Exercise is important to lose body fat and develop the six pack abs you’ve been dreaming of. However, regardless of how often you exercise, proper nutrition is critical to achieving a fit appearance. A poor diet is not only unhealthy; it can make your workouts pointless and set you back on your goals.

Most training diets are based on rules and deprivations, they talk about what foods to eliminate, they control how much you eat, and they control fat and sugar intake. One drawback of such programs is that they take the fun out of eating. You are confined to healthy but bland foods, and often won’t be able to eat at restaurants or enjoy fast food.

Rethinking the way you eat can have an impact on your meal planning. By adopting a few new strategies, you can still enjoy eating while building your ripped abs.

Eat at least six meals a day.. Most diet strategies require you to maintain a certain calorie count by controlling hunger and restricting meals to just three times a day. But by eating nutritious food every few hours, you can keep your metabolism high while keeping hunger at bay. This will also keep your temptation away from unhealthy foods.

Smoothies satisfy sugar cravings. If you have a sweet tooth, substituting shakes as snacks or meal replacements will satisfy your sugar cravings. The shakes are nutritious and easy to prepare. You can consume them without the guilt of going overboard with your calorie intake.

drinking water. This is a cliché in most diets, but drinking around eight glasses a day has many benefits. It helps you stay full, since there are times when what you interpret as hunger is just thirst. Water also helps flush waste products from the body when breaking down fats or processing protein from cheat meals.

Smart fast food choices. Sometimes it can seem overwhelming to stick to your meal plan, especially if you’re craving fast food. Making smart choices when eating out can help make your meals work for you instead of against you.

• When eating sandwiches, ask if they can substitute an extra amount of vegetables for the mayonnaise.
• Inexpensive meals may appear on the menu with French fries or other saturated-fat sides. Ask if you can swap the grease-soaked dishes for fresh vegetables or fruit, as several fast food outlets and individual restaurants are now making an effort to promote good eating habits.

Getting perfect abs does not necessarily mean limiting your food intake. As long as you know how to eat smart, you can achieve your ideal figure without drastically restricting your diet.