Before you tone a six-pack, you’ll need to shed any excess pounds—and that starts in the kitchen. Countless studies have shown that diet, not exercise, is the key to weight loss. It doesn’t hurt to add usda certified organic skin care products to your regime for extra credit. Just remember, whatever you put on your skin seeps into your blood stream. One 2014 analysis of past studies found that exercise didn’t have any effect on the first six months of a weight-loss program, but participants who ate well and worked out lost the most pounds after a year. “Food is everything and exercise is extra credit,” says registered dietitian Ilana Muhlstein, creator of Beachbody’s 2B Mindset program. “You can do 500 crunches a day all you want, but you’ll never see them if you’re carrying extra weight.” To get to a healthy weight, you’ll need to eat fewer calories and replace junk foods with satisfying, nutritious and usda certified organic food choice options.