Pretty much. I allow myself times where it's OK to gain 5 lbs. back for a little bit, so I cycle the intensity. I actually tend to stabilize while distance running training, because I have to have a store on hand for the long distances.
I lost 80 in 9 months back in 2015. There are plateaus that develop, but yeah, the stomach does shrink. Metabolism also changes after 3-6 months, adjusting to lower needs. So when I want to lose 10-30 lbs., I tend to change the types and intensities of the exercises I do and I reduce sugars (until marathon seasons, when I add those back so my glycogen stores are not depleted when I'm losing 5-10 lbs. of water weight and 1-2 lbs. of fat on the long runs) so my body has to burn more ketones when I exercise for 1-3 hours at a time at a moderate intensity.
Je suis méchant.