Down 40lbs this year (60lbs from peak) - what's next?

33/M/5'11" (180cm)
October 2023 Weight: 233 lbs
Oct 2023 BF: 29% (scale) or 27.1% (Navy Method)
Sept 2024 Weight: 193 lbs (40 lbs down!!!)
Sept 2024 BF: 20.5% (scale) or 18.5% (Navy Method)

Last year, I started combining diet and resistance training, and after a year of consistent effort, I’m down 40 lbs. I train 4-5 times per week, focusing on progressive overload with resistance training and cycling. I'm seeing some muscle definition for the first time, so I know I've gained muscle along the way.

Current Stats:

• Maintenance Calories: went from 2,800 to 2,600 as I lost weight.
• Calorie Targets: Started at 1,800/day, now up to 2,000 to ease the cut.
• Macros: 25% protein, 45% carbs, 30% fat.

Now, I'm at a crossroads. My weight loss has slowed significantly, plateauing for 3-4 weeks at a time before dropping just 1-2 lbs. It took me 14 weeks to lose the last 10 lbs (from 203 to 193) - whereas in the past that could have happened in half the time. My original goal was 185 lbs, but that feels far away with this slower progress.

I'm considering two options:

1. Continue what I’m doing (recomp): Focus on losing fat and lean muscle, though progress has been slow.
2. Switch focus to muscle building: Raise calories to maintenance and concentrate on getting stronger and building size.

I'd love to hear any advice from those who’ve faced a similar situation. Is it worth sticking with slower weight loss or should I prioritize maintenance calories and muscle growth?

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Background:
Over the past five years, I’ve been through several cuts but I've always felt overweight during all of them. This is the first time I've been sub 200lbs in over a decade.

• July 2020: 253 lbs to 225 lbs (gained most of it back).
• 2021: 248 lbs to 215 lbs (gained most of it back again).
• 2022: 244 lbs to 234 lbs.

submitted by /u/rts2022
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