With summer just around the corner we are all gearing up for bikini season, exposed abs, and shiny new belly rings. While some may dread this season you will soon discover that there really is no reason to consider the long hot days of summer as anything less than a season of fun! The good news is that to get your tummy in shape to wear the latest and greatest belly button rings you need just a few weeks, minimal crunches, and the right kinds of food.

A successful and healthy weight strategy relies 80% on the foods that you choose to eat. Knowing this simple little fact makes tackling the summer season and your tummy a lot less scary. And let me stress that you will be able to eat food - great tasting food. Starving yourself to get six pack abs is not a good strategy! Nobody will enjoy your belly rings if you end up sick and have to stay indoors.

Here are several diet suggestions to get a flat tummy to show off your belly rings:

*Choose foods that are nutrient dense. This means you want to stay away from the white, processed carbs such as processed grains, potatoes, rice, bread, and pasta.

*Learn to love your veggies and protein. Grill up some summer squash and a chicken breast and you will find out that you don't even miss the cornbread or mashed potatoes. Try a chicken burger with tomato, lettuce, avocado and a thin whole grain bun. Or, skip the bun and toss it all in a salad.

*Experiment with MUFA's. These are your mono unsaturated fatty acids - the good fats. Included in this category are natural peanut butter, avocados, walnuts, almonds, olive oil and sunflower seeds, just to name a few. This type of fat actually helps you burn tummy fat to get ready to show off your belly rings.

This is just the tip of the iceberg for getting a flat tummy that is sexy and in shape for belly rings, bikinis, and better overall health. Dive into that salad and then get ready to dive into some summer fun.

Julie enjoys sharing health and beauty tips. A great resource for flat irons, curling irons and hair styling tools of all kinds is My Hair Styling Tools.