We're only supposed to lose half our excess weight?? Hell, no!!

AGREED! Your attitude inspires me!

these statistics also include bad surgeons, people that ether don't have a plan or don't follow it 

also I think doctors give low lose numbers for legal reasons so they don't get sued if you only lose 80%, they can say they told you you would lose 65% so your doing better than they said you would 

 there are many people that lose more than 100% , even getting down to 200 lb would change my health

 remember the statistics also cover light weights where 5 -10 lbs is a major difference , most of use would love to stay 10lb above there healthy weight , the dream is to weight 130-150 but 200 would be ok

 I need to get the sleeve and stick to my plan , im doing great sofar and plan to stick with it

i never did find out from anyone where i should "be". my surgeon wont give me a goal, he says to be healthy. and if i wanted to set a reasonable goal to go ahead. when i asked him what i would have to have lost to be considered a vsg success, he said for someone with my surgery start weight of 401 (highest of 452..64+ BMI) for a loss of 100pds. 

i said, thats it? really? 

then i guess by their standards i have been successful so far but i want to eventually get to my personal goal of 199. i want to be able to see a one in front of my weight. 

they say everything i am losing now is cake. 

Dr. Savoie gave me a goal weight that I think is too high. He based that on my age and that I have a chronic illness that causes mobility issues so exercise will be a challenge. (I'll have to be creative on that one). 

He gave me a goal weight of 220...hope NOT.

i am at 230 and though i am actually comfy with that from my highest of 452. i wish he had given me a goal weight. maybe he wont now because i have already passed it. not sure. he said to just keep doing what im doing, so i am lol

not being able to do much exercise will slow things down but you still should lose, especially in the first 5-6 months.  i agree you will just have to be creative. swimming and slow walking, anything that keeps or gets you moving a little

I actually don't have a problem with the article. I think it was fairly presented and accurate. The reality is that half of us either won't reach our goal or will regain. He's right. It's about changing your lifestyle and food choices and doing what you have to do (therapy for me LOL). I'm insanely protective of my sleeve. I can, and at times do, eat crap food, but I'm careful about how much and it's a rare occurrence.

Does that mean I'll lose all my weight and keep it off? Time will tell...