If the idea of committing hours to an exhausting new exercise routine has kept you from becoming more physically active, here's some good news: Enjoying a healthier lifestyle doesn't have to mean giving your life a complete overhaul. Adding just a few more minutes of movement to your day can bring a range of health benefits, from helping you lose weight to protecting against heart disease, stroke, and other ailments. Read on to find out how you can get started with small changes that make a big difference.

Redefine "exercise."
Although most people know that physical activity is vital to healthier living, many assume they'll have to spend hours at the gym to get the benefits. But according to the American Heart Association®, even low-intensity activity, done for as little as 30 minutes a day, can improve your health.

It helps to stop thinking about physical activity as "exercise." Instead, your goal simply should be to get moving. In his book The No Sweat Exercise Plan: Lose Weight, Get Healthy, and Live Longer, Harvard medical professor Harvey B. Simon, M.D. assigned "cardiometabolic exercise points" to a variety of activities to show their possible health impacts. Heavy housecleaning got 150 points (the amount that Simon recommends a person gets each day), while mowing the lawn with a power mower got 145 points.

Make it manageable.
The American Heart Association recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity most days of the week. Not sure you’ve got an extra 30 minutes? Break it down into 10-minute chunks that you sneak in throughout your day. Select activities you can do easily and enjoy—anything that raises your heart and breathing rate counts.

For example, you might do 10 minutes of bedside jumping jacks when you wake up in the morning. During your lunch hour, take a 10-minute walk—multitask by choosing the long route to your favorite salad shop or stopping by the bank. Spend a half-hour tending your garden or lawn in the evening, and you’ve exceeded your 30-minute goal, probably without noticing it.

Make a change—for good.
Small changes make a big difference, but only if the changes become permanent. You can increase your chances of success by setting realistic goals, doing activities you like, and keeping a log of your progress. Start Making Choices™, the online wellness program from Healthy Choice®, offers a convenient cardiovascular tracker you can use. For six weeks, record all of the times you were able to be physically active—you'll be encouraged to see how it adds up. And don’t be discouraged if you don't see dramatic results right away. You're on the road to gradual and lasting lifestyle changes that can bring big benefits in the long run.