What am I doing wrong? (high BF% fat loss, trying to change my life))

[LeeOwnE]

Hey all,
I have been trying to lose weight for a little over 2 months now and just cant seem to drop from my starting weight. I think I am doing things right but every time I check the scale or look in the mirror I see no change. I was hoping someone might be able to look at my typical plan and see why I am stuck. I am sure with being new to working out I am missing something obvious.
I was previously in decent shape back when I was doing Parkour/Freerunning, but stopped about 7 years ago due to unfortunate life stuff happening.

Weight: 255
height 5'9
BF% 39

Calories per day: 1670 (per myfitnesspal)
Aiming for a higher protein diet but usually split between cards and protein.

Workouts
3 days weight lifting in a circuit training fashion through the fitbod app (3 exercises for 3-4 sets, done twice, usually hitting failure on final sets) weight are confined to dumbbells and a bench I have at home, but have enough weight to go to failure by at least the third set of 10 reps, usually lower. followed by cardio.
Every non-lifting day some form of cardio which has mainly been through VR using beat saber with extra effort put in, not just barely moving my wrists, and Fit XR boxing/HIIT classes that do leave me winded at the end.
Workouts will typically be 45 min to an hour. 30 min if it has been a rough day but usually in the upper ranges.
Will also go for walks/bike.
I track my calories pretty close and have been using a food scale to help lock down calories. When looking at burned calories I always subtract 100-200 from what fitbit/vr tracker says. I also try to over estimate how many calories I am eating.

When I have burned a lot of calories I do tend to eat a little more, but still keeping the combined total eaten and burned under the suggested 1670.
My water intake could be higher, but I usually fall back on MIO water enhancers for a glass or 3 during the day for caffeine or electrolytes.

every Friday or Saturday me and my wife do have a cheat day which when we do my calories can shoot to around 2,500 for that one day, but usually keep it lower than that.

Of course I do falter here and there on workouts and eating, but then try to make up for it the following few days. But have been pretty consistent overall.

So is there something obvious I am missing or is the process just taking time to show results?

Thank you all in advance.

[SuffolkPunch]

If your weight literally has not changed in 2 months then there is one possible explanation - you are eating at maintenance calories on average.

Either you are miscounting (because there is no way you would fail to lose on 1670 cals) or your cheats are making up the difference. Don't cheat is my advice.

[air2fakie]

The process does take time but in 2 months you should've lost some weight if truly eating at that deficit. But tbh it sounds like you're not being as strict and consistent as you think you are, and may be eating (or drinking) things on a regular basis that you don't include towards your cal total. Some signs:

- Eating back cals "burned" but supposedly keeping total under 1670; your tracker may be overestimating how many cals you're burning

- The weekly cheat day of "around 2,500 for that one day, but usually keep it lower than that"; I'm going to guess you're not even tracking your cheat day carefully

- "Of course I do falter here and there on workouts and eating, but then try to make up for it the following few days. But have been pretty consistent overall." If you're regularly faltering on eating and supposedly "making up for it", and also having a set cheat day, it's easy to go way over your cal intake.

If you're more honest with yourself about how closely you're managing your intake, you likely will see results.

[LeeOwnE]

I feel I have been pretty on top of counting my calories, and supposedly about 2500 is maintenance for me when checking online calculators. But you both are probably right that I am missing something when tracking intake and burned calories. Basically going to be hitting my diet with a microscope to find the issue it seems like. I will most likely try to take calories burned from workouts and subtract 200 from it as a burned amount for the day and aim for eating back half that amount in protein, if at all. Appreciate the insight!

[SuffolkPunch]

One possible thing that has caught people out before is dry vs. cooked weights of some things... for example, if you take 100g of dry rice, but use the cooked number to calculate calories, you are getting about twice as many calories as you think...

[LeeOwnE]

One possible thing that has caught people out before is dry vs. cooked weights of some things... for example, if you take 100g of dry rice, but use the cooked number to calculate calories, you are getting about twice as many calories as you think...

I have been trying to be aware of this as well. I know for rice specifically I have used a measuring cup to get a potion of rice, but should start doing that more with everything else I eat. Might be part of my next step is pretty much checking grams/ounces of all my plated food. Chances are I am probably off just enough when it comes to portion size, even with calculating the whole meal down to a serving size.

[air2fakie]

I feel I have been pretty on top of counting my calories, and supposedly about 2500 is maintenance for me when checking online calculators. But you both are probably right that I am missing something when tracking intake and burned calories. Basically going to be hitting my diet with a microscope to find the issue it seems like. I will most likely try to take calories burned from workouts and subtract 200 from it as a burned amount for the day and aim for eating back half that amount in protein, if at all. Appreciate the insight!

Given the challenge so far, I recommend getting rid of the concepts of "eating back" cals, the weekly cheat day, and "making up" for regular faltering of your diet. Have a set daily cal intake & stick to it. Any cals burned will be a bonus not to be eaten back. Consistency & discipline. Once you start seeing regular weight loss on the scale & in the mirror, if you choose to go awry occasionally so be it. Good luck!

[spradish]

I noticed that you got your calorie goal from MyFitnessPal. MFP's tracking model (at least in the free version) subtracts your exercise calories from the calories you've eaten. If you eat 2200 calories and log 530 calories of exercise, it will say you've hit your 1670 goal. If you log 2000 calories of food and 330 calories of exercise, it will again say you've hit your goal. The problem is that it is extremely difficult to gauge your exercise calories. It's also not necessary. I would suggest aiming to eat (NOT NET) 2000 calories and do not log your exercise calories at all. That way you are eating at or around a steadier goal. After 3 weeks, evaluate your weight loss and adjust your calorie intake up or down as needed, but DO NOT log your exercise calories.