I'm set to see my surgeon for the first time next week. I'm curious if most people set a goal weight for themselves or whether the doctor gives them a number. I am currently 230 lbs/BMI of 35. I'm 5'8" and would love to set a goal of 150 (which I don't think is terribly unrealistic because it is a BMI of 22.8, in the higher range of "normal" weight). I am wondering if I should expect the doctor to set a higher number for my goal. I've heard a million times that average is losing 50-60% of the excess weight, though many folks can and do achieve a greater % loss. I figure whatever I lose makes me healthier than I am today. That would be a good thing. I am not going to be mad if I don't hit 150, but you'd better believe I'm going to give it my all to get there! I know commitment to sticking to my nutrition plan and follow up visits for fills/check ups are critical to my success. So friends, tell me. When you refer to your goal weight, does that line up with what your doctor thinks is achievable/maintainable for you? Did your doctor caution you to not set overly-optimistic goals?

At 5ft 10, I had a goal in mind of 154lb which I knew was a pretty good weight for my height and for me, not overly skinny (I'm fairly fine boned). My surgeon never even set a goal, he's a great guy and doesnt give all those rules and cautions and setting of "realistic" goals. The nutritionist I had to see the once said I should set something more realistic. Stuff her. I not only reached 154lb, I've settled at 140.

Most everyone uses "BMI" as a tool for weight loss. But if you read up on it a little, you will see it is only a tool and not very accurate or realistic.

Two people, same height and weight, + same BMI's, one can be overweight and the other can be "Lean and Fit" because of their "Body Fat %" versus muscle.

It really is not important to me, unlike being on a diet where I can control how I eat, I have a new lifestyle where I will just continue on until the weight loss stops and the muscle maintains.

As I get closer to my personal goal, the wight loss had slowed down tremendously. This bothered me until I gained access to a computerized scale that will measure "Body Fat %"

B-52 I always love your posts. I so agree with you. I spend a lot of time in the gym working out on both cardio and strength training.Believe it or not, ppl are always asking me how much I weigh. When I tell them, they are always amazed. They think I weigh less. Toned muscle sure looks a lot better than fluffy fat. Not that I dont still have some "fluffy fat" to get rid of, because I do. I also learned a long time ago that you cant look at someone and necessarily tell what their fitness level is. I have seen some young, thin people that cant run 2 feet without being out of breath when I outweighed them by 100 pounds and could run 10 times as far as they could.

I didnt just want to lose the weight to look better, I wanted to feel better and be healthy. I spend a lot of time researching healthy living. Your comments are always spot on. I enjoy reading what you have to say.

Its definitely not just about the number on the scale.

I think the other thing that ppl are not always aware of is that muscle weighs more than fat, so as you build the muscle, which utilizes more calories, etc., your weight loss might slow because you have less fat to lose and your muscles are utilizing the calories!

My Dr. did not set mine, the nutritionist did. She said I should plan on 180 that my goal of 160 was pushing it. Well, I am now 170 and yes it has slowed down, but I know I will hit 160 or lower. Set your own goal and let your body tell you when you are done.

My Dr. did not set a goal weight for me. At first I set a weight of 150# because that is where I felt good when I was younger. Since then, I realized 155 is a better number for me at an older age. When I drop below 155 I start looking sickly. I think anyoneone would be at a pretty good place in the normal BMI range. (25 is on the high side of normal, not 22). As others have said, you have to consider so many other things like your build, your age, your fitness level, where you carry your weight..

When you hit a BMI of 25 it is considered 100% of your excess weight is gone I never heard those silly things about the band only working to take off 40-60% of the excess weight until I came here to LBT. I don't undersatnd that. In my own experience, the band worked to take off 100+% with very little effort on my part.

My Dr. did not set mine, the nutritionist did. She said I should plan on 180 that my goal of 160 was pushing it. Well, I am now 170 and yes it has slowed down, but I know I will hit 160 or lower. Set your own goal and let your body tell you when you are done.

"Let your body tell you when your done". I like that.

To reach the BMI the charts tell me I should, not only would I have to enter a genuine starvation mode, I would have to stay away from Protein and go into a Holocaust Survivor Mode!

My Dr asked me what number I had in mind. I said 150 off the top of my head ..... I saw that last in 8th grade I think...LOL.... so thats the number he used..... considering its well with in a healthy range for my 5'9 frame. Now that I am well on my way... I am not sure if thats the place I will stay at or be happy with...but when I get there i'll have a better idea.... and if I am happy as a clam at 160...thats ok too. There are 153 lbs already gone that I will never see again.