Hi. I'm brand new to this forum, and relatively new to exercise. So I want to exercise and shape up because I've had problems with body image before and I want to strengthen my body and build muscle instead of becoming unhealthily skinny, as I'd end up in hospital. Which wouldn't be good.

I've been doing stuff for about 6 months or so. I should mention that I am a healthy weight, 54kg, and I am around 5ft 6. But even after 6 months I don't appear any leaner or more toned. I've seen a bit of muscle in my arms and a bit in my calves but that's it. I just have so much fat around my thighs and backside and stomach that won't shift whatever I do. I can't lose any weight because I am at the lower end of a healthy weight (I think). So losing weight is definitely NOT an option. So I need to lose fat without losing weight and I've been doing the things I think will make that happen but it's not working. Here is my rough workout plan (all done at home atm, and I usually follow it):

Monday: 30 minute leg workout with dumbbells (4kg each hand, I'm so weak haha) and 15 minute abs workout off YouTube

Tuesday: 30 minute leg workout with dumbbells and 15 minute abs workout off YouTube

Wednesday: 30 minute HIIT workout off YouTube

Thursday: 30 minute arm workout with dumbbells (3kg for some exercises, 1.5kg for others) and 15 minute abs workout off YouTube

Friday: 30 minute leg workout with dumbbells and 15 minute abs workout off YouTube

Saturday: Nothing. Do volunteering every other week which is outdoor habitat management work so quite active

Sunday: 30 minute HIIT workout off YouTube and similar outdoor volunteering twice a month

I know I'm probably doing it all wrong. So I won't be too offended if you tell me I am. But I really want to know why I'm losing no fat at all. I can see a tiny bit of muscle (which I'm a lil bit proud of &#128522 but there's so much fat there that I just don't look toned at all. Just 'skinny fat'. I just seem to be getting nowhere with it. Like when I stand up straight you can see it. When I sit down my thighs just splay out so much and it's obviously fat. Also, when I bring my knees in to my chest, all the fat bunches up on the outside of my thigh and there's so much there. It's all squishy and yuck.

I will also say that I'm not going to be able to go completely 'clean' and healthy on my diet. Because I've had some eating troubles in the past, my parents wouldn't let me eat completely healthy. I have to eat things like chocolate and full fat foods and oil and carbs and sometimes cakes and biscuits. Not tons of it but I do eat chocolate everyday because my parents like me to. And I eat a LOT of calories to maintain this weight, because dieticians I've had to see in this past won't let me go any lower than 53kg.

Any advice would be much appreciated! I know I'm talking negatively about my body a lot but I'm doing all of this so I can feel better about myself and more confident and start living a healthy lifestyle without wanting to be thin. So please don't think that you're helping me in a bad way. I'm moving forward positively, not back 😊.