Reached my first goal

I had my surgery on April 1st and right from the beginning I said my first goal was to fit into some Levis that I have not worn in 11 years. Yesterday I washed them and was able to get them all the way on and done up...still too tight to wear but another 5 or 10 pounds and I will be wearing them with pride. Everybody asks me what my goal weight is but at this point I haven't set one because the lowest I have ever been as a adult was 170 and I was size 11. The charts say I should weight between 132 and 140 but I just can't imagine it. My doc says I should go for that goal weight but what if I feel fine at 170???? Am I supposed to lose more just to satisfy the charts?? Lois

Lois, I think you should set your goal weight at something that is going to be realistic to maintain. If it is to low then you will struggling to maintain it and if you can't then feeling of failure will set in and then you are back on a rollercoaster of feeling bad about yourself. I have always thought that weight charts are a little off and tend to run on side of being to low. My drs office has set my first goal at 223 which will be 50% of my body mass I think and then their second goal for me will be 70% which will be 189. As far as they are concerned anything after that will be gravey. I personally would like to get to about 170-175 and then I will look at doing the tummy tuck at which point I think I will lose another 10 lbs of excess skin. My ultimate goal is around 150-155. I started out at 309 and have lost 38 lbs in 6 weeks. So my advice is to set a realistic goal that YOU feel good about.

Congrat's on your acheievement!! I think you need to evaluate how you feel, as you get closer to goal. I would allow my personal goal be first and foremost. We have to consider our body types, and what make you feel morst comfortable. Cheri'

Don't go by the charts. Have your true BMI taken (Electrical impedence testing or better yet Underwater Weighing) and let that be your guide. We don't fit the charts, because we tend to have heavier bones and larger organs than the people who were never obese. We tend to weigh more at smaller sizes than people who were never obese. Go down to where you feel comfortable, and know that you are healthy and happy. Don't pick some arbitrary number to hang your happiness on like a hat! Congratulations on your first milestone, here's to many more! ~Lara