I'm hoping someone can tell me if I'm doing this right or how to change things if I'm not.
My goal:
135
Tone everything

Here's what I'm doing now:
1000-1200 calories per day
Breakfast - 4 egg whites, 1/4c broccoli, 1/4c fresh mushrooms, 1/2c turkey sausage - 190 cal
Lunch - usually broth base soup - 200-300 cal
Dinner - I try to keep dinner around 400-500 cal. (I'm trying to find easy, healthy dinner ideas as well) Dinner always includes more veggies than anything else on my plate and some kind of protein.
Usually a piece of fruit or some cheese as a snack once or twice a day

Exercise:
Walk on treadmill (3.5 mph)30 min 5 mornings a week at the gym
Use the strength machines 4-5 mornings a week (I have no set plan for that. Still trying to figure that one out)
Walk on treadmill (3.5 mph) 40 min 4-5 evenings a week

One more thing. I had a mirena IUD placed 6 months ago and almost immediately gained 10 lbs. so I'm working with that as well.

I feel like I am stuck and not losing. I want to feel good and look good as well as be healthy and grow old gracefully!

You are 5'4 and have about 20 pounds to loose. Shoot for slow and steady, half a pound loss per week. Do not go under 1200 a day. I am 5'3 and my BMR is about that much.....if you do ANY activity you will need to eat more. Especially if you plan on building muscle.

Eat high protein (20 to 30%) and strength train to build muscles. Do your cardio, but concentrate on resistance and weights.

Good luck.

Welcome! Remember that everyone's bod is different so it can be best to try something and then adjust! Just be careful with a low calorie intake and a high workout regime- it might seem the best way to lose quick but can sometimes be counter-productive. But, if it works for you, keep going! Just keep in mind you may need more food if you aren't losing Good luck!

I know it probably doesn't it feel this way, but you actually don't have that much weight to lose. 20 extra pounds is just kind of a comfy weight for your body…you're happy there, so you won't drop fat by being super restrictive…1000-1200 calories is too restrictive for you.

It doesn't seem like you're eating enough. Here's what I would do:

1) Make sure you're getting enough water in.
2) Keep an eye on your sodium (I would try and stay around 1500mg)
3) Increase your calories by about 10% each week until you are eating your BMR - and then stay there for about a month before manipulating the numbers any more.
4) Try not to backload your calories. If you want to eat three meals a day and hit 1200 calories total try and go 400 at breakfast, 400 at lunch, 400 at dinner, (as best as you can, of course).