If you've ever made a New Year's resolution, you know what can happen to good intentions. Exercise is one of those things that can be hard to stick with. The trick is to find creative ways to get over the hurdles that are preventing you from creating a healthy lifestyle. If fatigue is standing in your way, try to commit to just five minutes of exercise a day. Then work your way up slowly to ten minutes in a span of time that is comfortable for you.

Getting exercise doesn't have to be a big production. There are plenty of ways for everyone to get moving — including those with mobility issues — without breaking the bank or altering your schedule too much. The idea is to get your body moving and your heart pumping. Here are some good ways to get your heart beating faster without a lot of fuss:

• Do chair exercises. Seated aerobic exercises are designed to increase your heart rate from a sitting position. Seated jumping jacks, heel-toe exercises, and foot bounces are good exercises to start with. Go online for ideas or try YouTube for visual instruction. Try to do fifteen minutes a day at first and work your way up to thirty minutes if you can. You can also break it up into several segments per day.

• Take the stairs instead of the elevator.

• Don't take the closest parking spot, however happy you are to have found it.

• At work, use the restroom on another floor.

• Get an exercise video. Exercise videos allow you to get moving in the safety and comfort of your own home. Check out fitness shows on your cable channels as well.

• Walk with a pet for additional motivation to exercise.

• See cleaning the house as an opportunity to exercise. Use good posture when doing the dishes, tighten your abdominals when bending, and really put some muscle into vacuuming.

You want to make your exercise routine a vital and fulfilling part of your journey to wellness, so it's important to take safety into consideration to avoid injury, exhaustion, or discomfort. Start off moderately. Make fitness a part of your routine but don't push yourself too hard. Get used to one level of activity before increasing the length or intensity. It's always a good idea to warm up first, starting out gently and then slowly increasing respiration and circulation.

Remember to cool down after exercising; it helps the body to recover from the workout. And don't forget to hydrate: The body needs four to eight ounces of water every twenty minutes to replace water loss when exercising. Also, set realistic goals and reward yourself when you've reached them.