At some point, most of us have some kind of health goal we want to achieve. Before we're 30, it's all about our looks. Later, it shifts to overall health status. But no matter which side of 30 you're on, time is often seen as a hurdle. Fortunately, it's the little things that add up to overall health and fitness, and these 12 simple daily habits can make all the difference.

it's the little things that add up to overall health and fitness

1. Become physically active, taking opportunities to do more rather than less. This means taking the stairs rather than escalators or elevators, walking to work or school, using a bicycle rather than a car, and per the World Health Organization's recommendation, exercising at least 150 minutes every week.


2. Exercising early in the day can improve mood for up 12 hours. Exercise too late in the day and risk feeling restless at night.


3. In a recent study by Cornell University, stepping on the scales and recording your weight everyday was shown to improve weight loss, because it's a frequent reminder to watch what we eat and do.


4. Eat more vegetables and fruits that are low in sugar (e.g. berries). Each country has its own recommendations that have more recently been reviewed and discussed, but in general, adding nutritious vegetables to each meal won't do any harm.


5. Enable healthy eating and exercising by carrying the essentials, such as a water bottle, comfortable shoes, satisfying and healthful snacks, such as nuts, berries and dried fruit.


6. Meal plan weekly to avoid overeating and impulsive indulgences. You'll also save money and a lot of time.


7. Work on your sleep. Little or poor sleep has been found to negatively affect weight gain and heart health, the way a lack of exercise might. Most studies recommend 7-8 hours per night.


8. Drink at least half a gallon or 2 Liters of water daily. On average, the human is over 50% water and many complicated bodily functions require it. Observable bonuses of drinking more water include clear skin and a smaller appetite.


9. Eat on a small plate to help with portion control. If you also eat slowly, you'll feel more satisfied than you expect.


10. Reduce computer eye strain by looking away from the screen and into the distance every 20 minutes.


11. Practice mindfulness. By simply focusing on your breath for 5-10 minutes, you may feel more relaxed and eventually apply it to stressful scenarios in life.


12. Improve your mood naturally. Produce serotonin by soaking in a few minutes of sunlight (opt for light therapy lamps in winter) or exercising. Consume dopamine-increasing foods, such as chocolate, bananas and coffee.