As I've been reading the forums, I've noticed that a period without losing weight (I've always know this as a plateau) is called a stall. Why the terminology change? A plateau is a long, level piece of land - seems like a good enough analogy for when your weight levels off for a period of time.

Thanks for the help.

pot tay to - po tah to same difference I use both terms.

Plateau, you level off, having no opportunity to go higher, only down when you reach the other side of the mesa....

A stall, you're climbing on and upward, untill you need to pause, stall, then eventually continue onward and upward...

I believe I have plateaued, reaching that place where I have no where else to go, having lost all the weight I possibly can without injuring myself (low body fat %)....so yes, I am at the Mesa, leveled off, and I am enjoying the view!!

And I am never going down the other side.

I don't use either. I call it body at rest. Because your body is taking a break to regroup after a weight loss. It will go into that state to protect itself from any harm. It is an amazing machine that will do what ever it can to see the horizon at eye level no matter what happens to our bodies. So why wouldn't it take a break from weight loss if it feels threatened.

Once it knows it is okay and still working its way to health. It will stop the body at rest and continue to lose the lbs.

Stall seems so final where body at rest is telling me that your body is figuring out how to fix the problem and when satisfied will go at it again...

Oh very interesting question Meggs. I agree that it probably depends on the person posting and whether or not they are OK with this weight loss 'interruption' or aggravated by it.

The only thing I ever post is for those who are worried, I tell them it's normal and the weight will start to come off again as long as they are doing what they are supposed to. Other than that, I don't comment as I've been very fortunate to not have gone through a prolonged stall or plateau.

If my weight didn't change over a couple or three weeks, I didn't consider it a stall. I never went months as others have with no weight loss. As I said, I've been very lucky with the weight loss part of it. I hope to be just as lucky with the maintenance part.