Weight Loss Goals for WLS

I posted something similar in the Ontario forum, but thought I'd post in the general forum to see if people had similar experiences.

I am 5'4". We'll I'm 5 feet 3.5 inches, but for some reason measured 5 feet 4.25 inches at the hospital. According to BMI charts, a healthy weight is 104 to 141 for 5'3'', and 107 to 145 for 5'4''. Based on my body and how I look in old photos and the fact that I have a medium build without a lot of muscle mass, I believe that 120 to 130 is a good weight for me (it will ultimately be dependent on DEXA scan/body fat%). At my nurse practitioner appointment when I gave goal that is within the healthy BMI range, she really discouraged me. She said that 170 is a more realistic goal. 170 puts me on the cusp of overweight and obese. 170 puts me at less than 100 pounds to lose. I think she chose this goal because previously I was 235 and got down to 170 when I was into running and doing a couch to 5k type program. I know that being 170 is dramatically healthier than the weight I am now, but why discourage me? Is it to have a goal that I'm that I'm highly likely achieve? Or just going by the stats? I'd rather she just state stats and say that most lose X% of excess body weight with X amount of time, but if you want to achieve your goal (provided it's a healthy one) you need to be committed to the following lifestyle changes and provide tips and encourage a realistic time frame. I have a history of being physically activity in the past, and plan on permanent incorporation of physical activity into my lifestyle

Anyone have a similar experience with their weight loss surgeon? Did you exceed your surgeon's goal?

Hi there,

you will have a goal, and your surgeon will have a goal. They do not have to be the same. My surgeon said she would love 150 pounds. I wanted to be at 130. I hover right around 135. Though we may have a goal in mind I found that my body also likes a certain range. Lol

RNY best thing i ever did for myself

My surgeon determined a goal based on a calculation: Excess weight x 70%. The 70% isaround the average loss for VSG. It can be a higher percentage if one is highly compliant, or lower if one isn't. I want to go a bit lower than the surgeons goal.

Yeah. The dietician at my centre did a calculation and told me my goal weight should be something like 210 (can't remember exactly, but I do remember I was like, hell no). The average WLS patient loses 60-70% of their excess body fat, so the calculation is based on that.

But that's just the average. Some patients lose less than that, and some lose significantly more.

From reading these forums on OH, it's obvious to me that those who achieve a normal, healthy weight have educated themselves on nutrition, stuck with their program through thick and thin, and don't kid themselves (or others) when it comes to slip-ups, cheats, or addictive behaviour.

It takes a lot of work to get to a normal BMI. But it seems to me, if you're willing to do the work, there's no reason why you can't achieve it.

You can get below their goal for you but remember that weight is lost in the kitchen, not the gym. Permanent incorporation of physical activity into your lifestyle is good, and will help with maintenance and overall well being, but is not what is going to get you to a normal BMI.

I think it is two-fold. For one, surgeons want to be able to claim a higher percentage of their patients reach "goal" so if they set it high, you are more likely to reach it and they can count you in their win column.

Secondly, it is all a mental game. Many people will not reach a BMI under 25 and the surgeons may not want their patients getting discouraged and giving up completely.

My surgeon's practice expected everyone to get under a 30 BMI. The final goal was up to us. My goal was a BMI under 25 and I reached it (I am still under it).

I am 10 years out now and have seen many people who had surgery the same time as me gain all their weight back. The mental part is the highest.

My surgeon wouldn't even set a goal for me. They told me that 70% of excess weight was considered successful and they considered excess weight anything over a 25 BMI. For me, that would have been an ~50lb total loss. At 5'7" tall that was roughly 180lbs. I told them I set a goal of 160lbs and they said that was reasonable. I am now between 130-135lbs. At my last appointment with them they said that I was now "officially underweight" and that I wouldn't need to worry about 10lbs of gain over Christmas anymore. Yes, they really said that. I schooled them on the definition of 'underweight', but they certainly thought I was an overachiever.

Also what a way to diss your commitment and ongoing work by suggesting you would gain weight during Christmas.

they go by averages (c. 70% of excess weight) and set something that most people can realistically attain. I was told my initial goal of 170-180 was a good one - and attainable if I "worked hard". When I got there and told them I wanted to keep going to 150 (which is at the high end of my normal BMI range), I was mildly discouraged and told that "not many of our patients are able to attain that". BUT - I knew that some people did (there are lots of examples here on OH), and I did it. So yes - people do it. It takes a lot of work and dedication, but it can be done.

I was afraid to put MY goal on my paperwork when I started the WLS process, since I was afraid I'd be denied due to unrealistic expectations. Instead, I put 180 since that's what I was when I graduated high school and it seemed safe. My surgeon said something like "180 is attainable." So my brain interpreted that as "180 is my surgeon's goal."

When I did reach 180, it was really hard to keep going, since part of me was like "Welp, I reached my surgeon's goal so I'm good!"

I'm in the 150-160 range these days. I'm still plugging along. I still have that dream goal that I didn't write down, it's in my head, I'll get there someday or I won't. I don't feel like a failure for not yet reaching that ultimate goal of mine, which I think is important - if I felt like a failure, I'd probably just quit entirely.

Goals are weird things. I think that they can be helpful sometimes and detrimental at other times. I'm not really sure what the best solution for that is. It probably depends on the individual in question.