Tag: weight-loss

I dropped 35 pounds over a year by counting calories and walking at dawn, and lifting in my garage gym that still smells faintly of paint and rubber mats. Clothes fit better, my knees stopped complaining, and I even retired a belt notch. Then the scale settled in and refused to budge. My energy is fine, but progress stalled. My routine is Monday push, Wednesday pull, Friday legs, with a Saturday hike on the park loop that features one rude hill. I keep protein around 140 grams, sleep 7 hours on good nights, and track steps with a watch that vibrates every hour in protest. Strength numbers creep up, yet my waist measurement has not moved in weeks. I am wary of slashing calories more because I turn into a snack gremlin. I have tried swapping steady-state cardio for short sprints, and I bumped daily steps by taking the long route to the mailbox and the far parking spot at the store. I rotated in more veggies and swapped evening dessert for Greek yogurt with berries and cinnamon. Still, the weekly check-ins bounce within the same two-pound window. It is not a crisis, more of a mystery. If you broke through a similar stall, what actually changed the game? Was it a deload week, more sleep, a new lift, or a smarter calorie target? I am open to tempo work, a coach, or a tweak to protein or fiber. Stories with numbers and timelines would help me plan the next month without throwing out the routine that got me here.