I have noticed alot of people stating that their doctor's have told them they would only loose 65% of their excess weight. I was shocked when I read this. My Doctor told me that I could loose as much as I wanted to or needed to with the sleeve. He never mentioned the 65%. I was sleeved on November 5, 2010, and I have already lost 75 lbs and still loosing!!!! So, I just pray that my weight loss doesn't stall anytime soon because I am at 50% loss.

Don't worry -- my doctor told me I'd only lose 80 pounds because I think he didn't want to give me false hope -- I think if you're really dedicated and change your eating and exercising, I think there's no way you can't get to your goal. I bet a lot of people go in for surgery and expect the surgery to do everything, which is what I DID NOT expect. So I'm still losing too

My dr told me that 70% was "normal" and "expected". That involved eating pretty well and only exercising 30 minutes 3x a week. I plan on blowing that 70% out of the water!!! For once, I'd like to be "abnormal"!! LOL!

Yes. They base their estimates on what the average weight loss is. I think this board is proof that a lot of people lose it all. My surgeon said. Most women lose for 12-14 months (if necessary) but there is no reason one could not lose indefinitely to goal. Just have to follow the program. Some people stop doing that snd hence don't lose all the excess weight.

That number comes from a research study that can be located on the internet that discusses how people can lose 65% of their weight loss the first year, another 45% the second year and it is supposed to taper off after the second year at under 25%. These percentages are again based on all of the people who participated in the study. There is no finite percentage of what you will lose, this is just the mean ( the average amount of their weight lose). You could lose much more or much less, the person who has ultimate control over that is you.

Also when we are talking about 65%, this is not of your total weight this is of the unhealthy weight. For example, I was 410 pounds prior to my surgery, healthy weight for me is between 220 and 180 pounds. If you subtract 220 from 410 and also 180 from 410, you will get a range of the total amount of weight I need to lose, which is between 190 and 230 pounds. Based on the research study, if I am in line with those who participated in the study I should lose between 123.5 pounds and 149.5 pounds the first year, I got these numbers by multiplying 190 and 230 by .65. This is my weight loss only for the first year. the second year my starting weight should be between 286.5 and 260.5. Then the math starts all over again - my total excess weight will be between 67 and 118. So for my second year I would need to lose between 6 and 10 pounds per month. If all goes well my second year then at its conclusion I should have reached my goal weight. If it is lower then these projections I promise I will not complain, LOL.

But I use these numbers to determine if I am on schedule, behind schedule, or ahead of schedule on my weightloss. Again it is also important to note that you do not lose weight continuously rather it ebbs and flows. But here is how I do it, This may not be good for everyone, this is just my method. After calculating those numbers to meet my 65% I then divided them by 12 for the months in the year. So each month I should lose between 11 pounds and 13 pounds. If I lose above that then I am ahead of schedule, which is what I aim for. Heading into month 3 I am WELL ahead of these numbers, but this is normal in the first 6 months of the life. Pace yourself, follow your medical team's advice, and get your Vitamins, Protein and Water in and you will be just fine.

There are people on this board who lost 110% of their excess weight and are now BELOW their ideal weight.

Anything is possible.

I am at down 60% of my excess weight in three months. I feel I could easily be at my ideal weight (100% down) in six more months.

Good Luck!!!

It's a tool.... work it!

It'll do as much as you allow it to.

Well there's good statistics, bad statistics and confusing statistics. As Lessey pointed out it is a statistical average of peoples weight loss for a year. Some have taken that figure and turned it sideways to declare that if you reach 65% of your goal the VSG is a success, this is a bit of an over simplification.

YES, if you reach 65% of your weight loss goal you have statistically succeeded in loosing the amount of weight that a typical user looses e years time. For statistics sake - and for that of advertising and giving people a reference point and to avoid having to declare what so many weight loss plans in the industry say ( "RESULTS NOT TYPICAL" ), they choose this 65% mark as a mark of success.

So at a 65% weight loss you are doing AVERAGE, it is like MRSKOUBiK said above - IT'S A TOOL ... WORK IT.

You CAN achieve the average just buy not pushing the sleeve and exceeding prescribed caloric intake. You can achieve 100%+ by really taking an active part in your continuing dietetic needs. Add exercise, continue to eat a majority of Protein over carbs and watch your caloric intake and refuse to add those things back into your diet that do not benefit you the most.

A MAJORITY of sleevers are NOT on this board. We who are here are the ones seeking a additional tool to help us reach and exceed our goal - that is - OTHER SLEEVERS, their hints, tips and support. WE can reach our ultimate goal and stay there if we take this marvelous sleeve and really put our efforts behind it and not let JUST the AVERAGE NATURAL weight loss happen.

So when you reach 65% of your goal, you are a statistical success, don't stop there, continue on to be a statistical anomaly and lose 100% of your goal weight loss. You can do it.

A MAJORITY of sleevers are NOT on this board. We who here are are the ones seeking a additional tool to help us reach and exceed our goal - that is - OTHER SLEEVERS, their hints, tips and support. WE can reach our ultimate goal and stay there if we take this marvelous sleeve and really put our efforts behind it and not let JUST the AVERAGE NATURAL weight loss happen.

So when you reach 65% of your goal, you are a statistical success, don't stop there, continue on to be a statistical anomaly and lose 100% of your goal weight loss. You can do it.

The sleevers that are on this board are already not "normal". We are reaching out and being active in an added way. I think what you say is so true Rootman... adding this support improves the percentage of success for us and our sleeves over the average sleeve population.

Don't buy into statitistics, they are just numbers, everyone is different. At 575 lbs if I bought into statistics I would still be overweight with morbid obesity as a death sentence.

While I say this I think it's a way for doctors to gauge their success and to get their patients to realize that the surgery was successful. If I didn't lose another pound from this point on I would consider myself and this surgery a success. Obviously I wish to continue losing and look forward to a healthy weight but to me this is already a success.

My doctor did tell me that he could see me at 270 lbs post surgery after all the weight loss I have prior, it kind of hit me and probably was a subconscious part to the stall I just experienced but now i'm poised and ready to lose it all.

Much like beauty is in the eye of the beholder whether or not this surgery is successful is up to the person.

Many would be happy to lose 50%, maybe to lose enough not to need medication, or not to have back pain, or to fit into a certain clothing size.

Be the one that's exceptional not just average strive to be great... work the tool and it will reward you over and over again.

Good luck to all!

I do fall that most of those who have come here to seek out support will make that average 65% look low.

I'm exactly four months out and I would consider myself an average loser. I lost 20 lbs the first month and about 11ish pounds each month after. I've already reached and gone a pound and a half over 65% lost. I don't have any doubt at all that I'll reach my goal weight. VSG works. No doubt about it.

Congrats! That is nice to hear.

I weighed 203 at surgery (210 at doctor's office the month before).

To get to a normal BMI, I would need to weigh 155.

203 - 155 = 48 pounds of "Excess" Weight

65% of 48 pounds = 31.2 pounds lost to be "success" (EWL)

Well, I lost 78+ pounds ... so I guess I'm an overachiever at 250% of EWL. I can live with that!

I'm also at 100%+ and that's without sticking to a rigid diet - I don't low-carb or anything, I just try to get more protein and eat healthier overall, but I don't deny myself treats, either. Maybe if you are a very big person who may take 2-3 years to drop 300 lbs? Otherwise, it seems most people here drop all their excess weight.