surgeon"s goal weight????

I had my 2 week post op appt today. She thinks I am doing well & everything looks good. I asked what she had as a goal weight for me & she replied with 150-170lbs. First I was like wow what a range & then was fairly disappointed as I feel that is high. I am 5'1" & started this journay at 248lbs. Today I weighed at 221 lbs (at home yesterday no clothes was 219lbs).  I had been 147 lbs after Optifast & to be in "normal" weight would need to be 132 lbs or less.  I asked & was told that the Optifast program trashed my metabolism. I was sad because I remember that I was just getting comfortable in my own body at 147 lbs. It has made me question my decision.

Does this seem normal for surgeon's to give high goals like this? This would put me between overweight & obese for BMI.

 Different surgeons have different methods for calculation "Ideal" Body weight.  I would ask what your surgeon is using.  At 5'1:

A healthy BMI range of 19-25 would be 101-132
The MetLife tables would put an ideal weight at 119-132
The Devine/Miller Formula would be 120.

It may be that your surgeon is guestimating based on what average VSG patients lose and are able to maintain, or what the average of her patients lose.  The numbers I give above are just norms from various Ideal weight calculations.  In my support group hey always say - your body will know when you reach your comfortable weight. 

The ideal weight programs all put my "Goal" at 171.  Everyone I know says that would be just way too skinny for me.  I know I will probably land somewhere between 180 and 185.

The "Goal" really should be to be at a healthy and comfortable weight.  The target number is really just a guideline.  You will see people on here all the time who get below their surgeons target.  You will see just as many *****ach goal at a highr target.  Its really all very personal.

At a guess, your surgeon just bases the goal weight on some average percent weight loss. The range you quote is about 60% (170) to 75% (150) excess weight loss for your height. Excess weight loss is determined by subtracting the ideal weight for your height from your starting weight, finding 60% and 75% of the difference and subtracting it from your starting weight.

Those are average weight losses for sleeve patients. They include both compliant patients who follow their programs, get support and advice and non-compliant patients who don't. If your surgeon makes a good quality sleeve and you are a compliant patient who follows a good WLS diet and becomes more active, you can beat these percentages.

Don't buy the "trashed your metabolism" thing. I've yo-yoed up and down so many times in my life on every diet under the sun that if anyone's metabolism was trashed mine would be it. Yet I lost 161 lbs.

You can do this, but you will need to commit to change not just how much you eat, but what kinds of food you eat. And you'll need to be more active. 

Good luck.

I'm going with Jazz on this one. My surgeon told me that 60% of EWL (Excess Weight Lost) is success in weight loss surgery. It was told me this way:

Starting Weight: 256
Ideal Weight according to MetLife: 120

Excess Weight: 136 lbs.

136 multiply by 60% = 81 lbs lost

256 - 81 = 175

175 was my surgeon's goal, considered successful WLS


HOWEVER; that wasn't my goal, neither was it my experience.

I lost 100% EWL in about 18 months. Granted, the last 20 lbs took about 9 months to do. I did rebound 10 lbs due to steroids I had to take--but that is where I stand now, 4 years later...working on taking off those pesky 10 lbs.

edited, I lost 130 lbs---making my goal between 130 - 136. but well in the normal bmi range

I wasn't given one, so I aimed for within a normal BMI, and picked the lowest weight I ever achieved as an adult.. and got there, and am still going. Also, don't buy into the trashed metabolism.. I'm with Jazz, I don't want to add up all the crazy starvation diets (100+lb losses with regains) and all the other fad stuff I've done over the years up & down the scale.. and I still lose as long as I eat well and stay accountable. 

Read your footer nice to see you back!!

 my surgeon and my surgery team have different ideas on what weights I will achieve.

My surgeon I have learned tries to default to the weight loss team's goals. but when pressed, he feels that his "handy work" will get me down to a specific weight all on my own.

the rest is up to me.

The surgical team, consisting of exersize, psych, and nutrition all have a different idea/goal for me. And it is significantly less than the surgeon's quote.

Ill give you my numbers.

At my MD initial interview, I weighed 421 pounds. At that time, he said that I could lose 60% of my excess body weight. That number put me at 300# based on all the criteria available at that time.

Two days later, I tried to set a goal of 275 and my dietician laughed at me (in a loving way) and suggested 225 is a closer/honest goal.

Post surgery, I am going to have to agree with the second goal. Not even a week in, I am on pace for nearly 40 pounds in the first month alone. Granted, it WILL slow down at some point. But I am shocked when I jump on the scale in the morning I am down 1.5-2# per day.  

I am 5'1 1/2" (gotta add the half) and my surgeons goal for me was 120. My  goal was 115. I think that 170 is way too high and so is 150. I looked good at 135  and that would have been ok with me but I wanted to see what 115 would feel like. It is the right weight for me. You should choose a goal that you are comfortable with.

glad you doing great am 5ft2 in and i am 6 days post op and i started at 236 pounds and i would love to be 150 to 160 i do not want to lose to much do not want to be skinny my bmi is 43 my surgeon said he want to see my bmi in the early 30 so i will be happy with that.