I have been getting numerous requests for info. on dieting, dieting for losing bodyfat and/or dieting for that coveted RIPPED!! physique...I wanna make this easy for EVERYONE, so I think this might be a good place to start, FOR NOW!! I think I am going to post TWO strategies for manipulating your carb intake for the purposes of leaning out/losing bodyfat. ONE method in which you MIGHT lose some added muscle mass, BUT MIGHT be a quicker approach...and a second method that will surely work, but will take longer to acquire your desired shredded physique.
I am in no way an expert here, I am pretty much self-educated in this area and what knowledge I do have has come from either my own trial and error...OR is available to anyone with access to fitness literature, whether in print or online. So...actually the research is out there, and so is the material for EVERYONE to research/study.

BOTH of these methods will depend on your current bodyweight and what your macro(carbs, proteins, fats) totals technically SHOULD be and what you can reduce them to for desired effective measures to shed extra bodyfat. It is fundamentally and universally acknowledged that your TECHNICAL macro intake on a healthy diet plan of lean meats, complex(low-medium GI) carbs and healthy fats should be in sum six parts: 3 is carbs, 2 is protein and 1 is fat (3+2+1=6).

EXAMPLE: 200 lb. healthy male w/ an acceptable BF%
Total maintenance diet macros = 462.5g carbs(1850cal), 308.5g protein(1234cal) and 68.5g fat(617cal)
Total calories = 3700
3700cal/6parts = 617cal/part
Carbs are 3 parts, so 3 X 617 = 1850cal, 462.5g
Proteins are 2 parts, so 2 X 617 = 1234cal, 308.5g
Fats are 1 part, so 1 X 617 = 617cal, 68.5g

1850+1234+617 = 3701cal

The easiest and closest way to guesstimate what your caloric and macronutrient requirements are isn't EXACT but it's close enough and is as follows, and will also be your method of calculation:

2g of carbs per pound of LEAN bodyweight = total grams in carbs
1.5g of protein per pound of LEAN bodyweight = total grams in protein
.5g of fat per pound of LEAN bodyweight = total grams in fats

NOTE: Your lean bodyweight is your true weight...you can get this by after you have calculated your bodyfat%(calipers?) and multiplying that % by your total weight (225lbs at 10% BF...your LEAN bodyweight is 202.5lbs....225x.1=22.5...225-22.5=202.5)

So your 200lb. subject counts are: 400g carbs, 300g protein, and 100g fat. And this would be???? 3700cal ...YES!!! Get the idea???...I hope so, it's really easy and this is a foolproof method to figuring out your macro/caloric requirements!!

Okay...granted the first example/explanation is a lil' more involved/difficult and also slightly skewed as it generally assumes someone is already physically fit with a healthy lean muscle mass to bodyfat ratio, and also classifies him in either the mesomorphic/ectomorphic somatotype. We're all not so fortunate(maybe in either area), but don't be dissuaded as this is just a general guideline for the rest of you to get an idea how you can adjust your personal macro/caloric requirements(and subsequently, your carb intake) depending on your own personal metabolism/somatotype. Everyone should know their body enough(hopefully!!) to figure out what works best for them; if you are more of an endomorph...then obviously carbs would affect your weight more just as if you were more of an ectomorph(aka 'hardestgainer') and you need much more carbs and higher calories in general. HOWEVER, with a strong and thorough dedication to a good training program and diet program, anybody can influence thier body to gain healthy weight(muscle mass) or lose bad weight(extra bodyfat) easier. I DO BELIEVE THIS TO BE TRUE!!!...and bascially withOUT the use of compounds as they're not the magical beans, but we all know they can at least help us in influencing our genetics, lol!! BIG PICTURE THOUGH = DIET FIRST, and ALWAYS WILL BE!!! So that being said, we're moving on.
Now, the objective to losing bodyfat is to put yourself in a caloric deficit, and you do that by manipulating your carb intake. My own personal recommendation is to even elevate your fat intake SLIGHTLY while doing so...reasons being is that healthy fat don't make you fat, they ACTUALLY help you burn your fat stores(it's the bad fats you have to watch out for, that aren't good for ANYBODY) AND healthy fats also provide you with an added kick of quick, clean energy that your body will be cravin while embarking on a carb depleted diet plan. So Here it goes:

Method 1
1): Take your current bodyweight, and calculate your macro requirements in grams
2): Now that you have your 3,2,1 totals in grams, forget about the protein and fats...and CONCENTRATE on the carb figure as this is the one you are going to fool with!!
3): You start out on week 1(for lack of a better definitive point of embarkation). For week 1, you cut your total amount of carbs in half and eat that number of carbs(in grams) for that first week, everyday!!
4): Now week 2, you cut the amount you ATE for the FIRST week in half again and you will eat that amount of carbs(in grams) for that week, and this will also be where you stay for the remainder of your carb depleted diet until you reach your goal!!
So let's look at how this would pan out for our 200 lb. subject:
Week 1 = 200g carbs
Week 2 = 100g carbs
Week 3(and beyond) = 100g carbs

When you get down to your "steady-state" carb intake(in this case 100g), get those carbs in during the first part of the day..the AM hours and try to get it in at breakfast if you can. Always get your protein and fat totals taken in throughout the day as well, those values don't change. The benefit to this method is that you gradually drop off your carb intake, and let your body adjust to the deficiency in carbohydrates...and we all SHOULD know that carbs are our main energy source. This method aids your body in adjusting it's search for energy elsewhere(hopefully looking for fat stores, and not your muscles) and alleviates you from going into a lull state...and therefore to all the unwanted side effects of such lull state as carb depletion can and might do.

Method 2
This one is a lil' different, as it is more of a carb-cycling approach to losing unwanted bodyfat, and it goes by days in the week.

Monday = cut carbs(.5g to 1g per pound of bodyweight)
Tuesday = cut carbs(same as Monday))
Wed. = bump carbs(1-2g per pound of bodyweight)
Thursday = cut carbs(same as Monday)
Friday = cut carbs(same as Monday)
Saturday = BLITZ carbs(2-3g per pound of bodyweight)
Sunday = cut carbs(same as Monday)

Now this schedule can be manipulated depending on your workout schedule. The blitz day should be a day or two before your leg/back workout day OR a combined bodygroup muscle day(ex. chest/back). The idea is to have at least 2-3 cut days before you bump or blitz your carb intake.

Okay!!!...NOW HERE'S THE KICKER to this all!!! You have figured out how your body can lose weight now(fat), and whenever you want to start packing on more mass...well, you just up your carb intake again until you discover that comfortable equilibrium point. This 'point' is where you think you are gaining more mass in comparison to just adding fat, and that is how you figure out what your specific metabolism is and how to work with it!!

I will use myself for an example:
MY STATS:
early 30's, 220 lbs. and under 10% BF
My own personal bodytype is ecto/mesomorphic

MY macros(usually):
Carbs: 100-150g/day(leaning out),200g/day(maintenance), 300g+/day(muscle building)
Protein: 200-250g/day(maintenance), 300g/day(natty muscle building/leaning out), 400g+/day(muscle building-gear assisted)
Fats: 75-100g/day(maintenance and muscle building), 100-125g/day(leaning out)

ALL THIS IS, IS KNOWING HOW YOUR BODY GAINS AND LOSES WEIGHT, and there you have it!! Have fun guys and gals!!!