How Mpedi walked his way from unfit to Comrades finisher

"I never used to like myself that much," says Vitality member Mpedi Keetse, reflecting back on his 20s. "I ate a lot of junk food and drank too much. I was overweight, and had low self-esteem due to the extra weight I carried. I joined the gym through Vitality and started participating in group classes. I went now and then, and started seeing results, but not too many."

"At the time, I used to join group outdoor events like the 702 Walk the Talk because I liked the vibey atmosphere. After some time, I did my first 10 km, and that's when things started changing. I realised I was loving it! I signed up for more races, and in 2012, I started running more seriously. That year, I committed to doing the Comrades. I just wanted to try and cross the finish line. In 2013, I achieved my goal, and I've done the Comrades every year since."

'I feel much more confident... Exercise has become a passion'

An avid Team Vitality member, Mpedi is determined to achieve a Green Number for completing 10 Comrades. In the meantime, he leads an informal running group of friends and colleagues (#TeamLookGoodKaLepona - 'ka lepona' means naked in Sepedi). They meet twice a week after work to run through the streets of Sandton while they wait for traffic to die down.

"I find running therapeutic and it helps me lose weight much faster. I am 36 now and consider myself in a good shape. But I doubt I would be where I am right now without all my benefits from Vitality," Mpedi says. "I feel much more confident about myself. Exercise has become a passion." We asked his advice on how to get more active, and here's what he said:

Mpedi's top 5 tips to get going

• You can always make an excuse, but I look at physical activity as something you need to do daily for your health, like brushing your teeth. You just make time for it.
• Plan well so you can fit in exercise either before work starts or afterwards. If something comes up, I squeeze in a session during my lunch break and eat afterwards at my desk.
• Just start today, don't postpone it. If you don't want to do it alone, join a group - it'll help you achieve your fitness goals.
• A healthy lifestyle is a journey, and it's not easy - but with rewards and tools from Vitality, it can be much easier. I get so many benefits, from flight and accommodation discounts to all the weekly rewards, health tips, discounted fitness devices - the list is endless. I always say, Vitality pays you to be healthy, so use your benefits.
• Get a Vitality-linked fitness device, run around your complex, your gym, your village or city, and get those points. Remember, every Vitality status has benefits - but nothing beats Diamond!

Mpedi is living proof that small steps over time produce long-lasting results. Just by taking that first step - by engaging in that one thing, like committing to your local parkrun or myrun, joining a strength training class, or signing up for a mass annual race or walk, you can completely turn your life around - and your future self will thank you for it. So make like Mpedi, and take that step today!