shasta, if your body is accustomed to 4000 calories a day and you've cut down to 2000 its very possible that this why you're not losing. At 2000 calories your body thinks its starving. Try eating more. If you're hungry, you're hungry. EAT.

About the 3" on your thighs - building the muscle will at first make them bigger, but the fat will go. You should check out the exercise forum - there are ways of lifting and exercises you can perform that will help you burn more fat as opposed to building more mass (of course you'll probably have to eat more!)

Nat