Dec. 21 is coming fast, Goal weight?

[BiQueen]

Hello! I just got word yesterday they shifted my surgery up which means my preOp diet started yesterday. How did y'all determine your goal weight?

My surgeon provided a lot of data with the risk calculator, etc., but not sure how to determine a "goal" weight or body composition. BMI is just so out of date and I want to be strong.

 

[dianeseattle]

Hello! I just got word yesterday they shifted my surgery up which means my preOp diet started yesterday. How did y'all determine your goal weight?

My surgeon provided a lot of data with the risk calculator, etc., but not sure how to determine a "goal" weight or body composition. BMI is just so out of date and I want to be strong.

I don't know your bodily history, but if you've always been obese, it can be hard to pick a goal weight. I had always been thin until I got Graves Disease, when I gained 70 pounds without even eating much. So I am a clothes-horse and never throw anything away because I have a fantasy that one day I'll wear it again. My clothes are generally what people consider classic fashions, so they never go out of style.

I still can't get into a 7 or a 9, but I can wear anything from a 10 to a 14 with no trouble.

You can look online for a height/weight chart and set a goal that way, but my experience is that they're usually WAY off. I'm 5'3" and feel comfortable from 130 to 160, which is a wide range. Thank god for polyester!

You can also stock up on caftans and body suits and layer scarves and sweaters and whatnot on top.

So what's your height? Start with that and go to the FDA government charts that have all kinds of nutritional and health information.

Congratulations. You'll do great. It's really not as bad as the crowd makes it sound.

 

[missyinacage]

I did some research on what the expected results were and figured my gaol weight from there. With the bypass you are expected to lose 60-80% of your excess weight. Look up your ideal weight range and use the middle.

So just as a basic example, lets say you weight 230. Your ideal weight range is in between120-140. So you'd use 130 as your "healthy" weight. Meaning you would be 100lbs overweight and could expect to lose 60-80lbs and end up between 170 and 150. So, it would make sense to set your goal at 170. If you get lower, that's awesome. But you don't want to set yourself up for failure looking to over achieve before you've even gotten started.

So, do the math and you'll be set for physical AND mental success. Good luck!

 

[BiQueen]

Thanks all!

I’m 5’8” but really 5’7.75”. Starting weight was 259.8. I’m in preop diet and am at 243. I have been aiming for some thing like 170 but that’s still overweight!

I still think that BMI calculator is dumb and outdated and doesn’t consider enough variables. It thinks 163 is the highest I should be. I just have never thought I could get there.

 

[missyinacage]

I'm 5'6" and my goal was 170. I did get down lower than that and stayed steady at 158-163 for about a year. I currently weigh 166. Am I overweight? Technically. I wear a size medium and am pretty happy where I'm at.

I think its more important to set realistic goals than it is to be at a defined healthy weight. Because I could have stayed at 270. So, 166 is absolutely healthy for me. Which, by the way starts at 118. I was never going to weigh anywhere near 118lbs. I can however maintain 170ish.

 

[BiQueen]

I'm 5'6" and my goal was 170. I did get down lower than that and stayed steady at 158-163 for about a year. I currently weigh 166. Am I overweight? Technically. I wear a size medium and am pretty happy where I'm at.

I think its more important to set realistic goals than it is to be at a defined healthy weight. Because I could have stayed at 270. So, 166 is absolutely healthy for me. Which, by the way starts at 118. I was never going to weigh anywhere near 118lbs. I can however maintain 170ish.

Thank you! This is the perspective I needed to hear. I appreciate you.

 

[Suthy]

I’m 5’6” and started at 253#. I had gotten down to 170# in a previous weight loss attempt and had felt good at that weight so that ended up my goal. I am a little over a year out and I maintain 157-162#. I feel good at this weight with a lot of energy. Honestly, I have a large frame and think I would look too thin if I lost anymore. I eat 1200-1500 cal/day, run 3 miles 3x/week and do light weight training to maintain and I feel great!

 

[BiQueen]

Great! Thanks for sharing your details. This is super helpful.

 

[Spazamz]

Thanks all!

I’m 5’8” but really 5’7.75”. Starting weight was 259.8. I’m in preop diet and am at 243. I have been aiming for some thing like 170 but that’s still overweight!

I still think that BMI calculator is dumb and outdated and doesn’t consider enough variables. It thinks 163 is the highest I should be. I just have never thought I could get there.

You’re absolutely right. My mom was a nutritionist my whole life so when BMI came around all I heard was how bmi didn’t take this or that into account. I think it’s honestly just a quick overall standard medical communities can use even if it’s useless. My healthy weight before I start looking sick is between 160-170 but if I start calculating goals then I will lose more than that. So you do the best you can and you’ll be where you need to be that’s healthy for you