When Are You Finished?

[agdunkle 3]

I'm 14 months passed my surgery (March 2011) and I've lost 83 lbs. In ladies clothing my pants have gone from a 20 to nearly an 8, my tops have gone from an XL to a M and sometimes a S and even my shoes have gone from a 9.5 to a 8.5. My question is.... at what point do I say I'm finished? I've still got quite a bit of belly on my 5'4" frame and I'd like to lose as much of that as possible. I'd also like to feel accomplished and say "i've lost 100lbs".

How did everyone else know when enough was enough?

[Grandma3 73]

I just started this journey so I do not have an answer for you.

BUT I did want to say congrats on you accomplishments, awesome job!

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

I hate to give you such a vague answer, but the truth is only you and your doctor can decided when you're at your ideal weight. I'm not a big fan of standardized weight charts, I think it's more important to get to a comfortable weight than it is to conform to society standards.

With that said, your doctor will be able to tell you if he/she thinks you need to lose more based on not only your weight but your blood pressure, heart rate, blood sugar levels, etc.w

congratulations

[agdunkle 3]

Unfortunately, my surgeon isn't very useful to me other than inserting the band and filling or unfilling it. I've had labwork conducted in October and in March and everything was perfect. My BP is 110/65 which is pretty awesome...My doctor says, "exercise, exercise, exercise" which is redundant because I teach Zumba 3 days a week and do resistance training on 3 days in between.

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

I don't know if this will help, but here is the recommended weight ranges for your height:

small frame: 114-127

medium frame: 124-138

large frame: 134-151

[elcee 3,341]

Your current BMI is at almost 32 which is still in the obese range. Would you really be happy if you stopped at that?

We are all different but I know I wouldn't be happy, in fact that was where my BMI was when I started! I got the band so that I could lose ALL my excess weight. I wanted to be well and truly within the normal range and would prefer to be at the lowest point if I could make it. Unfortunately the weight loss slows down. To get to where I would like to be I would have to cut my calories to a level that i would not be comfortable sustaining.

[Sojourner 2,446]

I'm 14 months passed my surgery (March 2011) and I've lost 83 lbs. In ladies clothing my pants have gone from a 20 to nearly an 8, my tops have gone from an XL to a M and sometimes a S and even my shoes have gone from a 9.5 to a 8.5. My question is.... at what point do I say I'm finished? I've still got quite a bit of belly on my 5'4" frame and I'd like to lose as much of that as possible. I'd also like to feel accomplished and say "i've lost 100lbs".

How did everyone else know when enough was enough?

I was quite surprised to learn that the "target" weight as determined by my surgeon (166) left me in the high range of the overweight category on the standard BMI scale. That is definitely not where I want to be for my weight goal.

The PAC explained to me that there is the "target" set by the surgeon (how the surgeon arrives at a particular number is unknown), and my "ideal" weight (134), which I was well below as a young adult, and unrealistic to expect at me current age, and the numbers in between.

As was explained to me by the PAC, with the band, most patients will stop loosing weight somewhere between the surgeon's number and the ideal weight. The ideal weight is not attained often, but the doctor's don't really expect you to reach that low on the scale.

As others have mentioned, you need to be at a weight where you feel good, and your physical exam reflects a state of good health.

[agdunkle 3]

Thanks all.. But I asked for those who were at goal when they knew

I had an appointment with my doctor today and he said that my goal should be when I feel good and I'm happy with myself...that being said I think my goal is a normal body fat % (<25%) whether that means i lose 10 lbs or 30lbs.

He also said that BMI isn't a very good tool to use because it doesn't account for muscle mass. I think I would look like a child if I were to weigh 135 which is what my BMI says I should be and I'd rather look like a woman.

[Humming Bird 275]

There are so many things you have to consider. BMI is a good guideline, but not very customized for each person.

I think about my frame size, my age, how I look and feel in general.......

I'm 47 years old, 5'7". I think I would look sickly at a weight that would look good on a 20 year old. I am ok with a few curves and maybe even some excess here and there. It makes me look more like a woman than a stick......

I feel great in a size 10 jeans! I could work my ass off and get in a size 8, but I'm happy where I am...... I just know....I feel it.... I'm pretty much done.... now I just do my best to stay there.

[hopetolose 192]

I am in a size 10 and feel pretty good. I could use a little more exercise to tighten up, but that only comes when I have time for it. I am still debating on if I am going to shoot for an 8 or not.

I know everyone is saying I am getting to skinny, which makes me laugh. I wonder what people see that I don't see. I would not consider myself "skinny" by any means.

I am about 4 lbs from a normal bmi. So I am still shooting for that, at least... If not the 8 :-)

[cathy45 9]

i was thinking 130 would be my ideal weight but i will see when i get close to that,im a short statue so i will see where i feel comfortable at

[sam3841 57]

My Dr and I had this conversation yesterday. She said I should maintain the weight I am now. But I am still in the overweight range for bmi. She said not to go by bmi cause it doesn't factor in bone frame or muscle mass. She said if I was aiming for one number on the scale I would hit it one day and go up 5 lbs bc of Water weight. She said instead focus on what size pant do you want to be? I am thinking size 12. ( I am 14 now, I have really wide set hips and I am 5'11). She said go by your pant size and how good you look in your clothes. So many people focus on the number on the scale, which is going to change daily, and then lose sight of what they look like and how they feel in their body. You need to focus on how you feel and if you look the way you want to look. A number is just a number but how good you look in that sexy dress well that's something more.

[cathy45 9]

My Dr and I had this conversation yesterday. She said I should maintain the weight I am now. But I am still in the overweight range for bmi. She said not to go by bmi cause it doesn't factor in bone frame or muscle mass. She said if I was aiming for one number on the scale I would hit it one day and go up 5 lbs bc of Water weight. She said instead focus on what size pant do you want to be? I am thinking size 12. ( I am 14 now, I have really wide set hips and I am 5'11). She said go by your pant size and how good you look in your clothes. So many people focus on the number on the scale, which is going to change daily, and then lose sight of what they look like and how they feel in their body. You need to focus on how you feel and if you look the way you want to look. A number is just a number but how good you look in that sexy dress well that's something more.

so true ok i like to be in a size 20 pants for now

[bigenuff 302]

so true ok i like to be in a size 20 pants for now

LoL ! Me too !!

[jenjaw 13]

I'm done loosing. I honestly had no goal in mind in the beginning, or maybe I had small goals placed in the back of my mind. I didn't know I was done until I got alitle too thin. At one point my skin began to hang and my face looked drawn and I just felt like I looked to skinny, I put on about 3-5 lbs and feel like it looks better. That's how I knew I was done. I feel great, I look great(without looking like I'm anorexic, lol) You will know what is good for you but I was initially using the bmi calculators to give me an idea, especially since at 269 if felt so far away and unachievable, but then BAM! all of a sudden, I was there!