Context: I'm M26, height 5'9", CW: 190 lb, GW: 165 lb. My main goal is to lose weight. My watch says I have a BMI of 31%. I have a sedentary job (office desk). I have gone to the gym 5 days a week since September. The routine is 20 min on the treadmill (run 1 mile, cooldown for the rest), do a beginner workout program (I'm almost done with one, day 16/21) on a yoga mat, then leave. I plan on transitioning/incorporating machines and going into a machine-focused workout program. I'm also thinking about drinking protein shakes, as one of my secondary goals is to get stronger and look good. I haven't committed to that yet.
I have been trying a 1350 cal/day deficit since the beginning of the year, but I only really took it seriously starting at the beginning of August. I usually do not eat dinner. I consume these calories via breakfast and lunch. So I eat from 8 AM until about 2 PM. I consider this intermittent fasting. I'm also very snacky, so at work, I eat various snacks but still make sure I am logging the calories.
Problem: I have not been noticing substantial weight loss. I have been consistent in the calorie deficit of 1,350 cal/day. I log my calories every day, though not my macros. I also do not account for the calorie loss from my exercising, I mostly just tell myself "oh I lost about 250 calories exercising, so I can probably eat 250 calories". This past week, I have not lost any weight, even though I have stuck with my routine. I would say that I have lost some weight since I started in August, but I have recently plateaued.
Solution: I need to eat more. The calorie deficit is too low. My TDEE from online websites states that it is around 2,300-2,500 calories, and if I want to be losing weight, I should be eating 1,700-1,800 calories instead. I should also be accurately counting my macros. I currently eat more carbs than I should, and I don't eat as much protein as I should. I should split my meals into equal portions throughout the day. I should only eat when I'm hungry. I should stop being snacky. I should be doing longer cardio sessions. Strength training should not be a focus for now.
Background: I have lost a lot of weight before. About 8 years ago I went from 230 lbs to 170 lbs with a combination of calorie restriction and heavy gym cardio. 4 years ago, I was the fittest I was, when I actively participated in a sport (fencing). I was very decently strong, doing various strength workouts, and hitting PRs (albeit low PRs). These attempts had a method: lose weight first, gain muscle after. I have been trying to mirror my previous attempts, but this time around it isn't exactly working for the losing weight part. During these times, IIRC, my calorie deficit was at a similar amount (1200-1500 cal/day).
Question: Is my proposed solution accurate? All the online websites tell me yes, though it is not what I did in my previous attempts. I have never counted macros before. Also, what else about what I am doing is wrong? Am I doing this incorrectly?
Thank you in advance for the advice. I genuinely want to improve my health and well-being. I will take your criticism with an open mind.
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