Crunches, sit ups and other exercises won’t do a thing if you aren’t eating right. No amount of exercise will ever achieve the flatter stomach you want if you fill your body with junk. What goes into your mouth is just as, or even more, important than your training regimen.

When it comes down to getting a toned stomach, it’s not just about an effective weight loss exercise regimen. It also about eating foods that are nutritious, provide lasting energy, and are most importantly, low in calories. This will help reduce and maintain the amount of fat that settles on top of your ab muscles, keeping them from being as visible as possible. Research conducted for the American Diabetes Association has found that fat distributed to your midsection can be prevented by consuming high amounts of monounsaturated fats (MUFA). Monounsaturated fats help raise levels of good cholesterol (High Density Lipoproteins or HDL for short) and lower overall cholesterol and bad cholesterol (also known as Low-Density Lipoproteins or LDL for short).

Here’s a list of 3 foods that will help you in your quest for a flatter stomach. All are bursting with MUFAs and promise to deliver.

1. Go nuts for walnuts.

The serving portion of walnuts is one ounce according to the California Walnut Board. In that handful of walnuts, you get 2.5 grams of monounsaturated fat, not to mention 4 grams of protein, 2 grams of fibre, and a good amount of essential minerals such as copper, magnesium and phosphorus. They make a great snack and provides lasting energy – something that pack of chips won’t do.

Other nuts that are loaded with monounsaturated fats include pine nuts, almonds and macadamias, so if walnuts sound boring to you, mix it up a little.

2. Make your favourite oil safflower (or olive).

Forget about all those other oils on the shelf. Anytime you want to cook, use safflower or olive oil. It also makes a great dip for toast that’s far healthier than butter (which contains loads of bad fat including trans fats) or margarine. Studies have shown that as little as 2 tablespoons a day positively affected cholesterol levels significantly. Both safflower and olive oil also feature a good amount of antioxidants.

Chomping on some green olives is also a great way to get your MUFAs, but watch out for the salt intake!

3. Chocolate. Yes, chocolate.

Surprised? Chocolate is a delicious source of MUFAs, which is present in the form of oleic acid, but only if it’s dark. It’s got to have a minimum of 65% cocoa content.

Don’t go crazy and eat too much since a significant amount of sugar, even in dark, can counteract some of chocolate’s helpful properties.

You may know them as your love handles, muffin top or spare tire. Technically, those not-so-affectionate terms are for the obliques, a common area targeted by clients of Personal Trainer Toronto.

The obliques refer to a section of the abdominal muscles that run along your sides, extending from the lower ribs to the hips. There are the external and internal obliques, both located in the same area but run diagonally in opposite directions. Any twisting or bending movement to the side at the waist require the assistance of these muscles. They are also required to compress the abdomen if both sides of the body are contracted.

If you’ve got love handles, the obliques won’t be visible since they’ll be hidden under layers of subcutaneous fat. While it’s absolutely imperative that you continue to strengthen the area with specific exercises designed for these muscles, you’ll need to reduce your overall body fat percentage in order to make your hard work more visible.

Personal Trainer Kin Sze has a great exercise that strengthens the obliques. Windshield Wipers may look easy, but after a couple reps, you’ll definitely feel it in sides of the abdominals. If you don’t feel anything, extend your legs out to straighten them completely and try the exercise again. You can also add leg weights, but you most likely won’t need them!

An important point to remember when performing Windshield Wipers is to keep your back flat on the floor along with your outstretched arms. Keep your palms flat against the floor. This will help maintain your balance as well.

Some other exercises that are great to improve the obliques are bicycle crunches and side bends.

An important point to consider is that while you can strengthen both the internal and external obliques, only the external portion will be visible if built up (think about that the next time you see someone who’s ripped).

Doing abdominal toning exercises on a consistent basis to achieve a defined mid-section is no easy task. Developing six-pack abs requires patience, hard work, and proper technique. You could work out until you were blue in the face and still not achieve six-pack abs if you don’t do abdominal toning exercises correctly.

Cornerstone of a killer physique or because you want to be more competitive physically – whatever the reason, a six-pack will surely improve your physical performance and keep you from thinking twice if you want to take your shirt off.

Keep in mind that no matter how many abdominal toning exercises you do, you won’t get a six-pack if you have a layer of fat around your mid-section. You must get your body fat down to 10% or less in order for your abdominal muscles to become visible. Contrary to popular belief, ab crunches are not necessarily the most effective abdominal toning exercise. Running on a treadmill every day and eating a lean, healthy diet may be enough to reveal the six-pack abs hiding under that layer of fat.

Tips for Getting Six-Pack Abs Quickly
The key to getting six-pack abs is following a three-step process that consists of eating right, strength training, and doing cardiovascular exercises on a regular basis. However, fulfilling these activities will not guarantee you six-pack abs. You must do abdominal toning exercises correctly and follow an optimal nutritional plan in order to get results. Otherwise your efforts will be futile.

The best cardiovascular exercise for achieving six-pack abs is interval training that alternates between low-intensity and high-intensity exercises. Studies show that interval training is the most efficient way to burn fat. It is popular belief that one should exercise for a long time at a low-intensity level to burn more fat. The truth is that you must exercise at a high-intensity level in order to stimulate your natural growth hormones, increase metabolism, build muscle, and of course, burn more fat. Of course you probably can’t exercise at such high intensity for very long and that is why you should alternate high-intensity exercise with low-intensity exercise through interval training.

A nutritional plan for optimal abdominal toning has nothing to do with starving yourself or drinking fat-burning shakes. An abdominal toning diet simply consists of eating healthy, nutritious food. Some essential nutrition tips for achieving toned, six-pack abs include avoiding fast food, eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, reducing red meat intake, eating plenty of lean meat, and increasing fiber intake.

Strength training for abdominal toning must be done consistently in order for you to see results. You must warm up prior to getting started to prevent injury. It’s also important to periodically give your abs a rest. Aim at doing strength training three days a week or every other day at the most. Do a variety of abdominal toning exercises to target all of your primary abdominal muscles. You should generally work on your lower abs before your upper abs because they are the most difficult.

When it comes to abdominal toning exercises, quality reigns over quantity. It’s important to contract your muscles prior to starting a set and keep them tightened while performing the exercises. You should also exhale while contracting your abs. When doing crunches, it’s imperative to use smooth, controlled movements because abdominal muscles respond best to slow movements with increased resistance.

Doing abdominal toning exercises religiously may be challenging but it will become second nature if you keep up with it long enough. With a little hard work and persistence, you’ll be well on your way to achieving a tight, defined mid-section.