Since I've started the c25k ( 3 weeks now) my weight hasn't budged!! I'm actually up 2 pounds although I haven't been so strict with diet ( snack but no junk food/ chocolate) I'm hungry ALL THE TIME. I improving each run too. Will I ever lose with running? Is it because I'm gaining muscle? Ugh

How many calories do you have a day?

I'm at 1300 - 1400 a day but at beginning of weight loss I was around 1000-1100 and just mildly walking. I feel with the food I've become lax. Or that maybe I was eating too little before and now hungry??? I've got to get back to good again on the eating. I need the weight loss motivation again. Although my measurements of bust arms hips and waist are down about an inch. I stress eat and work was a nightmare past 2 weeks and unfortunately today my car was hit. I'm not a negative person at all but seem to be taking comfort in food again.

IKWYM! I have to allow myself a healthy amount of calories in order to get a satisfying Zumba work out, but alas I have put back on 2 pounds.

The problem is that I don't know how many calories a day I SHOULD be eating. With or without the running. I don't want to deplete my body but I don't want to swing the other way either. Any suggestions how to calculate what I should be eating while exercising and lose weight??? Sorry for the whining but I've worked too hard to gain. I'm still in the frame of mind that I can do this. I don't want a slip up any more. Thanks in advance just feeling a bit panicky that all of this is for nothing

Try getting a My Fitness Pal account and plug in the numbers there. Also, this will help tracking how many calories you are eating. Log everything, measure everything, and you'll get a better idea (it's never EXACT) how many calories you are eating. When I first started years ago (before gaining) I just guessed at how much I was eating and didn't log it, tried to do the math in my head. When I finally started logging I was eating about 500-1000 calories MORE than I thought I was, not only was that keeping my weight the same, it was leading towards small gains.

you aren't going to burn enough calories doing c25k to need to "eat them back." I wouldn't worry about that. Although 1000-1100 is not enough food at all. you can use a site like this to give you an idea:
http://caloriecount.about.com/tools/calories-goal

When you start running, your muscles will retain water due to the stress of starting something new. That is likely what the gain is from.

I've found this to be very helpful. It calculates your TDEE, the number of calories you need to maintain your weight.

http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculato...alculator.html

Once you have an idea what your TDEE is, then you can start from there by lowering your calories accordingly. Some people cut their calories by 10%, 15% or 20%.