You know it's important to stay active but still find yourself falling back on old habits. What can you do? Planning for exercise isn't hard if you make it a priority.

Physical inactivity is just as big a risk factor for heart disease as high blood pressure and smoking are. So, be the exception rather than the rule. Here are eight ways to exercise for a healthier heart.

A private advisory group's call for 60 minutes of physical activity each day are in line with the 2005 USDA Guidelines for exercise of 30 to 60 minutes. The new advice was meant to get people moving, but some experts are worried about recommending 60 minutes.

Some excuses—I weigh too much, I'm too old, I have too many health problems—are in themselves strong arguments for increasing physical activity.

Weight lifting is one of the fastest-growing U.S. fitness activities. And the American Heart Association recently threw its weight behind weight lifting, too.

An exercise program includes more than just your daily activity. Be sure to warm up before you start and cool down when you’re done.

Good warm-ups and cool-downs can keep you from getting hurt when you do more intense aerobic activities that last 30 minutes or longer.

Your exercise goal is a total of 30 minutes on most days. Be sure you’re getting the most from your time spent being active. You’re working your heart and lungs. Try adding a few activities for other muscles in your body, too.

Once you get the hang of exercising 30 minutes most days of the week, you can move on to the next stage. Do this by increasing the intensity. This means doing your activity in one or more of these ways: Longer. Faster. More often.

Getting your heart to work at the right pace means you’ll develop better aerobic endurance. A stronger heart can pump more oxygen to your muscles. Then you don’t tire as quickly during your hobbies, sports, or daily activities.

Recent studies show that several short activity breaks during the day can add up to better health. You don’t have to fit your life around activity. Instead, you can fit activity into your daily life.