Why do I look the same after losing weight?

Are you still restricting calories? Trainers and such can correct me if I'm wrong here, but if you are still eating at a deficit it is going to be extremely difficult to change your body composition.

I agree with this. I'm not a trainer, by the way, so take it for what it's worth. It sounds like you should be eating more calories for the amount of exercise, especially with a job that's also fairly active. Healthy food is great, just eat MORE of it! I think what you're looking for will be achieved with more focus on muscle building and less on weight, but that will only happen if you are doing strength training, and (especially important) eating enough to properly fuel your body for it to rebuild after your workouts.

Not sure if I've got a hyperlink done correctly here, but you might try reading this and checking your numbers, you may be surprised: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/804485-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

Just for sake of comparison since you're petite too - I'm 5' not-quite-1", 105 lbs, quite active with a combo of strength training and cardio-type circuit training (but I think I actually exercise less than you), and am really enjoying seeing some great muscle developing this last few months. I lost weight with a much higher ratio of cardio (running mostly), got thinner but without good muscle tone in the upper body, and I'm specifically working now on strength and gaining muscle. I'm eating an average of 1,850-1,900 calories/day, and not gaining weight, but definitely seeing muscular changes and increased strength. Good luck!

There could be two reasons for this:

1. You ARE just a smaller version of your old chubby self. You may have lost 'weight', but you probably lost muscle instead of fat because you haven't been muscle training enough. That means you still have the same percentage of body fat as before, or maybe even more. So even though you're physically smaller, you're not fitter.

OR:

2. You HAVE changed, but you just can't see it because you're looking at yourself in the mirror every single day. Just like you don't notice a flower growing - weight loss happens so slowly that you don't realise it's happening. There is a condition called Phantom Fat Syndrome. You know how people who lose an arm can get Phantom Limb Syndrome, where even though they know they've lost their arm, their mental map of their body still thinks it's there? Well, Phantom Fat Syndrome is the same thing. After significant weight loss, you KNOW you've lost weight, but your mental map of your body still thinks you look the same as before. So you don't see the changes in the mirror. I suffered with this for many months after losing over 30 pounds. I found that the only way for me to force my brain to alter my mental body-map was to take pictures and compare them to pictures of me at my highest weight. Only then did I realise how different I looked.

Also check out this article: http://www.wellsphere.com/weight-loss-article/holistic-treatment-of-phantom-fat-syndrome-how-to-correct-body-image-projection/775926

most of us, bc we look at ourselves daily, dnt see the weight loss until either someone compliments us or we see comparison photos. Don't be so hard on yourself--as long as you feel gr8t that's what counts.

That sounds like a self esteem issue. You need to focus on the mental aspect. How do you feel, are you more energized, is work easier, those should be indicators. Take some time to recognize your accomplishment. Enjoy what you have done not languish over "perfect" because that doesn't exist.

Here are the differences I see:

-Upper arms look less puffy

-Stomach protrudes less

-Less volume around thighs and calves

-Hip flare from waist appears to be less pronounced in the After shot, even though your legs are in a wider stance than in the Before.

Agree you look great!