Bit of an ab rut... page

[Allenete]

OK, I have a relatively flat and "shapely" stomach, but there is still a layer of fat there that needs to come off. Not completely... I don't want a 6-pack, just more definition, but still feminine.

Thing is, I don't think I should lose any more weight... my body fat percentage is 12% and my lean body mass is 55kg (121lb) and I'm 5'9.

I workout on average 3 times a week, do plenty of crunches and lots of exercises that work the core. But as I understand it, the fat needs to come off for abs to show. So how on earth can I do this and not get dangerously underweight??

[Kvalhion]

No idea but it sounds like a high class problem.

[Allenete]

High class problem? :P what do you mean?

[magicmerl]

I think that any female with 12% bf should put fat on, not take it off.

[Allenete]

I specifically said I wasn't aiming to lose fat.

Also, one doesn't have to be skinny to have a low body fat percentage, you just have to have the muscle to lower that percentage. I'm quite happy with my size, I'm not dieting nor trying to lose weight. I'm trying to improve my fitness.

I've been doing this Paleo thing 5 months now, without calorie restrictions, and this is how I ended up. *shrug*

[eKatherine]

Unfortunately, there is no way to spot reduce short of liposuction.

[magicmerl]

You said you weren't aiming to lose weight in your OP, not that you weren't aiming to lose fat. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

Ok, so you're wanting to lose fat from around your abdomen and gain it in other places (presumably boobs and bum, right?).

I read somewhere that carbs are more inclined to be deposited as abdominal fat while dairy and animal fats enhanced more desirable locations. Disclaimer: more hearsay than actual facts.

And that leptin/cortisol hormones can increase abdominal fat. So more rest and lower stress?

[Allenete]

Looking at the chart here
Body Fat Percentage Pictures of Men & Women - BuiltLean

I "look" like I'm in the 15-17% range. I measured my BF using scaled, digital calipers, and manually by measuring boy parts and working out a formula and they all give me a range between 12-13%.

I'm "naturally" a light build and only an A cup, so that may have something to do with it. Also, I have put on muscle since I started working out, which would lower this percentage. My cycle has stayed normal and I'm not lacking in energy. Quite the opposite.

I don't know what the deal is, but they are the numbers.

[Allenete]

You said you weren't aiming to lose weight in your OP, not that you weren't aiming to lose fat. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

Oops, I may not have been very clear, sorry.
I don't WANT to lose fat... I'm just confused about getting more definition in my abs without losing said fat.

Ok, so you're wanting to lose fat from around your abdomen and gain it in other places (presumably boobs and bum, right?).

Yup! Spot on.

I read somewhere that carbs are more inclined to be deposited as abdominal fat while dairy and animal fats enhanced more desirable locations. Disclaimer: more hearsay than actual facts.

I hope this is true - I'm a dairy fiend and love meat.

And that leptin/cortisol hormones can increase abdominal fat. So more rest and lower stress?

Sounds like a good plan actually...

[magicmerl]

I would trust the 'look' is more than calipers. Since you are still menstruating, I think it's highly unlikely that you actually are 12-13% bf.

When you look at your abdomen, are you comparing yourself to other men in the gym, or other women? Because men don't have as much 'plumbing' as women inside, so it's not a fair comparison to be jealous of a guys flat abs. I am semi-competing with my wife to lose abdominal fat, and we decided that 8% was about the right difference for the gap between between the sexes. So if you are 15-17%, that translates to being similar to 7-8% bf on a man.