Unfit and not getting much better?

Haven't been seeing marked improvements in a long long time. Last time I noticed was when there was a drastic decrease in my arm and leg fat, and I started being able to do a couple of almost real pushups(I'd say about 75 degrees down, 5 or so of them).

Lately it feels like I'm going through the same grind without getting better though. T_T What's wrong with me or my training or my eating?

For exercise-is it because I'm trying to do too many types of workouts at once and not focusing on getting better in specifics? I do not have a specific weekly routine, but exercise about 4-5 days a week, making sure to at least throw in 1 day of yoga for injury prevention and 1 day of intervals and weights. Also included can be long slow swim, intervals in the pool, weight circuits, tennis, long slow run, cardio kick box and cardio dancing classes.

For eating-is it because I'm not 1000000% perfect? I eat the occasional bowl of white rice about twice a week, dessert once a week. My family is Chinese, so we cook stir fry vegetables(with or without meat), a lean protein(chicken/fish), and share in large dishes with chopsticks. I find it very hard to break out of that and measure out each meal, since I grew up living by intuitive eating

(I gained weight only when I thought I was fat, tried a starvation diet, and the rebounded hunger avoidance feelings made me binge).

And for otherwise-what otherwise can there be? I really don't know. I also have been stuck at a fat and weight loss plateau for more than 3 months, I've tried a 4 week period of very low calories, 5 week period of very high, neither did absolutely ANYTHING.

As to why I say I'm unfit...it takes me an hour to run 5 miles. About 50 minutes to swim 50 lengths(50m/length). Have to assist my chinups by a wopping 140 lbs out of my 170lb body weight(I end up doing about 6). Can't do more than 5 pushups. List goes on T.T

There is no need to shed tears friend. Giving enough time 5 push-ups becomes 6, 6 assisted chin-ups become 6 unassisted and even that "List goes on" your dedication, your will, the strength you summon will guide you. If your body wants to become fit it will, though you should start with your mentality.

With a strong mind a body will follow.

Compare to the population, there's nothing unfit about you. Being able to run 5 miles in an hour is pretty good. Same thing with swimming. I know of many people who can't even swim 50 m let alone 50x50m. I say your training is working just fine. You need need to be a little more patient. I think any one who goes into a starvation diet has an impatient nature. Take your time, proper diet and training takes time but are long lasting.

Think like a Shaolin monk!

You are tall, fit and toned. What's not to like about that?

Running 5 miles in an hour is endurance -- you are still giving your cardio-vascular system everything it needs to be healthy for life. That chin-ups and push-ups are the bane of your existence -- welcome to a very large and healthy group of women who experience the same thing.

One of the reasons many women are such fabulous rock climbers is because they have relatively less upper body strength than men and so very cleverly use their much stronger thighs to get up a rock face. As a result they tire less easily than men handling the same rock face.

In fact, maybe mix up your training to find something that enables you to enjoy your strengths and not just beat up on the relative weaknesses?

Congratulations on all your hard work at eating intuitively, balancing cardio with toning and stetching! More of us should strive to be as balanced as you.

I don't think you are doing anything particularly wrong, it may just be a matter of time, as others said.  And good for you for eating intuitively!  I am still working on that myself and hope to get there someday soon. 

I have also been working to change my body composition for the past few months and have been finding great results with the following:

1. Continue to watch your diet - eat slightly under maintenance, but make sure to get enough protein, and fats!  Also, have a good mix of carb/protein before your workouts (think fruit & cottage cheese - peanut butter & banana) so that you have the energy to perform strong.  I made the mistake of thinking I needed low calorie options only, and I lowered my fat & protein intake to way too low and just got stuck without seeing any body fat changes.  I also lacked energy. (ETA: Note I said SLIGHTLY under.  Don't cut too much or you will be lagging and may lose muscle.  You'll have to play around with what is just slightly under - for me, it is 200 cals/day)

2. Drink plenty of water.  

3. HIIT!!  This has done WONDERS for me.  Just make sure you are doing it right.  I used to do jump rope HIIT but it wasn't doing much.  I switched to HIIT on an old NordicTrack ski machine I have at home, and have seen incredible changes since.  Just find something you can go all-out on.  I do HIIT three times a week for 20 minutes or so, with 20 seconds all-out effort, followed by 40 seconds of rest. 

4. Add another day of working out, or up the intensity of your workouts.  If you are looking for some real changes in body composition, you have to work hard, and I don't mean just cardio.  Lift, do calisthenics...well, everything you have been doing, really!  Just up the intensity a little.  You don't need to workout longer, just stronger (that's how come HIIT is so effective!)

Best of luck to you!!  And stay strong and positive!! (Like someone said, think like a monk!) You will see the changes you want, I promise. 

Sounds like you're in good shape.

On pushups---I started 2 years ago struggling to do 5 a day. I worked at it and slowely added one every few weeks. Now I do 25...take a break then do an additional 10. I feel this has been my biggest physical achievement. I walk each day between 3-4 miles and eat right. Lost 50lbs and feel great. Just have to accept that it takes a long time.

Thanks all <3 All the validation really helps. Especially since my original cause of gaining weight was low self confidence, I've been having constant problems with that, the idea of fitting in or not, and other things. It also didn't help that I spent my last year of competitive high school sports on a downslide, because I'd already started my low self confidence weight gain(and thus drops in running performance).

Re: HIIT

I do do HIIT :3 Maybe I need to add another session, but I've been quite light on myself ever since I started having hip pain. Now its kind of off and on, when I am working at what I'd consider moderate(as in, both easy and hard days).

I do HIIT on elliptical or treadmill, for about 15-20 minutes. I love how much sweating happens in such an efficiently short time :)

Just a little additional comment.  As you said, you do HIIT already.  I don't know how many times a week, but I do 3 times a week with a rest day in between (my routine is M-W-F after work - it helps relieve stress!)  Don't add an extra day if that is already what you are doing... but up the intensity.  Add resistance to the elliptical (that can be done, no?), an incline to the treadmill, push yourself to go as fast as possible in your all-out interval.  But if you are already doing HIIT 3 times a week, that is plenty and you'd risk injury if you did even more.  Your muscles need time to heal & rest & build!  Now, if you're doing 2 days a week, maybe adding another one wouldn't hurt 

Best of luck and keep up the great work!!!