Goal Setting

This is probably a stupid question, most of mine are.  Who sets our goals, the doctor, the patient, or both combined?  My surgeon has not mentioned goals to me; however, she did say something to my husband after my surgery.  She told him that she would like to see me at 140 pounds.  When my husband told me that I was floored.  For a woman that is only 4'11, I think 140lbs is too heavy.  I think my ideal weight is no more than 110lbs, although I would prefer to be less.

As far as setting goals, is it better to set many small attainable goals over the course of weight loss, or just go for the whole shabang?

This video is the most helpful answer to your question.  There are many levels to your question.  I think this guy does a great job.

http://drmatthewweiner.com/how-much-weight-will-i-lose-after -bariatric-surgery/

The surgery is considered successful if you lose 60% of your excess weight.  That is what the surgeon meant.  Use a BMI calculator and the Postop planner to get your projected goal and BMI.  I wanted to lose 100% of my excess weight and did.

My surgeon set my goal at 136 which is the high end of normal BMI for my height of 5'2".

Personally, I think in many cases a surgeon's goal is intended to reflect surgical success (60% EWL) and anything over and above that is up to you.  

I was not given a goal weight but did set my own based on achieving top end of normal BMI weight. While I would have considered that result to be wildly successful, I blew past that number and wanted to keep going so redefined my goal based on how I felt and how well I thought I could maintain my behavior after that. Also, a DEXA scan was helpful in confirming my 'ideal' weight range when I reached the number that seemed right for me.  

My surgeon thinks that at 5'5" I should set my goal at 150, but that would still leave me overweight for my height.  I told him that I want to set my goal at 135.  He thinks that, to maintain 135 pounds, I would need to work out 5 days a week for an hour at a time.  

I'll see how I feel at 150, but I want to be a normal weight, not overweight.  Time will tell.

Based on my own experience and what the literature says, I think your surgeon's understanding of the role of exercise is grossly overestimated. I'm 5'2" and have maintained at 115 for 2.5 years. During that time, I've had times of moderate or greater exercise (half marathon running) and no formal exercise (12+ months). Due to my constant level of calorie intake, my weight has never changed in either cir****tance. 

You can go down to any weight you want as long as you can stick to the calorie level you require to sustain that number :-)

To maintain 150 you will need to consume 1500 calories a day.  To maintain 135 you will need 1350 calories per day.  The exercise is nice but will not matter much.

I'm about 6 months out and my surgeon and I have yet to discuss any goal weight. Nutritionist hasn't mentioned it, either. I have my OWN goal set for 130 (I'm 5'0") but i'm at 165 right now and I don't hate it. I know i'm still obese, but after being SMO (starting BMI 51), I feel AMAZING! LOL... still working hard at it, not trying to maintain yet, but in my opinion, I'm a success where I'm at! :) 

That said, I do hope to reach my final goal of 130 by the end of my first year, and depending on how I feel at that weight, maybe even 120, which would be the upper end of a normal BMI for me. I just can't imagine being that small! It's hard for me to wrap my head around that number realistically. I weigh less now than I did in middle school! I've always been big, and I don't mind being curvy. I feel strong and healthy and I'm worried if I get too thin I will feel weak and frail. Maybe it's silly. 

My surgeon asked me what my goal was. I told him 175. He never batted an eye at that- and the NUT thought it was attainable. Once I reach it I'll decide if I want to be any lower. 

I had to set mini goals to make it all seem attainable. Under 300, 255, 235 under 200 and then 175. Three down, 2 to go!

My goal will still leave me overweight-- I have no interest in getting to a "normal" BMI-- other factors are more important to me. 

What others said about EWL. If you have a lot of excess skin when you get down and stop loosing you might not hit either weight target. For my husband when he stopped loosing it was a matter of excess skin. He had a panni that reached 1/2 way to his knees. He had PS and lost close to 20# due to the excess skin. He has diligently watched his diet and is now close to 160#. He is 11 years out.