Brand new to the forum!

Good afternoon, everyone! 

My name is Fred, and I am scheduled to have the VSG in two days, on 12/09/2015. I am 26 years old, and that's my wife with me in my profile photo. I am 6 feet tall, and my highest weight was 313 lbs, when I started the program at the end of May. I am currently weighing in at 294 lbs. I have tried many weight loss programs before with only temporary success. I have watched a ton of YouTube videos made by those who have had the VSG and are always saying, "I wish I had done this sooner." That's why I'm choosing to take control of my health now, rather than waiting. I am blessed in that I currently do not have any health issues, nor do I take any medications.

I had to be on a medically supervised weight-loss program for 6 months as required by my health insurance. I am on day 6 of 7 of my pre-op liquid (liver shrink) diet. Really have not had too many issues with the liquid diet, just a little tired of chicken broth with protein powder and the protein shakes! Dannon Light and Fit Greek Yogurt has been my saving grace during this process.

By chance, I happened upon this forum today and was so impressed by the supportive nature of the members of this forum, as well as the plethora of useful information and helpful tips that I plan to lean on while I go through the surgical and recovery processes.

I look forward to sharing and learning with you all over the next days, weeks, months, and beyond.

Without further adieu, I'll start off with my first question for you all...

My surgeon's office has given me an ideal weight of 163 lbs, which seems really low! I have a very large frame, which I know the BMI calculation doesn't consider. Was anyone else shocked by the goal weight given to them by their surgeon's office?

Thanks again for creating an environment where I can feel comfortable being open and vulnerable about my experiences.

Congratulations!!! Way to take control of your life! You got this!

My doc asked me where I wanted to get to. He really doesn't believe in setting such a low weight because everyone is different. I am 6'2 and if I was the weight that the BMI calculator wanted me to get to I would be too thin in my opinion.

Good luck! Can't wait to hear about your journey

Tink

Thank you so much for your kind words of support and encouragement.

I will admit, they never really gave me a clear-cut goal, just said that the ideal weight for my height would be 163. Perhaps I'm overthinking it. I'd be thrilled with 185!

I know you just had your surgery, too... So congrats to you, as well! :)

Tink, you're 6'2"? Really?

Hey Fred, welcome. There's plenty of room here for you little fellers.

My surgeon's goal was actually a lot higher than I had in mind, at 250. At 6'3", I settled in between 185 and 190. You might as well aim for a lower weight rather than a higher one.

The ideal weight number is always a shocker at first. You'll be amazed how you'll turn into the incredible shrinking man in no time. Your body will eventually adjust and be happy at a certain weight.

Pre Op I was 221

Lowest weight 129

Current Weight 140

I forget what my doctor wanted me to get down to but 135-140 is comfy for me.

And welcome to the forum! It's a great place to be!!!

Welcome Fred, you will find this site so helpful through the entire process. My doctor's office put me down to the very bottom of the BMI chart for my height, which is 125. There is no way in hell that I will get there and look healthy. I set my own goal to be between 140-150. I will know when I hit the weight I want to stay at.

Good luck to you and your upcoming surgery!!! You got this!

Welcome! 

163 puts you at a BMI of 22. 184 gives you a BMI of 25. That said, IMO, the BMI is outdated and not the best indicator of optimal weight and health. I say go for body fat to lean density ratio. I will NEVER get to a "normal BMI". I'd look like death warmed over. At my thinnest I was still 11 pounds over a normal BMI, but my body fat percentage put me in the above average category for my age group. That worked for me and I'm healthy as a horse.

My surgeon allowed me to choose my own goal weight. When I was in my 30s and thin, I felt best at 110 pounds as a 5'1" woman. So I knew where I want to go. Because of excess skin I'll be left with, I've set my goal at 120. 

As you lose weight, I think you'll reach a weight at which you'll feel well and can do everything you want to do, including a good exercise program. When you reach that weight, reevaluate your initial goal weight with your surgeon. Maybe that will still be your goal weight; maybe not. Because there is often some regain after reaching goal (according to the long-timers here), it may be a good idea to lose a bit more to give yourself a bit of slack in case that happens.

Good luck with your surgery.

psychoticparrot

Welcome aboard Fred. You will discover most of the posters on this forum are women, no that is not a bad thing ladies, there are some men posting, myself included so I will be more than happy to give you the male prospective of it. I will be 3 weeks post op tomorrow. I was on the pre-op liquid diet for two weeks prior to surgery which really sucked by the way at least up until about day 5 into it. Then it was like a switch being thrown and it was pretty easy from that point forward. In those 2 weeks I lost 30 pounds. In the 20 days since surgery I have lost another 30 pounds. Granted I am/was bigger than you are, so the more you are carrying, the faster you will shed it. My surgeon didn't even discuss a goal weight with me.  Based on checking online for idea weight and height calculators, this is what I found for me.

Based on the Robinson formula (1983), your ideal weight is 185.8 lbs
Based on the Miller formula (1983), your ideal weight is 176.7 lbs
Based on the Devine formula (1974), your ideal weight is 196.4 lbs
Based on the Hamwi formula (1964), your ideal weight is 207.0 lbs
Based on the healthy BMI recommendation, your recommended weight is 156.0 lbs - 210.8 lbs

The range is all over the place, even on the last one at a top end of 210.8 lbs. I think if I got to that weight I would be admitted to the hospital for lack of nourishment. The calculators can't compensate for your skeletal structure and density, or muscle sizes. For example, I wear a size 15 boot, I am very broad shouldered and stand 6'5". I would be willing to bet for me an ideal weight would be between 285-300 lbs. The way I see it and my surgeon agreed with me is when you get to a weight you are comfortable with, start your maintenance mode at that point. Also as you lose weight and become more active, you are going to be replacing that fat with muscle and muscle weighs about 5 times as much as fat if I recall correctly. For example, using the charts above, practically every professional and college football player would be considered obese if their BMI were measured. 

Back to the surgery, I think the only awful part was the first 48-72 hours after surgery and it wasn't really all that awful as long as you just rolled with it. The worst part of it was the occasional bit of nausea, other than that it wasn't all that difficult.