What is the best way to lose fat but not lose muscle?

Eat a low carb high protein diet and exercise with both cardio and resistance training, with or without free-weights; resistance training is essential. A low carb diet (e.g. South Beach or Atkins) is one great way to reduce body fat, and because of the high protein, you wont lose muscle. However you can use any other type of high protein diet plan, as long as you keep total calories in control (not too many, not too few; you want to be in a slight caloric deficit in order to maximize fat burning and minimize muscle loss). The best diet is the one you can consistently adhere to. Go down the page to view the related links, and click on the one entitled bodybuilding diet for detailed information (it doesn't matter if you bodybuild or not).
Second, you might have been told that you should consume at least 8 glasses of water a day. While this is true, this is really the "bare-minimum" that you should be consuming. In reality, you should push for 1 to 2 gallons of water per day. Not only will the extra water be more beneficial in keeping your kidneys in optimal health, but your body will shed the excess water-weight you may have accumulated.

Last thing, cleanse! You may have heard about the saltwater-flush. Even though a person will consume a large amount of sodium, the saltwater has the same gravity as blood, meaning the body will flush the saltwater without the salt or water being absorbed by the body. Word of advice, though: DO NOT do on a full-stomach. Do it before breakfast, when last night's dinner has already been digested. Take 2 tsp to 1 tablespoon of sea-salt (NOT IODIZED!!) and mix it with 32 ounces of very warm water (100-120 Fahrenheit) and either sip or, my personal choice, CHUG! The taste isn't too bad, but it does take some getting used to. After all, it IS salty. Try telling yourself that you're drinking a vegetable-broth or something along those lines, and that should help you get and keep it down. If you still don't think that you can handle drinking saltwater, then try sipping senna-tea at night. Unlike saltwater, it will take longer to work, but the teas are delicious. I drink the mint-flavored senna tea and it's perfect either hot or in a glass with ice. Between the two, I am inclined to suggest the senna-tea for novice-cleansers, as the saltwater may prove to be too much for you. Drink the tea at night, every night. It only takes 8 hours to work.

I hope these suggestions are some help to you, and best of luck!

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Participate in an aerobic exercise. (Such as cycling or spinning) this type of work out utilizes your muscle while working your heart at the same time and burns a lot of calories in the beginning.
 

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The best way to lose fat is to fast on juices. when I want to lose unwanted fat, I fast on juices for a week or ten days. I don 't have enough time or space to tell you all about it, but it is great for your body. Your digestive system shuts down for a few days and you can drink as much fresh squeezed juice (fruits and veggies) as you want. It will be a drag the first day or two then you will have so much energy, your body will feed off of the stored fat in your body, works for me. In ten days you should lose about ten to fifteen pounds.

 

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Run stairs. Go to bed hungry. Turn off that TV and the rented movies. Raise your arms in the air and say : I can move ! I can walk ! I can ride a bike ! I can lift a weight. I can do a pushup etc. Quit going out to eat. Throw away all the junk food ! Eat smart. And then quit worrying about losing muscle. Biggest joke on the planet is that oft repeated statement. You will lose muscle ! You can always work out and improve your fitness and gain muscle. It is the fat and the worthless expensive delicious food that we have become addicted to that is the key to our demise.