I think the calorie cycling of 1200-1500 will work for you-but you HAVE to get back into exercise if you want to see more results. You really do. I think that may be the root of the problem with your weight loss stall.
The first 10 pounds or so come off without too much effort in the exercise area-because dietary changes alone can do so much at first-but after a while, you really have to "work" for the rest of those lost pounds. If you are stalling-cutting down your workouts 99 1/2% of the time never works.
If you don't want to add more "time" to your daily workouts, as in someone with a limited schedule-then the key is to ramp up the intensity. If you normally walk 30 minutes on the treadmill, for instance, then after what you are doing becomes "not quite as tough" as it was in the beginning-then you need to increase your speed slightly. If someone walks 30 minutes at 2.5mph, then they end up walking 1.25 miles in that time...but if they notch up the speed to 3mph, then they walk 1.5 miles in that exact same time frame-burning more calories, and making their bodies work harder.
Our bodies adjust to our workouts as we become fitter. Walking 1 mile at 2.5mph might be a touch walk the first couple of weeks that we start exercising after a couple months of "couch potato-dome". But-as we become fitter, our bodies adapt-and we are going to have to keep pushing it if we want to see further results.
It is the same thing as a postal worker on a walking mail route-the first couple of days I bet, were tough. After a year on the job-they walk that same route and don't think twice about it. Their body has adapted to doing that every day.
The same goes with strength training. If you have a video that uses small hand weights-and you start out with 2 pound weights-it may be tough when you are not accustomed to exercise. Over time though, as it gets easier you should be switching to 3 pounds, then 5...and keep on challenging your body. If your workouts "stagnate" then so will your results. You have to push further as you get fitter, if you want to see further results.
I think in your particular case-it isn't so much your calorie level-but your exercise level.
I know what you mean, though, about not having the motivation like you did when you first started. Maybe you need to find something to motivate you further-is there anything frivolous that you really would like to have? (A certain pair of new shoes, etc.) Make a goal with yourself, that if you fire up your exercise regime and go from your current 177 down to 170 or something-that you will buy yourself those shoes.
Then, when you have reached that goal-find another one to motivate yourself with.
When your body's had enough
