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How did you come up with your goal weight?

Lesa Marie

Lesa Marie

Member
My doctor never told me what I was expected to lose. I did hear something about 60% weight loss but of what exactly I don’t know. I feel wonderful right now (down 60lbs) at 198 but I know that’s still to heavy and that I will continue losing weight through this first year. But I don’t really have a number in mind. How did you come up with yours?
 
Lesa Marie said:
My doctor never told me what I was expected to lose. I did hear something about 60% weight loss but of what exactly I don’t know. I feel wonderful right now (down 60lbs) at 198 but I know that’s still to heavy and that I will continue losing weight through this first year. But I don’t really have a number in mind. How did you come up with yours?
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Idk exactly, but when I thought I was 5'4", 150 lbs seemed like a healthy weight to achieve. Now that I know I'm only 5'2", I will probably strive for 130-140 lbs, and see how I feel then. I guess consulting a bmi chart plays into that goal.
 
The first dr I saw decided I should weigh 125. I started at 218. I have not weighed 125 since before having kids, even when I lost weight and was healthy i was in the 130's. When I changed to my current surgeon he didn't give me a goal weight - just said I would need to get healthy. I set my goal at 135 which is the middle of the weights for my height. at 6 months post surgery I am 9lbs away. I am not sure that all doctors set the goal for you -- I think some just want to see you get healthier.
 
dianeseattle said:
Don't pay any attention to the actuarial charts created by insurance companies. They're self-serving, calculated to allow them to downgrade your health status and raise your premium.

I'm 5'3" and felt my best at 139. However, I trained aerobically with weights--circuit training--and felt great at 145+.

I'm a little overweight now, but sedentary from fear of COVID. I'm on the verge of training again and expect I'll settle at 150.

What's your ideal?
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You are at a good weight! I think everyone should get to a weight that THEY are comfortable and feel healthy at. A healthy BMI would put me at 150lbs MAX and my height is 5’5. I was shooting for a minimum of 160 though. I’m down a little over 60lbs from 260 so I guess I have about 40 more lbs to go if unless I get to 180 and want to stay there however, I don’t know if this surgery will allow me that kind of control lol. I’m only 3 months out so I still have quit some time to keep losing.
 
My surgery center never told me a weight either. They asked me and determined if it was realistic, and then that was encouraged. I said anything under 200lbs, but they wanted something a little more specific so I said between 180 and 200. They were fine with that. I think BMI standards says 165 for my height, 5’10, but I’d look like a skeleton. I’m 2lbs +- 180 so I’m very happy where I’m at.
 
Lesa Marie said:
You are at a good weight! I think everyone should get to a weight that THEY are comfortable and feel healthy at. A healthy BMI would put me at 150lbs MAX and my height is 5’5. I was shooting for a minimum of 160 though. I’m down a little over 60lbs from 260 so I guess I have about 40 more lbs to go if unless I get to 180 and want to stay there however, I don’t know if this surgery will allow me that kind of control lol. I’m only 3 months out so I still have quit some time to keep losing.
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I’m 5’4”, 149 lbs and about 14 mos. post VSG. l have my “1 year” post-op appointments tomorrow, so this discussion is timely. I still want to lose 10-15 more lbs., but have stalled for a good while now. I will be interested to hear what my nutritionist and surgeon have to say. According to the Michigan bariatrics outcome predictor, I’ve hit my low, but their predictions are averages, and we know averages are calculated on values lower and higher. (sorry, I’m rambling…..)
 
When I went into the Army at 19yrs old I was 6'4 189 and got out of Basic Training at 191lbs (I was a bean pole). I was too light at that weight as the Drill Sergeants used to put me in front and load my breakfast plate up to make sure I got enough calories in my day (I was a small bowl of cereal eater). I couldn't stomach eggs but they made sure I had french toast or waffles on my plate along with sausage, hash browns, grits, fruit, milk, juice. And had 15-20 minutes to eat. First week I was so full I wanted to barf after breakfast but I was still loosing weight so I had a big dinner to eat after evening physical training session. That balanced me out for the calories. When I got out I was 6'3 235lbs and better proportioned for my size and only had morning physical training. (Yeah I got shorter from carrying rucksacks and all the running.). I don't intend on working out as hard as my military days, but I am a few inches taller at 6'7. Just a crap shot but I figured anywhere between 220-250 would be fine but I think 220 I would be pretty "lanky" again. I think 250 and I would be proportioned for my height pretty well and well see when I get near there. Thing that I'm watching for is sometimes notice people who have carried a lot of weight and lost weight you can see changes in the bone structure of carrying the extra weight especially in the hips and buttocks on men in my opinion. It's almost like they lost too much for their frame.
 
dianeseattle said:
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Speaking of skeletons... If I weighed less than 140, I'd look like one.

I guess my BMI is supposed to be 25. Ask me if I care.

I have skinny hips and DD breasts with a big belly. None of that fits well together, and yet, I could not care less.

I hike to the summits of 6000 foot mountains (on trails). I have a much better view than a BMI.
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I agree with you Diane, totally! If you can hike a 6000 foot mountain who cares about your BMI. You are awesome!!!
 
Measuring BMI is such a crap shot. Back in 2013 I had gone back to college and I was walking in a mall with a young friend of mine from AZ who was a dual sport athlete. He played Running Back and was a sprinter in track. With working out twice a day the guy was cut like a body builder and explosive speed of a Gazelle. We walked by where there was some medical testing and there was a hospital or company (I can't remember which) testing BMI and one guy asked my friend if he would like to get tested and he agreed. He lifted up his sweater slightly just to expose enough skin to put his clasper on to pull some skin and get a reading. The guy told my friend that he was fat, overweight. My buddy and I about fell over laughing as he lifted up his shirt all the way up to his arm pits showing his definition and said, "Really? You think so?" laughing the whole time.

Reality to get an accurate reading of BMI it should involve submerging in a tank of water or what's called "Hydrostatic weighing." anything else is usually done by someone trying to sell you something.
 
I did the math. I looked at the stats for WLS, which say you should lose between 60 and 70% of your excess body weight.
I am 5'6" so I should be between 118-148. The middle is 133.
I started out at 264 at my very first appointment. So, to hit that I would need to lose 131lbs.
60% of 133 is 80 lbs and 70% is 93lbs. That would have left me between 184 and 171.
Since the stats for the average patient show that some regain is expected, I decided on the lowest number. I have no reason to assume I am better than average, so my mentality was if I gained some back within the next 5 years, I still wanted to be under 200.
I currently range within a few pounds +/- of 160. So .. the math works pretty well. Because everyone is right. BMI suggestions are CRAZY!
I wear a medium and you can see my ribs and vertebra. There is no way I would be healthy at 118.
 
The surgeon pulled that number out of the air for me which was 150. I am 5'4" (used to be 5'6", shrinking). I thought it sounded right since I recalled that weight from some distant time in the past. I am 147 now and trying to lose a bit more for the regain insurance, plus the tummy could go away a little more (maybe get off my@$$ and exercise). My BMI tells me I am still overweight, it is 25.1; so I know it is a total BS value. The last few pounds is really hard, I am working on it but it is slow. I think I am small enough and am probably perfectly ok where I am at, but I still would like a touch more. I don't expect to get smaller than a 10 jeans and M top. Just seems impossible for me, maybe that is self defeating, need to talk to the therapist about that. What the "real" number should be is a total guess.
 
I don't really have a goal. I'll know it when I get there. I do have a way to go. I hit my first stall pretty early. Today I am exactly 6 weeks postop. I have been hovering at the same weight for almost 3 weeks now. Interestingly, I am very close to the weight that I have often gotten down to with dieting, but never able to get below. For some reason my body seems to like it here.
 
KarenWV said:
Idk exactly, but when I thought I was 5'4", 150 lbs seemed like a healthy weight to achieve. Now that I know I'm only 5'2", I will probably strive for 130-140 lbs, and see how I feel then. I guess consulting a bmi chart plays into that goal.
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The BMI charts are outrageous I am 5'1" if I get down to what I "should" weigh I will look dead I bet my Dern Skeleton weighs 100lb. according to those charts my goal weight still has me as obese do I lower my goal?
 
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