So, I feel like I can't win in the diet/nutrition game.... I used to be heavy back when I was younger/ early 20's, mid to later 20's I did paleo and dropped weight. Now if I drop carbs/cals I get skinnier but the stomach remains, if I up carbs/cals I put on weight but just in the stomach and face! What the **** do I do lol???
If you really want to get things together, track calories. Also, if you do up carbs, expect to look a little fluffier. Not because you are gaining fat, but it is probably water and/or glycogen. You may not like the way a little extra water makes you look, but it will help performance.
Lastly, remember, we all hold fat in different areas. You may just hold a little more fat in your ab area and that could be natural for your body type. If you are dieting naturally, it may be difficult to eliminate fat in every little area.
One more thing that may help is try to diet for the least amount of time. If one diets for too long, especially for naturals, the person could start dipping into their lean muscle. You can try to avoid this by utilizing refeeds and cheats. When transitioning to a bulk, slowly increase calories and do not go to far over maintenance.