I work out on the weight machines 3 x a week and I have a question about abs. My waistline hasn't budged even 1/4" but below my waistline, the fat is getting very mushy and there is less of it. But the problem is the waist and above. There it is feeling much harder. I feel like the muscle is building under the fat and that instead of getting smaller, it's getting bigger.

Should I lay off the ab machines a while and let that muscle settle and let the fat there get mushy too? If I didn't work those muscles so much maybe I would see a change in the waistline.

I do a few exercises for abs, but I know the ab crunch machine is now set at 75lbs--which to most of you isn't that much but to an out of shape middle ager, it feels like alot.

Thanks

Carol