6 weeks stuck at 187 lbs — is my deficit even real?

Waist down 2.5 inches with the scale glued in place isn't a stall, that's recomp. Are you measuring same day each week, same time?

Mine sat at 179 for five weeks then dropped 3 lbs over one long weekend. Bodies aren't linear. But six weeks flat everywhere would make me audit my logging.

Do you weigh after lifting days or rest days?

Water from a heavy session can hide 2–3 lbs for a day or two. Weekly averages are less maddening than the daily number.

My log had a hole in it shaped like a margarita.

Same, except mine was cereal at 10pm that I honestly forgot by morning. Saturday tracking is humbling.

The margarita log thing is basically my biography. I stalled at 172 for two months before I audited my own tracking and found three things: cooking oil I never logged, a handful of nuts most afternoons, and weekends that ran 2500–3000 kcal. Average was closer to 2300, not 1800. I also dropped from 11k to 7k steps without noticing, because I was tired from lifting more. Nothing dramatic changed when I fixed it, just slow steady loss again. So no, I don't think you're lying to yourself on purpose, but I'd audit a normal week before blaming recomp.

The steps thing is underated. I went from 12k to 6k when my job changed and my deficit just evaporated. Nothing else changed.

If the waist hasn't budged since March either, though, that's not water. That's eating at maintenance. Recomp would still move something over six weeks.

Not always. Eight weeks of recomp tracking and the tape stayed frozen while the mirror was clearly different. The lifting numbers were the only thing that moved.

What did your main lifts do over those six weeks? Squat or deadlift creeping up while the scale sits still says a lot.

Honestly this is hte part I'd want to know too. If your lifts are up and your waist is down, you're not stalled, you're just not seeing it on the scale. If both are flat, then yeah, it's worth re-measuring your actual intake for a week before changing anything.

Six weeks at a true 500-600/day deficit would show up somewhere, so I'd treat the math as innocent until proven guilty but look at the inputs you can't see. The big one is what six weeks of sitting at 187 does to your own patience and consistency; usually it's not the log, it's the handfuls while cooking, the oil you don't measure, or the restaurant meals you estimate 200 low. The other possibility, and I'd put money on it: you're in an adaptation phase, not a stall. Strength going up, waist unchanged, weight unchanged for six weeks in a real deficit is basically the poster for body recomposition. Before you cut to 1500 and hate your life, either audit one normal week with a food scale on everything including oils and sauces, or run a deliberate maintenance break at 2200 for 2 weeks and watch what happens when you go back down. Both give you an answer instead of another month of guessing.

Waist hasn't moved but the scale has for six weeks — that's not a stall, that's a pause.

Question for you: are your weekends actually the same as your weekdays? I ask because I tracked perfectly Monday-Friday for months and then my Saturday restaurant meals were quietly 1200 calories over what I logged, which erased almost my whole weekly deficit. Six weeks is exactly how long that takes to show up as "nothing moving.

Curious whether your lifting numbers have gone anywhere in those six weeks, because if your working weights or reps are up while the scale and the tape are frozen, that's recomp happening, not a broken deficit. I spent a stretch like that where my squat added 20 pounds and the scale literally didn't budge a tenth — same weight, smaller clothes. The trap is cutting harder right when your body is clearly doing something with the food you're already giving it. 130g protein at 187 is decent but I'd nudge it toward 140-150 while you're in a deficit, and honestly consider a 10-14 day maintenance break before dropping calories further. Six weeks of tight restriction plus stalled scale is a classic sign your body has adapted to the deficit, and maintenance for a bit often fixes that better than pushing harder.

Check your rings and shoes — mine loosened two full weeks before the scale moved again.

For me it was sleep, not the food log. I ran 5.5-6 hours a night for a stretch and sat at the exact same weight for seven weeks with zero calorie changes, then fixed sleep first, 8 hours and no phone in bed, and dropped 4 lbs in ten days. Mostly water, sure, but my resting heart rate also fell 6 bpm. What's your sleep looking like lately?

One thing that bit me hard: I weighed everything raw but never counted the oil in the pan or the bites while prepping dinner. That was an easy 250-350 a day I wasn't logging. Try a week of logging exactly as eaten, cooking fats included, and see if the picture changes.

@watchdog_wendy said: I weighed everything raw but never counted the oil in the pan...

Honestly at 187 with that lifting and step count, I'd bet on one of two things: the log is slightly off in places food scales can't see — pan oil, the bites while prepping, that kind of thing — or your body is holding water while it rebuilds. Mine did the second one. I stalled 8 weeks at 192, then spent 12 days eating at what should've been maintenance, around 2300 instead of 1800, and the scale dropped 3.1 lbs by day 14 and kept creeping down. A constant deficit can keep water on you and flatten everything out. What did your intake look like the two weeks before you stalled?

Your waist dropped 2.5 inches while the scale froze, so that’s a weird kind of stalled.

The five-week stall at 172 broke when I weighed the oil, not the chicken. I was logging meals but eyeballing olive oil, butter, and the four or five almonds I grabbed while cooking. That was an easy 250–350 kcal/day. Once I tracked those for 10 days, the scale finally dropped 1.8 lb. If your waist is also stuck, audit the tiny stuff before shaving another 200 off your meals.

I had a seven-week flatline at 168 after losing 45 lb, and my waist was frozen too. What finally broke it wasn’t cutting more; it was eating at maintenance for 10 days and adding 100–150g carbs on lifting days. I know that sounds backwards, but my gym sessions stopped feeling like death, my mood improved, and I dropped 3.4 lb in the next 12 days. If you’ve been at 1800 since January, a planned maintenance week might give you better data than another deficit cut. Not saying it’s magic, just that six weeks of white-knuckling can hide water stuff.

My 8k steps were real, but my rest-day steps collapsed from 6k to 3k without me noticing. I added two 20-minute post-dinner walks and kept food the same; a 4-week flatline broke and I lost 2.4 lb. Check your weekly step average, not just the days you hit 8k.

Chaotic mealtimes are my blind spot. I was fine at 1800 Mon–Fri, then weekends/soccer nights had me eating crusts, finishing their mac, and grazing the snack drawer while cleaning up. Started a tiny “toddler tax” tally on the fridge: every bite/lick/crust goes on a sticky note. Turns out it was 250–400 cal on busy days. Also, are you weighing daily or just a few days a week? My six-week “stall” was actually 5 low days plus 2 high-sodium/takeout days averaging flat. What’s one chaotic meal you could pre-portion before the kids eat?

I had a weird one: my 6-week flatline was partly cycle timing. I was weighing every morning, but my “stall” compared a low post-period week to a high pre-period week. When I switched to comparing the same cycle week—and used a 7-day average—I saw a slow 1.5-lb drop the daily number hid. I’m back at it after a regain too, so I get the panic. Also, are you measuring your waist at the same time of day? Mine is 0.5 in smaller first thing before coffee, but up after lifting days. Might be worth checking before you change anything.

Honestly, Hang in there—six weeks is maddening. One thing I’d double-check: your scales. My bathroom scale was 2.1 lb high after I moved it onto a different floor tile, and

Systems view: six weeks flat + waist flat means 1800 is maintenance now, not a deficit. The deficit didn’t vanish; expenditure adapted. Two leaks I’d audit that aren’t just weekends: cooking fats/condiments—oil, dressings, nut butter, “spray” calories—and NEAT decay. Your 8k at 187 burns less than at 213, and lifting can make you subconsciously move less. Check weekly step total trend, not daily target, plus 7-day average waist at the same spot. What’s your average weekly steps now vs January?

Have you recalculated 1800 for 187? At 213 that was a deficit; at 187 it can be much closer to maintenance, especially if NEAT dropped. I had a similar flatline and what broke it was noticing my “8k steps” was really 4–5k on lifting days, and my lifting volume had plateaued in March too. There was a thread last year about this—most people found the scale moved again after a week of tracking total daily movement (not just workouts) and adding one intentional 20-min walk on rest days. Are you still progressing lifts? If not, that might be your missing variable.

Question: what’s your sleep and stress been like the last six weeks? I had a plateau that turned out to be terrible sleep + higher work stress, not a fake deficit. Also, are your lifs progressing? When I bump volume, I hold water for weeks and the scale looks frozen even with the same intake. I’d compare 30-day averages and gym performance, not just the daily number. If lifts are up and measurements are stable, it’s often noise/recomp; if everything’s flat, that’s data too.

Long-time vet here. When I stalled like that, the missing piece was weekly average vs. weekend. I was “1800” Mon–Fri and 2600+ Sat/Sun, which erased the deficit. Do you have any consistent higher-cal days or restaurant meals? Also, a deload week can dump water fast—if you’ve been lifting 3x hard for months, try 4 easy days and 8h sleep. I remember an old “6-week flatline” thread where a few people dropped 2–3 lbs after a stress/sodium/alcohol reset, not more cutting. Worth a look.

Honestly, Hi—brand new here too, week one, so I’m mostly lurking. One thing I didn’t see: has your non-exercise movement changed? When I lifted more, my 8k steps got slower/lazier the rest of the day and my weekly average dropped without me noticing. Also, are you measuring your waist at the exact same spot/tape tension? I was accidentally measuring lower after a few weeks. Maybe track steps + waist method for 7 days before changing anything. Rooting for you—this sounds so frustrating.

What changed in your daily movement outside workouts? When I stalled, I was still lifting and hitting 8k steps, but my non-exercise movement tanked—more sitting, fewer errands. I tracked hourly steps for a week and my true average was way lower on rest days. Also, how’s sleep and stress? Both can make me hold water and feel puffy even when fat is still coming off. Try tracking sit/stand hours or steps every hour for 3 days and see if there’s a hidden dip.

What are your main lifts doing? If squat/bench/dead numbers are still creeping up while scale and waist are static, that's recomp plus glycogen/water masking fat loss. I’d track 7-day average weight + waist + strength, not daily. Also, are you comparing same cycle phase? Luteal water can hold 2–4 lb for a week or two. Raw weighing is solid; the common leaks are oils, sauces, bites, cooking yield, and weekend drift. Are you eating back exercise calories?

I had a 5-week plateau that turned out to be unlogged olive oil, coffee creamer, and “cleanup bites”—about 250–350 kcal/day. Not saying that’s you, but have you done a two-week audit where you weigh every oil, sauce, dressing, nut butter, and drink, plus don’t eat back any watch/step calories? And are you averaging weekly weigh-ins rather than looking at daily numbers? If that audit is tight and your waist is still flat after a few more weeks, then the deficit is smaller than the math suggests. What did your average daily intake actually land at last week, weekends included?

Ugh, the post-drop stall is real. If lifts are holding and clothes fit better, that’s still a win.

For what it's worth, Café owner here, so I feel this deeply. One sneaky thing: are you logging the bites? The broken cookie, spoon of frosting, finished latte, crusts off a sandwich—that can easily be 200–400/day and never hit the app. I had to keep a sticky note by the espresso machine for every “just a taste.” Also, are you eating back your lifting/walking calories? If 1800 is the logged food but you add a “deserved” snack after 8k steps, the deficit can disappear. Try 10 days with zero unlogged bites and activity set to sedentary—see if the scale or tape moves. No judgment; café life is a minefield.

Night shift here. I stalled 6 weks too. It was late-shift bites I never logged.

travel brain question: are you comparing the same conditions every week, or just same scale/time? My 6-week hotel plateau turned out to be sleep. I was hitting 1800 and lifting, but on the road I was sleeping 5.5–6 hrs, waking at 4am for flights, and my ring showed resting HR up 8 bpm. Weight sat at 187-ish, waist flat, then dropped 3 lbs the week I got two 8-hour nights in a row. Not saying that's you, but if you're traveling a lot, track sleep and resting HR next to your weekly weigh-in average. Are you getting consistent sleep or is it airport-early chaos?

Been there—my stall was the snack-drawer “one bite” while packing the kids’ lunches.

Hey! Small-town pharmacy chatter here—our pharmacist is always saying the scale is the last thing to move, but if your waist tape is stuck too, that's different. Quick question: are you tracking sleep and stress? I had a 6-week stall at 180-ish where my logs were perfect, but I was sleeping 5.5 hrs and stressed about my mom's insurance paperwork. Once I got 7+ hrs for a couple weeks, whoosh. Also, any chance your cycle phase shifted? I can hold 3 lbs of water for 10 days. Not medical advice, just what I'd check.

café owner here. Six weeks flat with your waist frozen too is maddening. One thing I’d look at that hasn’t come up: sleep and stress. When I was opening/closing and averaging 5.5 hrs, my scale sat still for a month even with solid logging. I started tracking sleep and aiming for 7+, and a 5-week stall finally broke. Are you getting 7+ hours, or has your sleep/stress shifted since March? If sleep’s trashed, that might be the next lever before changing anything else.

Where are you in your cycle when you weigh? I only trust the scale days 3–6 now. Luteal week adds 2–4 lbs for me, and with two kids my cycles got weird, so two “stall” months were really just water. I also started logging a full Saturday/Sunday instead of averaging the week — birthday cake, kids’ leftovers, the snack drawer. My 1800 Mon–Fri was really 2100+ weekly. If weight and waist are both flat for 6 weeks, I’d look at weekend/cycle water before changing anything.

Old-timer here. The thing I’d check before touching calories: rest-day steps. I had a very similar 6-week freeze at a similar weight, and my “8k average” was hiding 11k on lift days and 4–5k on rest days. Once I made rest days 7k, the scale moved in about 10 days without changing food. What do your non-lifting days actually look like? If they’re couch-heavy, that’s your missing deficit, not your logging. Also, are you using a 14-day average instead of the daily number? Six weeks of daily same-ish readings can make you miss a slow trend.

Been there. My scale sat still while my shirts got looser—sometimes it’s just lagging behind reality.

Been there—scale froze while my jeans kpt loosening. Bodies are so weird. Hang in there.

Plateaus are usually maintenance finding you. At 187 and 1800 kcal, if waist and lifts are genuinely flat for six weeks, the next variable is NEAT. Your 8k steps can stay 8k while pace and incidental movement quietly drop. I’ve had the same step count but

Mechanism guess: after 26 lb down, your maintenance is lower, so 1800 may be closer to break-even now. In the trials, adaptive thermogenesis often shows up as reduced NEAT—less fidgeting, slower walking, smaller post-meal movement—not just lower RMR. Have you compared your step pace or standing time now vs January? Also, are you eating back lifting calories or judging by weekly average? If lifts hold and waist hasn’t moved, it could be water/recomp masking fat loss, but 6 weeks is long enough to reassess. Maybe track waist at multiple sites or a body comp scan to separate the two.

I had a very similar 6-week freeze. My logging was fine; the sneaky part was my watch’s “active calories.” I was eating back 300–400 from lifting without realizing the estimate was inflated. Once I stopped treating that number as gospel and just kept my intake steady, the scale finally budged. Also, my waist measured the same for a month while my hips and upper thigh dropped a little—so I started tracking a pair of jeans instead. Are you eating back your workout calories, or is 1800 your total intake? That was my missing piece.

At 187, your 1800 isn’t the same 1800 that worked at 213. Smaller body = lower cost of everything, including the 8k walk and lifting. If waist and scale are both flat for six weeks, that’s not a plateau, that’s your current maintenance.

Sharp question: what’s your 7-day average intake, not daily? A 1500/2500 weekend split still averages 1800 and looks like nothing. I’d recalc TDEE at 187, then either sit at maintenance for two weeks or nudge activity/intake by ~150–200 and compare 14-day averages. Otherwise you’re optimizing against stale numbers.

Been there. Scale stalled while my jeans kept changing—bodies are weird. Hang in there.