Looking for some advice...

[Kriddie]

Back story...I'm 42 (!) 5'1 . Have always battled my weight but a few years back managed to get down to around 135 ish with the help of Weight Watchers.....stayed there for awhile while doing tons of running but weight stayed the same. Finally lost weight through calorie restriction and more running....Finally got on track about 15 months ago with heavy lifting. Started with New Rules for Women and have gone on from there to do 5x5, Heavy/Med/Light, and now am in the second phase of New Rules for Abs. I love HEAVY lifting so much!! it has changed everything for me....I currently have been doing 3xlifting and 3xmetabolic/interval and 1xrest day a week while keeping my calorie intake around 1200-1400.

Here is my current "problem"....my weight in May was 116-118. I was tight and i felt really good...went on vacation ate and drank with abandon but wasn't concerned, as i knew a few days off were good and i'd get right back on track. Came up a few pounds "up" but not worried.....well those few pounds never came off despite my doing everything. I currently am at 124lbs and can NOT get below that....i do think some is muscle weight but i currently am sporting this layer of flub in my lower stomach that was not there before.....

Am really thinking that i need to do something to shake things up and that my calorie restriction has made everything stall and my body hang on to everything it can despite working my ass off.....

So as of today i am going to start upping my cals to the 1500-1700 range and see if that can get me going again.....it's not the weight im concerned with as much as the fat....my clothes aren't fitting well around the waist it's truly fat right there and i'm beyond frustrated.

My diet is clean....lean protein, eggs, yogurt, tons of fruit/veg, no processed stuff, no grains....my biggest vice is a few vodka/sodas here and there.....

Whew! that was long but i'm here looking for help/insight/suggestions...looks like the right place.

[Junglizer]

Well I don't know how much specific advice that I can give, except for starters, go pick up a scale that measures body fat percentage. This will help you out immensely with tracking what you're actually losing. As you even mention some of your weight is probably muscle.

[smedly]

I agree with the above. Like Steve says the scale doesn't even tell half the story. I'd say take your current measurements (waist, hips, etc...) Take a head on a side picture and find out your % body fat. Then start doing your routine and if doesnt work change it until you see changes in these. Meanwhile tell the scale to go stuff it.