im stumped

[hiddendragon98]

Im 15 about 5'7 and 150 pounds i lift 3 times a week and do cardio everday i lift and two days out of the week i have karate class and i dont eat sugar and try to eat as little processed foods i can im in decent shape but i can not get the fat layer of my abs to go down like when i flex you can kinda of see them but like not when i dont and when i do its still not that defined how can i fix this?

[jaypo]

Abs are made in the kitchen! You can do as many crunches as you like, but if you don't control the diet, the crunches won't make the difference that you're looking for. I have the same problem- the only bit of fat I have is in the same area. You have to keep burning calories and eat a diet low in fat.

[mazzybear]

You have to eat "clean". High protein, low fat diet. Good carbs such as brown rice and pasta after a workout. You need to work out your macros (how much calories you burn in a day and how many calories you need to consume) You have to fuel your body properly. Best to see a sports nutritionist, they can set a meal plan and work out your macros for you, but remember you're only 15 your body is still growing, so any fat you have your body probably needs.

M.

[Archimoto]

These are all good comments. If you've addressed all diet and exercise as noted above then you might consider testing for food allergies or intolerances. Even a minor intolerance can cause pepsin spikes that make it impossible to lose the last 5 to 10 pounds of fat. This may sound crazy but it's more common than most people know, even most doctors.

[jaypo]

I agree, Archimoto. A friend of mine did that, and he was surprised at things that he's eaten constantly while being allergic to them. He also made a good statement recently- he said that it's amazing the difference from when you start treating your eating like fuel for your body rather than indulgences!

[andym]

I echo the above comments and repeat that you are only 15. the bodies processes haven't settled down yet. Hormones and metabolism will be all over the place. It will settle down and the effects you are after will kick in. But when.....no one can say.

[Archimoto]

I agree, Archimoto. A friend of mine did that, and he was surprised at things that he's eaten constantly while being allergic to them. He also made a good statement recently- he said that it's amazing the difference from when you start treating your eating like fuel for your body rather than indulgences!

That's very cool.

I've had a similar experience.

Our bodies have an amazing ability to adapt - even to allergies - so that we continue with bad habits.

However the results are poor physical symptoms including excess weight or fat - even at 15 years old.

Obviously we can't know enough from this post to determine if a food allergy is the problem, but it's worth ruling out.

[scohen.mma]

Yes, you're just waiting on a proper diet for a six pack. You could also try doing some high intensity full body burnouts after each lifting session. Or do less distance running and more sprints. Or both!