Your doctor just gave you the green light to start exercising to keep your heart healthy.

You should also have a list of activities that are safe for your heart.

But ... you may be a little unsure how to begin.

If exercise isn't part of your routine, starting can be the hardest part.

So, I'm going to walk you through how to begin.

First, repeat after me: "I commit to starting an exercise program."

You might feel silly, speaking 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 starting an exercise program."

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

Looking at your list of safe activities, which ones do you enjoy?

Or ... which do you dislike least?

Walking?

Swimming?

Dancing?

Can you picture yourself doing it?

If you can't, think of an activity that sounds fun to you.

If you try to do something you don't like, you probably won't 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 exercise alone?

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

In a perfect world, you'll exercise 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 work out longer.

For exercise to help your heart, you don't need to exercise hard for long periods of time.

You're helping it even with small amounts.

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

Writing down when and how you exercise 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 exercise, don't be too hard on yourself.

Instead, restart. Recommit.

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

So go ahead ... Give yourself the green light.

With these small steps, you'll be on your way to a healthier heart in no time.