I know there have been countless posts about stalls and that they will happen.  However, my question is more about why they happen?  I know my calorie intake is significantly lower than before so to me it is simple math. Less calories = weight loss since I could no longer sustain my original weight.  That being said the stall still occurs.  

Why do stalls happen?

Thanks for your help.

Good question. If we knew we could prevent them.

According to my nut, true stalls cant be prevented.

However, one may "hold'/plateau/maintain their weight by eating JUST 20 calories per day more than needed. Think about it. It takes just  ONE tablespoon too many of fat-free half and half in your coffee/tea/expresso to put you into a stall.

That was freakishly eye opening for me.

This is probably why I can't lose the final four stubborn pounds!  I need to find an alternative to my indulgence of FF half and half. Coffee just won't be the same. Sob. 

Saw this posted a while ago and thought it was very informative, so I saved a copy of it. 

Still staying on-track calorie-wise? And the scale shows you stopping?Or Even Gaining?!?!?--Re-Post Unsolicitedadvice/info… 

Pull back from your ‘daily’ charting, and look at a weekly or even monthly. There are up and down spikes each day, But if you ‘graph’ the highest to the lowest, I’d bet there is still a downward slope over the course of the month. There’s an 8 to 10lb. volume of "wiggle room" due to water alone. And it comes into play a lot. This has to do with our bodies using glycogen for short term energy storage. Glycogen is not very soluble, But it is stored in our muscles for quick energy – One pound of glycogen requires 4 lbs of water to keep it soluble, and the average glycogen storage capacity is about 2 lbs. 

So, when you are not getting in enough food, (like when you drop down to your calorie intake) your body turns first to stored glycogen, which is easy to break down for energy. And when you use up 2 lbs of glycogen, you also lose 8 lbs of water that was used to store it. Voila -- the "easy" 10 lbs that most people lose in the first week of any diet. As you stay in caloric deficit, however, your body starts to ‘realize’ that this is not a short term problem. You start mobilizing fat from your adipose tissue and burning fat for energy. But your body also ‘realizes’---- (by way of your liver releasing hormones signaling low cal intake) —that fat can't be used for short bursts of energy – like, to outrun a saber-tooth tiger. So, it starts converting some of the fat into glycogen, and rebuilding the glycogen stores. And as it puts back the 2 lbs of glycogen into the muscle, 8 lbs of water has to be stored with it to keep it soluble. So, even though you might still be LOSING energy content to your body, (thus showing negative calorie load overall) your weight will not go down or you might even GAIN for a while as you retain water to dissolve the glycogen that is being reformed and stored. Yes? 

The whole ‘weight-loss’ process is not a straight “slide" down the scale. More like "Stair-Steps," (down then forward, then down, then forward, etc... As your body cycles fat out of "deep storage" and through the liver into the muscles as glycogen. The muscles and liver can hold about a 3 weeks supply. This is why many people find that their "Stall" or "Plateau" breaks when adding a bit of exercise and upping their water intake, or in the case of an "extreme exerciser," the total calorie or protein intake, to signal the liver to let go of more glycogen. 

Fear not, many people who are now enjoying life at a normal BMI once had a few weeks or so of thinking- "...my weight loss has been awfully slow, has it stopped..."? Hope this helps some. You are doing Great! Keep it Up! Best Wishes-Mike Wazowski Dx

Thanks for sharing! This helped explain a lot to me and gives me a better expectation of things to come!

It isn't simple math. Your body's need to adjust and adapt. The glycogen is a good example. Dehydration can cause a stall. I only lose weight over one week a month but I'm still losing about7 / month. 3weeks the same and then like Magic one day it drops off 5-7 lbs. 

just stay on track and it will change you over time

Over a relatively short period of time your weight loss can be offset by water retention, which itself can be due to anything from sodium to hormones to exercise to glycogen balance.  This gives the appearance of a stall because you're losing fat and retaining water in roughly equal measure.  It is completely normal and expected.

Over longer periods you're just plain eating too much.

Wow! This is all great information.  Thank you for the input. As for now I will do my best to stay hydrated which is a challenge and try to get in protein also a challenge.  I am learning about the new me slowly but the point is I am learning.  I have faith I will make it. 😄