Can't lose weight

Ok, here's the deal. I'm 18 years old, 4'11", 125 pounds and i'm completely fed up. I was obese until the time I was 16 and then I decided to take control of my life - I started going to the gym (was quite the elliptical queen), stopped eating red meat and fried foods, and I dropped from 140 til about between 115 and 120, where I maintained effortlessly by going to the gym 2-4 times a week during the school year and 5-6 days a week in the summer. I was still an elliptical queen, no strength training, no real running even. I was skinnyfat but I was a lot skinnier than I am now. I ate on the healthy side but still treated myself regularly every weekend. I ordered out a few times a week with my mom even! I got healthy options but I still ordered out. Anyway, one year ago I discovered CC and decided to drop 10 pounds to 105 (a happier weight for my tiny height and frame). I started counting calories and I had a whole summer of natural activity, PLUS I incorporated strength training and rollerblading - I dropped like 5 pounds and a TON of fat. I was really toned at the end of the summer.

Then college hit and BAM - 15 pounds between the months of september and november, I was 125, none of my clothes fit, and I feel like a big fat oaf. I still went to the gym 4-5 times a week but my lifestyle doesn't lend itself to as much activity because I have to study. Plus alcohol and dining hall food happened and I just ballooned. I figured I'd be good when I got home for christmas because I'd have access to my own kitchen and I hoped to lose at least like...4 pounds in that month. Nope, nothing, zilch. Since I've been at school I've been watching my calories like a HAWK - and working out 5-6 days a week. NOTHING. I'm 124.4 pounds today, down NOTHING from my starting weight. I work out 5-6 days a week, I strength train, and I eat between 1500 and 2000 calories.

Please help! I'm seriously at my wits end! None of my clothes fit and i've lost all my confidence in my body!

Not trying to deflect the ball or anything but have you measured your height recently?  People still grow between 16, 17 and 20... you could have added a few inches to your height and the extra few lbs are in proportion....

I haven't measured my height but the pounds are definitely not in proportion - clothes that have fit me loosely for years are skin tight and clothes that used to be fitted I can't get on at all. My boobs have gone up a cup size (I'm not complaining, I'm a 34C now) but my stomach sticks out super far and my hips are much wider/bigger and my thighs are bigger as well. It's definitely weight and it's definitely a gain of fat - not muscle.

Can I ask one thing?  Were you calling yourself obese when you weighed 140 or were u more then that?

I was 140 and 4'10" and 15 years old - BMI of 29.3 - pretty damn near clinically obese (bmi of 30+) My BMI is 24.9 which means that after I've eaten I'm clinically overweight. I know the numbers sound small but I'm a very short person so it's actually a lot worse than it sounds.

Keep your calores arounf 1500 per day.

I'm 4 10 and totally get what you are saying. My highest weight in college was around 130 and I felt gross.

Since I started CC I've been keeping my cals around 1200 when I need to loose, and between 1300 - 1400 to maintain. If I go up to 1500 I gain like crazy. I also don't go to the gym, so that could be part of the reason 1500 doesn't work from me (what can I say? I'm lazy!)  But that being said, 1500 - 2000 calories obviously isn't working for you. Try playing with the number of calories you get for the day and see if that makes a difference. Definitely don't go below 1200 though. 

Feel free to contact me if you need another shorty to vent to 

Running your numbers with the activity set to very active it tells to eat about 1500 cals, set to moderately active it says about 1350, so I kinda think you maybe should experiment with eating somewhere between that for a while and see what happens........I hope it works, I can totally understand you must be very frustrated.

Are you running her numbers through a calculator designed specifically for teens?  The original posted is only 18 years old, so tools designed for adults aren't appropriate for her.  It's extremely unlikely that she would be healthy eating less than 1500 calories per day.

I think I'm going to try and start a low carb diet. The poster who said it would be unhealthful for my to drop my calories any lower than 1500 is correct - I'm under 21 and the bare sedentary minimum for those under 21 is 1500. Plus I am more active than average so I think it would really starve me. I think a good way for me to change up my diet and give my body something new to work with is to eat low carb. It would also help me lose quickly at first, which is what I need to build up my confidence. I'll still eat veggies but for a while I'll eat less grains and fruits and if I start to see loss, I'll continue until May when I return home (I live at school on a full meal plan), have complete access to a kitchen/whatever healthy and fresh ingredient my heart desires, and full control of what and when I eat. Plus way more activity - everytime I have effectively lost weight before it has been during the summer because I am extremely active. When I get home in May I'll incorporate a more balanced diet. I need to shock my body somehow and I think I might be carb sensitive. Eating carbs makes me crave more carbs for sure! Plus cutting carbs will mean cutting alcohol - a major detriment to my dieting.

Oops sorry totally didn't realise that, so why don't you just go ahead and.....totally ignore my post LOL thanks for the heads up susiecue.

You do realise that muscles weigh more than fat and you could be putting muscle or maybe moving your fat.

I would try more cardio vascular exercise and also suggest yoga.  That tightens things without giving you muscles and really improves your inches.  Even get a dvd off ebay for cheap and do it in your room.

If your calories are low and your exercise is high I would try changing your exercise you are doing.