How to Get Those Toned Abs You Always Wanted.

By eating a balanced, nutritious diet and exercising regularly you can lower your overall body fat. As your body fat drops you can burn stomach fat and develop a set of chiseled, defined abs. The Mayo Clinic notes doing spot exercises like sit-ups won't reduce body fat in the abdominal area. Eat fewer calories than you burn to shed body fat and reveal your abs. Doing abdominal exercises may not shed fat, but can help you develop your ab muscles, creating the coveted abdominal six pack.

•Step 1

Consume fewer calories than you expend through a combination of diet and exercise. Shed weight at the rate of one to two pounds each week by burning 500 to 1000 calories more than you take in each day. The Mayo Clinic notes you may initially lose weight at a quicker pace. This is acceptable if the changes you make to your diet support your overall health.

•Step 2

Eat complex carbohydrates like oatmeal, fruits and vegetables, healthy fats like olive oil and lean proteins like tuna to cut back on calories, shed fat and tone up your midsection. Complex carbohydrates keep your insulin levels stable, preventing insulin spikes which promote weight gain. Healthy fats improve your cardiovascular health, and help you feel satiated. Lean proteins feed your muscles amino acids, pumping up your gym workouts.

•Step 3

Do crunches to define your abdominal muscles. Lie on a flat bench, and position yourself so your head hangs off the bench and feet rest near the end of the bench. Raise your upper torso by flexing your waist, then elevate your torso as high as you can, keeping your lower back flush against the bench. Hold the peak contraction for a moment and slowly lower upper torso until your shoulders make contact with the bench. Do four sets of 15 repetitions. Rest for 45 seconds between sets.

•Step 4

Go for a brisk walk or jog to shed fat and tighten up your abs. The Department of Health and Human Services suggests 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week to burn calories, improve your mood and increase heart health. Walk to stores within walking distance instead of driving or take the stairs instead of the elevator to burn more calories.

•Tips

To supercharge your weight loss campaign do free weight exercises like squats, dead lifts and bench presses once a week. Resistance training boosts your metabolism which helps you shed fat. Do four sets of 15 repetitions for each exercise, resting for 60 seconds to ramp up the intensity of your workouts. Consult a physician before starting an exercise and diet program.