Have you used the weight loss calculator?

The surgical community considers anyone a success when they have lost 50% of their excess weight.  Right here we have a problem. MANY approach this surgery expecting to lose 100% of their excess weight.  And if they don’t, then they consider themselves failures even though their surgeon is adding their name to the success column.

The first month or two after the surgery makes matters worse.  Some are losing 20 pounds  +/- a month and believing that this will go on forever.  I know I had my calculator out and was trying to figure out how long it would be before I hit my goal (excess pounds divided by 20). But life isn’t like that for most of us. We hit plateaus.  We come to the end of our widow of opportunity before we reach our goal and we stop losing.  Or we stop losing and regain some of our weight.

Why do surgeons consider 50% as a success?  It is because there is no other method that you could use that would result in that much weight loss on a permanent basis (think 5, 10, 15 years). Remember back to your old diet days?  Yes, you lost weight, but regained it plus additional weight. The best most can attain with dieting is a 5% weight loss.

Before surgery, have your eyes wide open.  Although most people lose 70% to 80% of their excess weight, you may lose only 50%.  Figure out what 50% is, and be sure to rejoice when you hit that mark.  ANYTHING ELSE IS A BONUS!  But we all fal into the terminal uniquens belief we will lose it all and beat the odds, sadly it isn't so.....Hang out on a grad board or revision board r the ossg off track board and see the longerm issues w/ wt regain and or not making an ideal wt...I repea we r not meant to get to an ideal BMI most will not we can get closer but again ideal.thin nope not the goal of surgery....take your excess wt say it was 100# if u lose 50# and maintain it for 5 yr u r a sucess, some lose closer to 70-80#/% but that still leaves that person 20-30# over ideal.....did they fail? NO they suceeded...fair? NOPE but it is reality...take it or leave it I say and those who choose to leave it usually end up heavier as they sabotage due to the self loathing/continuation of hating their bodies and wishing for someting that most likely wont be. I do not say this to discourage but in our acceptance we find peace and balance!