209 and counting down.

My surgoen said I would lose 70% of my excess body fat which would put me at 200 pounds. It's coming right up. I'm hoping to get there by the end of the year but if not that's ok. Now I have to come up with a realistic second goal for after I reach 200. I put 150 on all my posts but it's totally unrealistic (too low, I'll probably never get there). How did everyone else determine their goals? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Dianne 340/209/?

Hi Dianne, I am still struggling to achieve the Century Club so your success is such an inspiration to me. My doctor actually set my goal at 180lbs; however, I have set my personal goal much lower 125-130lbs. I am only 5'1" and in that area would be ideal for me. I may not get there within 18 months, but I am going to try anyway. Because of my thyroid problems...I had half removed prior to WLS and it looks like the other half will be coming out within the next year...I am a very slow loser. My metabolism runs a bit lower than normal even with medication so I am struggling a bit. I figure set the bar where I want to be and just keep going for it...I know I'll be happy at 150, but why not go for the gold ring. Yup, I know some may think it is setting myself up for failure, but I don't view it that way. Happy Losing, 343/330/255/128

ok my surgeon said the same thing and I am almost there he said 175 would be a good goal, i wanted 150 and he said its possible, i have been lighter but that was years and years ago. I hope to be to MY goal by my one year anniversary. it could happen.the graphs for BMI said I should weigh 151. 277/185/175/150 -92 Donna

Dianne- My doctor said I'd get to about 175-180 lbs. with the surgery. So, that was my "goal"... also said it would take 1 yr to 18 months to do so. I told the doctor that I wasn't done losing weight when I got to that size and they told me that it might be unrealistic to get any lower than 150-160. I made my own goals, based on the medically "correct" weight for my height, which since I'm 5' 5" is 126 lbs. That might never happen, but I'm going to try like hell. 150 is still a magic number, anything beyond that is gravy. I'd like to have a body composition done to see what I'm working with here, cuz it feels like it's all smooshy floppy skin! -Beth HW- 313 SW- 298 CW- 161 GW- 126-130

Hi there Dianne, I never let my surgeon tell me what I was going to end up like. I went straight to a body analyst and had my true lean body mass assessment done through underwater weighing. http://personal1.stthomas.edu/dgcarey/uw.html This gave me an idea of the ball park number I should shoot for. I was initially given 260 as that first goal weight. (keep in mind, I am 6'3" tall) Well, I got there at about 4-5 months postop so back to the body analyst I went. I got a new goal weight of 212. I was feeling that this was kind of unrealistic - I'm really tall and that sounded really really small. . . I'm at 210 today. I know I could probably lose another 20 lbs yet. So on Friday, it's back to the body analyst I go. I have a feeling I am going to finally end up around the high 180s. I am working on letting go of the number 2xx. It is scary but exhilorating. For me, I know that I know nothing about weight - I've been morbidly obese since childhood. So this is all new and strange for me. I am a very tall drink of water with broad shoulders and narrow hips, so I'm comparing myself to a couple of my best guy friends who are all willowy. I'm lower than 2 of them already, and the 3rd has been energized by my weight loss progress, and has lost 45 lbs by doing some of the pouch rules - he's 6'1" with lots of muscle mass, and is about 189 - so that's kind of my current guesstimate where I'd like to end up) If you can't do the underwater weighing, you should be able to go to a healthclub and get a electrical impedience test done to get to a more true BMI. They aren't as accurate as the UW, but they are very consistent - so you'd be able to trend your progress. God I babbled on this post - sorry! Wishing you the best, ~Lara

Diane, My surgeon told me for a person 5'8 that I should weigh between 150-160, but I set a personal goal for 148 because that is what I weighed when I graduated from high school 18 years ago. When I set my goals, I wanted to lose 50 lbs by the 4th of July, and I did not meet it until the end of August. Then I wanted be below 200 by Labor Day and I did not meet that goal either. I then decided the heck with goals but still wanted to be at 175 by Christmas. I made that goal as I am at 168, with only 20 lbs to goal. When I went for my 6 month check up my doctor told me I am almost perfect and he is happy where I am (at that point I weighed 177), but I told him that I really wanted to get to 150 lbs by my anniversary date. I used the thinnerself.com website to help set a good goal for me, theirs is 141 lbs. According to the chart I am loosing at 100 per cent and my the anniversary date I should be there. Now my family thinks that I have lost too much weight and look emaciated but I think I look good and feel good and that is what I care about how I feel. Good Luck with your goals Lori 258/168/148

Thanks for all the support. I've thought about it alot and have decided to set my next goal (which is funny since I haven't reached the first one of 200 yet) but I'm sure I will at 86% or 170 pounds for now. I can always lower it again. That is about half way between what I wanted to loose and what the doctor said I could realistically expect so it may be reasonable. I want to start with something I can reach, I can always lower it again later. Dianne P.S. I will be pretty damn hot at 170!! especially if I get some plastic surgery!

Hi Dianne, My earlier post never showed up...let's try that again. 155 is my docs goal...so I think I'm about 5lbs away. haven't got on the scale to confirm though 145 is my goal. when i was in 'control' of my weight, I could maintian 135 pretty easily. So 15 years and 2 kids later, I think an additional 10 lbs would be reasonable. If I get to 145, I'll probably shoot for 139 just so I can join the century club and have a little play between 139 and 145. if I don't get there...that's cool with me too...I feeeeeelll sooooo goooood now!!!

My doc doesn't "talk" goals until 9 months out so I don't know what he thinks. I would love to end up around 150 lbs. (I'm 5'7") but that is probably unrealistic. I started at 297. If I lost 85% of my excess weight, I would be around 170 and I'd be happy with that! Actually I'm happy right now because I'm healthy again! Ronda