just wondering how everyone came up with a goal weight...i have not been banded yet, but i am just thinkin about it and i have no idea how i will take to the band.. i don't want to set a goal for myself that i will never reach..any suggestions?

My surgeon set my overall goal at 66% of excess weight lost so my main goal now is 194. Then if i get there we can set another goal for a Normal weight which would be 155. I am supposed to set little goals for myself and my first goal is 240. I like having little goals but they don't mean much. My personal goal is to be a size where I feel good and I can go to regular stores for clothes.

I think the small goals are good that is what I did, but I do remember getting to 6 months post op and just thinking I had done “amazing” and let myself have a free day and then another one and that went on for about a month. I did not gain but it took me about 3 weeks to start losing again even when I was on track. So that's where just having one goal helps as you are not finished till you get there. I don't know what happen but me and a fellow Banded friend banded 2 day apart just lost our minds when we hit 6 months. But I did get on track and continued to lose, but if I had had one goal maybe that would not have happened.

I think the ones that do have small goal do things like the charm bracelets and get a new charm at 10 lbs or whatever they set. I like that idea.

Cheri

I've tried not to really think very far ahead. I'm about 300 give or take right now (I won't weigh unless I'm forced to, I hate scales). I think my first goal would be just to lose about 50lbs. Then I'll set my next 50lb goal.... then the next 50 lb goal then I should be right within the healthy BMI range at about 150 lbs at 5'8" tall. I think since body types are so different that you should go by how you feel and how clothing fits rather than just the numbers on the scale.

That's really true. Being fairly fine boned at 5ft 10 - so tall and willowy - and lightly muscled, I always thought I'd sit right at the bottom of the healthy weight range. But in truth, my problem bits - thighs and hips - remain problem bits, just a bit smaller, whilst I get skeletal in the chest, shoulders and face. You cant change your basic body type and there is a weight which is best for you. Sometimes we have to go past it to realise that, but its also a shame when people think they cant do it and settle for a higher weight which their doctor has told them is "realistic".

BMI's are not accurate. It is a good place to start but once you start getting the weight off, then body types are different.

It is then more accurate to get a BODY FAT % done.

If I went by BMI's alone, I am still 25lbs overweight. That's not going to happen. My Body Fat % is below 17%, which puts me in the FIT RANGE.

Two people can be the same height, same weight, and yet one can be FIT and the other one can be FAT.

There is a starting running back for the New England Patriots. He is the same height as me, but weighs 10 lbs more than me!!! I would not call hime FAT.

I'm not saying I'm a NFL Football player, but the comparioson is there.

No big scientific reasoning here, I want to weigh less than my husband lol I am two inches taller than him and he weighs 165 and looks good. If I weigh less than him I figure I will be just fine lol so I set my goal to his weight.

My goal is 1/2 my weight. That's my big goal. But, I too, set little goals along the way. My first was 75 pounds. Now I'm working on 100 pounds before my 1 year bariversary. After that, I have 55 pounds left, and I'd like to get that off by Christmas 2012. I set my own goals, because my doctor only thought I'd lose about 50 pounds, and be done. I knew I would lose more than that, so I set out to prove him wrong. (check my ticker! lol)

My ultimate Non scale victory is to get on the Hospitals boards all over town! 1/2 the weight, twice the life is their motto! There are 28 boards around where I live!

My surgeon is conservative; he never thought that I should reach too low. He set 150 as my goal; I wanted 140. I am in maintenace now, as I was banded Oct 2009. I agree, make mini goals, otherwise it looks like you wiill never attain your goal. Slow and steady, you can do it. It might take you longer, but make a committment to YOU, and you will attain your ulimate goal. Sometimes, the BMI chart is unrealistic, and reaching the "normal" is not possible for you. But, keep your momentum and you will reach what is right for you. Goodluck, Karen

Some people like to do the charm bracelet idea, with one new charm for each goal met. I'm not much of a bracelet kind of girl, but I am obsessed with Philosophy bath products. So most of my mini-goals are connected to that. My first mini goal is to get down to 350, then I get a bottle of cinnamon buns shampoo/body wash. At 300, I get a new bottle of Inner Grace perfume. At 250 I get to pick out a skin care product of my choice. 200 is a biggie for me, so I am giving myself another bottle of shampoo/body wash and getting my tattoo re-done. Then once I reach goal, I'm giving myself a new wardrobe.

My advice is to pick something that you really like, but wouldn't normally just go out and get/do for yourself. Maybe a spa day, a vacation, something like that, so you have something to look forward to at every milestone.

b-52-How do you calculate your body fat? I def. think i would be too small at 150 pounds which just puts me at normal. i have a large frame so i think they should account for that when doing bmi ranges

Caribear-ohh a massage and tattoo are good ideas.. thanks.. i also said just for myself going through with the surgery i was going to get myself a louie vuitton pocketbook.. i am not big into names, but lv are my initials so ive alwasy wanted one.. and i think a new wardrobe is a must!!!! yayyy i cant wait to start making my little goals now hehehe

b-52-How do you calculate your body fat? I def. think i would be too small at 150 pounds which just puts me at normal. i have a large frame so i think they should account for that when doing bmi ranges

Caribear-ohh a massage and tattoo are good ideas.. thanks.. i also said just for myself going through with the surgery i was going to get myself a louie vuitton pocketbook.. i am not big into names, but lv are my initials so ive alwasy wanted one.. and i think a new wardrobe is a must!!!! yayyy i cant wait to start making my little goals now hehehe

It's a high tech high$ scale where you first enter all your info such as height, age, m/f, etc. then you stand on it barefoot and must grab metal handles with both hands. It can detect Fat%, Water%, and weight. We have one at the Health Club I go to.

Lucky2beLaura

I think you are making your goals too large. how about a celebration at each 10 pounds.

I know that sounds so small but, if you had not joined the band life would you lose anything? I know I wouldn't have. I like you I never weighed myself, ignorance is bliss HA HA, obviously not.

Be proud of any progress you have! the new you cares about your health. that health comes a little at a time.

keep posting, ask for help. you will get there, this is not a race. we are all soooo different but I think that's why this forum works so well.

I love when the scale goes down into the next 10 b. loss. I love that I weigh less than 18X. This whole process is so exciting, I would never have believed it!!! At least not for my life but, here I am!