Cardio-
Tackling such training first thing in the morning on an empty stomach is a great idea - despite what some people say - as this, provided training intensity does not extend beyond a moderate session length it will directly target body fat, since glycogen stored will typically be low at this time leaving fat as a major fuel source; if we wait until after breakfast then a percentage of the energy burned will come from the carbohydrates consumed earlier, despite the fact that aerobics, in its purest form, uses oxygen - which activates the usage of fat stores - for energy.

Most forms of sustained lower intensity exercise will suffice here: stationary cycling, fast walking and the stepper machine (my fave!!)  being the best forms. Running is too tough on the joints and typically will burn a greater degree of more muscle than will the lower impact forms of cardio, as mentioned here. So, if you can get out of bed before 7:00am and complete 30-45 minutes of moderate intensity cardio three times per week you will almost certainly be on the path to permanent weight loss. Probably the best reason for adopting such an approach is the fact it is relatively easy to maintain; once waking earlier becomes routine, morning cardio will not only burn fat, guaranteed - no need for any money back promises here - but will awaken your mind and set you up perfectly for the day ahead.

No carbs after 2:00-

While eating carbohydrates early in the day provides us with the energy needed to power through training sessions and complete our daily tasks, and the evening meal containing them helps us to replace lost glycogen from our final workout for the day, consuming carbohydrates after 2:00pm (or around this period) will only lead to an unnecessary output of insulin, an anabolic hormone responsible for, among other functions, increasing fat storage.

When insulin is produced for no apparent purpose - for example, when we eat a large pizza late at night - the glucose (a form of sugar converted from carbohydrates) that prompts its release will be, in large part, transformed into glycogen (another form of sugar stored in the muscles and liver) and tucked away for future use. And this is where the problem lies. Once our body's capacity for glycogen storage has been reached any remaining will be converted into fat. 

To lose fat and keep it off requires an approach that is both effective and easy to maintain. For most, a wide variety of foods in the right quantities and at the right times is best. If we eat too much - the standard "three square meals" a day - we run the risk of putting on weight due to the sluggish metabolism this encourages combined with the surplus of calories that will require burning at any one time. Eat too little and our body goes into a deficit and burns what is available (muscle) and we again encourage a slow metabolic rate due to muscle loss while discouraging the thermogenic effect.

It is best to achieve one's dietary requirements somewhere in the middle. To gain muscle and lose fat requires a steady stream of nutrients to feed our cells and fuel our workouts. It has been noted that when consuming four to five (sometimes up to seven, which is what I eat) smaller meals per day they are better able to remain lean and muscular.

By maintaining a low fat (though it is important to include a good supply of essential fatty acids) diet comprised of higher amount of protein and complex carbohydrates(red or sweet potatoes are my choice) and through portioning meals comprised of these over three hourly intervals (while being sure to avoid carbohydrates in the evening), one can more effectively replenish any lost nutrients while continually stoking the metabolism to burn a greater deal more body fat. And since such a regime can be easily followed compared to the more extreme approaches that work well in the short term but are difficult to maintain, it can be adopted for life.

Last meal before bed- 
As a nutrient which raises the metabolic rate probably faster than any other, lean protein is favored for its fat burning properties. As well as encouraging muscle growth through its conversion into the amino acids needed to rebuild damaged tissues larger and stronger, protein, due to the complexity of its composition, requires additional energy to be properly digested. If we do not eat enough protein the body will break down muscle tissue to ensure there is enough of it to fuel the many biological processes that require it. So, to boost the metabolism to encourage fat burning it is essential that we at all times consume enough protein.

One mistake many dieters make, is to eat a serving a protein before bed. Three or so hours after our final meal of the evening the body again begins to ever so slightly enter a catabolic state where the protein we ate hours back has been used to repair muscle, while the carbohydrates have been stored away for future use. Now we are in a position to eat again, but generally cannot consume carbohydrates as they may lead to fat gains. So to offset any potential catabolic effects (the aforementioned degrading of muscle tissue for cell maintenance, which also occurs while we sleep) it is smart practice to consume protein before bed.

Remembering that the eight or so hours we are asleep are essentially a fasting period - a time where the body will do anything to maintain its fat stores lest its survival is threatened - those wanting to continue the fat burning process, even while sleeping, would be wise to top up with protein. Good sources include a quality casein supplement (due to its slower digestibility), egg whites (I eat 7-8), lean chicken breast and fish. 

Following this regime has definately helped me shed some bf!