My head is spinning!

Wonderob

Seemed easy - lose a bit of fat, build a bit more muscle, eat a better diet

Oh how wrong I was! Since looking at the forums I'm getting more confused by the minute!

Food:
Need to up my protein for muscle growth. There seems to be a limit that your body can use though so any more is wasted.
Need to cut my fat. But not all fats apparently
Fibre, need to eat more, but need to cut carbs
Need to cut calories. Don't go below BMR. Take exercise into account, guess weight training calories, too few and various starvation theories abound. No muscle growth with a calorie deficit. Don't overtain, don't undertrain. Don't overeat, don't undereat.
Eat more fruit - too much sugar in fruit so don't eat more fruit!
Cut sugar - but don't dare have artificial sweetners!

Cardio
Walking or running or neither or both
Fat burn zone? Percentage of max heart rate? 85%? Lower? Higher if high intensity training!
3 times a week? 5? 7?
Same time as weight training? Alternate? Instead of?

Weight training?
Go heavy? Or not
Eat more for muscle growth? How much?
Train one muscle group a week? Or twice a week?
How many sets? How many reps?
Insanity? P90X? Gym?

Every time i come up with a plan, somebody writes something that changes my mind! Every time someone writes something, somebody is certain to contadict it!

Given that most women want to be slim, fit and toned
Given that most men want to be muscley, fit and trim
You would think there were at least SOME hard and fast rules!

It's SO complicated!

Anyway my request....

Give me some hard and fast rules that apply to most people!

Dave198lbs

to lose weight- a caloric deficit

to maintain as much muscle mass as possible while losing weight- some form of resistence exercise

to have energy to work out- decent food

thats it