I'm no expert by any means, but I say you still need to eat more. And just doing a quick skim on your diary, you need to change WHAT foods your eating, and up your protein, big time. I eat more cals than you, though I consider myself in the "moderate" activity level. I started at 227, and I started my cals at 2500, but that was with working out 5-6days/wk. When I first started, before I started heavy lifting, the lbs just melted off.

BUT I eat frequently, cleanly, and consistently. For a little while, I tried the whole "just making sure I netted my BMR" and it did not work at all for me. It was only when I was consistent and ate the same every day that it started working.

If you can, try eating every 2-3hrs, shooting for your 30% protein, and hitting your cals every day. I ran your stuff through Scooby and came up with a 15% cut being 2270, so try eating that number every day. You don't even have to think about "eating back" your exercise cals, just eat that amount every day. Give it some time, if it doesn't work, reevaluate, but I bet you'll be surprised. Every single time I have a "celebratory" day or just completely blow my cals for whatever reason, I lose. EVERY time, so I've been shown plenty that it works:) My diary is open if you need ideas for meals/snacks. I eat the same foods every day pretty much, it's easier for me that way:)

This is confusing me too - I am hovering around BMR and am really nervous about eating too much. I have been fat for a long time and am not sure I can handle any more weight gain. However, I am slowly becoming convinced because eating at MFP levels is doing me no good. So I started lifting and increased protein and calories . . . thanks for the explanations. They helped me too.

I'm no expert either, but I am going to agree with those who say it looks like:

1) You aren't eating the right things and
2) you aren't eating consistently.

Sometimes, you skip dinner. Sometimes, a bag of chips serves as your lunch. Sweetheart, I so want this for you, but it's not going to happen when you don't eat right. I know so many people will tell you a calorie is a calorie, and to some extent it is. But you're not giving your body the right nutrients, nor are you telling it, "Hey! Don't worry! Just because you're getting food now does NOT mean I'm going to starve you later! I'll feed you again!"

Instead, you're telling it, "Eat this and enjoy it because I may not feed you later."

Your body then grabs ahold of that food and storing it as fat for later because it's afraid it may not get dinner! Or if it does, it may not get any protein!

Try to eat a bit of carbs and protein 6 times a day. Lean protein.

I'm NOT judging you or anything, please know that, but you also have what seems to me a lot of fat. You certainly need some in your diet, but compared to the amount of protein you're getting, you're getting too much fat.

I think before you worry too much about your workouts, you need to focus on your diet.

Again, I'm no expert. And I'm no one to judge and NOT judging. I'm genuinely trying to help. I too, come from a place of pain. It's just on a different side. I know how scary and frustrating this whole food/weight/exercise/body image thing is.

I'm going to friend you because I think we can all learn from each other.

Many have already touched on things, but I will add..

Put the scale away. I know exactly what you are thinking, seeing the higher number come up. It took me almost 18 months to PAINFULLY lose 20 pounds after the birth of my second child by VLCD and over exercising.. It kiled me because I "should" have lost like 60 or so pounds, right??... When I did the reset, I gained back about 6 of them, so far thats holding still.

Im 240. I know seeing those higher numbers creep up are killers to us. SO often we are told how fat and overweight and obese we are, and that if we dont get the numbrs down, we are in serious jeopardy...
For now... STOP paying attention to that scale.

As others have touched on.. You are not eating enough. BMR is too low. Are you spending 24 hours a day in a bed? No. So eat like you are living.. As others have shown, your 15% cut is about 2200 with light exercise.. start there.. Were you VLC prior to eating more? If so, you may want to consider jumping up to TDEE and doing a complete reset. Honestly it will do you wonders in the long run.

Forget about increasing exercise just because you think you should be doing more. If you are happy with your current level, then stick with it. Get it out of your head that you have to work your tail off and eat so very little, in order for the scale to drop.. We are all here to PROVE to you that you cannot lose weight that way... That is WHY we are all here together..

Have Faith. This does work. there are many of us who are already showing it in ways you never would have thought of.. sleeping better, hair stopped falling out.. less stress. HAPPIER!!!!... and of course loss in inches and scale weight. It will happen. But you need to take a step back in order to go forward.

Track consistently. Track honestly and work on eating way more protein, and cutting out more processed foods. JUst because you have more cals in a day to eat does not mean you fill those cals with Junk.. We have all done it.. guilty of it and working on it:) Eat every 2 hours or so. In the first few weeks, you will feel incredibly stuffed, bloated upset that you are eating and eating and eating, but it DOES get better. Your body will thank you for it.

We are all here together and in the same boat. Have faith in yourself, and us:)