Plateau - help!

One of the things about a slight deficit is that it can take literally weeks to show up on the scale. I've been losing a few vanity pounds ultra-slowly, by intention, since October 2019, though I consider myself to be in maintenance over all.

Even in my trending app it ends up looking like I'm maintaining, even *gaining* sometimes, for *weeks* at a time, let alone looking at the scale and trying to figure it out. 😆 🤣

Nonetheless, I'm down 10+ pounds, cumulatively, over that time.

In year 5 of routine calorie counting, I know my body pretty well (including calorie needs in various scenarios), and I trust my counting process (it's proven itself over time). I've stayed at a healthy weight for nearly 5 years, after several previous decades of obesity.)

The PP is right: For slow loss, counting accuracy becomes more important. I figure I've been at around a 150 calorie or so daily deficit these months, on average. I don't need too many mistakes or misestimatesb to wipe that out.

Even if you're going for half a pound a week (250 deficit), it doesn't take much imprecision to cut that down to slower loss, and even the half a pound a week will hide on the scale for looonnnggg time periods

Best wishes for that last 5 shrinking away for you!

ETA: FWIW, I still drink alcohol, usually only when my required nutrition is already taken care of (mostly vessy, with exercise calories, in my case).. As long the alcohol's within calorie goal, my weight does what I'd expect, though I agree that it can affect calorie compliance or logging accuracy unless we're vigilant.