If you have ever joined a gym, you’ve most likely had your body fat measured. Also known as your “BMI,” or body mass index, when measured, it can be a scary number! Most of us wouldn’t know our body fat percentage off hand, but it is a good thing to know. There are normal bathroom scales you can buy that will be able to tell you your BMI count. You can get them at any department store for a relatively good price. Unless you are an athlete or one of those gym crazed people (we’ve all seen them!) your body fat count is probably too high. So how can you reduce it? There are a few easy and simple things that you can do at home that will get your body fat percentage down to a healthy number.

1. Eat more veggies. Instead of piling your plate with carbs and protein, fill up on salad or vegetables before you eat your meat and pasta / rice. Salad and vegetables should take up the most room on your plate at lunch and supper. Protein comes in second, with carbs falling last.
2. Eat more good fats: There are good fats and there are bad fats. Fish, almonds, and avocados are a few examples of foods that contain good fats that your body needs. Try to eat more of these and eat less of foods like fatty meats, whole milk, cream, trans fats, saturated fats and junk food.
3. Cardio, cardio, cardio: I’m not talking about some light walking every now and again; good cardio means working until you sweat, then working some more! Spend an hour on the treadmill, elliptical, or doing a good aerobics class. Do this 3 times a week, and you will be well on your way to reducing your body fat.
4. Build muscle: While cardio is important, strength training is also important, because you want to replace the fat you lose with muscle. Plus, muscle burns more calories than fat, and building your muscle mass means increasing your metabolism. Pick a couple of good strength training routines and do them 2 times a week, in between cardio workouts.
5. Drink more water: Get rid of the sugary drinks in your house, such as juice, soda, caffeinated beverages and alcohol, and start drinking more water. The number of people who don’t get a healthy amount of water these days is shocking. Some people don’t drink it at all! You need 1 – 2 liters of water a day. You may find it hard at first, but all it takes is a few days to get used to it. I used to hate water, and now I can’t imagine drinking anything else – even first thing in the morning! All it took for me to start loving water was about a week. I have never missed the other stuff at all, and if I happen to have a soda at a friend’s house, it gives me a headache, and it is too sweet for me now.

These 5 tips are all things that you can do at home, without spending any extra money. Some will even save you some money on your grocery bills! Stick to it, and soon you will be feeling and looking a lot healthier.