The first month spoiled me and the scale went quiet

Month one, I lost 23 lbs and thought I’d cracked some secret code. Most of that was probably water and inflammation, but watching the scale move that fast made every other week feel broken. Now I’ve been bouncing inside a 4-lb window for nine weeks. I still log protein, hit 8k steps most days, lift twice a week, and keep portions boring. Energy is better, sleep is decent, but the number is basically a stubborn houseguest. I’m trying to stay patient and change one small thing at a time, not panic-rotate everything. For those who had a huge first month, when did your next actual downward trend show up—and what helped you keep your head straight while waiting?