Here are my recommendations for minor lifestyle adjustments to help one lose fat while sparing muscle:

1) Wake up, drink 8 oz. of water.

2) Try to ride the bike or walk for 30 minutes at a moderate pace (cardio) - this helps promote fat burning and raises your metabolism. Do this 3 to 6 times per week, work your way up to 6 times a week for best results.

3) About a 1/2 hour after cardio, eat breakfast - make sure you have protein (egg whites or meat) with some carbs (cereal, oatmeal, cream of wheat).

4) Throughout the rest of the day and evening, eat 4-5 more small meals that include protein and carbs--you will get fat through the food sources you eat, so don't look for fat unless your are a competitive athlete. Try to eat only foods with less than 3 grams of saturated fat per serving. The monounsaturated fat can be up to 9 grams per serving. Monounsaturated fat is good or you, but taking in too much will increase your calories and make you fat. The different types of fat are listed on the food label under "fat".

5) Try to take in green vegetables whenever you can, even at breakfast. Eating them at breakfast will really help you lose fat--fat binds to the fiber in the vegetables and is excreted in your feces and urine. The more times you eat the fiber the more fat you will excrete. Also, eating fiber increases your metabolism because the body tries to break down the fiber and this process burns calories--so green high fiber vegetables equal "negative calories". Some samples are broccoli, green beans, lettuce, celery, cauliflower, and cabbage.

6) Carbohydrates that will give you fiber and energy are complex carbs like peas, yams, sweet potatoes, kidney beans, lentils, chick peas, and black beans. They are the best carbs to eat especially if you aren't eating vegetables.

7) For good carbohydrate sources of energy that also raise your metabolism try to eat brown rice, white rice, oatmeal, cream of wheat, and cream of rice.

8) For your last meal about an hour before bed try having a piece of turkey breast the size of your palm--if you have to do sliced turkey, ok, but it is loaded with sodium. Turkey with green vegetables will help you sleep and you will lose water weight initially. You will see a change in about a week or so then you will notice more fat loss. DO NOT EAT SUGAR OR TOO MANY COMPLEX CARBS BEFORE BED UNLESS YOU ARE PHYSICALLY EXHAUSTED AND YOUR BODY NEEDS NUTRIENTS AND CALORIES.