Stuck at 172 for 6 weeks—recomp or eating more?

Waist down + lifts stalled screams recomp to me.

Six weeks isn't really that long a window if measurements are actually moving. Month four is where the scale tends to get stubborn — seems like a lot of people hit that wall around the same point, and it's usually nothing dramatic, just water, sleep, training load, whatever's going on that week. Tape measure and how clothes fit are more honest than the number on the floor anyway.

A1c 5.4 and waist down? I’d trust the tape over the scale. What’s your average intake vs weekends?

Weekends are my leak. Fri-Sun I can add 1,200 cal without noticing.

That weekend leak is real. I broke a 5-week stall by logging Saturday only—my 'maintenance' Sundays were 800 over.

I had a similar 6-week stall at 174. What finally moved me was adding 2k steps daily and dropping 100 cal from my usual breakfast, but honestly the first change was patience. I was losing inches while weight held. If strength is stalling, a planned maintenance week might help recovery. I wouldn’t add cardio and cut calories at the same time—that’s how I burned out and binged. Track waist, weekly average weight, sleep, and gym performance for two weeks before changing anything.

The don't add cardio and cut at once point is huge. I did both and my sleep went to garbage.

Sleep is my missing metric. Under 6 hrs and I retain water like a sponge.

Water retention is wild. Sodium and cycle timing can swing me 3 lb in a day.

If A1c dropepd from 5.7 to 5.4, something is working. Scale is just one noisy signal.

The squat stall is interesting—are you eating enough protein? I stalled like that when my gym performance dipped, bumped protein and weights came back.

Six weeks in the same 1.5-lb window screams water and stress to me, not fat regain. When I was stuck at 168 for five weeks, my waist dropped 2 cm while the scale didn’t budge; the whoosh came after I actually slept 7+ hours instead of 6. Track sleep, sodium, and stress for a week before you change anything. A salty Friday can hide 2–3 lb of water.

Are you weighing daily or just a few times a week? If you only see 172.0–173.5, you could be missing the 171.2 whoosh after a rest day. I log morning weight, waist at navel, and a 7-day average; my last 6-week stall showed a flat average for 18 days before it dropped 1.8 lb in four mornings. The average and the tape told the truth before the daily number did.

Weekends are the sneaky one for me—my 'most days' 1,500–1,650 became a 2,300 Saturday and 2,100 Sunday, and that extra 1,200-ish quietly erased my deficit. I tracked Friday dinner through Sunday night for two weeks and found oils, bites, and drinks added 300–400/day on top of what I logged. If your weekends are actually clean and the weekday log is tight, I wouldn't eat more yet; I'd hold calories and add one 30-minute walk on your two non-lifting days. Your waist is still shrinking and squat strength often lags in a cut, so that's recomp-ish, not necessarily a reason to bulk. I'd also check if you're actually eating back exercise calories, because 8–10k steps plus 3 lifts can make 1,550 feel lower than it is.

Waist down, scale flat, squats stuck? That’s not a stalled cut, that’s a recomp with bad PR.

My sleep is the tell: under 6.5 hrs for a week and my morning weight jumps 1.5 lb even at same cals.

Check your cooking oils and bites—I found 180 hidden cals a day that way, scale moved in 10 days.

Hold cals steady and tack on a 20-min easy walk after dinner for 2 weeks. Boring, but a 5-week flat tends to give it up around then.

Don't add cardio yet—six weeks flat with gym performance dropping usually means recovery debt, not a need for a deeper deficit. I'd track sleep hours, hunger 1–10, session RPE, and monthly photos. If sleep is under 7 and RPE is climbing, I'd eat at maintenance for 10–14 days, keep lifting, then drop 100–150 cals. My last flat broke after a maintenance week and a 3 lb whoosh.

The 92 fasting glucose plus a squat stall makes me think sleep and stress before a diet break. I spent five weeks pinned at 168 averaging 5.5–6 hours of sleep, and when I finally got consistent 7.5 hours plus one full rest day, my waist dropped another inch and my squat came back within 10 days. Not saying that’s you, but lifting 3x, walking 8–10k, and dieting can create recovery debt that looks exactly like a plateau. What are your sleep and stress numbers lately? I’d track bedtime/wake time, resting HR, and your top squat set at the same weight and reps for two weeks. If sleep is under 7 and stress is high, a diet break might do more than cardio, but I’d also check whether your 1,500–1,650 is really consistent Fri–Sun. Waist down 1.5 cm is real progress, so I wouldn’t panic yet.

Waist down another 1.5 cm while the scale is flat is the tell for me. I’d track a specific pair of jeans and a belt notch, plus monthly photos in the same light and time of day. If those keep improving and your squat comes back after a little recovery, you’re likely recomping. If the waist stalls too, then the weekly average is off somewhere.

I’d bet on weekend drift before adding cardio. When I was stuck at 174 for seven weeks, my Mon–Fri was around 1,550 but Sat/Sun averaged 2,700, which is basically +330/day and erased most of my deficit. Once I logged weekends honestly and kept them closer to 1,900–2,100, the scale started moving about 0.6 lb/week. Track a 7-day rolling average, same wake time, after bathroom, and note the Sunday/Monday water bump from sodium and carbs. Also watch whether Friday takeout turns into all-day Saturday grazing. Do a two-week audit where weekends get logged the same as weekdays, no extra cardio, then decide. Waist down 1.5 cm means you’re not doing nothing.

Six weeks flat with waist down and squats stalled reads more like recovery or glycogen than a true fat-loss stall. I’d track your top squat set at the same weight and reps, plus waist weekly. If squat reps climb and waist holds for another 2–3 weeks, it’s working. If both stay flat, then adjust.

I stalled for five weeks and it turned out my "1,500" was closer to 1,780 — I'd stopped weighing oil and was grazing nuts while cooking. Weighed everything for ten days, found roughly 250 extra calories most days, and the scale started moving again at the same target. Not saying that's you, but a week of honest logging beats cutting further or adding cardio.

Hi, I’m brand new here—only week one—so sorry if this is obvious. When you say squats stalled, did your rest times or weekly sts change around the same time the scale flattened? I’ve been lurking and saw someone hold weight while their waist dropped after they added squat volume; the scale just didn’t show it for a bit. Also, are you measuring your waist first thing before coffee? Mine swings almost 1 cm depending on time of day. Just curious, because your waist trend sounds encouraging even if the scale is rude.

Spreadsheet check: what’s your 7-day rolling step average vs your 28-day? Mine looked like 8–10k too, but rest days had drifted to ~6k, so weekly NEAT was down ~4k steps. I fixed it with one 15-min post-dinner walk, not more cardio. If your waist is still trending down, I’d audit that before changing calories or

One thing I’d check before changing cardio: sleep and stress. My own six-week flat last spring lined up with terrible sleep—empty nest, weird quiet house, doomscrolling till midnight. I started tracking it and was averaging 5.5–6 hrs. Adding a boring wind-down and a 20-min after-dinner walk (not harder workouts) got my squat energy back, and the scale finally moved about 10 days later. What’s your sleep been like? If it’s solid, a short maintenance break might tell you more than adding cardio.

Not a doc, just a fellow tracker. Your “most days” jumped out—what do Friday night through Sunday look like? When I stalled at a similar spot, my weekday log was gold and my weekends quietly erased the deficit. I started weighing/tracking Sat–Sun for two weeks and also noted protein on squat days. If weekend calories are 500–800 over, that’s your flat scale. If they’re tight and protein’s low, strength stall makes more sense. Waist down 1.5 cm says recomp-ish to me.

Night shifter here. First thing I’d check: when you weigh. After a night shift I’m 2–3 lb heavier than after real sleep. Same food, same water. So that 172.0–173.5 might be noise.

Also, are you logging the shift nibbles? Creamer, handfuls, breakroom stuff? That stalls me every time.

Waist down + squat stalled sounds like recomp, not a reason to add cardio. More cardio usually tanks my recovery and squats first.

I’d keep cals steady 10–14 days, pre-log night meals, weigh after sleep only, then decide on a break. How many nights in a row are you working vs off? That changes water and appetite hard.

How’s your waist trend been over those six weeks—still dropping, or just flat like the scale? If it’s still creeping down while weight holds, I’d call that recomp and not panic. I’d also snap photos or measure arms/thighs, because the scale hides that stuff. If waist and gym performance both stall, that’s when I’d try a short maintenance break rather than adding cardio. What feels more true for you right now: still leaning out, or just exhausted and flat in the gym?

Waist down + scale flat screams recomp to me, but the squat stall is the piece I’d chase. Are your lift days and rest days identical food-wise? When I was stuck at 174, my waist kept shrinking but squats got grindy. I shifted some carbs to pre/post workout and dropped one junk accessory set. Scale didn’t move until week 8, then whooshed. More cardio would’ve just made me hungrier and weaker. What’s your weekly protein look like, and are you doing the same load/volume every week?

Road warrior here. The hidden variable for me was hotel breakfasts: I’d log the eggs and yogurt, then forget the handful of granola, latte, and “just one” pastry at the airport. Once I started photographing every plate/tray and reconciling at night, my flat stretches made sense—and my waist kept shrinking even when the scale didn't. Are your six weeks mostly travel weeks, or a mix? If you compare road vs. home weekly averages, does the flat line show up only on travel weeks? That’d tell you whether it’s recomp vs. a sneaky 200–300 cal/day. Also, different hotel scales can add 1–2 lb of pure confusion.

scale is a noisy proxy. Six weeks flat with waist down means your weekly average is probably hiding water/glycogen shifts. What’s your 7-day rolling weight and squat top-set reps/RPE for the last 3 weeks? If top set reps are falling while waist drops, I’d audit sleep, protein distribution, and carb timing around lifting days before adding cardio—more cardio usually just lowers recovery budget. A diet break only makes sense if adherence, sleep, or gym energy are degrading. Otherwise I’d hold calories, keep steps, and chase one performance metric per lift. What’s the squat program doing week to week?

Honestly, I’d look at pre-lift fuel before adding cardio. With two kids, I used to train fasted or just coffee, and my squats stalled forever. Now my snack drawer has pre-portioned jerky, Greek yogurt, turkey rollups, and I eat one before lifting days. I shave a late-night snack to keep weekly cals about the same. Scale didn’t move for 7 weeks but waist did; squats finally moved. Are you eating anything before you lift, or is most of your 1,500–1,650 packed into the evening after kids are down?

Honestly, Sharp follow-up: what do your weekends look like? I stalled for a month and swore I was at 1,550/day, but Friday–Sunday was more like 2,400–2,800 with restaurant oil and wine. Once I tracked Saturdays and kept protein around 140g, the scale moved in 10 days. Also, how’s sleep? If you’re under 6.5 hours and lifting hard, water retention can mask fat loss. Maybe try a 7-day no-scale check: same intake, weigh everything, prioritize sleep, then compare waist and progress pics.

Before adding cardio, I’d audit the unsexy stuff: oils, dressings, bites while cooking, weekend drinks. I stalled for five weeks last spring and a food scale found ~200 cal/day I was ballparking. Also, is your 1,500–1,650 a true seven-day average or weekday-only? My plateaus always hid in Fri–Sun. If the weekly average is solid and strength is dipping, I’ve done better holding total calories steady but shifting 150–200 toward training days versus tacking on cardio. That at least tells you whether it’s recomp or just under-recovery. What’s your seven-day average look like?

I’d look at recovery debt before adding cardio. When my scale froze for ~6 weeks, waist was still dropping but squats died—I was sleeping 6.5h and doing too many hard sets. Took a deload week (same cals, same steps), then squats came back and whoosh hit. What’s your sleep score/HRV vs 2 months ago, and are you doing any AMRAPs or extra sets you didn’t do before? If waist is still trending down, I wouldn’t cut more yet.

I wouldn’t add cardio yet—more steps/cardio usually just hikes my appetite and doesn’t fix a squat stall. What’s your current squat scheme? When I stalled at a similar spot, I needed a 5–7 day deload (same movements, 50–60% load) then came back to a rep PR. Also, are you getting most carbs around training? That helped my strength way more than changing total calories. If you’re still leaning out, I’d keep intake steady and chase performance for 2–3 weeks.

The labs and waist are the signal: glucose 92 vs 99, LDL 112 vs 128, A1c down—that’s not a stall, that’s recomp. A six-week scale plateau with waist loss usually means water/glycogen/muscle offsetting fat loss. Before a diet break or cardio, what’s your squat progression? If you’re running the same sets/reps at RPE 8–9 and missing reps, that’s a programming/recovery issue, not calories. If sleep and stress are trash, a 1–2 week maintenance phase can restore training quality. I wouldn’t add cardio yet—it may just deepen the recovery hole.

Night shifter here. What’s your sleep and weigh-in timing? I stalled 5 weeks at 174. Same food, same steps. Weighing after a flipped night vs after real sleep was a 2–3 lb swing. I switched to Tuesday/Friday averages, right after waking, before coffee. Also moved squats to before shift instead of after. Strength came back, waist kept shrinking, scale sat still then dropped. If sleep is under 6 hours, fix that before adding cardio.

Hang in there—my scale stalled too but my belt kept moving. Trust the tape measure!

Waist down + strength stalled at the same intake screams recomp to me, not “eat more” globally. One thing I’d check: are your squat sets actually progressing, or are you repeating the same load? On a deficit I stalled until I switched to one heavy top set then backoffs, keeping volume similar. Scale stayed flat another 10 days, then dropped 1.8 lb over a weekend. Also, what’s your sleep been like the last 6 weeks? That’s the lever I always forget. More cardio would just dig

For what it's worth, road-warrior angle: are those six weeks mostly home, or are you living in hotels/airports? I can hold the same weight for ages when I’m eating hotel breakfasts and airport snacks—sodium/carb water masks fat loss, and my squats feel heavy after bad hotel sleep. When I travel, I only compare weights from the same 3 home mornings after a normal dinner, plus waist. If travel is the variable, I’d fix the hotel meal pattern before adding cardio. What does a typical travel day of meals look like for you?

Six weeks stuck but wast down? That’s recomp, not a stall. I’d trust the tape over the scale.

Waist shrinking while scale sulks is the classic recomp plot twist—been there, it broke eventually.

what’s your pre-lift meal look like? I’m 5’6, two kids, and my squat stalled when I was lifting on coffee and kid leftovers. Same weekly calories, but I moved ~150 cal to 60–90 min before lifting (yogurt + banana, or applesauce pouch + string cheese) and kept a snack-drawer protein option for after. Scale stayed flat another 2 weeks, then dropped 1.5 lb. Waist was already moving, so I think it was recomp + soreness water masking it. Are you lifting fasted or after actual food?

I’d audit the chaotic-hours calories before changing anything. My 6-week stall was mostly handfuls from the kids’ snack drawer and “bites while cooking” that never made the log—like 200–300/day. I pre-bagged snacks and made a protein-first default (Greek yogurt, jerky, hard-boiled eggs) so I wasn’t grazing at 4pm. Also, squats stalling while waist drops can just be recovery debt. Are you taking a lighter week every 4–6 weeks? If not, try one deload and keep intake the same. What’s your daily protein ballpark?

Small-town pharmacy worker here—our scale got bumped and read 2 lb high for a week, so now I weigh same spot, same time, and only compare weekly averages. Since your waist is still dropping, I’d do a maintenance-ish week at current calories and swap one squat day for tempo/pause squats at the same load. Also measure upper arm/thigh. Sharp question: are you weighing same time of day, pre/post bathroom? That 172.0–173.5 range is suspiciously tight.

Before calling it a plateau, what does your weekly average weight look like vs. daily? If waist is down 1.5 cm, that’s recomp, not failure. For the squat stall: what’s your protein and carb timing? I only broke a similar stall by moving 30–40g carbs to ~90 min pre-lift and doing a 1-week volume deload—kept calories the same, scale flat, waist kept dropping. If you do eat more, I’d test +100–150 cal around training for 14 days and judge by waist/strength, not scale. What’s your current squat programming?

Data nerd here: what’s your 7-day average, not the daily pinball? Mine sat at 173.x daily for a month, but the weekly average was quietly down 0.15–0.25 lb/week—waist moving matches that. Also, are you running the same squat sets/reps, or has volume/recovery crept? If volume went up, a strength stall can just be accumulated fatigue, not a signal to eat more or add cardio. I’d hold intake, check sleep/protein, and maybe take one lighter squat session before changing the whole plan. Are you tracking weekly average or just daily?

Tape moving while the scale sulks is the best kind of annoying. How’s sleep/stress lately?

Hang in there! My scale sulked for weeks while my jeans got looser—trust the tape, not that stubborn box.

the "most days" is what i'd poke at first. i'm a late-night guy too and my weekends were basically a free-for-all — when i actually logged fri/sat/sun with a food scale instead of eyeballing, i was quietly erasing my whole weekday deficit. also, squats stalling while your waist shrinks can just be bar-speed dying at the end of a cut; i moved squats to the first lift of the session and added one backoff set at like 70% and it unstuck without touching cals. what does a real unlogged weekend day look like for you, numbers-wise?