I need some new ideas. This isn't working.

I don't know the answer but I'm going to keep an eye on the topic because I'm the same. I eat a lot of vegetables (I'm vegan!), which means I eat a lot of them but don't get a high calorie count. Add that with my daily goal of burning 500 via exercise and my net is always incredibly low. I have to force myself to eat but still don't come near enough most days.

I hope you find the solution or that someone on here has found the answer to help us both out!

I hear ya. I struggle with the whole idea of "eating back" the calories I've burned too. I don't completely understand it. In my mind, why bother burning them at all if you're just gonna eat them right back? I dunno. I have my goal set at 1200 since that's the minimum you're supposed to do. I workout every day and burn anywhere from 600 to 900 calories but I do NOT eat them back. Maybe this is wrong and I'm not telling you that this is the be all and end all of weight loss cuz I'm probably doing it wrong. BUT. . . I've lost weight. My BMR is around 1900 so 1200 is already a 700 calorie deficit. Add my workout calroies to that and I'm burning everything I eat. I have pics to prove it works though. At least for me. But everyone is different and all bodies do not process food or exercise the same way.
I would say change it up. This program really does work because it simply helps you to understand better what you are eating and how much you should intake. It doesn't restrict like other "diet" programs and you set your own goals. I do workouts through TaeBo Amped, Wii Fitness and my home gym so I'm constantly changing my routine. Your body will grow accustomed to the same thing so you have to vary it. Same with your foods. Try reading about which foods helps increase metabolism and maybe even talk to a nutritionist or someone who better understands all this. Maybe there's something unique to you that you simply aren't aware of.
I'm sorry if I rambled. I really do understand how you feel but I don't always put my thoughts into words the way I mean them. You CAN do this! Don't give up! Just. Keep. Going. Friend me if you want more support. Just a thought.

You could be eating stuff you've got issues with. Recently I switched protein powders for my breakfast shakes and put on 4 pounds in two days and felt horrible! That's a drastic example, but I tend to keep weight on when I'm eating too many things that don't agree with my body chemistry, like sugars and now apparently certain types of dairy products.

I would do an elimination of all processed foods, dairy and sugar for a few days (if you can stand that long!) and see what happens. Of course, that means you're doing nothing but eating chicken and veggies, but that might give you a clean slate to start off with.

Or it could just be as simple as you eating more during the day and/or eating 5-6 times/day.

If I did this, many days I'd be netting under 500 calories.

Then you are answering your own question. Your body may be in starvation mode now. Believe it or not but you may need to eat more. High calorie nuts can get you the calories without making you feel overly full. It might just be you need to change WHAT you are eating and enjoy some higher calorie foods (this does not mean junk)

I think with as much as you workout your body just really doesn't want to give up it's remaining fat stores. It's stressed. It's working hard. I'm not sure how to solve the problem. I know you can't take a rest week because you are an instructor. But you have to somehow let it relax. You have to get it to realize that it can let go. I've seen people recommend a "spike" week (or maybe just a few days). I can't say that I know that that works or not.

I do know that eating a LOT works for my body. I've been NETTING about 2000 calories (so consuming 1800-2500 on most days) on average since June and have lost 10 pounds, this has included a few "spike" days of 4000 calories or so. I also take a lot of rest days.

I saw that and was thinking, "wow, that's awesome!" LOL! I tried bumping myself from 1500 to 1700 plus most exercise cals and all that has happened has been weight gain. Even if my net is 1100-1600 I still stay the same. I was finally down to 149.8 for a glorious week or so and then it crept. Back. Up. And I'm at the same weight I've been for over a year.

Hrm... How long did you try it for? How much did you gain?

I can imagine how frustrating this is! You are doing sooooo much and getting no where. And yeah, your body is at a nice fitness level and it looks great, but I understand wanting it to be a little better. So frustrating.

Well, I think you look great, regardless! You might be at the ideal weight for your height and fitness level. The range of weight for a certain height is for the "average" person, not the person who works out as a job! You have A LOT more muscle than the average person. What is it you are striving for at this point? Do you still have problem areas where you think you need to lose fat or are you really just after a number

This. If I were 5'6", I'd be perfectly content with 151 pounds.

Well all I can tell you is what has been working GREAT for me!!!... and still is....
I dont EVER eat back the calories I burn but I usually try to eat something small within 45 minutes of working out since thats when your metabolism is suppose to be at it's peak.
Anyways, I'm on a strict low-calorie, complex carbs diet for SIX DAYS of the week. yes, six. I have one cheat day a week... and im not talking about "oh i can one burger today and a sip of soda," NO, i BINGE on my cheat day! i eat everything that Ive wanted to eat the entire week. seriously, probably over 4000 cals that one day. and my scale will show anywhere from a 3 to 8lb weight gain. ((which is mostly water weight and the food sitting in your stomach, so dont feel like you've undone the whole week))
but that ALL comes off within 2 days and by the 3rd day I'm back on weight loss track again.
I read from an author that when you go on a diet for so long to loss weight then your metabolism is obvious going to slow down and you will hit that plateu, which sounds like what happened to you. but when you shake up your metabolism by spiking your calorie intake once a week it will keep your metabolism from going stagnant.
it has worked wonderfully for me... not just for my metabolism, but for the sake of staying on a diet.
ive been doing this for about 5 months now and my weight loss has not slowed what-so-ever ((except for the special get to togethers and vacations that put a damper in the diet plan all together!!))