Health of the Nation: Get fit for free and lose weight with Sam Wood

A star fitness guru is helping Aussies get into better shape by offering a free health club. See how you can get involved.

We’re quick to blame our busy family and work schedules for being unfit, but trainer Sam Wood believes support from loved ones is the cornerstone to a healthier life.

TV’s former The Bachelor winner, who has four kids with wife Snezana and a flat-out fitness business to run, admits staying healthy is not easy – and he sometimes feels overloaded.

Aussies can get fit for free by signing up to Sam Wood’s 8-week health club.

“If it was easy, 60 to 70 per cent of us wouldn’t be overweight and obese in this country. However, it is simpler and more achievable than perhaps we tell ourselves. We’ve just got to lower the expectations,” the 25-year-fitness industry veteran said.

“So many Australians that are busy with work and family feel overwhelmed and don’t know where to start (with their health) and have a feeling of ‘it’s all just too hard and too complicated’.

“That means they don’t start at all. And that happens not for a year, that happens for a decade or 20 years.”

Sam Wood is encouraging Aussies to take “baby steps” towards a healthier lifestyle. Picture: Tony Gough

The solution is introducing small, achievable health changes that can make your busy life easier – and bringing those in your inner circle along for the ride.

Which is why he’s teamed up with News Corp as an ambassador for Health of the Nation and is offering a free, 8-week Health Club to all Australians.

“I think people want help and providing a free health club that takes less than 30 minutes a day was one of the easiest decisions I’ve ever made,” Wood said.

“I hope 2024 is a year when we will not just get tens of thousands of Australians moving, but hundreds of thousands.”

SIGN UP FOR SAM WOOD’S FREE 8-WEEK HEALTH CLUB HERE

Wood wants people to realise it’s not all or nothing.

“This is where people come unstuck. Life is hectic, life is busy but you don’t need to find an hour. For many people that is mission impossible,” he said.

“But you can do a 10-minute workout, a 10-minute walk – and then you can do a few of them throughout the day and get the same benefit.

“It’s about breaking things down into baby steps. Helping people to get some motivation and support to take that first step. And having that really powerful lightning bolt moment when they go, ‘You know what, I can do it. I can start to introduce the small habits into my busy family lifestyle.’”

Sam Wood, pictured with his daughters, Willow, 6, and Charlie, 4, is encouraging Aussies to be more active. Picture: Tony Gough

Wood says those changes could be moving in the morning a couple of times a week, making a few food swaps like a healthy version of fish’n’chips or carbonara, and drinking more water.

“It’s not training at the gym seven days a week for an hour.”

He said when people add small changes they notice big differences.

“You feel better, your clothes start to fit better or you get a lovely compliment from a friend you haven’t seen for a while. That stuff is really powerful too,” he said.

Sam Wood, with his daughters Willow and Charlie, says when people add small changes they notice big differences. Picture: Tony Gough

Wood is the first to concede his family falls into bad habits from time to time – and that is OK. “We go to McDonald’s sometimes, we don’t exercise some days, but it’s about moving your body most days and making good food choices,” he said.

Wood’s mantra is that health is about progress not perfection.

“If you aim for 10 out of 10 all the time, it’s never going to last,” he said.

TAKE OUR HEALTH CALCULATOR

FATHER, DAUGHTER WORKOUT BUDDIES

Dad and daughter Gary and Leigh Kitto were always close but when they started working out together every day their bond strengthened in ways neither expected.

The pair took up an eight-week health challenge last February and didn’t miss a day of sweating it out together.

“I would come here (to Dad’s house) every single afternoon after work and we would do the workouts together. And even when I was away travelling, we did the workouts in different cities and filmed them,” Leigh said.

Father and daughter exercise buddies Gary Kitto and Leigh Kitto have helped motivate each other to stay on track. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Gary, 68, said he found it tough at first and no wonder — he hadn’t exercised for probably 25-30 years.

He said getting his health back on track with Leigh brought them closer and held them both accountable.

“It was a good bonding experience for us. There were some days when I didn’t feel like doing it, but then knowing that Leigh would be coming here, it motivated me,” Gary said, adding the sessions left him quite sore in the beginning.

“And it worked the other way,” Leigh said, “I knew I had to motivate dad so I had to show up on days when I didn’t want to so that kept me on track as well.”

Gary Kitto and Leigh Kitto’s bond as father and daughter grew stronger being each other’s exercise buddy. Picture: Steve Pohlner

The results were impressive.

Gary lost 9kg, lowered his blood pressure, increased his energy levels and he stopped being pre-diabetic.

The pair have continued to workout regularly in Brendale, near Brisbane, over the past nine months but this year, Gary and Leigh are going to kickstart the year by joining the Health of the Nation Health Club run by one of Australia’s leading trainers Sam Wood.

They will record before and after measurements to track their fitness journey.

The pair plan to continue on their fitness journey together. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Gary wants to lose another 5kg while Leigh, 41, hopes it will strengthen her mind and body, help her get back into running and relieve some of the stresses from work.

“As you get older you lose your fitness quicker and it’s more difficult to pick it up again. I hope to get back into the routine and get fit again,” she said.

Both highly recommended finding a workout buddy and to take things at your own pace.

“Don’t overdo it. Kill yourself in the first session and you won’t be able to walk for a week,” Gary said. “Just do your own pace. I’ve got two knee replacements so my mobility isn’t great but if you can’t do an exercise, you just adapt. Maybe do a different exercises that works the same muscle group.”

And if it hurts? “No pain, no gain,” Gary said with a laugh.