Totally feel that! Also one thing I learned is that a lot of my "gut" was actually bloat/gas built up. Like I noticed as soon as I started being more active I slimmed up faster than I should be able to, but I think my digestive system just did better.

Also something I forgot to note - get good sleep! I know it can be hard but getting at least 7+ hours of solid sleep every night does wonders for your body.

The only thing I think you might want to look into is doing compound movements (like squats, bench press, rows) instead of isolated movements like bicept curls. These activate a lot more muscle and overall help towards your goal of fat loss. You don't need to work abs individually either - if you are doing squats and other compound movement with correct form, you'll be hitting the too.

Of course not trying to tell you how to live your life! But this is what I've seen echoed from many different fitness resources and chatgpt. :)