Official Goal

[Nicole W 0]

So, I'm trying to decide what my ultimate goal should be- I can't seem to come to any conclusion. On my ticker it says 130, but honestly I think I'd be ok with 150, maybe even 170. I've never even been as small as I am right now. I'm 5'3 and 19 years old- any ideas for a goal? I had surgery april 6th, and have recently had a slowing weight loss- averaging 1.5 lbs a week, opposed to the 2.5 it was.. What I've just been doing is setting small goals and figuring out how I feel when I get to them. For example, my next small goal is 180- 14 lbs away. But I don't see myself being satisfied there. Hmmm. What did your surgeon give you for your goal weight?

[SKCUNNINGHAM 298]

http://www.healthchecksystems.com/heightweightchart.htm

The link above is from the Metropolitan Life Insurance company - it is their official height / weight tables. It lists the target weight ranges for women assuming 3 lbs of clothing wearing 1" heals. It also lists the ranges by frame size (small, medium and large). If you don't know your frame size - it also tells you how to measure and determine that - by using the distance between the two prominent bones in your elbow when your arm is bent at a 90 degree angle to your body.

So first, determine your frame size. Then, find your target weight range from the chart. Determine how much weight there is from where you started to both the top and bottom of the target weight range. That would be the high and low numbers for how much excess weight you started with. My surgeon told me a VSG sleve patient usually losing 85% of their excess weight in the first year. So take 85% of both your excess weight numbers and subtract that from your original weight. That will give you your high and low numbers for how much weight you will probably lose in the first year.

Here's an example using my numbers:

I started out weighing 253. I am 5'4 barefoot

Using the method described on the link, I measured the distance between the two bones in my elbow at 2". This means I have a small frame (hard to believe).

Going to the chart for height and weight, a 5'5" women with a small frame should weigh 117 - 130.

That means I was carrying between 122 to 136 pounds of excess weight. (253-130=122, 253-117=136)

85% of these numbers are 104 and 116 pounds projected weight loss at one year (85% *122=104, 85%*136=116 both numbers rounded up)

So my goal weight for one year is most likely between 137 and 149.

Hope this helps.

[RickM 1,747]

I never really discussed it with my surgeon, but I've had my own goals in mind and have known him for so long that it was probably a moot point. Most surgeons like to see a BMI of about 24 as a goal because that is where they set their point of normalcy for their "excess weight loss" calculations that they report on; that's good for them when reporting on a population, but of less value to individuals with all of our variations.

I set my goal at getting down to a 15% fat mass, which is on the lean side of normal (or the "fitness" category on the Healthcheck site) for men, which would equate to about 22% for women. Initially that equated to about 200 lbs assuming that only fat was lost through all of this (a gross assumption, but a good starting point and one that could be adjusted as I get closer to goal.) As I got down around 2/3 to goal it looked like 190ish was more appropriate to meet my body composition goal - still quite doable as I'm only 3 1/2 months out. I may have to adjust it again as I get closer, but probably not my much, though I may try to drop somewhat below that goal if I can since there is often some snapback once one stops losing. That would still leave me "overweight" on a BMI basis (around 27-28) or on the"ideal" weight charts but to get down to those levels would mean either being unhealthily lean or losing excessive amounts of lean muscle - neither of which are acceptable to me irrespective what the insurance companies may "think"

[Nicole W 0]

Wow, thanks guys. Both answers were very helpful!

[Nicole W 0]

According to that chart my projected weight loss for a year is 120-106 lbs.. Hmm. Not bad..

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

I am 5'5" barefoot, and measured just a hair under 3" on the elbow test - so that makes me large framed. I believe it as I have broad shoulders etc. The range that it shows for me is 140-159.

According to what I have read elsewhere (dsfacts.com), a person who has been more then 100# overweight for many years probably has extra skin, denser bones, more fat cells etc that could add another 10% to their goal weight. I have been very overweight for along time. The goal I have been thinking of is in the 160-170 range, which I think makes alot of sense given this chart and knowing I will have extra skin.

So, i currently weigh about 295, a reasonable goal might be 165 so I should lose about 130# to get to goal.

[treequeen 13]

Asked the doc today about his goal for me. I was told 165 would put my BMI where they want it but most ppl my height look too thin. So I am going ahead with my initial goal for myself of 175.. Then I'll decide what I want to do.

[feedyoureye 3,087]

goal at one year (85%EW lost)

165- 183

WOW! If I include the 10 pounds I lost before surgery, I am at the top of my 85% goal right now…. at 8 months. The bottom of that range is actually my final goal… 165.

I have not lost any weight in 4 weeks, and hope I can shake off this stall soon and finish losing my EW.

[Nicole W 0]

Yeah same here, I keep bouncing up and down. Like, tuesday I was 193, today I'm 195, and I'm sure that'll go away and I'll be back down to 193 again.. Hmph. My weight loss has definitely slowed down the past 2 months... I think my honeymoon stage is almost over..

[ILKrista 36]

My dr. said he wants me to be 150 - 145 at the lowest. This still leaves me in the overweight category. He wants me to stay 'a little fat' so that I'm not doing excessive things to try and hit a really low goal weight & he says a lot of people start losing muscle when they try to get too low. That being said, my goal for myself is 120-125. In my mind, I haven't gone to all this trouble to still be fat! I think that weight will have me thin, but still curvy, which is how I tend to think women look their best. I guess you just have to wait until you hit the weight & see how you are looking.

Krista

[Nicole W 0]

Hmmm, yeah. I dunno. I should have asked my surgeon and now I don't see him again till Jan. Hopefully by then I'll be very close, if not there.