Ways to Reduce Body Fat Percentage

People are always talking about ways to lose fat and get in shape. There is no single magic bullet, but making a plan that involves being more active and eating healthier---and sticking to it---can go a long way in achieving a lower body-fat percentage. Accountability is also a key component of a plan.

Become More Active

• You don't necessarily have to train like a marathon runner to lose body fat. Instead, find small ways to increase your physical activity. For example, take the stairs instead of the elevator, park your car a little further away from our destination to get a little walking in, and take the dog for a longer walk. When you're ready to start an exercise regimen, talk with a doctor to determine how best to start.

Eat Healthier

• Begin planning a healthier diet before even entering the supermarket. Prepare a list of meals for the next week and the foods you need to buy to make them so you don't end up opting for easier to make, less healthy meals or junk food.
  When preparing meals, cook moderate-sized portions and only eat that quantity. In addition, don't skip meals because that can lead to overeating later.

Find a Partner

• Accountability makes any regimen more effective. Knowing that someone will check up on you, your diet and exercise routine is an additional motivator. This partner can even exercise with you or share recipe ideas to help get in shape. You'll find that bringing another person into the routine with you will give you more reasons to work hard and make you less likely to skip workouts or cheat on meals.