How are you being active this month?

Three teams have been selected by the City of Surrey to participate in the Be Active Challenge during the month of October, which is Healthy Living Month.

Each team has received a month of healthy lifestyle coaching, including healthy eating tips, and eight personal training sessions.

Each team has also received a one-year free facility pass for use at all city-operated recreation centres and facilities.

The teams' progress during October will be tracked online, in video and in a weekly update in the Now newspaper. Join us every week to hear how the teams are doing.

At the end of October, each team's story will be featured on the City of Surrey website and residents will be asked to vote for their favourites. The winning team will receive a $500 active getaway to Whistler.

Read our write-ups about each team to learn what they want to achieve and how they plan to "Be Active" this month.

And residents can get their fitness on for free this month, too. The City of Surrey is offering free fitness drop-in classes throughout the month of October.

For more information visit www.surrey.ca/beactive.

JULIA AND LORI

Meet Julia Wood, 33, left, and Lori Baird, 41, two moms who want to get in shape together.

Both moms say they want to get fit to be able to keep up with their kids.

Julia, who developed gestational diabetes during pregnancy, will be doing a lot of running.

"Running is the best way to lose weight for me," she said, adding that she may do a bit of swimming and biking.

Julia did a five-kilometre run a few weeks ago and has aspirations of being able to one day run 20 km, or perhaps a 10-km run or 10-km bike.

Lori was in a car accident in the '90s and got out of her workout routine.

"I want to get back into it," she said. Lori plans to do some walking, bike riding and aerobics during the challenge.

"I really enjoy aerobics," she said.

MALA

Meet Mala Ashok, a 59year-old Surrey resident who is participating in the challenge.

Above, she is showing off her warrior pose.

"I want to fight the flab battle," she said of joining the challenge, adding she also signed up in hopes of overcoming of her physical challenges, which include balance and back problems.

She said she plans to participate in a plethora of exercise programs, such as cardio fit, circuit training, yoga and plenty of walking - whether it's outside at Holland Park or inside in the halls of her condo.

Mala hopes the challenge will motivate her and force her to commit.

"I wasn't too active before. I was intimidated of going into the gym, but I hope this will help with that."

Her biggest challenge? "I tend to bite off more than I can chew," she said with a chuckle.

NOEL, ROXANNE AND ASHANTI

Meet Noel Blanco, 33, and his wife Roxanne WisemanBlanco, 39. The couple, along with Blanco's 12-year-old daughter Ashanti Morrow, makes up one of the Be Active teams. (Ashanti is missing from the photo).

Noel was in a car accident earlier this year and hopes to get back into a workout routine. Roxanne, a cancer survivor, has issues with degenerating bones. As a result, she is currently awaiting a hip replacement.

Noel said he wanted to enter the contest to get back into a routine.

Noel said Roxanne's biggest challenge will be overcoming her physical limitations.

"But she's amazing. She pushes beyond pain," he said.

Ashanti is active, participating in several outdoor sports.

"I want to still be able to keep up with my daughter," Noel said.