Please help me understand where I am going wrong...

Wait another 2 or so weeks.

I find that exercise can actually mask weight loss, and you have to wait to see the weight decrease.

Often my weight goes down after having a few rest days.

Wait another 2 or so weeks.

I find that exercise can actually mask weight loss, and you have to wait to see the weight decrease.

Often my weight goes down after having a few rest days.

My weight also goes down after a rest day or two and I thought that was only me! good to see its not only me

Are you eating enough?
Checkout the following website.... http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators.html
It's worked for me. But I guess if you're still not happy see a Dr.

Another thing to keep in mind is that with all that lifting, you are building muscle. Muscle weighs a bit more than fat, we all hear that, but what we often forget is that exercise, even cardio, is building muscle. So the more you exercise, the more you gain in muscle weight while burning fat. It's a bit confusing and disheartening, because you can't trust a scale. That's why measuring your self with a tape measure is actually much more accurate in terms of success.

Err you don't build muscle in a Calorie deficit.

Another thing to keep in mind is that with all that lifting, you are building muscle. Muscle weighs a bit more than fat, we all hear that, but what we often forget is that exercise, even cardio, is building muscle. So the more you exercise, the more you gain in muscle weight while burning fat. It's a bit confusing and disheartening, because you can't trust a scale. That's why measuring your self with a tape measure is actually much more accurate in terms of success.

There is no way she is building muscle at this rate

OP you said your weight dropped to 236 at one point, this to me would indicate water retention. Make sure you're drinking lots of water to minimise water retention. Also are you weighing at the same time of day each time? Weight fluctuates so much in 24 hrs it is best to weigh at the same time every day to give a better indication of comparative weights.

That's a low calorie intake for all the working out you're doing...are you eating back any of those calories? If not you aren't eating enough.

The first two months you begin strenuous workouts are the best times in any fitness novice regarding muscle gain. It's very possible she's gaining a lot of muscle quickly, especially with all the compound lifts she's doing. If she's getting stronger, she's getting fitter.

Another thing to keep in mind is that with all that lifting, you are building muscle. Muscle weighs a bit more than fat, we all hear that, but what we often forget is that exercise, even cardio, is building muscle. So the more you exercise, the more you gain in muscle weight while burning fat. It's a bit confusing and disheartening, because you can't trust a scale. That's why measuring your self with a tape measure is actually much more accurate in terms of success.

There is no way she is building muscle at this rate

How is she not building muscle? She says herself she is doing plenty of heavy lifting. She is also doing cardio. All these things build muscle, but ~especially~ with someone who has not been exercising at all. Why is this board so afraid of the idea that she is actually gaining a bit of strength i.e. muscle. I didn't say she was becoming a bodybuilder overnight, but it would certainly explain how someone who is eating a large amount of protein and lifting/doing cardio is not seeing the weight loss at the scale she would like. Perhaps, read this:

http://weighttraining.about.com/od/fatlossweighttraining/a/Ten-Mistakes-To-Avoid-When-Building-Muscle-And-Losing-Fat.htm

Or even this:

http://scoobysworkshop.com/gain-muscle-lose-fat/

Or maybe even this:

http://www.muscleforlife.com/build-muscle-lose-fat/

Seeing how no one wants to believe it is possible from me, then go ahead and read for yourselves. Is it the only answer here? Perhaps not, but it would be foolish for people to sit back and say that it is definitely not possible when it so obviously IS possible. Keep in mind that the quickest muscle gains we make are when we have nearly none at all. That first year is the best in those terms. I certainly would hope that people on this board think with open minds and consider possibilities instead of jumping to discredit someone without actually reading up on the statement at hand. Our purpose is to help OP, not argue that you don't like my idea and therefore it must be false..

The first two months you begin strenuous workouts are the best times in any fitness novice regarding muscle gain. It's very possible she's gaining a lot of muscle quickly, especially with all the compound lifts she's doing. If she's getting stronger, she's getting fitter.

Thank you for saying this. I think even if it's not the entire answer, it certainly could be a part of it. Genetics play a huge role here, too, and if OP happens to have the muscle building goldmine that many of us wish we were born with, she might build muscle faster than the majority of others through just basic workouts. The fact is it could be several things, but we aren't her doctor and we can't ever "know", but eating 150g of protein a day and lifting weights... That's muscle building 101.

Thanks for the replies. I guess I need to just keep plugging on. I use digital scales to weigh my food and I always double check mfp nutrition values (sometimes they are inaccurate).

I don't eat any more calories on training days, always the same. I don't see how I can not be in a calorie deficit with this plan? That's what has me so confused.

I am getting stronger, I hit personal bests each week although the increments are now starting to get smaller. I am not messing around with light weights.

Re building muscle being the cause of not losing weight, it makes sense and there is a comfort in it. But I kinda think with the amount of fat I have to lose I can't believe I am gaining muscle at a rate high enough to negate weight loss from fat?? I'm not an expert obviously it's just my feeling. I understand if I was losing only a little fat that my weight could even go up with my measurements going down - but surely from my starting point of being really quite overweight with a high fat percentage then even with the muscle I'm building I should see some loss as there is so much TO lose.

That might not make any sense or be completely misguided?

I think that muscle building, water retention, and perhaps other things are combining to make it seem like you aren't losing "weight." The important part for any diet and exercise plan isn't to lose weight, it's to burn fat. If your measurements are down a couple cm, that's good. Its much much more accurate that way then by simply standing on a scale. :-)

1) Weigh yourself exactly the same time every day. Preferably upon waking up in the morning.
2) Spend at least a couple weeks being ruthless about tracking every bite you eat/every sip you drink. use a food scale. you want to make absolutely sure you are accurate about your caloric intake for a couple weeks as a "test" to see if you get results or not.
3) drink a LOT of water. this will quickly get rid of "water weight" and retaining water problems. Plus for some reason you need extra water when you are losing weight.
4) Don't freak out about a one- or two-day "bounce" back up on the scale after losing. It happens briefly and then you continue going down again.
5) There are a lot of people, including people on these boards, who regularly or even weekly lose 2 lbs a week. That has not been the case for me (even on weeks in which I have followed my diet/exercise regime religiously) but I am satisfied if the scale is less than last week, even if it is just a tiny bit. Sometimes I lose 0.3 of a pound (digital scales help), sometimes a whole pound. Either way I am getting closer! Don't get discouraged if you don't lose as much as other people seem to be on these boards. I feel like a lot of people get discouraged over that.
6) it helps if you have objective goals that are a) scale-related (e.g. your weight) and b) non-scale related (people on MyFitnessPal refer to these as NSVs=non-scale victories.) Take for example one measurement like your waist. Or take an item of clothing in your closet that ALMOST fits or ALMOST (but doesn't quite) button. See if it doesn't button in a couple weeks or a month. That would be an objective victory right? Even if the scale hasn't budged as much as you would have liked?
7) You really should see scale- and non-scale results. If you don't after 2 weeks, then I would see a doctor because a 24 yr-old woman with that kind of calorie intake and that kind of exercise routine should be losing weight regularly.
You are off to a great start! Good luck!

Water retention plays a huge role and can easily mask 4-6 weeks of hard work, for women especially. Here's a really good article on the idea behind it:

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/of-whooshes-and-squishy-fat.html
http://www.leangains.com/2010/01/how-to-deal-with-water-retention-part_28.html

I know it can be really frustrating not to see progress on the scale like you'd like to, but you're probably losing a decent amount, but just can't see it right now due to the water retention. Lyle even recommends if you're a woman to track on a monthly basis -- comparing each week of your cycle to the previous month -- to get a better idea of your true loss.

If after 8 weeks, you're still seeing no movement and you're confident in your measuring/weighing of food intake, time to go see the doctor to make sure nothing else is at play throwing a wrench into things -- insulin resistance, thyroid, PCOS, adrenal issues, etc.

Another thing to keep in mind is that with all that lifting, you are building muscle. Muscle weighs a bit more than fat, we all hear that, but what we often forget is that exercise, even cardio, is building muscle. So the more you exercise, the more you gain in muscle weight while burning fat. It's a bit confusing and disheartening, because you can't trust a scale. That's why measuring your self with a tape measure is actually much more accurate in terms of success.

Err you don't build muscle in a Calorie deficit.

Err your body metabolizes fat. Per pound fat contains around 3500 calories the body burns that 3500 calories to rid the fat. You only eat the calorie deficit, your body metabolizes fat to go back to equilibrium.
That myth is almost as poor as the "muscle weighs more than fat" argument. A pound still weighs a pound no matter if it's fat or muscle or water. 16 oz is a pound.