Get toned abs without losing more weight?

After a year of cardio and weight training, I am pretty much at my goal weight of 158 lbs. For my height (5'10") and age (30), I'm just where I want to be in terms of pounds. BUT, I'm still not impressed with my stomach. My abs are rock hard, but my stomach fat still hides them pretty good. They don't match what I've been able to accomplish with my arms, shoulders and chest. It's only after a workout that I can see some lines in my stomach. I am trying with all of my might to fight off the inevitable pot belly that plagues almost every italian man in my family (and it doesn't help that my dad tells me that there is no point in trying to fight it because it will happen no matter what!!! Argh!!)

Any advice out there from the guys for toning up your stomach without losing more weight? Ab exercises are only making them harder; they are not shedding the fat. I'm afraid that any extra cardio is going to bring me down below 150 and that's when I start to look too thin, particularly in my face.

Thanks for any advice you can provide. I'm open to all opinions, not just the guys.

Maybe this question would be better suited in the fitness forum. Let me know if you'd like for me to move it. I don't think there are many males in the Maintenance forum. I should do a poll!

Maybe you're right. Feel free to move it. Where are all the guys?? I'm alone out here...

Just remember that your core is probably the hardest place for you to get visible muscles. Your body naturally stores fat there. Most likely you will have to lose more weight in order to make those abs more visible...

Taylor, that's what I was afraid of. I just wish I could lose the weight in my stomach instead of in my face. I'll work more on my core and see if I turn into Skeletor.

Thanks for responding...

Hi there,

from what I have read, muscle definition is a factor of % body fat, and to get a 6-pack you need to aim for <10% body fat. So first off measure you're body fat, then get a plan to reduce it.

if you dont want to look too thin then  do weights to build more muscle (more muscle takes more energy to maintain so having more muscle means you burn more calories without doing anything!)  If you do cardio you *will* burn fat but you will also tend to lose muscle as well. So aim for a 500 calorie deficit. People like Tom Venuto (http://www.burnthefat.com) recommend zig zagging calories when you are trying to burn off the last bit of fat to trick the body into not reducing its metabolic rate, so eat maintenance calories every fourth day.

Not having a 6-pack (yet!) I cant say that I am offering advice based on personal experience but I have been doing alot of reading about fat loss (I bought Tom's e-book), etc as I too want a 6-pack,

Good luck