I find myself thinking about how to avoid beauty mistakes as I settle into my 30s. I never gave my skin or body the attention it deserved while in my 20s. Wrinkles, middle-age spread and illnesses requiring surgery seemed a long way off. Well, right before my 30^th birthday ended up having to undergo gall bladder surgery. Then, during my pregnancy I had to watch my diet in order for my baby to remain healthy. Those two major events set up a chain reaction which led me to start thinking about my health and how I could shape up over the long-term. Here are some of the tips I learned along the way.

Not getting enough exercise during the day can lead to sleepless nights and a thickening middle. I don't really take part in a traditional exercise program. I do, however, play with my daughter, clean, walk and get moving whenever I have the chance. Adding a few minutes of exercise here and there, which adds up during the day, has helped me keep my weight down after surgery and pregnancy.

Over doing it with skin care products or not using enough can give you more skin issues than you care to deal with. I am one of those that's guilty of never using enough skin care products. That, I know, can harm me down the road in the form of wrinkles and lines. Others have the problem of over-applying their skin care. Using too many products on your face and skin clogs pores and reverses the conditions which you're trying to fix. Many skin care experts agree that taking care in a minimum skin care regimen sees results in the long run. Soap, sunscreen, moisturizer and a few anti-aging products are all you need. Oh, and one face mask each week. The face mask, a cheap one by Montagne Jennessee, found in supermarkets, smoothes out my skin on a weekly basis.

Not getting enough sleep each night can lead to serious health problems down the road. Along with not getting enough exercise, not partaking in, at least, seven to eight hours of sleep a night can net you more problems than you bargained for. Skimping on sleep causes everything from weight gain to mental slow down. Try going to bed a half-hour to an hour earlier to start seeing results.