You're thinking about getting more active. But you may be a little unsure how to begin. If being active isn't part of your routine, starting can be the hardest part.

But with practice, you can make activity so routine that it becomes something you just do because it's part of your day ... like brushing your teeth and getting dressed.

Ready? Let me walk you through how to begin.

First, repeat after me: "I commit to making physical activity a routine."

You might feel silly, talking to a video, but committing out loud is an important step.

Go on, I'll wait. Pause the video if you need to.

Say the words: "I commit to making physical activity a routine."

Okay. You're in. You committed. Let's begin.

Before you get started, talk to your doctor about which activities are safe for you. Then pick an activity that you enjoy or think you might enjoy.

Can you picture yourself doing it?

Whether it's formal exercise like water aerobics or an activity like gardening, dancing, or walking the dog, if you like what you're doing, you're more likely to stay with it.

Would it help if you exercised with a friend?

Sometimes, having someone to do the activity with can help.

Or do you want to do the activity alone?

There's no right answer to this. It's your choice.

In a perfect world, you'll do some kind of activity for 2 1/2 hours each week. If you break it down, that's a half hour a day for 5 days. Does that seem doable?

If a half hour a day seems like too much, what could you do?

Maybe 15 minutes? Start with that.

As you get more fit, you'll be able to be active longer.

The important thing is to get some activity during the day.

Even a little bit can help you get fit and stay healthy.

If you schedule your activity in a calendar, that'll help you remember to do it, and keep doing it.

Writing down when and what kind of activity you do can also be helpful. You can do this anywhere, using anything from a piece of paper to a calendar or a free mobile app.

If you miss a day or two of activity, don't be too hard on yourself.

Instead, restart. Recommit.

Once you get in the rhythm of being active, you'll feel so much better, you won't want to miss out.

Go ahead ... commit to making physical activity a routine.

Make a plan, stay with it, and keep track of what you do and how you feel.