vegan cheese: My arms have muscles that I can flex, my legs are almost all muscle (at best) and pretty muscly (most of the time), my neck is normal, and my thighs are rocks if I flex. Just my stomach (obliques and core) are fat. I am a runner (for 4 years), I have done cross-country all throughout High School, and track until senior year (and I'm training for a marathon). I am vegetarian and picky. I don't eat gelatin, ketchup, animal-rennet-made cheese, yeast, mushrooms (for animal reasons) and mayonnaise, mustard, cauliflower, pumpkin soup, peanut butter, or anything else that tastes gross to me. I do have kinda an unhealthy diet, like I eat a banana or chocolate milk for breakfast....a bag of chips, orange, and fiber one for lunch, and french fries (oven bake kind, in the microwave) and whatever else in the house I can find (which may include[in no specific order): popcorn [pop-maker, and micro], potatoes (in many forms), vegan fried rice, brown rice, white rice, bananas, ice cream, beans, tortilla soup, macaroni and cheese, pasta, spaghetti. Oh, and I stopped eating yeast 1 month ago (or anything I KNOW OF with it....DON'T tell me any more) Ketchup 2 months ago Gelatin 6 months ago Animal-made-rennet-cheese 2 years ago ( but I started eating a vegan cheese this year) Vegetarian 5 or 6 years Mushrooms never Is it because I have a diet high in starches (because that is supposed to be good for a runner, as long as they get some protein in) or is it because my training is focused on my legs and arms (because in cross, we would do core, but I ALWAYS dreaded getting on the ground or sitting down to exercise, I just can't do that)? Or is it just genetics and life sucks, and blah!???? (a little bit pessimistic, sorry) Thanks to anyone who puts thought into answering this!|||Different people just carry their weight differently. My mom has skinny little chicken arms and legs, but a definite belly. Of course, it could be at least partly your rather neurotic approach to food and exercise. There are plenty of core exercises you can do without getting down on the ground, or you can go buy yourself a yoga mat, or bring a towel to lie on. Seriously, get over it.