In the money with an average stack

Any tips on playing in the money with an average stack to above average in an mtt?

Usually the problem I have is I start to loosen up a bit and play a couple more hands (not with trash but with A 10 and KQ etc.)

My problem is that when I do this it seems like a short stack reraises all in. Usually I fold.

Is it possible that my loosening up strategy in the money is the opposite of what it should be?

Should I be tightening up more as I get more chips instead of loosening up? Make it difficult for my chips to be taken away?

any thoughts would be appreciated

It seems that often as soon as I get chips I will lose them again.

You should play relative to your table. If your opponents relatively weak, you should try chipping up by playing more LAG, if you notice short stacks willing to make moves, wait for hands to bust them etc.
Against a bunch of tight players, playing loose can be a great idea.

They are your chips protect them and look at the pot odds b4 you fold expecially if you are holding a good starting hand. Also table presence matters.

At what point in the tournament, is this happening. Early, Middle, etc?

usually in the money or right before the money with high blinds

I think it depends on exactly what stage of "in the money" we're talking about.

If the bubble's just burst, quite often the entire field will be playing loose and making regular pushes all-in. The reason for this? Quite often there'll be a number of people who have been playing uber tight on the bubble, just to make sure they get in the money. Now they've reached their goal, but but they're short stacked. If they want to go any further they need chips and they need them right now. Hence all the shoving.

During this particular phase, if you've got an average or better than average stack, you might do better to stay a little tight. Call the short stacks when you've got a good hand and keep accumulating chips. But if you find yourself with something marginal, you'll probably be better served just to throw the hand away, let the short stacks bust each other out and just take a ride up the payout scale.

If we're talking about deep in the money (say, the last couple of tables when the top 50 paid) then I think any general rules go out the window. There may be another mini-bubble just before the final table is set, but for the most part you're going to be needing to make reads on individual players and the mood of the table as a whole, and use that information to inform your play.

doh! Guess I should have read the 5th and 6th word of the post.

I agree with this. In that situation I usually sit back and let some of the smaller stacks get knocked out unless I happen to get a premium hand that I can go after them with.

That being said though, you can't sit out completely and let the other players attack your blinds with abandon. If they sense you are holding back and waiting for others to bust, the will come after you with a vengence.