Basia Lieske was at church on Sunday when she told everyone that she couldn't stop to chat - she had to go to The Gym for 30 minutes.

Sunday is not a day of rest for the 53 people who have signed up for the 30-Day Challenge. Their goal is to exercise at The Gym for 30 minutes a day for the 30 days between November 15 and December 15.

Lieske knows all the reasons why it's impossible to exercise regularly. There are countless work, family, and community obligations to try to fit into a day - not to mention some time for yourself. Who has time to go to the gym?

But this past June, she decided she had to make time. She was getting out of shape and overweight so she joined The Gym. But a membership doesn't do it on its own - she still had to get herself to go there on a regular basis. Good intentions were not going to do it either.

That's why she literally leapt into the seat of an exercise bike when gym owner Fawn Gill initiated the challenge.

"This really kicks it up a notch because I feel I have to be there," Lieske says, not letting something like a newspaper interview get in the way of her 30-minute stint on the stationary bike. "This is great - there's no judgement. It's like a social club."

"Half an hour is doable," says Marianne Schedler, who's also new to an exercise routine. By knowing that you're supposed to come to the gym every day for a month at least, "It's just like brushing your teeth - it's an everyday thing."

Schedler has double the motivation to exercise. She's at risk of becoming diabetic and she also has problems with her neck and back. With owner Fawn Gill's help, she's been able to come up with a routine that complements her physiotherapy program.

Gill came up with the idea for the challenge because she knows that Christmas is a time when everyone traditionally overeats and gains weight. Then, at New Year's, everyone resolves to make amends for their "weighs".

She offered the one-month membership for $50 and, as part of the challenge, people who do all 30 days will get a free membership for another month.

As well, she does a blog for participants. Every day she puts out a motivational message as well as tips on such things as healthy eating. (She's an advocate of five to six small meals a day, with a protein for every meal.)

She was surprised by the response. Half the people who are taking the challenge are new to The Gym. "Usually I'm preaching to the converted," she says. "The inactive market is a serious challenge to get motivated."

Little things help, says Lieske. For instance, when participants arrive at the gym every day, they put a little check by their name on a sheet of paper at the front counter. "You always want that checkmark beside your name. And Fawn's blog has some really good advice and it's never beyond reach."