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.

Men rediscovered joy in physical activity through football-based programming, leveraging sport identity and nostalgia as early motivators.

• This theme was one of five developed from reflexive thematic analysis of individual semistructured interviews conducted 3 months post-program.
• The football context of Aussie-FIT activated sport-based identity and nostalgic connections to physical activity in participants' earlier lives.
• This theme mapped to TDF domains relevant to early-stage engagement rather than long-term maintenance.
• Ten men participated with mean age 58.2 years (SD = 8.85 years).

Social support across multiple contexts was identified as a key theme influencing men's physical activity behaviour during and after the program.

• Social support operated in multiple contexts including within the program itself and in participants' broader social environments.
• This theme mapped to the 'social influences' TDF domain, which was identified as one of the three most relevant domains for sustaining PA.
• Social connection was identified as part of the supportive structure that facilitated early engagement in the program.
• The theme reflects the gender-sensitized design of Aussie-FIT, which leverages men's interest in sport to promote behaviour change.

Physical activity became 'second nature' for some participants, reflecting the development of automaticity and habitual behaviour over time.

• This theme mapped to the 'behavioural regulation' TDF domain, identified as one of the three most relevant domains for sustaining PA.
• The shift toward automatic behaviour represented a transition from intentional to more habitual physical activity engagement.
• This theme captured later-stage engagement involving self-regulatory strategies.
• It was one of five themes identified across interviews with ten participants conducted 3 months post-program.

Participants actively sought and seized opportunities for physical activity, reflecting self-regulatory and environmental engagement strategies.

• This theme mapped to the 'environmental context and resources' TDF domain, one of the three most relevant for sustaining PA.
• The theme reflected men's use of available environmental cues and resources to maintain physical activity after the program ended.
• It was characterised as part of later-stage engagement involving self-regulatory strategies.
• This theme was among five developed through reflexive thematic analysis deductively mapped to the Theoretical Domains Framework.

Participants reported that the Aussie-FIT program inspired continued physical activity but that motivation diminished after program completion, indicating transitional support needs.

• The theme 'It really inspired me to keep going, but then it stopped' captured the challenge of maintaining PA behaviour changes after the 12-week program ended.
• This finding reinforces the paper's framing that 'maintaining these changes remains a challenge.'
• The theme highlighted transitional support needs as a key component of later engagement.
• This theme, along with others, mapped to seven TDF domains in total, with behavioural regulation, environmental context and resources, and social influences identified as most relevant for sustaining PA.

Five themes mapped to seven TDF domains, with behavioural regulation, environmental context and resources, and social influences identified as most relevant for sustaining physical activity.

• Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis with themes deductively mapped to the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF).
• Seven of the TDF's domains were represented across the five themes.
• Behavioural regulation, environmental context and resources, and social influences were highlighted as the most relevant domains for PA maintenance.
• The sample comprised ten men (mean age 58.2, SD = 8.85 years) interviewed 3 months post-program.

The study found that men's physical activity engagement is dynamic, with distinct mechanisms supporting early initiation versus longer-term maintenance.

• Early engagement was supported by sport-based identity, nostalgia, and social connection.
• Later engagement involved self-regulatory strategies and transitional support needs.
• The authors describe these as 'novel, process-oriented insights into how men engage with PA over time, reinforcing the dynamic nature of PA maintenance.'
• The findings suggest the value of 'tailoring interventions to support men across the behaviour change journey.'

The Aussie-FIT program is a gender-sensitized 12-week physical activity intervention that leverages men's interest in sport to promote behaviour change and has shown promise for initiating PA.

• Aussie-FIT is described as a gender-sensitized PA intervention targeting men in Australia.
• The program runs for 12 weeks and uses football as the sport-based context.
• It is noted that while the program shows promise for initiating PA, 'maintaining these changes remains a challenge.'
• In Australia, men experience higher rates of overweight, obesity, and cardiovascular disease than women, providing the public health rationale for the program.