Question:
How to choose proper goal weight?
Several have asked me what my goal weight is? I am not sure, as I was never at this weight (except as I flew past in as a child, I'm sure) How do you select a goal weight? — Laura B. (posted on August 10, 2003)
August 10, 2003
My pcp told me that you should weigh 100 lbs for the first 5 feet of height
plus 5 lbs for every inch over 5 feet. For example I am 5'9" so I
should weigh about 145. However, I know that is extremely low for me. At
my thinnest I weighed 165, so if I get close to that I will be happy.
— ckreh
August 10, 2003
I'm 5'9 and would NEVER consider getting down to 145. I want to look
healthy not sickly. For me the absolute bottom is likely 165-175. I'm not
sure I will ever choose to go below 200 as I cannot fathom weighing less
than that. At 240 I wore 18/20 bottoms and 14/16 tops. I feel a size 12
is about as low as I want to go, if even that far. A size 10 or 8 is not
in my picture. The formula the previous poster mentioned would be the
bottom end of the insurance weight charts.
— zoedogcbr
August 10, 2003
My goal weight was to be half the man I used to be. I started at 427, so
half of that is 213 (to the next lowest pound). When I make it to 213
(I'm 29 pounds away at 13 months out), I'll just have to set another goal.
I won't be thin at 213 (I'm only 5'4") but I'll be thinner than I've
been in well over 20 years...JR
— John Rushton
August 10, 2003
If you go to the gallery page they have a weight loss planner. You type in
your height then your weight. It then tells you how an average of what you
should lose each month, granted everyone is diff. so you may not lose
exactly or even close to what the graph says, and it tells you what your
goal weight should be. They come up with an ideal body weight for you. Mine
is 147 lbs. At 5'8 my own personal goal is 145 lbs. I'm 168lbs as of today
and 2 months away from my 1 yr. anniversary. I don't think I'll make goal
by then, hopefully by 18 months out I'll be there. Good luck to you
sweetie.
— Heather B.
August 10, 2003
My surgeon set my goal weight to what would bring me to a normal BMI (the
high end). I thought it was too high, but now that I'm here (5'7",
155) it seems to be right. I weigh more than I look. People guess that I
weigh around 130. I wear a size 8 at this weight.
— mom2jtx3
August 10, 2003
I always thought I knew what I wanted to weigh when I started this whole
journey when I got to my goal weight. I was very wrong and realized it was
formed totally by years and years of being dictated to by the media and
their views of what a woman should weigh. I thought I want to weigh 135lbs.
and continued on this idea until I had lost about 80 percent of my weight.
I had a friend ask me how much more I wanted to lose and I told her
50lbs.and she said emphatically "No you don't" and then asked me
how tall I was. I did not take it as well she doesn't know I have to take
into account how much I am going to lose when I get the reconstructive
surgery done and then I will be at goal for sure. I realized I was much
closer to my goal than I had realized. After that I was even more impressed
with my progress and complete success then I was before. I realized as well
that I was totally not seeing myself as others were and I was probably
seeing myself much heavier than I actually am. It was very eye opening and
refreshing to have actually a few people confirm the fact that I did not
need to lose as much as thought I did but it was totally not done in a way
like you are too thin and need to stop losing. I feel awesome and the
number on the scale does not change that. Good luck and take care.
— UMMADUMMASS
August 11, 2003
I have always totally disagreed with the insurance weight tables, which is
what the surgeons usually recommend as a goal weight. They are set too
low. Also, if you set your goal weight too low then you set yourself up for
failure as many post-ops never make it to their original goal, and settle
within 20 pounds or so above that. A better way of setting a goal is to use
a clothing size. Keep in mind that your bone structure comes into play and
most larger boned people would look sick at a size 6, but a petite person
would not. Also, listen to your friends and family. Although the scale
may say more than you'd like to see, your friends and family will not lie
to you. If they say you are too thin, believe them. It often takes our
brains quite some time to catch up to our body size-our body images are
skewed for quite a while. For me, I wanted to be a size 10-I would accept
a size 8, but I had been a size 10 before and liked it. My surgeon wanted
me to meet the weight charts and settle at 130. I said, no way, it was 145
for me. I just hit 18 mo post op and am at 148 and a size 10. I feel
successful, but if I had set the goal for 130, I would be feeling
frustrated right now. Be realistic when setting a goal. Also keep in mind
that whatever weight you settle or choose to be at, you then must sustain
that amount of calories to maintain. The less you weigh, the less calories
to maintain. From someone who likes to eat, I prefer the amount of
calories to keep me a size 10, then the smaller amount it would take to be
a size 8!
— Cindy R.
August 11, 2003
I'm 5'3 1/2 and never had a weight problem until my 20's. I was very
athletic and weighed 123 in high school, and wore 28 and sometimes 30 waist
jeans. I got up to 319. The surgeon said the average is 70% of excess
weight. I had hoped for about the "middle of the Normal BMI
range" which would be around 129/130 for my height. Well, here I am 27
months post op and my body wants to weigh 162-164 which means a size 34
jeans. I carry all my weight in the hips, a## and thighs with some in my
gut too. In other words, I'm "bottom heavy". Very skinny on top!
I've lost half my body weight yet I'm still in the overweight bmi
range". So I'm very disappointed as I've had alot of health issues
since wls (some related to wls and others not) and I still have no energy.
Feel like crap. Then to top it off, I'm still overweight! Geese! Anyway my
guess, would be to set your goal at 70 or 75 percent excess weight loss.
Then "IF" you are fortunate to get in a Normal BMI range, great!
If not, hopefully you won't be as disappointed as some of us are whe are
still overweight after wls. (It certainly was'nt a lack of trying on my
part).
— Danmark
August 14, 2003
I suggest that you consider body fat content in deciding what your weight
goal will be. I am 235 pounds and have a 23% body fat content which puts
me in the 'fit' range. I wear a size 16-18 and feel normal for the
genetics of my family. I also feel great and am very active. Good Luck to
you!
— merri B.
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