NEW YORK — Resolving to get back into exercise or take up a new fitness routine is one of the best things you can do for your health.

To help you start an exercise plan and stick with it, we tapped fitness pros for advice on setting realistic goals, reducing injury risk and enjoying yourself.

FIRST, MAKE IT EASY TO WIN. Trying to radically change your behavior for a broad goal like getting in shape requires a level of motivation that can be hard to sustain.

Set measurable, bite-size goals, such as getting at least 10 minutes of exercise daily, said Mr Al Hyle, a strength coach who specializes in helping people with ADHD (Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder).

SCHEDULE TIME FOR MUSCLE BUILDING. Once you’re back into the swing of regular physical activity, start incorporating exercises to build muscle strength and flexibility.

This will make it easier to do more strenuous activities and protect your joints from injury, said Dr Gabrielle Lyon, a functional medicine practitioner based in Houston.

— TO START: Try body weight exercises like push-ups at home or use weight machines at a gym. Add one or two exercises weekly until you’re working out all muscle groups (chest, back, shoulders, arms, abdominals, legs) at least twice a week.

— LATER ON: Add resistance when you’re ready, or switch from a fixed number of reps to working out your muscles to exhaustion.

You can determine when to start this by assessing your rate of perceived exertion. On a scale of 1 to 10, you should be just about in the middle.

GRADUALLY INCREASE CARDIOVASCULAR ENDURANCE. No matter the routine, you’ll need to work on cardiovascular endurance. Most people can start with low-impact work like walking, said Dr Benjamin Gordon, an assistant professor of applied physiology and kinesiology at the University of Florida.

— TO START: Strive to extend how long you can do light cardio by a few minutes every couple of weeks.

— LATER ON: You want to build up to 150 minutes to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity every week to get the best benefits.

CELEBRATE ACHIEVEMENTS. Take pictures or do a monthly exercise assessment to measure your progress.

Just remember that it can take time to notice outward changes.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.