For shorties (under 5'5ft) who have had success with weights...

Okay, so maybe this isn't just for shorties, but I just want to hear from someone who feels the pain of a short person. So I'm 4'11, and when I started this site I was 95lbs, not I'm 103. Thats right. Not pleased I have tried everything under the sun to lose the much noticeable fat that has accumulated basically everywhere on my body, much of which I haven't seen since puberty.

Anyway I tried weights for about 2 months with a personal trainer, and the only thing I noticed was that my clothes were even tighter than before. My muscles grew a bit, underneath the fat that still wasn't budging. When I decided to stop with the weights and focus on HIIT, my weight stayed the same, but my pants became looser in the arse and legs (somewhat). What am I doing wrong? My diet ratios are pretty balanced for the most part. On days that I worked out I usually burn around 250 cals, and eat them back so my intake is at 1200 (livestrong.com says I need 1,150 to lose a lb a week)  but I stay at at least 1200, going to about 1400-1700 on cheat days. I tried eating maintenance for a while, in which time I gained 3lbs in a month that never came off. What am I doing wrong? Why can't I stop gaining weight??????  Am I missing something with the weights? ARGHH.

103 pounds at 4'3 is well within a healthy range..the picture on my profile [in the green shirt] is me at about 107, before i lost weight...and i am 4'11 so if you're calling 103 fat maybe i should reassess my goals...lol. your body is probably comfortable where it's at and fighting any fat loss..if you're eating back your calories on workout days..250 plus 1150 is 1400, so you should be consuming 1400 on workout days...no "cheat days" what is it about your body that you dislike because i can guarantee that 103 is not FAT. 

Oh I completely agree I'm not fat, but gaining 10lbs in a year on a small frame tends to feel like a lot, and is generally uncomfortable...esp when none of your pants fit :(. I just want to know what I'm doing wrong in terms of weights because when i did them, my pants got tighter...I recently got the new rules of lifting for women book and it looks pretty intense, so I just want to see wha t I'm oding wrong before I get into it agian....thanks for the reply!

I am 4'11" and right around 95-97LB. I do weight training 3 days a week. Cardio 6. HIIT 3 of the cardio days. Fat loss is mostly about your diet. What kind of foods you are eating. It is not just all about calories. If you get your calories from the wrong foods, lots of simple carbs, transfats, processed foods, sugary foods, artificial sweeteners and so on you will not see the results you would from a clean, balanced diet. Eating too few calories is also detrimental. I have seen the best results with a mix of cardio, mix it up. Heavily lifting and HIIT. Mixed with clean/balanced eating.

Something tells me that you're not eating enough. To build muscle, you can't have too large of a deficit, right? Yet, you seem to have build muscle. Meaning, your metabolism has slowed. 

Was the maintainence you ate, really your maintainence? Or, was it just "slightly under"? 

Well I think when I was eating maintenance it was slightly over some days, under other days. This is generally what I eat on a sample day:

B: 1/2c quaker quick cook oats with soy milk and a banana (sometimes w a tsp of pb) and a coffee with soy milk

snack: if I get a chance to have on in the morning its either an apple or some carrots

Lunch: usually whole grain bread or something like that with lean turkey, low fat cheese and lettuce, and sometimes 1/2 cup of cottage cheese with a bit of organic jam

snack: when I get home I will usually have a cookie or granola bar

dinner: salad with about an oz of bleu cheese and half a large chicken breast seasoned with a sweet potato, and a bit of  plain fat free yogurt on top

that to me doesn't sound too unreasonable, but of course I submit myself to the unhealthy snack or few drinks, but generally I buget that into my calories. Petite powerhouse, can you recomend any changes to my diet?

You mean me? I'd love to try! 

But first, what is your workout schedule like? You say you burn 250 per workout- how many times a week are you workouts? And what type of workout? 

Also, would you happen to have a timed mile/set lifting weight? This can help determine whether or not you've actually increased in strength/endurance.

For example, I started Jan '09 at 92 lbs, running an 8 min mile at best, and using 15lb weights to do my weight sets. Now, I've put on 6-8 lbs, and have a 6:42 mile, and am starting to use the 20 lb weights. I've outgrown a few pants (they were kids size 12's and Junior 00's anyway), but I didn't have anywhere to "shrink". 

At a glance, your diet sounds pretty healthy in the way of eating "whole" foods, and not overloaded with diet products (ie- diet pepsi, splenda, sf jam). It looks about 1200 calories (sometimes 1300)... but, again, depending on your workouts that could be too little. 

it is DEFINITELY too little. you probably have little to no fat to lose so any amount of weight training is going to add mass, which is not a bad thing. you'll have a nice lean body that may be bigger in some areas but only more attractive if you ask me. more muscle means more calories burned without trying, means you can eat more. 1200 calories is not good for someone of your size and activity level, that would be too little for someone who is virtually sedentary since you have almost no weight to lose.

That is probably about 1200-1400 calories in your example. Definately not enough. Not enough good fat.