You know exercise is good for you. But how do you get yourself to begin a regular program of exercise? Many of us have promised ourselves over and over that we would start exercising regularly, maybe we even do it for a few days, and then it fizzles out. So how can you set up a plan that has a good chance of succeeding this year?

Exercising about 30 minutes a day, 5 times a week has been found to give a host of benefits. So how do you begin. Experts say it's best to start out by walking (or doing some other type of aerobic exercise) and then adding strength training later. Good forms of aerobic exercise including walking, cycling, swimming and jogging. A combination of both types of exercise helps develop strength, flexibility and endurance.

So how do you begin?

Choose the right kind of exercise
Pick activities that you enjoy. You might begin a routine that someone else has found very successful, but each person is different, and if you get stuck with a routine that you find boring or stressful you are very likely to give up. If you prefer being with people, pick a group activity (a team sport, a dance class); if you look forward to solitude, then walking or swimming by yourself might be just perfect.

Make the time to exercise
Select a time of the day when you'll alwayshave time to exercise and stick to it. Don't make excuses not to exercise. Set a schedule for the week indicating on which days you will exercise.

Get up and move!
It's not just about exercising for big chunks of time, you can also incorporate movement into your daily life. If you sit at a desk, use the five-minute-per-hour rule; get out of your chair at least once every hour and walk around for 5 minutes. You can build in other practices like taking the stairs instead of the lift, walking over to a colleagues desk instead of using the phone or email, taking a walk during your lunch break.

Involve a friend
Discuss your plans with a friend or a group. You could actually exercise together or at least keep track of each other and motivate one another to keep to the plan.

Make exercise fun
If you have a treadmill or other equipment at home, put it in front of the TV so you won't get bored when you're exercising. Or listen to your favourite music while you exercise.

Set weekly goals and rewards
Give yourself realistic short-term goals for the week and then reward yourself if you achieve them. You could plan to go shopping or to a movie, or just take some extra time to relax (just avoid food rewards if you are trying to lose weight!)

Start slowly
This way you will achieve the most benefits with the least risk, especially if you have not been physically active for some time.

Wear comfortable shoes and clothing while exercising

Feeling uncomfortable, self conscious or constricted while exercising can get in the way of a good workout. Make sure you are conformtable while exercising.

Practice the "talk test"
When you are exercising, you should be able to speak about three words at a time. If you can't you should slow down. If you can carry on a normal conversation, that means you need to speed up!

Check with a doctor before beginning an exercise program
This is particularly important as you get older or if you have a history of health problems