Question about working out/gaining inches

Hello all!

I just wanted to ask a question. I've been at 170ish (I fluctuate between 166 - 171) for a long time now, and have decided to no longer try to lose weight. (Dr.'s goal was 175, and I had a personal goal of 150, but decided that I am moving on.)

I have been working out 3 times a week since mid December 2011 (2 months). These include 20 mins of cardio at the beginning and then working out muscle groups with weights. And I have not lost any weight, which is to be expected. However, I measured today and since working out, I have lost 1 inch from waist, chest, hips. However, I have gained a quarter inch on bicep, thigh, and calf.

My thigh and bicep still has fat on it, as you know those are the fattier places, so I'm concernced. Is this just an indication of muscle growth? It's discouraging to see, since I'm no longer watchign the scale go down and am jus****ching my inches. At least I did lose around the midsections, so that is encouraging. Let me know if you have any input.

 Wow! I would say you're doing wonderfully. You and I sound very much alike. My goal was 170, doctor's was 175, and I work out about 3-4 times a week. I have what I still feel like are "fatty" thighs and biceps as well- but I also feel like in a lot of ways since I'm toning the muscles there, there is more of a "differentiation" between the muscles and fat. Does that make sence? Instead of the way it was before, where the whole thing jiggled, now I can flex my muscles and only a part of it jiggles. I think it's progress, and would love to get "no jiggle". I think you're going in the right direction, and just to stick with it. 

 Here's what I have done and what worked for me....based on my trainer's direction....I do 20 minutes of cardio after the weight training not before....since that helps burn fat after the sugar (glucose storage) is already burned out of your system.

Also I do 20-30 minutes of cardio on my off days from weights....typically I work out a total of 4-5 days. 

And most importantly, my calves are hereditarily big, and I desperately wanted to fit into cute boots, so we upped the reps, did NO weight on calf raises, to burn off muscle and fat there. It worked, my calves are lean now and I fit into any boots I want!

If you have places that are gaining inches, I would lower the weight, or go to no weight at all, and up the reps...

 Thanks for the tip! I'm using a personal trainer who is literally just a college kid, and not certified yet, but incredibly low priced, so he's been helping me with the exercises. So I will ask him what he thinks. He just helps me 1 time a week, and then i do it on my own the other 2 times. I just cant' seem to get rid of the "skin fat" or whatever (the flabby thighs and arms).

It's probably loose skin and no amount of exercise will get rid of it. Having nice muscles will fill it out some though and make you look more buff even if you still have a few "dangly" bits.

I'd say, if your inches are going down in a place that doesn't muscle up but up in a place where you do put on muscles and your weight hasn't changed, that it's probably all muscle. If it was a combination of muscles and fat, you'd also gain weight IME.