Goal Weight

I am a lightweight - according to the BMI calculator within Obesity Help, my ideal weight, for my height should be 122 lbs.  So I picked a goal weight for myself of 130-150 lbs.  I know the 130 is the higher end of a BMI charts to and I figured 150 was the approximately close to the goal my clinic would set for me, being that is about 75% of my excess weight. 

I met with the dietician today and she said my goal is too unrealistic, that I may only reach 150-180 over the two years after surgery.  I know, we aren't supposed to concentrate on the numbers, but to go through this major surgery, to potentially only lose 40 lbs ... seems to be quite surprising.

Has anyone here, gone past the goal their centre set for them?  I can't see myself getting as low as 122 lbs or even 105 ( the low end of any BMI chart) but I thought 130-150 was a good goal to set.

This almost makes me second guess my decision ... does anyone having words of advice or encouragement?!

 

Thanks,
Jennifer

You didn't say what kind of surgery you were having.  That will influence to some extent what % of your excess weight you are thought to lose.  What your Nut is reporting is averages.  I think most light weights with DS or RNY lose a greater % than our heavier friends.  Many of us have lost 100% and have gotten and stayed in the normal BMI range.  I thought I would be happy with 140, got down to 111 but have settled in at 124 it seems after bounce back.  If you follow all the rules, and are not doing a band and are willing to keep on keeping on, I think you can reach a normal BMI.  It may take you a while but what else are you going to do anyway.  This is a lifetime process and it doesn't end, only really begins when we reach goal.  Don't worry about setting a goal.  Just keep losing and let your body tell you when you are done.  good luck.  Hope to see your progress as you learn this journey.

Sorry I am getting the RNY done. 

Jen,

Congrats on deciding to take control of your weight!! It would be irresponsible to make any comment on numbers here. You just never know. A lot has to do with the work done by the patient. As Price mentioned, many folks have lost 100% on here. But many haven't. I can speak for myself in that i went from 250 to 170. My loss came to an abrupt stop that I attribute to meds I started.

I think your goal is a wide enough range to be realistic. Prove them wrong!!!

One other thought. If you are concerned you are making the wrong decision, maybe you could consider a minimum number of pounds lost to satisfy you. If you can't get it inside the range your doc set, you might want to talk more deeply with him/her.

How tall are you? I found that my surgeon's goal was too high for me. I reached my own goal and then ten pounds below that . If you work your tool, develop a healthier lifestyle , you may be able to reach your goal. Depends a lot on you, and how hard you want to work at it.

 

I am so thankful my surgeon and program approached this differently. I understand why many programs set goals at the high/higher end, but i often believe oeople become discouraged by what others say. I know I did, so I am careful who I listen to.

I chose a goal "I" wanted for myself. My surgeon never discouraged me. It was at the low end of the range for my height/frame. It took 2 years, but I kept working. I could lose more and live more easily at goal if I would limit my carbs and sweets more. My weight ranges in the liw 130s. I am at 133 and goal is 128. I am 5'9" and small framed.

I read once on OH where a woman wrote once she reached her surgeon's goal of 180 ish, he immediately said, "Now I'm going to give you your REAL GOAL." He did that because he knew many could simpky never believe or fathom weighing a certain weight, thus knowing if a person can't believe it or see it for herself, it is difficult to accomplish the goal. He therefore set incremental goals lowering them once a patient accomplished that goal. I guess he set mini goals fir his patients.

I set my goal at 128, my once favorite weight for myself, because several years prior I lost down to within 20 pounds of that weight through diet and exercise ( for the umpteenth time ), so i knew WLS would get me to goal.

Don't under estimate your ability to weigh less than you ever imagined possible.

My surgeons goal for me was 162 which I hit at 6 mths.  Currently at 8 mths post op I am now 150 and still losing.  I have no doubt you can get below 150 if you follow the rules.  Here are some of my stats.  Feel free to look at my profile if you wi**** is public.

4 months post op 179   -11 M4 1/12/13                - 63 post op  -71 total!! 

5 months post op 171   -8  M5 2/12/13                - 71 post op  -79 total!! 

3/4/13 Dr appt 166
6  months post op 163 -8 M6 3/12/13                  - 79 post op -87 total!!

7  months post op 156 -7 M7 4/12/13                  - 86 post op -94 total!!

8  months post op 150 -6 M8 5/12/13                  - 92 post op -100 total!!

I choose 2 goals.  The first was a normal BMI, which was 140.  The second was what I really hoped and prayed for, 120.  In the end I exceeded both and I am now 105, which is lower then I like but it seems to be my bodies happy place right now.  For me a happy place is just where my weight naturally falls when I eat in a way I am comfortable and can live with.  For me that is sugar free and gluten free.  If I should gain weight eventually so be it, as long as I am able to live with my eating plan.

My surgeon was very conservative, too.  With my first surgery he said I could wind up at 190 and be considered a success.  For me any weight loss was a success since at that point I was gaining rapidly.  What that surgery I lost to 120 but then regained over 8 years up to 220, so of course that wasn't good.  With my revision I made important changes in the way I ate and I am doing much better.

The thing to remember is we aren't look at the short term, a year or two out.  I have my eye on the big picture, which for me is 5 years out and beyond.  What I weighed at 1 year out, 2 years out, etc is fine but I need to live with this.  Like cancer which is considered cured at 5 years, while I will never consider myself cured of obesity, I will feel like I've been a success if I have managed to stay within a normal BMI at 5 years and beyond.  In the meantime I am just learning what my body needs in order to keep the weight off.  I kind of consider myself in remission and hopefully will continue to stay in remission as long as I keep up what I need to do.

My doctors goal is between 135 and 141 (my BMI Range),  personally i would be thrilled to be 150!  Most posters I have seen have a lower personal goal than the Doctor's goal.  I am just contrary I guess.

I have set my "goal" at 140.  I may decide to go lower or be happy at 150.  I will just have to see when I get closer..

I am hoping to get low enough to get rid of my CPAP, though I do know weight loss doesn't always cure sleep apnea, but I am hopeful.

You can certainly lose 100% of your EBW, It does get harder and come off slower as you get lighter.  That is why we are learning all these new habits so we can make permanent changes.

 

Anne