Take heart Chunk. I see this all the time. There are many, many reasons and it would be hard for any of us to help you without an in depth discussion and possibly observation of your workout.
But one thing I would guess, since you've just now started working out, your body is going to be diverting tons of energy to repair. Thing is, it's probably trying to pull from your fat reserves right now for that energy. So your body might be trying to create more of those same reserves. It will do this until you have enough lean muscles
which are primed to burn fat very efficiently. So you need to be careful not to run too much in the beginning because as you burn fat, it triggers the visceral fat in your body. That fat releases adipokines which directly attack lean muscle. Those adipokines may be causing that lean muscle to develop slowly or to even degrade, especially in the areas you aren't working out. Most certainly, they are causing inflammation which will lead to stress, which will lead to less progress overall. This is one of the many reasons I always encourage people to take it slow or just not go crazy on the cardio through running alone when starting out. Cultivating and activating as much lean, fat burning muscle in as many areas as possible is key. Not just your legs.
ALSO and equally important. Learn the differences between
healthy brown adipose (fat) and white adipose. I personally use the
Wim Hof method to cultivate more brown adipose. Which has helped immensely with my energy reserves. Among other benefits.
So, one of the differences between white and brown adipose is the density of capillaries. In fact, it's important to understand that the way we burn fat at all is due
fat burning enzymes... But how do we get those enzymes to the fat? Through circulation.
Here you can see that brown tissue has MANY more capillaries than white tissue. In fact, sometimes it gets even worse for problematic white Adipose. So it could just be that the fat that you are trying to burn off right now is being stubborn because of lack of circulation in those areas.
Ultimately, my advice, would be to not worry so much about the calories and what not. And I also wouldn't be getting worried just yet at perceived lack of progress unless you are seeing other adverse effects. Just find a good diet, stick to it and know that you are eating healthy foods and what that means for your body. (your body will only be as good as the materials you give it) Make sure you are getting a great all round workout (personally I would start with a body weight routine) and you will start to build the vasculature and lean muscles that you need to burn that fat. It's also really important to stay as stress free as possible on your journey to better health. Focus on all the positives while being mindful of any possible issues which may show up as you go through this process. This process is different for everyone. There is not a one size fits all method. Take heart and carry on champion.
Also, from my wife who knows way more than me about this, quality of calories generally matters MUCH more than quantity.
I'm trying to apply the same rationale you gave for hanging on gym rings and using the rice bucket (hand, wrist, and forearm strength built through patient conditioning) to my legs -- ankles and knees especially -- and have been doing so for awhile.
