New Delhi, Jan 17 (IANSlife): Have you ever wondered why some people manage to pull out their fitness regime despite having a challenging work schedule and stressful lifestyle?

Sayuri Dalvi, the Mumbai Captain of Adidas Runners leads the way showing you how to turn to fitness this year.

We can't help but be in awe when fitness enthusiasts post strong powerful pictures and videos of themselves on social media. When you even strike a conversation with these fitness addicts, they portray a very convincing image of how they are able to do it.

Question is If they can, why can't the rest of us? The answer is on the question itself; most of us waste a lot of precious (available) time wondering or procrastinating how and when to start getting fit. We scan through 20 minutes of social media images, appreciate these enthusiasts and end up either feeling jealous or sulk.

But there is absolutely no one on earth who cannot spare 20-30 minutes for themselves, to invest in their health, feel good about themselves and get fitter. While the problem is not where and how to start, as most of us figure that out. The real challenge is maintaining a schedule for days to months to a year at a stretch.

I often wonder, I started running and exercising 14 years ago, without having really taken an active big break. Though it's hard to really understand how I am able to do this, but exercising is part of my daily activities. It's just like sleeping, eating and brushing my teeth.

Here are a few simple steps to help you start:

**Just go out and start -

Keep your reason for starting very fundamental. I need to get fit and need to start. The easiest you can do is go for a 20 minutes brisk walk. If you find that boring, start off by listening to music while you are at it. It will keep you from not quitting out of boredom.

**Maintain a weekly log -

Planning a schedule always helps. Make a training log for the entire week on a Sunday evening, so you know where you stand in comparison to your previous weeks. Also jotting the journal down will help you know your monthly achievements. Celebrate those.

**Don't be hard on yourself

Be kind on your body. Sweat out or go home, such mantras are passe. You can't have the same level of willpower and motivation every single day you wake up. It's alright. Listen to the signals the body gives. Learn to rest. A demanding job, parenting and other factors can cause you to lose track but a dose of self talk to prep up always works. Count on it. Look back to check why you started in the first place.

**Find a purpose and make it habit

Look at the bigger and better picture. When you start getting compliments at work for your fit self or when you start fitting into your small sized clothes, it's an incentive to stick to it. Think of sustainable ways of keeping continuity. Bring in physical activity into your daily routine like taking the steps instead of the elevator, using a cycle instead of driving down, walking down to the grocery store instead of using a transport. Sometimes these disguised ways help if you have skipped your morning run, swim or yoga class.

**Start watching your food

Getting a fit lifestyle is a complete package. If you are resorting to eating healthy, you might as well refrain from exercising. You are what you eat, a universal quote has a bearing nothing can challenge. So if you are watching your diet while staying fit, you are being unfair to your body.

**Reward yourself

Use small rewards and reinforcements in the schedule you follow. For example, if you stick to your training plan for a month, indulge in a glass of wine or treat yourself to a pizza. Cheat days are necessary to break the monotony and also to boost your motivation. Bring in rewards to make yourself excited to achieve a hard target.

**Join a group

Become a part of a running group or a community where in there will be like minded people, like you who can stay connected to inspire each other. A group run will not only help you push your own boundaries but will help not skipping a run if you were to do it by yourself. Adidas has a community known as adidas Runners (AR), an international movement of runners and urban athletes by adidas committed to personal growth, friendship, and the power of sports connecting like-minded runners around the world in more than 50 cities. In India, the AR community today is 7.5 k members strong spread across Delhi, Mumbai & Bangalore with Delhi being the biggest hub with 5k plus members and is growing each day.

Remember to start slowly and make slow progress.