Get in shape for swimsuit season

What to eat to make positive changes

"No matter what kind of jiggly, wigglyor flabbiness you have over your six-pack, just know there are abs underneath all that," says L.A. celebrity nutritionist Rehan Jalali.

"It's up to you to bring them out. Now it may be harder for some of us ... but it can be done."

Jalali has worked with Sylvester Stallone, Ben Affleck, Debra Messing, Matthew Perry, Nicole Scherzinger, Joel Madden and others.

"Most of the singers and movie stars I work with generally have only a month or two to get super lean for a video shoot or movie,so having a whole three months is plenty of time to see great results."

By the time summer rolls around, you could be hot -- and healthy.

"Since spring symbolizes change, it also can translate into body change," says Jalali, of rehanjalali.com.

Pack up the potato chips and start immediately.

Set specific goals and an exact deadline to achieve those goals, like drop 15 pounds by July 1, so there is positive pressure to achieve that goal, advises Jalali, author of The Six-Pack Diet.

"Most people say that they will start their fitness plan or diet on Monday, and then Monday becomes Tuesday and Tuesday becomes never... Start right now."

FORGET THE:

- Chicken pot pie: "Call it chicken pot belly pie!" A largle serving can have 29 grams of fat, 43 grams of carbs and a huge 850 mg of water-retaining sodium.

- French fries and onion rings: Just a medium serving can have a whopping 20 grams of fat and 47 grams of flab-enhancing carbs."They are full of devastating trans fats," plus several addictive chemicals.

- Salads: Calorie-filled dressings and croutons make salads a bad choice. Plus the nutritional value of lettuce and tomatoes is negligible.

- Non-fat or low-fat frozen yogurt: Packed with waist-expanding sugars.Plus, dairy products, in general, cause water retention so it's best to limit these when trying to get bikini ready.

FEAST ON:

- Egg whites: high source of muscle-building protein.

- Oatmeal: High-quality fibre and complex carbohydrates creates a feeling of fullness and sustained energy.

- Dates: Contain b-D-glucan fibre for optimal health and satiety.

- Sweet potatoes/yams: Great source of low glycemic complex carbs for sustained energy plus beta carotene/Vitamin A for healthier skin.

- Lean fish: Orange roughy, low-sodium tuna, ahituna, mahi mahi, black cod, tilapia are all great sources of lean protein and help lower sodium to avoid bloating and water retention.