Sooooo, my ticker says I have -42lbs left to lose to get to GOAL.

And I've been waffling about changing my goal. My original goal was set by my sugeon. I know exactly why he made the goal too, because I would be just inside the chart for having a healthy BMI. HOWEVER, this goal is about -25lbs LESS than my lowest adult weight. In other words the last time I weighed what he set my goal for I was probably 13-14 years old.

At my 6 month checkup, my surgeon was wanting to bump my goal up +15ish lbs...just by looking at me. Which I did take as a compliment. But I didn't change my goal. Now that I'm almost 1 year post-op and things have just slowed down to a snails pace, I am actually reconsidering my goal, taking into account what my sugeon said. If I change my goal I would really only have -27lbs to get to goal.

I'm seeing him again tomorrow for my one year post-op check and I will ask him what his feelings are. I think he is going to say let's bump it up. Truthfully I want that healthy BMI also but it just feels like it is taking an eternity to get there. I would ideally be at or below goal by my two year surgiversary...seems reasonable.

I think what will happen is I change my goal and then see how I feel when I "get there"...I don't like being in-between sizes like I am right now (14's are feeling a bit roomy, 12's feel tight, etc.) So I guess it all just depends.

That's all I have for rambling today...I will update after my visit with my surgeon!

Sooooo, my ticker says I have -42lbs left to lose to get to GOAL.

And I've been waffling about changing my goal. My original goal was set by my sugeon. I know exactly why he made the goal too, because I would be just inside the chart for having a healthy BMI. HOWEVER, this goal is about -25lbs LESS than my lowest adult weight. In other words the last time I weighed what he set my goal for I was probably 13-14 years old.

At my 6 month checkup, my surgeon was wanting to bump my goal up +15ish lbs...just by looking at me. Which I did take as a compliment. But I didn't change my goal. Now that I'm almost 1 year post-op and things have just slowed down to a snails pace, I am actually reconsidering my goal, taking into account what my sugeon said. If I change my goal I would really only have -27lbs to get to goal.

I'm seeing him again tomorrow for my one year post-op check and I will ask him what his feelings are. I think he is going to say let's bump it up. Truthfully I want that healthy BMI also but it just feels like it is taking an eternity to get there. I would ideally be at or below goal by my two year surgiversary...seems reasonable.

I think what will happen is I change my goal and then see how I feel when I "get there"...I don't like being in-between sizes like I am right now (14's are feeling a bit roomy, 12's feel tight, etc.) So I guess it all just depends.

That's all I have for rambling today...I will update after my visit with my surgeon!

Hellooo!! You know, goal is in the eye of the beholder. I know for a fact I'm done, I have bones protruding in places I didnt even know existed. But according to the BMI charts I still need to lose 20 ish pounds. Um... no.

I do plan to see my PCP very soon to get the final Dr.s OKay to stop, though I seriously doubt she'd think I still have more to lose. I'm perfectly healthy and happy in all aspects of my being now! Someone just TRY to stop me!!

M2G...

here we are again, at the same gateway... I was just thinking along these lines myself.... I haven't seen the scale move for 5 weeks now...*sighs* and I too, am in between sizes... the UK size 16 are a lil too big now and although I have some Uk14s that fit, some are too tight!

This final stretch is hard work...

I would see what your surgeon/doc suggests, and if that means change your goal then do it! My first goal, as you know is my surgeon's goal... mine is that pesky BMI number, but if I don't get there I shan't be upset about it as it really is the ULTIMATE for me!

Good luck my sleeve friend, and let me know what you decide... x

Y'all are so lucky your docs actually gave you a goal--mine didn't!!! My nutritionist said something about 220, but hello--that would have left me solidly in the upper part of "overweight," according to the BMI charts.

I don't think I have "big bones." I think I have pretty small bones--they're long, but when I do that elbow-bone distance thing, my measurement comes in at "small." So at 6'2", I'm small-boned (!) and have a target BMI weight of between 194 and 154. Now, let me ask you, who makes these 40-pounds-leeway ranges???!? I seriously have no idea of a goal at this point, and I chose 190 originally only because I remember being 190 at some point, and it's in the "normal weight" range of the BMI chart for my height.

My husband and I have recently discussed the concept of not having a goal. We started this conversation because I tend to stress out and feel bad when I don't meet goals; I don't think I'm going to meet my Halloween challenge goal, for instance. So, instead of stressing out about goals, I think I'm just going to keep doing what I'm doing and see where my body settles.... but I do want to achieve a normal body weight!! So it's sort of an I'm-not-going-to-worry versus an I-really-want-to-have-a-normal-body-weight dichotomy. And this isn't really counting the whole size issue--I'm in a 16 now, which was my original goal size (since I was thinking moderation and I started at a tight 26/28). I can definitely tell I'm going to end up in a smaller size, but exactly where, I have no idea. I'm trying to think of this phase as fun, not stressful, but so far am not having much luck.

What is fun is shopping!!!

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CHECK OUT MY NEW GOAL LADIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Had a chat with my surgeon today and everything went really well. We chatted about how I'm doing and he said he thought that I should change my goal because he wants ME happy with my BODY. Not the BMI chart or his stats, but he wants me to be happy WITH WHEREVER I LAND. God, I love this man! He also mentioned pastics (GASP!) because he felt I was too pretty to not "finish the job" as he put it. He said it's his nature though to FINISH the job. He said his closet is cleaned out, his car is tidy and to him personally, having WLS and then not finishing the job with plastics is like driving a car around with no paint. I'm not sure how I feel about plastics yet, but he really felt like my arms and legs look great, but the wrinkly tummy, well that is another story. At least he has me thinking.

I don't know why but feeling like I'm THAT much closer to goal has me super happy today! Thank you all for your input...it is so valuable to me!!!

Well after some very long and serious stalls I am finally feeling much more hopeful about reaching goal in 2012.I had an extrordinary amount of patience to get through the stalls. I stalled in months 8&9, lost a bit in month 10, then stalled in months 11, 12 and half way through 13. Then I finally started losing again and now I know I can do this!!!!

I changed my ticker to show 8lbs that I had lost at some point during the 6 months of "hoop jumping" that I did for my insurace to cover my surgery and that has boosted my mental game quite a bit. Before I always wanted my ticker to show just my loss since the surgery, but after adding those 8lbs to my ticker it bumped me that much closer to the -100 mark and it did a world of good for my head.

And I am really looking forward someday to having a different relationship with the scale. It truly does have a lot of power over me (hard to admit the truth) but I am hoping someday down in maintenance land that I have a very different relationship with the scale. I'll be watching our own Little Miss Diva carefully to see how she does...lol. We have lots of pioneers on this message board who have "been there, done that" but most of them do not stick around during maintenance, so we have little guidance in that arena. Thank God for the ones who DO stick around!!!

I'll be here For me, I think just sticking around posting and watching others keeps me motivated if anything just to always doing the right thing. Be honest, I'm really still losing weight. I've been in "maintenance" mode for awhile now - but with the plastics I started to get weirded out. The swelling was messing with my mirror image puffing me up and making my scale give me ugly info! My chest weighs 6 Lbs... as if!!! I already weigh a lot to begin with. It's kinda heady trippy - but the swelling is going away bunches and my body weight is even lower than ever now. I'd be in the 160's if I didn't desire such big boobs. Haaa!!!

Only you will know when it is truly time to say "I'm done". I'm finally there! That doesn't mean my body will agree - but I'm going to fight it a little bit to. I only have fat left in my behind. I don't think Hubby would like me to lose that! Ok, well I KNOW he wouldn't because he told me... I really wouldn't either.

Well after some very long and serious stalls I am finally feeling much more hopeful about reaching goal in 2012.I had an extrordinary amount of patience to get through the stalls. I stalled in months 8&9, lost a bit in month 10, then stalled in months 11, 12 and half way through 13. Then I finally started losing again and now I know I can do this!!!! I changed my ticker to show 8lbs that I had lost at some point during the 6 months of "hoop jumping" that I did for my insurace to cover my surgery and that has boosted my mental game quite a bit. Before I always wanted my ticker to show just my loss since the surgery, but after adding those 8lbs to my ticker it bumped me that much closer to the -100 mark and it did a world of good for my head. And I am really looking forward someday to having a different relationship with the scale. It truly does have a lot of power over me (hard to admit the truth) but I am hoping someday down in maintenance land that I have a very different relationship with the scale. I'll be watching our own Little Miss Diva carefully to see how she does...lol. We have lots of pioneers on this message board who have "been there, done that" but most of them do not stick around during maintenance, so we have little guidance in that arena. Thank God for the ones who DO stick around!!!

Hey M2G...

I, once again, am relating to you! Especially the thing with the scales... I have been on another stall, this one has now gone into its 6th week. I am bouncing up and down the same 3lbs. I am also having issues with my hormones - flushes and messed up periods... so I am getting off the train until the New Year! I haven't given myself permission to binge or eat crap! Just permission not to get upset if the scale doesn't move ... or, if I do want some white bread or choc (or whatever) then I will have it and see what happens in the scale dept. I know that come the New Year, I will pick up where I left off. My doc wants me to lose another 14lbs or so, same as my surgeon, and I have to agree that that is the min where I would enter maintaince for good.

Lets keep each other strong in the final stretch... then we can Celebrate together... x

Okay, today is day one of 2012. I am working towards goal. I am currently 14 months post-op and the "honeymoon" is definitely over. I personally believe it was over at 4 months post-op, someone may beg to differ but I have given this lots of thought and that is my own personal timeline. At the time, I was, of course, in denial that it could be over, but the reality of the matter is I hit my first major stall at 4 months (I only lost -2lbs) and of course I still moved on and continued to lose weight, but the quick drops were over and the process of losing slowly begin to set in.

This sort of tells the story right here:

Pre-surgery: -8lbs (from the highest weight I've ever seen on my scale.)

After surgery in 2010: -36lbs (from Oct. 22nd to Dec. 31st)

After surgery in 2011: -48lbs (from Jan. 1st to Dec. 31st)

So as you can see, it took me nearly a year to lose what I lost in the first few months post-op. Crazy when you look at the numbers!!!

But I refuse to live in the past or live with regret, so moving foward I would like to finish the job. Or at least give a really good hard effort at losing the last 20lbs or so.

Stay tuned!!!

M2G...

you are going to finish this race; we are going to finish this bloody race!!!

I don't care if I run it, jog it or crawl over that finishing line on my hands and knees...

Look how far you have come... we cannot NOT get to goal! I mean, we both deserve to look at that scale and think 'Hell yea... I got that bad boy!'

2012 is gonna be our year my friend...

Oh and on a side note... we have both lost well over 70% of our excess body weight, so in the realms of stats... we are already successful sleevers... x

This is a very interesting site on how to determine your ideal or goal weight. It talks about how the BMI charts are not good for athletic people (Lil Miss Diva - This is talking about you - you shouldn't even judge your weight by the BMI tables) It also talks about how the Metropolitan Life tables aren't good for tall people (MegInNOLA - this is talking about you.) This really made me stop and think about what I wanted my goal weight to be.

I am 5'4" and just turned 55. When I dieted before in my 30's - I wanted to be at the bottom of the Metropolitan Life tables - 118 pounds. Well, after doing Modifast for 9 months, I starved myself down to 118 - and wasn't able to stay there once I started eating food again - even though I lived in the gym. I was bony, and looking back at my pictures, I was a little too thin.

Fast forward to my late 40's - I dieted and my goal weight was 125. I struggled with all sorts of diets and managed to get to around 135 pounds. I couldn't stay right there even exercising 6 days a week - because I started packing on muscle - not bulky muscles - just firm muscles. I weighed around 145.

So now here I am in my mid 50's. When I started this, I wanted to get back to 125. Not the brighest idea - I quickly realized that was not doable - so I set my goal at 135. That puts me within the normal BMI range (I am not athletic anymore so it should be an OK target). The full process I went through to set my goal weight is documented in a couple of threads I responded to. But now that I am at 145 and look at my body - I really don't want to be any smaller than I am now except right around my midsection. I would love to looze the ~10 pounds from right there.

My questions are - will the next ten pounds come from there? I am seriously thinking about seein a surgeon and asking about body sculpting / lipsuction around my midsection and tummy. I don't know what that would do, or if I am would need Lipo and a Tummy Tuck to get smaller there.

From the droopy wrinkly middle and the droopy batwings, I bet I have 10 pounds of skin and fat. I don't want to lose everywhere else just to get to a number. I really don't know what to do.

My plan is to continue trying to lose until I see my surgeon on 2/22. I plan on visiting with a couple of plastic surgeons before then to get opinions. I would love to hear the opinions of you on this forum.

Thanks for any advice in advance. Happy New Year to you all.

Sharon

http://www.halls.md/ideal-weight/body.htm

This is a very interesting site on how to determine your ideal or goal weight. It talks about how the BMI charts are not good for athletic people (Lil Miss Diva - This is talking about you - you shouldn't even judge your weight by the BMI tables) It also talks about how the Metropolitan Life tables aren't good for tall people (MegInNOLA - this is talking about you.) This really made me stop and think about what I wanted my goal weight to be. I am 5'4" and just turned 55. When I dieted before in my 30's - I wanted to be at the bottom of the Metropolitan Life tables - 118 pounds. Well, after doing Modifast for 9 months, I starved myself down to 118 - and wasn't able to stay there once I started eating food again - even though I lived in the gym. I was bony, and looking back at my pictures, I was a little too thin. Fast forward to my late 40's - I dieted and my goal weight was 125. I struggled with all sorts of diets and managed to get to around 135 pounds. I couldn't stay right there even exercising 6 days a week - because I started packing on muscle - not bulky muscles - just firm muscles. I weighed around 145. So now here I am in my mid 50's. When I started this, I wanted to get back to 125. Not the brighest idea - I quickly realized that was not doable - so I set my goal at 135. That puts me within the normal BMI range (I am not athletic anymore so it should be an OK target). The full process I went through to set my goal weight is documented in a couple of threads I responded to. But now that I am at 145 and look at my body - I really don't want to be any smaller than I am now except right around my midsection. I would love to looze the ~10 pounds from right there. My questions are - will the next ten pounds come from there? I am seriously thinking about seein a surgeon and asking about body sculpting / lipsuction around my midsection and tummy. I don't know what that would do, or if I am would need Lipo and a Tummy Tuck to get smaller there. From the droopy wrinkly middle and the droopy batwings, I bet I have 10 pounds of skin and fat. I don't want to lose everywhere else just to get to a number. I really don't know what to do. My plan is to continue trying to lose until I see my surgeon on 2/22. I plan on visiting with a couple of plastic surgeons before then to get opinions. I would love to hear the opinions of you on this forum. Thanks for any advice in advance. Happy New Year to you all. Sharon http://www.halls.md/...weight/body.htm

Hey Sharon,

I've just checked my weight on the link and it recommends that I should get to 134lb... that is 5lb of my ultimate personal goal... and would be a dream come true for me. My surgeon is happy for me to get to 154lb, so as you can see... a substantial difference. I really think that after his goal it will be personal choice; whether I can be bothered to fight for the extra and how I look and feel. I don't want to get too thin, where I put ten yrs on myself!!! (Hmm, I forgot for a moment that I am the queen of slow losers...lol)! Anyway, at 154lbs I will decide what I am to do!

I would also love to get some plastics done. My 'problem' area is also the mid region... saggy belly and deflated boobs. i don't think I can afford to address either of these, certainly not this year as money is sooooo tight!

Please let us know what the surgeon says and good luck.

Aaaah, Coops and Sharon, I agree with you both. (Setting a realistic goal, what about the extra skin, etc. etc. etc.) and I know that the last time my sugeon and I chatted, he basically told me "I'm HAPPY when YOU are HAPPY!" You do have to love a man like that. Esp. a man who adores his stats and numbers, etc. (He is a bit OCD, which is a GOOD thing for a surgeon.)

Sharon I've seen your posts about how to choose a goal weight and originally when I went into this my surgeon set my goal STRICTLY based on a healthy BMI. I told him I would be thrilled to death to weigh under 200lbs and a size 14. THRILLED TO DEATH! Well, now I'm under 200lbs and a size 12. And yet I find that I am NOT done. My surgeon ran his hands over my wrinkly belly and declared that he would do plastics (if he were me....now if he were ME maybe I could AFFORD plastics...ha ha ha!) Anyway, he asked what size I was wearing and when I said 12 he said, "Oh I think you were meant to be an 8" And in my mind maybe that could come true if I lose another 20lbs AND do the plastics.

Anyway, it is all relative becuase in the end we all need to be happy with ourselves.

So yeah, Coops, I think we will know when we get there. And yes we are going to give our freaking all to GET THERE! WE WILL!!!!

Okay, an update from the over-one-year-and-still-trying-to-lose-club (hey that should be a forum!) Anyway, I am now down -6lbs so far this year. Today is Jan. 14th so in two weeks time I've lost -6lbs.

Goal is getting closer one lb at a time!!! SO HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :Banane10:

Congratulations! I know for a fact those last pounds are the hardest to lose.

Great Job!

Sharon