So today I went for my second post-op with the nurse practitioner- she says I'm doing fine but I'm mildly frustrated with a stall I'm experiencing. I need to up my fluids and exercise.

Anyhoo- I was asking about my goal weight because no one ever discussed it with me. Apparently my surgeon's office is not so much concerned with BMI, etc., but more with resolving your obesity-related health issues and getting to a weight that you and you body are comfortable with, even if it's outside the BMI range. The NP told me that because of the weight we carried around for years, at lets say 170 lbs, you may look on the outside to be more like 150 lbs and clothes fit accordingly- she said our bones "bulk up" to accomodate the extra weight, like to the tune of 20 lbs!!! I was just wondering if anyone else had heard of that, because it was news to me!

-Kendra

I have, and when I weighed 190 lbs. before/after my daughter was born everyone swore I wasn't a lb. over 150. I've always carried my weight well, and I used to be in power lifting in high school so have always had alot of muscle. When I tell people I started this journey at 270, they all said I didn't look that big. It's all the in the way you carry it I guess. To be at a good BMI I would have to be 148 lbs.....but I think I'd be too skinny at that weight. Honestly I'd be thrilled with being 190 lbs. again. I think I looked good at that weight. Anything beyond that would be good to, but when I start to look bony I'm gonna hit the maintenance mark. Good luck!

I've heard of that too. Tiffykins, who used to be on the board a lot when I joined, mentioned that. Take a look at Little Miss Diva. She looks fab and I believe she has a fairly high BMI. She works out a lot and has a lot of muscle.

Lynda

I have definately heard that before!

There is no way I could be less than 170 lbs and have the muscle I hope to maintain/build. 20 lbs of bone density? IDK about that.

Go to a good sports doctor and have your "minimum weight" established - your weight, with out fat, just skin, bones, organs, Water, etc. Now, add about 23% - that should be your minimum. That's not a size, either. We are all different.

I have a fancy scale that measures body Water, body fat, bone weight, visceral fat, etc. While it may not be 100% accurate, it is the same brand as used at the bariatric center and is good enough to monitor trends. My bones weigh no where near 20 lbs, and weigh the same before surgery and after reaching goal, 5.6 pounds. Of course, others will be different, but my husband who is quite stocky, has bone weight of about 6 pounds. I can't imagine anyone's bones weighing 20 pounds, but I guess it's possible.

Having said all that, I look like I weigh about 150, when I weigh 165. I often wonder if that's the case because of the loose skin. We cram it into our clothes, and look smaller. We would likely weigh a lot less and have a lower BMI without all that skin.

From what I have heard, I think it's more from the weight of your organs. When you are heavy your organs get bigger to accomodate the extra blood volume etc needed to support your size. From what I understood when you lose weight the organs don't necessarily shrink back down. That might account for the added weight. I'm not sure, don't quote me or anything....

So today I went for my second post-op with the nurse practitioner- she says I'm doing fine but I'm mildly frustrated with a stall I'm experiencing. I need to up my fluids and exercise.

Anyhoo- I was asking about my goal weight because no one ever discussed it with me. Apparently my surgeon's office is not so much concerned with BMI, etc., but more with resolving your obesity-related health issues and getting to a weight that you and you body are comfortable with, even if it's outside the BMI range. The NP told me that because of the weight we carried around for years, at lets say 170 lbs, you may look on the outside to be more like 150 lbs and clothes fit accordingly- she said our bones "bulk up" to accomodate the extra weight, like to the tune of 20 lbs!!! I was just wondering if anyone else had heard of that, because it was news to me!

-Kendra

Never before.....my physician didn't set a goal until my third month. His goal was right at a healthy BMI, I wanted a five lb pad and that's where I feel good.

In my first real appointment with the surgeon, I got a fancy print-out that included a projection of a final weight. I thought it was way too high and it is not even close to a healthy BMI for me.

To get into "healthy" BMI, I need to get down to 158, or 20 more pounds. Even my PCP (who is totally neurotic about anyone being overweight) told me I shouldn't try to loose that much.

Me, I'd like to see how I looked at 155 or so. We'll see if I can be rigid enough to get there because I'm pretty satisfied where I am now, other than my belly sag over my c-section scar and a little back fat I'd love to loose!

well, yes, and no. Helpful right? Being "big boned" is a total myth, there have been studies that compare anatomy of people who are reasonable the same height and what you find is that the SIZE of the bones very to a VERY small degree. However, size and density are not the same thing. Weight bearing exercise does increase density, which does increase weight so its not crazy to say that someone who has been carrying extra weight MAY have high bone density, but then its also important to note that a lot of fat people have terrible nutrient thin diets so that logic does not always play out like you think it might.

An average adult has 206 bones in their body. People can have different number of rib bones and bones in their hands and feet that make doctors average the number of bones in a skeleton. Bones themselves can have different densities. We know this from people who have thinning bones due to Osteoporosis. The interesting thing that is substantiated on this quest is heavy people with a BMI over 33 never get Osteoporosis. They have greater bone density. Bone density is increased when you do activities that put stress on the bone structure like weight lifting or in this case carrying around excess weight.

I was wondering the same thing, I am now getting into a sze 8 at my current weight which I can't understand the last time I was a sze 8 I was 130lbs alot of people say the sizes have changes since 15 yrs ago which I can't agree cause the sze 8 are jeans I have had since and worn when I was in my mid 20's. I am not complaining one bit and my friends don't believe I weigh 170 cause they say I look smaller than that. Size 8 was my goal but now I am thinking I just might make sz 4 when I am done. I would never think to be that sze since I can't remember ever being a size 4. LOL I'm happy anyway!

If you're truly curious, go get a bone density scan, or a DEXA scan. It's the most comprehensive analysis of your body versus a number made up on some scale that could be completely wrong, i.e. BMI.