ideal body weight

Wonder if anyone could help me I was just wondering if you have never in your life weight below a your ideal body weight or was a size 5 can you with the help of Gastric Bypass get to a size 5? Have a friend who is about to have surgery she is a fairly tall and large bone person  she has watched several of us go through the gastric bypass surgery and loss large amounts of weight she decided this is what she wanted to do to be skinny. Most of her family and sisters are very large individals also Doctor told her that her ideal weight would be 140 for her height and weight, she wants to be down to about 120 or less. Is it possible to become smaller in size then you have ever been? I am trying to be there and support her in this life style change I have been trying to let her know it's not just about weight it's about a change in our health!! To live a longer and productive life.Is it possible to loss down below what is considered your ideal body weight and still be  in healthy condition?  

In my humble opinion.... your freind SHOULD NOT HAVE SURGERY!  I know that while I had this surgery to look better... I did not have this surgery to become ultra skinny.  Depending how overweight she is... and her age... she may have lots of loose skin... and while she may get down to 120... she may look like H*LL.

I hope she is being honest with her doctor... or has to do a psych eval before surgery.

Helen

I agree this may not be the choice for her, I have to wonder as well was she honesty with her Doctor and the when she when for the psych eval. For me it was a life altering change! I had very high BP, high Cholesterol levels and had just started meds for my Type 2 diabetes. I had arthritis and was in pain all the time. I also had sleep apnea so bad that I had to wear a C PAP. I was struggling to have a good day. After surgery I learned more about myself and the why I had struggled with my weight all these years. I have made a promise to myself and my family that I would use my surgery as a tool to a healthier life style. I was hoping I would be a good example of that and not of the lost of lbs. Every time she has talked about how she can't wait to get mini skinny I say to her it's not about being skinny its about being healthy!! I was wondering if it was possible your body could get down that fair. I do hope the doctor explains all this to her  I do know she is doing her pre op appt within the next 2 weeks and she hasn't gotten down to the desired weight her doctor has asked her to get to!  When I was in my teens and over 27 years ago I was very thin almost to thin ( am 5'1") I am now about 20 lbs short of the weight my doctor feels I should be , my ideal weight. I feel right now I look so much better and healthier then I have in many years.  I can do more now then I have been able to do in the past 10 years. But the best is I can hold and cuddle my new grand baby and that is the best feeling of all. Thanks for your in put it is nice to know there are others out there that have the same opinion about the GSB surgery as I do.

I would let her know that her body may not let her get that thin. She very well might get to a certain weight then stop.

You're right, its not about the weight or the size, its about a complete lifestyle change for better health. It's also about owning your own stuff, too. You sound like you are focused on the right things for your success... Lord let's hope your friend gets on board quickly... but if she doesn't, it really boils down to only being her problem... which will lead to a lack of success or minimal results, regain, and all the things we hear about for WLS failures. You've done your part by educating her, now it's up to her to make the right decisions for optimal success- which to her is defined by 120lbs.

I was never a size 4 in my adult life, and that's where I am at now, but it's not without intensly working out 5 days a week! And now I am working in the fitness industry, which is driven by the outcome of physical appearances... and I see all types. Some chasing the dream of dressing like a Barbie doll, and some who are trying to achieve reasonable results for where they are at TODAY. I don't think either pursuit is bad, if it's a healthy goal in balance and not an obsession. It doesn't sound like it's that bad for your friend. Remember that her path to WLS is really not about you, so relieve yourself of some of that stress and allow your friend work on herself and what motivates her to have surgery.

I agree with the others, but another thing to consider is that whatever you looked like at a specific weight before, you will not look the same at that weight now.

I'm not sure if it's because the bones or muscles are heavier and more dense from carrying the fat around, but I'm a smaller size at specific weights, than I was at those same weights when I went "up" the scale. I don't even WANT to get down to my previous younger weight, since I'd look sickly at it now.

I just want to say thanks everyone for your replies I am really consided about my friend and with your help I can be more supportive of her ! I understand where my friend is coming from, when you have been so heavy for so long and when you get the chance to change your apearance  you start to look at things differently. At the same time I like her to see her focus on the postive things and realize its not all about the dress size or body size and with all of your help I think I can help her see things alittle better. I was afraid that if she set her mind to wanting to look a certain size and if she didn't reach that size she would be so disappointed. I am going to suggest that she join obesityhelp,com and be come active and ask questions. I do know for me before and after my surgery this site has been very helpful!!