Good topic. I have heard a rule of thumb for airplanes is that every
15 pounds is worth one horse power. So if you can knock 60 pounds off
your plane's gross take-off weight it would be like adding 4 hp, a
good percentage increase for an ultralight.

The safest and easiest gross take-off weight you could possibly get
rid of is the ugly fat around your gut.

I weighed 220 pounds many years ago and thought it was mostly muscle.
Now I weigh an average of 165 pounds, and that muscle turned out to be
useless fat. I ride a bike 3 or 4 times a week for at least an hour,
or walk about the same in the winter. I watch very carefully what I
eat. Just enough protein, like a little bit of fish, no red meat, and
a lot of vegetables, fruit, cereal grains. No junk foods, candy, ice
cream, soda, etc.

It was easy, the exercise habit replaced the snacking habit. Now I
have to eat more than I really want in the summer to not get too
skinny. My blood pressure is way down and my resting heart rate is in
the 40's.

A word to the wise,
Jerry Booker