Your body fat level plays the biggest role in whether or not you have sexy abs to show off.

You can do all the ab exercises you want but if your abs are covered with a layer of fat, no one is going to see them no matter how developed they may be. So get your nutrition in order.

Here are seven simple nutrition tips for sexy abs.

1. Don’t Go Shopping Without A List

This is huge. You must know beforehand what you need to get at the grocery store for two big reasons.

If you don’t, you’ll end up making impulse buys of food you shouldn’t have in the house.

Not if you want to stick to your nutrition program and show off your sexy abs.

By having a list you can go directly to the food items you need and avoid all the junk food areas that the store tries to make you walk through since these are high profit items.

2. Read Food Labels

You may be surprised what’s in certain foods or how many calories are in a serving (a serving is NOT the entire bottle or bag).

3. Get Your Fruit

Besides all the myriad health benefits of fruit, it will also help to satisfy the sweet tooth that most of us have.

4. Eat Before You Go

Never go food shopping on an empty stomach. You’ll end up buying a lot of things you wouldn’t get otherwise.

Going food shopping while hungry is a great way to sabotage your health and fitness program.

5. Get Your Vegetables

Be sure to get a variety of veggies in different colors so you get a wide range of vitamins and minerals.

6. Get Your Protein

This can come in the form of chicken breasts, tuna (packed in water), turkey (not the lunch meat kind) or lean cuts of beef.

By following these six food shopping tips you’ll make sure to have the right food in your house.

Not only will this help keep you on track and well on your way to sexy abs, you wont be able to binge on any junk food if your discipline does crumble.

You may eat too many calories but at least it will be nutritious calories and not empty ones that can cause a lot of health problems.

Nutrition and Memory

Proper nutrition is a public health concern. The Centers for Disease Control, Environmental Health Division estimates one-third of the world’s population is deficient in micro-nutrients such as iodine, iron, vitamin A, zinc, and folate. The Continuing Survey of Food Intake by Individuals reports that levels of magnesium and zinc were below the recommended daily allowance in the United States. Women were also low in vitamin B6, vitamin E, and calcium. Approximately 40% of elderly Americans and Europeans are vitamin and mineral deficient.

Proper nutrition can affect many cognitive functions. Folic acid is one of the most common nutritional deficits seen in neuropsychological disorders and may be a major factor in depression. Vitamin B12 has a similar role as folate in the metabolism of neurotransmitters. Folate and vitamin B12 may have an effect on the way antidepressants work. It has been found that depressed patients on a fluoxetine regimen who are deficient in these nutrients are less likely to respond to fluoxetine.

Nutrient supplementation when there is a dietary shortage has been shown to help memory and attention performance. Cognitive function improved after one year of taking a modest mixture of vitamins and minerals in otherwise healthy elderly adults. Slowing of cognitive processes is multifactorial. Therefore, a multidimensional approach, including dietary changes and nutritional supplements should be considered when approaching this problem. Reduced dietary fat, cholesterol, and increased servings of antioxidant fruits and vegetables are recommended as part of an overall approach to improving brain function.

Improving the nutritional intake of undernourished children to the recommended daily allowances (RDA), improved performance on non-verbal intelligence tests. Children and adolescents have significantly shown an increased ability to concentrate, focus, comprehend new information, and have improved memory skills following nutrient supplementation with iron, zinc, dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE), and extract of Bacopa monniera.

Phosphatidylserine, acetyl-L-carnitine, vinpocetine, and Gingko biloba extract have shown their worth as cognitive supplements in clinical trials. Combinations of these herbs have also been shown to be effective in improving memory and attention. Gingko and vinpocetine improved memory in terms of neural speed and reaction time which is an indication of increased working memory. Improving nutrition with a combination of herbal supplements decreased need for medication by 50% in individuals with Bipolar Disorder I. Patients had an overall reduction of symptoms of 55 to 65%.

There are many different types of athletes, sports programs, and exercise regimens. And for each different person and type of program your body may have unique nutritional requirements. For example, a marathon runner will have different energy and nutritional requirements than a sprinter. Also, a person who participates in strength training will have different nutritional requirement than someone who focuses on cardiovascular exercise.

If you are interested in strength training or have already participated in a strength training program, it is important that you understand the basic nutrition that your body requires. When strength training, a higher amount of calories is needed to keep your body energized and enable it to build muscle tissue.

Carbohydrates are the main source of energy your body will use for energy. Carbohydrates are stored in the body as glycogen and can be easily access for the energy your body requires. When strength training, it is recommended that you consume 500 to 600 grams of carbohydrates per day to give your body the energy it needs. Protein is also an essential nutrient that your body requires to be healthy while strength training. Protein is what your body uses to build muscle and repair damaged tissue. But don’t overestimate the amount of protein you need in your diet. As a general rule, you should consume about 90 to 115 grams of protein per day to give your body what it needs.

And while much of your focus will be on the foods that you eat, you also need to monitor the hydration and water intake of your body. Water is essential to help your body transport nutrients and aids in digestion. And though your body might not sweat as much during strength training, it is essential that you keep your body hydrated. By doing this, you should have a successful experience.