Hi! I have been trying to evaluate what it would take to lose fat so that my stomach appears more toned and would really appreciate some perspective on my situation. I know fat can’t be spot reduced and I know there are a million threads on this topic but I wanted to see if anyone could give more specific advice.
I am 5’11, 140lbs and 22 years old. I have been within 10 pounds either direction of this weight my entire post-adolescent life so I am sure it’s not just loose skin. I run a minimum 15 miles to max 35 miles a week and lift with an upper/lower split around 3-5 days out of the week. I’ve always been a casual athlete and exercise for fun rather than for the purpose of losing fat/weight but I have become frustrated with the lack of progress in my midsection while the rest of my body has visible muscle tone. I really dont know what will make a difference as I have a decent amount of muscle on my frame already that I’m trying to maintain.
I don’t track calories or macros too closely at the moment (when prepping for races I pay more attention) because I can get a little neurotic about food but if that’s what turns out to be necessary I may start. Would appreciate some guidance on how to go about this. What kind of deficit would be required to cut since I’m already kinda on the lower end of healthy weight for my height? I already make an effort to incorporate protein into every meal and get around 80gs on the average day.
Now, I may be delusional and I want it to be clear I am not trying to say need to be shredded. I think my brain may be a bit rotten from watching too many ripped fitness influencers and unconsciously normalizing that kind of physique but I am curious about what it would take to get a bit leaner. Given where I’m at now, is this an unrealistic goal? Is there a balance of activity/nutrition that would make it a body I can maintain?