, PA remained dependent on regular group engagement (e.g. scheduled sessions, planned activities). This aligns with literature on transitions from programs like cardiac rehabilitation (Sommer et al., 2022) and weight management (Anderson et al., 1999), which highlight the risk of disengagement once structured support ends. Kwasnicka et al. (2016) similarly emphasize that PA maintenance depends on intention and sustained environmental and social reinforcement. Additionally, results from this study align with the concept of a ‘transition window’ (Rothman, 2000), a sensitive period post‐change during which individuals evaluate whether new behaviours meet expectations. Motivation may decrease if these expectations are not met. For some, the end of the program marked the beginning of a less supported phase that was difficult to navigate. Although Aussie‐FIT included maintenance‐oriented strategies to foster self‐regulation beyond the 12‐week program, this transition felt uncertain for some men. This may reflect differences in how men interpreted or enacted those strategies, as well as possible limitations in the extent or consistency of their delivery. These results highlight the value of exploring additional transitional supports (e.g. periodic check‐ins or peer‐led meetups) to complement program delivery and help men navigate the PA maintenance. There may also be a need to strengthen the program's maintenance‐focused components to ensure men feel equipped to self‐regulate their PA long‐term.

Strengths, limitations and future directions

Previous research has tended to focus on identifying factors that influence PA behaviour change in general, rather than exploring those that operate at different times during the behaviour change process. A strength of this study is the focus on addressing this critical knowledge gap. Rhodes and Sui (2021) argue that determinants of PA are not uniform over time, highlighting that constructs such as outcome expectations and intention may be more influential during initiation, while habit formation and identity play a greater role in maintenance. We purposefully interviewed men 3 months after completing Aussie‐FIT, to explore insights into the determinants of early PA maintenance.

Mapping inductively developed themes to the TDF added a practical element to the study, aiding the interpretability of findings for the design and adaptation of future men's PA behaviour change programs. For example, the prominence of behavioural regulation suggests that strengthening post‐program action planning and habit‐building supports may help men consolidate routines as PA becomes ‘second nature’. The relevance of social influences highlights the importance of linking participants to peer‐based maintenance pathways, such as local walking groups or community‐based PA opportunities, to maintain the accountability and connection that the men found motivating. The theme ‘seeking and seizing opportunities’, mapped to environmental context and resources, highlights the importance of ensuring access to low‐cost, easily accessible PA options. Finally, men's rediscovery of the joy of PA through football highlights the value of incorporating identity‐congruent and enjoyable activities. These examples illustrate the effectiveness of applying the TDF in translating qualitative insights into actionable recommendations for practice.

Most of the men interviewed indicated that they maintained some level of PA beyond the program, which didn't allow for a comprehensive exploration of the experiences of men who hadn't maintained PA at a level associated with health benefits (Bull et al., 2020). As a result, the data may overrepresent positive experiences or perspectives and limit our understanding of factors relevant to relapse into physical inactivity and the contextual or psychosocial barriers that contributed to this. To be eligible for interview, men also needed to have completed the program. However, we did not have reliable attendance records to enable us to explore how men's level of engagement with the program related to sustained PA.

To expand our understanding of men's experiences with PA behaviour change and maintenance, future research should consider engaging men more than 3 months following their participation in a PA program. Future studies should also deliberately sample men who were less physically active following the program, informed by insights from qualitative evaluation or using objective measures such as accelerometry.

Future research could also examine the nature and quality of social support outside the program (e.g., from family, friends and colleagues), given its influence in multiple contexts. This would help clarify how social support influences ongoing engagement in PA after structured programs end. It may also provide insights into ways to intentionally involve support networks in the program. Exploring the nature and quality of social support could also provide insight into how external influences facilitate (or hinder) PA behaviour change in this population. With this knowledge, future interventions could be designed to purposefully engage support networks to educate them on the most effective ways to provide support (e.g., using autonomy‐supportive communication).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study provides novel, process‐oriented insights into how men experienced PA behaviour change during and after a gender‐tailored PA program. Our findings highlight how behaviour unfolds over time rather than focusing solely on why men engage and disengage in PA. Findings from our study suggest that leveraging sport‐based identities, fostering social connection and evoking nostalgia can enhance early engagement by aligning activity with men's self‐concept. As PA behaviour change progressed, however, participants described a shift towards self‐regulatory efforts and routines, while also emphasizing the importance of support during the transition to (independent) PA maintenance. Our findings reinforce the view that maintaining PA is a dynamic process, highlighting the value of tailoring support across the PA behaviour change journey.

AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS

Brendan J. Smith: Conceptualization; writing – original draft; data curation; formal analysis; investigation; methodology; project administration; writing – review and editing. Matthew D. McDonald: Conceptualization; formal analysis; methodology; supervision; writing – review and editing. Joanne McVeigh: Conceptualization; formal analysis; supervision; methodology; writing – review and editing. Dominika Kwasnicka: Conceptualization; formal analysis; methodology; supervision; writing – review and editing. Hugh Riddell: Conceptualization; formal analysis; methodology; supervision; writing – review and editing. Andrew Maiorana: Conceptualization; writing – review and editing. Bryce Brickley: Conceptualization; methodology; writing – review and editing. Toby Pavey: Conceptualization; writing – review and editing. Eleanor Quested: Conceptualization; methodology; supervision; writing – review and editing.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT

The authors report that there are no conflicts of interest to declare.

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

The data that support the findings of this study are not publicly available due to ethical reasons and the terms of participant consent, which did not include permissions for data sharing.