ok so im 5'7 and my starting weight was 280 i am now 182 my personal goal is to be what would be considered as my "normal" weight range for my height which is 159 and that is the very top! i have had my surgery done for a year and a little over 2 months. i feel like i am constantly hearing from people not to get disappointed if i dont reach my goal! i have heard it from doctors the most recent was a cosmetic surgeon for skin removal. but i have heard it from the surgeon who did my band i have heard it from family, friends i just feel like im constantly hearing it im wondering if my goal isnt set to high? am i setting myself up for failure? i used to feel as though it was an accurate goal now im questioning it and i cant get the skin removed until im 10lbs away from my goal. should i lower my expectations of myself or should i wait and continue until i hit that 169-170 mark?

I have had a few goals along the way,and surpassed everyone....

I have learned, as long as I am living this new lifestyle, my body will stop losing when it feels it needs to.......

When I reached my first goal, I asked what was I supposed to do? Change this lifestyle? Get a un-fill so I can over eat again?

The answer for me was no.....I will continue this new way of living the rest of my life, having learned new lessons and formed new habits, and the band becoming a common thing I don't think about all the time like I used to......

My surgeon told me that I could lose as much as I WANTED to. That means I could lose as much as I put forth the effort to lose, so if I put forth minimal effort I would lose minimal weight, if great effort was put forth I could reach my lofty goal of being 135.

I have spoken to many bansters some very succesful some only mildly. But what I see is what you put in to it you get out of it. However, that being said it may take years. One friend it has taken her 3 years to finally reach goal. So I believe that is the most important thing- just keep on living the band life and moving forward and you can reach goal.

I have met quite a few that have lost more than 200lbs. If they can do it so can everyone else. Just have to put inthe work!

I started wanting the tummy tuck when I hit about 250 and I realized the apron wasnt going away! But i decided to lose as much as I could and get as close to my goal of 160 with a 24 BMI. I am 5'9.

While I might like to lose another 10 lbs I went to see my PS and he was comfortable doing it because even a loss of 10 more will not leave me with any extra skin and run the risk of needing a 2nd tt.

Thats just my experiece... yours may be different.

I started wanting the tummy tuck when I hit about 250 and I realized the apron wasnt going away! But i decided to lose as much as I could and get as close to my goal of 160 with a 24 BMI. I am 5'9.

While I might like to lose another 10 lbs I went to see my PS and he was comfortable doing it because even a loss of 10 more will not leave me with any extra skin and run the risk of needing a 2nd tt.

Thats just my experiece... yours may be different.

my surgeon has said the same thing 10 lbs away from goal will be ok right now i am 22 lbs away so i need another 11-12 lbs which can be done!

im just wondering why everyone keeps telling me not to get my hopes up? i am putting in the effort as of today im minus 99lbs. it took me a while to get used to the band but i have and im here i mean my surgeon originally told me i wouldnt get past 225 in the first year and at my one year i was 198 so i exceded his expectations why am i still being told not to get my hopes up? is it that they see people who fail more often then not or does it have to do with me? its just a little discouraging ya know?

im just wondering why everyone keeps telling me not to get my hopes up? i am putting in the effort as of today im minus 99lbs. it took me a while to get used to the band but i have and im here i mean my surgeon originally told me i wouldnt get past 225 in the first year and at my one year i was 198 so i exceded his expectations why am i still being told not to get my hopes up? is it that they see people who fail more often then not or does it have to do with me? its just a little discouraging ya know?

Not sure either...I have also heard this....must be averages....

I ave often asked myself if I will ever fail, and what I could possibly do to cause failure, short of a medical emergency of some kind....other than that..

im just wondering why everyone keeps telling me not to get my hopes up? i am putting in the effort as of today im minus 99lbs. it took me a while to get used to the band but i have and im here i mean my surgeon originally told me i wouldnt get past 225 in the first year and at my one year i was 198 so i exceded his expectations why am i still being told not to get my hopes up? is it that they see people who fail more often then not or does it have to do with me? its just a little discouraging ya know?

I have no idea why people say what they do.... my Dr never told me I couldnt lose 227 lbs... or even 237 to get to 140... In fact he said if I dropped below 140 he would be taking out some fluid!!

I remember when I was about 200... I still had 40 lbs to get to my original goal... people started saying...You are withering (hardly!!) away... you have to stop losing. Oh you have lost enough! Why lose any more? I was like... really? I am still 200 lbs and a size 14.... and considered overweight..... why wouldnt I want to get to a healthy weight for my height? Sometimes you just have to listen to your own body and be realistic in your own expectations....and thank people for their opinions and do your own thing.

Dont ever let anyone tell you that you cant do something. If you want it, you can do it! Best of luck to you

Next time say, "Why do you say that". Not in a mean way, but just to get them to expand and inform. Then listen carefully to their response.

If it's not a dr and you say that, it might put it back on the person who said it and help them reflect and justify their answer. It may help people realize it's not their place to say that.

And a dr should follow up his or her words with a good explanation if you ask that question.

thank you guys for all your responses and i will be sure to ask why people say this esp people who do not understand... surgeons i guess some have their reasoning like the wls surgeon has seen how many people with issues or who arent meeting their goals or who have allowed themselves to not get everything they could get out of wls but then i look at the cosmetic surgeon and wonder why he responded that way ya know? maybe just anxious to do the surgery so that he can get paid? idk but i dont think that they should have that kind of attitude i mean amp ppl up tell them they can and maybe they will believe it and do it! but friends and family who havent had it done? whats the issue? like you floridays why do people say your withering away? im still a size 14 it may be less once the skin is removed but what maybe a size? im still considered overweight and have been overweight or obese my entire life i dont want this anymore that is why i got the surgery done... my boyfriend is one who seems to think im fine and that i dont need 2 lose anymore. it just adds more stress because i then start to question myself and honestly i still havent seen the difference in myself yet the aprn said it takes everyone different amounts of time to see im still waiting but i want to be the appropriate weight for my height and i will get there and you guys are great for listening and helping me work through this! and again i will be sure to ask ?s to the next person who says something like that 2 me!

Do what you want for yourself. No one can tell you but you what that is. My doc said my goal was 180. I want 165... so I am still working on it!

I'm 13 pounds from goal ( sometimes 10 away)... I'm taking the plunge of getting another fill only .1cc I think this may be the magic tweak I need. My surgeon set my ideal weight at 154 being 5'5" and 45 years old. I never believed I could go from size 24 to almost a size 9... Anything is possible. Now that I'm close to goal it is in fact getting harder. Band is at 5.75 now. I really want to hit that goal...and of course stay there. Anything lower would be a bonus (would love to be 145).

it's actually kind of amusing.. the same people who said oh you're withering away... 43 lbs ago...are now saying.... oh my gosh you look so great... look at you ...blah blah blah blah blah ....so it kind of makes me think hmmm.... did they really think I didn't need to lose anymore? but then I realized no one knows what is best for you except yourself ...

i have come to the conclusion that i will meet my goal, i have 10 lbs to go before the plastic surgeon will remove the skin and i have about 20 until i meet my goal. i am hoping i will be minus 10 in at the most 2 months. would like 2 have the skin gone by summer! once again guys thanks for all your help and words of support! i guess only we can allow ourselves not to be the people that we want to be! i hate second guessing myself! i guess i was just sick of hearing not to get my hopes up! but you guys are all right i need to decide whats best for me!