The last time I was at this weight, my clothes fit better....???

A few years ago I lost about 15 pounds without exercise, strictly by eating a very clean and low-calorie diet. I realize it was a mistake and I probably lost a good deal of whatever muscle I had. Needless to say I gained it all back... Only in the past four months have I started doing yoga/spinning/strength training regularly (alternating 5 to 6 days a week) for the first time in my LIFE and I have settled down to around where I was when I had lost that 15 pounds year ago (only this time I did it the healthy way).

My dilemma: why is it that last time around my clothes fit MUCH better at this weight?? I've definitely built some muscle, so I would think that my clothes should fit BETTER than last time around at this same weight, when I didn't have much.

I'm wondering if maybe I have built muscle but underneath a lot of remaining fat... which is "bulking" me up in places, so to speak. I'm gym phobe for anything other than classes (and I only have spinning class 3 days a week) and have terrible knees. I'm thinking I should start power walking to get more cardio in?

Thanks for any suggestions :/

Could be any number of reasons really...  You said you lost weight 'a few years ago'.  If that put you in your teens and now you're in your twenties you could find your body-shape has altered a little, for example.   If you've built some muscle it could be that you stick out more in places you didn't used to.   You're suggesting you have 'a lot of remaining fat'...  it's actually more difficult to build muscle than it is to burn fat.

Maybe time to buy some new clothes?

I've experienced this before! I hate it!

I know how you feel. In August last year I could fit in some pants at the weight I am now, and right now I can't. I managed to squeeze back in them for ONE day last month (so it's not my body shape changing!), and I'm back to not fitting in them. If it wasn't because they're practically new and I love them... I'd set them on fire...

ya know this happened to me too.  Right now Im about 8 lbs away from what I weighed when I was 12 years old (Im at 220 and 20 years old now but I was 212 when I was 12 years old).  My body though is about 1 or 2 sizes bigger though.  Obviously a lot must have changed from the time I was 12 to when I was 20.  Im also carrying my weight differently.  I used to be very blocky and square but now Im sort of curvy.  I have a much more defined waist now even though Im 8 lbs heavier.   Like GI Jane said maybe you are comparing yourself to when you were younger and not done developing, or maybe your body shape just changed a little even if you werent that young.