Goal weight?

Today is my 29th birthday and I'm awake with wisdom tooth pain...ugh! So, I thought I would ask a question that's been on my mind

How did you calculate your goal weight on a realistic level? All the charts say I should be 158 at the most for my height, BUT should I be reasonable and only calculate 70% of the weight I need to lose since that is the average for RNY? I am coming up on surgery on 10/11/11 and would like to go into my post op appt this Friday with a goal weight. Any advise?

My surgeon set a goal weight that was the most I could weigh and have a "healthy" bmi.  However, this might not be reasonable for you.  Excess skin, heavier than average bone structure, etc might be a problem.   Going with the 70% for a 1st goal is probably a good plan.

Happy Birthday - hope that tooth pain goes away.

Laura

I started with a goal weight of 140 because I had, as an adult been able to hold 135 for a while and I figured I'd have 5 lbs of skin. My surgeon's was 130 based on height and % of fat to lose. then I set to a normal BMI. I have blown past both of those and am 115 which is 1 # above what this website says is an ideal weight for me. Everytime I think I am done, I lose some more. Vets say lose what you can while you are in the honeymoon phase because there will be some bounceback gain. So I would suggest not determining an end goal, set middle goals. Like 50lbs, or to a certain weight. Then see how you are doing/feeling. I love the way I am eating now and don't feel the need to change anything. I guess if I lose into the unhealthy range I will see about really upping calories but right now, the world is good with me.

When I went to see the bariatric surgeon two months ago,  I had lost 71% of my weight.  When my regular doctor told me to keep losing weight to get within the "guidlines", the bariatric doctor got on the phone to me to stay where I am.  Even though I'm 8 lbs over the "normal" height/weight guidelines,  there isn't much to me.  I  can't speak for everybody,  I'd rather be at the weight that I am right now and maintain than to struggle to lose that little bit of weight and not being able to sustain it in the long run.  I  might want to lose it eventually, but it's not mantatory.  It would be my choice, not theirs.  Let's face it: it's all about control and maintaining a healthy body.

I have 8lbs to lose before I'm within 'normal' BMI guidelines. That is my goal. We'll see where I end up. I keep getting told I'm skinny and tiny now. Not exactly sure how that is possible at 5'8 and 173lbs, but whatever. lol

I have my initial goal weight set at 168 because its where I can be for my height and have a 24.9 BMI.

After I achieve that, I'd like to get to 155, but I am going to see how my clothes fit and how I feel at that point. I am in a size 12 and medium tops. I can't see ever being a small on top; and I can't see me wearing much less than a 10 considering my bone structure and my height, so that is what I am factoring in. Also, I weighed 157 all throughout high school and was a size 9/10 and very athletic then, so that is a factor.

I had been thinking about this a lot lately because my nurtitionist told me my frame size is larger than average (it is...two of my three siblings and I are almost framed the same, and they're 6'2, 6'1, and I'm almost 5'11). I had set a goal of 200lbs because I wasn't certain...I am just playing it by ear because I don't think I've lost as much as others, but I've lost quite a bit in inches (evidenced by the amount of clothing I'm zipping through).

I set my goal weight at 146 because that would have been a BMI of a little less than 24.9.  However, when I set it I never thought I would ever make it there.  As it turned out I am one of the 3-5% of WLS patients who has difficulty cutting off the weight loss at a certain point.  I didn't mind at first but when I dropped down into the low 120s I got concerned.

My surgeon doesn't give goal weights.  His theory is that the body stops when it is ready to stop.  I believe that's a good thing as not everybody reaches their goal weight no matter what they try to do to get there. It can be very discouraging for someone to lose 100 plus pounds only to consider themselves a "failure" because they don't make it to their surgeon's goal.

Goals should be realistic.  I never wanted to be model thin..................At the age of 60 I am.  Go figure.

I'm having the same problem.  I always believed that if I ate healthy my body would know where I should be.  My first goal was 140 because it put me right at a normal BMI and it was 100lbs down from my highest weight.  I kept losing so I set my goal for 120lbs, which I thought was unreachable but I figured I would aim high.  I blew past that and I am now lower then I can ever remember being.  I also am comfortable with the way I eat, although I keep adding things.  I am waiting for the inevitable bounce back that I know will come.  
BTW, my surgeon didn't set a goal for me, in fact he warned me I might not lose any weight.  I don't know if he said that because I was a revision and had failed miserably with my first WLS or if he figured I had messed up my metabolism so badly with all the losing and gaining I have done over the years.  I really thought that I would have to eat 1000 calories a day to maintain at 140lbs.  I'm glad to prove him wrong but it's getting ridiculous.

Ladytazz,

I have been following your posts see you have been struggling with this issue, actually much more than I have been.  I am sure neither of us expected this.  Go figure.  I am now the same weight i was in the 2nd grade............ai am 60 so that was in 1958.  It's really weird but I am pencil thin.  I am afraid to try to eat more as I know once the malabsorption kicks in I will be that much harder to maintain.  Plus I know I have at least 5 lbs of extra skin.  I am trying not to worry about it now.................

Has your hunger returned?  What are you eating and how much? What was your original form of WLS?

I know I am eating at least 1300 plus calories right now and I am maintaining.  Guess we will just have to wait and see what the future holds.

Hope you pick up a few pounds soon.