Help? I'm working out, but why does my stomach look FATTER!?

I am what they call 'apple shape' though I gain weight evenly throughout my body, it is most noticeable on my tummy. I have love handles, and a pertruding front. Well I've been counting calories, eating more fruit, and working out (cradio/strength training/aerobic) at least 3-4 times a week. I have notice some of my clothes fitting looser, and I had lost 5lbs. Where I mess up, is I DRINK heavily sometimes on the weekend. And I'm thinking this may be contributing to my stomach still bulging out. It looks like it's getting FATTER. I do crunches---yet, I can't figure out why the fat is more noticeable now than ever. It looks jiggly/flabby and hangs over my belt. It use to just blend in with my entire body. What is causing this? I'm 5'4/160lbs. Goal: 125-130

You're not getting "fatter", you're getting more muscle tone in your abdomen.

This is a common plight in the early stages of exercise. Whereas before you had soft stomach muscles that let the abdominal fat blend in, you now have more taut muscles which cause the fatty tissue to extend outward and "hang" more than before.

As you progress in your diet/exercise regimen that extra fat will be used up and absorbed by your body.

The drinking doesn't contribute to your tummy directly, but alcohol metabolizes into sugars which equals extra calories. It just means you have to exercise a little extra to compensate for the weekend. ;)

Muscle is developing under the fat you have covering it. If you are serious about losing weight, you need to stop "drinking heavily" on weekends. Not only is it the calories you drink, but the fact that drinking a large amount slows down your cell restoration, muscle growth and inhibits nutrient absorption. The list goes on. Drinking and trying to get in shape are two very opposing forces. It sounds like you are not genetically gifted, so I'd say it's time you made a choice...drinking a lot of losing lb's.

Keep up with the exercise and dieting. What is probably happening is you are gaining muscle in your stomach and it's pushing the fat that's still there out a little more. If your pants are looser, it means you are losing fat, but it may take a while for you to lose your gut entirely. Don't get discouraged!