Under normal circumstances, most people will find that they will lose fat not muscle unless they are a frequent marathon runner for example.

There are two effective approaches to weight loss, Intermittent Fasting and Cutting Out Carbs.

Intermittent fasting involves fasting for short periods of time. When you do this right, your body will produce more HGH (which is the fat burning and muscle building hormone) AND your metabolism will not slow down.  You will also be consuming less calories. When a body consumes less calories it burns fat.  The advantages to using this method are that it's economical, you can still eat the foods you like, and you can adjust it to fit your needs.

Eliminating carbs from your diet simply means staying from all foods high in carbohydrates. More specifically, cutting out processed carbs like breads, pastas, sugars, rice and fruit juices. This significantly lowers your insulin levels. The extra calories you consume are placed in the fat cells by the insulin which is a major factor in weight gain.  Once you eliminate carbohydrates that have been processed from your diet, you allow the body to use the fat to get the energy it needs.  You'll find that your weight will begin to drop quickly as your excess fat stores are being depleted.

Many people worry, however, that if they use this method of weight loss, they'll begin to lose muscle also. Let me assure you that this will not happen and here is why.

Muscles have the capacity of using both glycogen which comes from carbohydrates, and ketones which derive from fats, as sources of energy.

When someone does weight training resistance exercises, they use intense amounts of energy in short intervals of time. Other exercises that are limited and intense such as short sprints work the same way.  Because the energy derived from fat is sufficient for these types of exercises, this helps you lose fat not muscle.

The only time when it becomes a real concern is if you’re a high endurance/performance athlete. When you do long drawn out aerobic activities, like marathon running, you absolutely need the glycogen from carbs.

When you eliminate the carbohydrates that come from processed foods, you free yourself to get the healthy type of carbs that come from fresh vegetables and fruits. Natural sources of carbs will give your body more than enough glycogen for you to function normally.

When you cut out carbs, you need to increase your intake of fats because fats will be your main sources of energy. For those individuals who make processed carbohydrates a major part of their diets, fat consumption should be limited so as not to store too much fat.

Both methods of losing fat will not make you lose muscle. Remember to be consistent with your dietary changes whether fasting sporadically or eliminating carbs and engage in exercises such as HIIT or resistance training and you'll notice an increase in fat loss but not muscle loss. This is the best way to lose fat not muscle.

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