When it comes to controlling your appetite, fructose, the sugar naturally found in fruit, (and is the best way to provide your brain the glucose it needs, and it is added to processed foods & drinks in the artificial form of high-fructose corn syrup, could be your BIGGEST enemy in the fight to curb overeating and constant hunger.  All sodas are loaded with HFCS, diet sodas are even worse with their dangerous artificial sugars such as aspertame, and the new one to "trick" you into "aspertame free" - Acesulfame K, just a variation of aspertame itself.  HFCS is in salad dressings, condiments, and even bread!!!! Why is sugar in BREAD???!!!!When study participants drank a beverage high in simple sugar glucose (fructose from natural fruit sources), hunger signals lessened, but not when they swallowed the drink loaded with HFCS, they became hungrier.  When it comes to energizing your body and mind, stick with whole forms of glucose - whole grains such as oats, barley, quinoa & brown rice as well as veggies in a variety of colors to reap the most nutrients.  Enjoy fructose from fresh fruits such as cherries, plums, peaches, grapes and dates. To sweeten your drinks & recipes, go for natural sources of sugar such as honey, agave, molasses and stevia. 

1. AB tip - dont overtrain them. Don't train them everyday to expect miracles. Remember, muscles need at least 48 hours to recover, repair and grow stronger & more toned. Your ab muscles are just like all your other muscles in your body. A good training regimen this spring would be 3 x a week for about 20-30 minutes.
2. AB tip - remember, its that stubborn fat ON TOP of your muscles that we are trying to get rid of here, so that fantasy of doing 1000 crunches a day to a flat belly is just that, and also a lie.  In order to have ab definition show on your body, you MUST be eating a well-balanced clean diet - based on natural, whole foods that give you and your muscles the nutrition & fuel your body needs to achieve great results.  Again, i stress the "Triad" - your cardio workouts burn calories and fat, your weight training workouts tighten, tone, lift and strengthen your muscles (which in turn boosts your metabolism so you burn calories faster overall during the day), and your daily nutrition should be healthy, portioned balanced meals and snacks to fuel your workouts and your daily routines of life. 
3. TIP - Taking care of your whole body will help you get the abs you desire. Remember, fitness is a lifestyle of health, and a lifestyle of loving yourself. So get out there and like Nike says "JUST DO IT"

In order to look & feel your best by swimsuit season, you need to keep in mind the Triad that will help you flatten your belly and tone your body: (1) nutrition - 70% (everything we put in our mouths eventually show up on our bodies, especially as we get over 35!) (2) weight/cardio training 15%, (3) genetics - 15%.  Here are my clean nutrition principles that must be stepped up in order to see results from your workouts.
What to do: eat more - eat 5-6 meals (smaller portions) each day, eat breakfast everyday. You wouldnt go on a car trip cross country on an empty gas tank, would you? What do you do? You go fill the gas tank! Then why do you do it to yourself by skipping the most important meal of the day for weight loss and steady fat burning metabolism. Most importantly, eat a combination of lean protein and complex carbohydrates at each meal to balance your blood sugar and energy levels.  Remember, sometimes the only control we women have during our busy lives is what we put in our bodies....respect yourself! Stay healthy, stay fit, and stay strong! Have a wonderful, healthy week! :)