Belly Fat

All you can do is reduce BF%. There is no such thing as spot reduction, so those ab workouts aren't really doing what you're hoping they are.

Eat at a small deficit + Work (cardio mixed with Compound Strength Training) + patience = results.

You can get there with 1 and 3 but would most likely be more pleased if you incorporate all 3 parts.

You'll notice many on here with flat/nice midsections do very little to no isolated ab exercises. Look into stronlifts, New Rules, etc.. to get your lifting/strength program.

Is it fat, or is it sticking out? Have you had a child?

After my third kid, I had a "muffin top" that wouldn't quit. I did sit ups several times a day, lost a lot of body weight, etc. I noticed that I was not able to do sit ups and crunches exactly like I was supposed to. I wanted to but I just couldn't engage my core the way I was supposed to. My healthcare provider was no help and basically called me lazy (I now have a new healthcare provider!!) About four years ago, on the advice of a friend, I went to a plastic surgeon who showed me why I couldn't lose the muffin top. My abdominal muscles were stretched out and separated down the middle. That's why I couldn't do crunches/sit-ups correctly. He repaired the muscles and "shortened" them. Best of all, he explained that no exercise or diet would get rid of the extra belly because once the muscles are stretched out and moved around the only cure is surgery. I know this is kind of radical and may not be the answer you were looking for.

I don't know if you've had children (especially large babies, my biggest was 10 lbs - the bigger the baby the more likely this will happen) or have lost a large amount of weight (he explained that large amounts of body fat will do the same thing to the muscles) but if so, this may be the problem.

Good luck!

My stomach is naturally convex. Even if I lost all my belly fat, my stomach would still stick out a little and it looks like I am 1-3 months pregnant.

Do you have loose skin there? I'm not much smaller in weight or waist size than you but my tummy still sticks out I bloat easily but I also have a lot of loose skin from 5 big babies. I'm trying to eat around maintenance and weight train (you can't build much muscle to hold everything up in a deficit) and I think it's improving my tum but painfully slowly.

your diary isn't public, so it's a shot in the dark, but sometimes that "pooch" is contributed to by an excess of carbs, dairy, sodium, or some other personally reactive food. for example, i LOVE soft, doughy, dense bread - but my body tells me immediately when i've overdone it, with that little belly roll that interferes with all my pants... if you find that you eat a LOT of one particular food group, consider a mini-elimination diet. it's amazing what people have found they have an 'intolerance' for; i.e., a allergic-like reaction causing bloating, weight gain, discomfort, acne, etc.

good luck!!

Every time I hear "abs are made in the kitchen."

Every time I hear "abs are made in the kitchen."

From the looks of the flab you have, you need to stay out of the kitchen and hit the gym a little more.