Weight loss vs muscle gain

I'm in a bit of a quandry that I'm hoping everyone might be able to provide some feedback on.

Since Jan 2008 I've gone from 250lbs to 185lbs.  The first 3 months most of it was due to the WW program and in March I started with the gym every day.

I lost consistently at a safe rate until about August, getting under 200lbs.  Around December I got to 190.  Since December I've gradually moved to 185 but that varies upwards by about 5.  I'm struggling to want to hit 180 when I will go to maintenance and the gym 4-5 days per week (I go 7 days now).

While this could be a plateau, I'm thinking my weight lifting has been offsetting my weight loss.  I'm lifting consistently 4 days per week and take about 30g's of protein on those days in a shake.  The results are visible and my body fat percentage has gone from 36 to about 20 over the past year.

Is it possible I'm at a "good" weight and that trying for 180 would be pushing it (I'm 5'8 and according to the charts s/b 165lbs)?  If I really want to hit 180 should I stop lifting and protein for a while and just focus on the cardio?  I'm wondering if the small weight loss I may have been experiencing over the past 3 months is being offset by the increase in muscle gain.

The other thought is that I shouldn't worry so much about hitting 180 and just do what I'm doing and eventually I'll get there.  I just would like more understanding about what's going on in this body of mine.

Thanks for any feedback ;)

Your diet likely has a lot more to do with the slow down in weight loss than what you're doing at the gym.  You might be putting on a little bit of muscle, but if your in a calorie deficit, muscle gains are pretty minimal.

It's possible you're at a good weight, it's possible that your not.  How do you look? how do you feel? focus more on those and less on what number the scale reads.

I'm feeling fine and look marvelous (and modest).  I would still like to lose a bit more around the waist.

I think you answered my concern about whether the muscle gain has been offsetting the weight loss.  I wasn't sure how much weight and at what rate the muscle might be adding.  It looks like it comes down to sticking with staying in a caloric deficit to keep it going.  I am still losing - but at such a slower rate.  These last 5-10lbs have been real stubborn but I also need to take a look at some of those bad eating habits that might have crept back.

I would just recommend changing your diet and exercise plans. Sometimes a change is all your body needs to get it into gear. It has gone through changes and might not need the same things you were giving it. This might not be the case for you, but it's worth a shot! Muscle doesn't weight enough for you to notice such a drastic difference... unless you were becoming a bulky body builder and it took over haha.

You have already lost a lot of weight. Just try to focus on maintaining for a while and don't worry too much about trying to top yourself. You definitely don't want to cut out the weight training, you will just lose muscle, not fat.

Remember improvement isn't continuous, it comes is stages.

congratulations on your weightloss, when l started lifting weights my weightloss stalled for 3weeks, l was told that muscle will retain water and that it could last upto 6wks. 

l stuck with it and have been losing steadily since then. Stick with it and reevaluate your diet, you will get to your goal.