I don't agree with the surgeon's goal

You pick your goal. I had several along the way. I started out I've 300 lbs. Ijust wanted to be out of plus size...then under 200...then normal bmi...then middle of normal. I lost over 200 lbs in under a year and have kept it off for several months. I am so glad that I didn't settle... And neither should you! Best of luck.

I was never given a goal.. I aimed for within a normal BMI, at 5'7".. got there, and decided I had more to go.. went a little too low for my tastes and have settled about 10lbs under my initial 155lb goal, mid-140's. Been there since about a year post op. You and your own metabolism, and determination/lifestyle will determine where you land, and more importantly- where you can comfortably maintain. Statistics are only an average, there are folks that never even reach the 60% mark, and there are those that lose 110% of their EW... 

You don't have to agree with your surgeon's goal. They don't have to live in your body! :) I didn't agree with my surgeon's goal for me--in fact, I told him it wasn't good enough for me. My goal is to weigh 170. Even though this is still high for my height, it gets me out of the "obese" BMI category and into "overweight." With my body type and frame size, getting to even the high end of the BMI range for my height would leave me looking skeletal and heroin chic, neither of which I am particularly interested in!

My surgeon (who is very good, with an excellent rep) and the mental health doc they have us consult with both stated they thought my goal of a normal BMI between 19 and 24 was unrealistic as was my original goal of getting to 135. That was based on what they have seen in the past.  My goal is my goal, most women in my family have been on the thin side, I am small-boned and should weigh between 110 and 135, so I am shooting for 125.  I am well on the way to that and have long passed what 'their' expectations were.  You shoot for what you want, as long as it's healthy.

I think sometimes doctors set goals low to avoid disappointment, but I'm not of that kind of thinking.

During my psych evaluation, they told me I should expect about a 25% current body weight loss... I was 302 pounds, so they said not to anticipate losing more than 75 pounds.

My thought... oh, heck no. I'm hoping for over 50% loss... minimum. I'm already at about 50 pounds. I can't imagine I'll only lose another 25!

My goal is around 160. Now, if I should get there and keep going, that's all gravy. Um... no... bonus. :-) (Change my way of thinking, right? LOL)