Our Story

Some people can’t afford health and wellbeing services. And some people are overwhelmed by their increasing weight and risk of chronic conditions and don’t know where to start to get healthy. Complicated by the fact that there is so much misinformation on how to improve health and wellbeing through the best nutritional and exercise strategies. We started Equip4Life as a service for those people. We wanted everybody in Victoria to have access to free health and wellbeing services that improve their health and allow them to live more active lifestyles.

By seeking out funding we have helped thousands of patients with complex and chronic conditions through exercise prescription and lifestyle modification. And now we work with the Victorian Government and Diabetes Victoria as an official provider of the Life! Program, a free health and wellbeing program that helps people prevent and manage chronic conditions, such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, through evidence-based lifestyle modification.

We have been running that program for over 7 years, and have helped thousands of Victorians to prevent or manage chronic disease through proven lifestyle strategies. The demand for our services has extended to corporate workplaces, retirement villages, hospitals and community clubs, where we provide evidence-based information on how to live healthier, more productive lives.

And we continue to expand into new territories and services to help more Victorians improve health and wellbeing and reach their individual goals. Your body is your body for life – let’s work together to make it the healthiest body it can be!

How can Equip4Life help you?
  • Healthy ageing and wellbeing
  • Healthy, more productive workplaces
  • Individual consultations for health concerns
  • Prevention and treatment of chronic conditions
  • Lifestyle modification to improve quality of life
  • Weight management
  • Management of diabetes, heart disease and stroke
  • Stress management
  • Reducing cholesterol, blood pressure and glucose naturally
  • Understanding nutrition and food labels
  • Diet issues and concerns
  • Healthy sleep habits
  • Health goals and motivation
  • … and more!

Why choose Equip4Life?
  • Our health and wellbeing programs can be tailored for retirees, corporate groups and individuals.
  • We offer a free health and wellbeing program for those wanting a quick, easy and evidence-based strategy to get started.
  • We customise our group health and wellbeing programs to suit individual needs.
  • We offer one-on-one medicare-funded consultations for those wanting an individual approach.
  • We work as a team to provide a holistic and sustainable path to healthy living
  • You can feel confident in our accredited exercise physiologists and practising dietitians.
  • Our health and wellbeing programs are backed by evidence and new research to ensure the best results.
  • We care about our clients and want you to be healthy and live an active life.
Our Team
Matthew Shanks
Matthew ShanksManaging Director, Accredited Exercise Physiologist
Bachelor in Applied Science (Exercise & Sports Science), Postgraduate Diploma in Exercise for Rehabilitation, Masters of Exercise Rehabilitation

As the founder and Managing Director of Equip4Life, Matthew’s passion for helping people has always been the driving force behind his work. His experience over the past decade since establishing Equip4Life has provided the privilege to assist thousands of Victorians to reach and maintain their personal health and wellbeing goals, equipping each individual to have an active lifestyle and maintain both their function and independence.

Matthew practises by the motto ‘one body, one life’, believing that the better we look after our bodies, the better quality of life we can have. Prevention is always better than management or cure.

In his spare time, Matthew enjoys spending quality time with his wife, four-year-old daughter Annabelle, 1-year-old son Judah, and looks forward to meeting their third child in early 2018.

Alain Young
Alain YoungGeneral Manager, Accredited Exercise Physiologist, Life! Facilitator
Bachelor of Exercise Science & Human Movement, Masters of Exercise Rehabilitation

Alain joined the Equip4Life team in 2011 with years of experience in Workcover, return to work and rehabilitation consulting. He specialises in prescribing exercise programs and lifestyle interventions for patients of all levels of health, and loves seeing them get back to the things they enjoy in life, unrestricted by their health. He has a wide array of working experience, from chronic disease prevention programs, diabetes education groups, to acute hip and knee replacement post-surgery exercise interventions in a hospital setting.

Alain is a valuable member of our team and is always up for a laugh … even when people call him Elaine.

Suzi Ristevski
Suzi RistevskiAccredited Practising Dietitian
Masters of Dietetics, Bachelor of Nutritional Science (Honours)

Suzi has a decade of experience providing sustainable nutritional solutions that help people make the changes they need to support long-term healthy living. As the founder of Nutrilicious dietetics, a health practice located in 7 locations throughout Melbourne, Suzi works closely with Equip4Life to translate scientific evidence into basic nutritional advice for clients and participants of the Life! Program.

Suzi believes that good nutrition is the essential ingredient to harmony and healthy living. She also finds harmony in painting, dancing and a good cup of tea.

Zorica Sekuloska
Zorica SekuloskaDietitian, Life! Facilitator
Bachelor of Human Nutrition with Honours, Masters of Dietetic Practice

Zorica is an Accredited Dietitian and has extensive knowledge and experience in nutritional management of chronic conditions, such as Type 2 Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease. She also specialises in educating people about what they’re eating and how to properly read and understand food labels.

Zorica is a passionate and caring member of the Equip4Life team and loves teaching people about health and nutrition to positively impact their lives.

Lavinia Varela
Lavinia VarelaAll things administrative
Bachelor of Business

This is Lavinia, AKA the amazing person who keeps Equip4Life running so smoothly! Lav holds a Bachelor of Business. She loves working with the team at Equip4Life who makes the job “the bomb” and outside of work she is passionate about sharing a message of hope, truth and love and just caring for people in general.⁠

One body • One Life