I had my surgery on 10/18/2012. I started at 225 and I am now 175. So I am 4 months out of surgery. I want to lose a total of 80lbs. Is that realistic?

Yes

I am trying to lose the weight in a year or so

225 and I am now 175.

ladyofdamage

fyi - there are people on this board that have lost 150+ lbs, 200 lbs et al - obviously harder to do, but we've got a bunch of strong/brave peeps here!!!! (you know who you are)

4 months - down 50 lbs - thats terrific!!!!

30 lbs to go??? - you've got this!!!!

piece of cake

continue with small portions, drinking, tracking, exercise - all that good stuff

once you've reached goal - don't stop there - keep it up for the rest of your healthier, happier, longer life

congrats on your succes

continued good luck

You can lose as much as you want or need. It's up to you.....

I have lost 80 lbs and am loving every minute of it.

I still struggle with believing that i wear a medium or even a small in some cases.....

I even had to buy smaller shoes too.

Such a wonderful tool we all have...

I read in Weight Loss Surgery for Dummies that there is a "magic window of opportunity" for weight loss that tapers off after the first year. So I'm going to be compliant like gangbusters until I get to goal. Well, I say that now, anyway. Surgery scheduled for March 29.

Deborah

Hi.. don't think the lbs are as important as the percentage of excess body weight that is lost. My Dr told me we should strive for 60% and I hit 63% at one year. I have been stable for 2-3 months and not sure I want to struggle with exercise and eating any less than I do now. I enjoy knowing that I can have a desert and just burn a few more calories on the elliptical. I am about a size 10 petite and at my age being any thinner would not look healthy on my large frame. I'm good, also find it difficult to believe I wear a medium shirt.

The first 6-8 months was my window of opportunity. I have lost very slowly ever since although have lost lots of inches from toning up. I wish you the best of luck.

As the previous poster said, surgeon's tend to discuss weight loss in terms of percentages. I went to a couple different weight loss surgery centers before picking one. Every seminar said we can expect to lose 60% on average. I think you will lose based on what you put into it. How much are you willing to follow the straight and narrow. Not everyone does nor does everyone have the desire to. However, if you are willing to eat the right foods, at the right times, drink the right amount of liquids, consistently take the vitamins daily and exercise to an extent that it is making a real difference then there is no reason why you can't lose 80-100%. From my time on VST, I have seen so many positive success stories. Yours could be another one.

Most of the doctors gather data and consider a 60% loss as success. They use the mid bmi weight of normal based on your height and subtract it from your first appointment weight.. Success is losing 60% of that. I really think this is majorly flawed. For example... I weighed in at 272 on my first appt. they say my normal bmi should be 137... They say their goal for me is 191 which is 60% so when i hit 191, i will be addedto the success data. I lost like 40 lbs before surgery and will hit goal perhaps within a few months post surgery and i will still weigh 191 OBESE at 5'6 but will be called a success on the books!!!

Using a straight bmi chart is wrong, but i guess they need a place to begin. But further, at least calculate the 60% from the surgery day weight!... Which i have made my first goal... And my final goal is closer to the high end of the normal bmi range.

Now to answer your real question... Many will yell at me, but after reading progress posts for months and months, it seems a good average loss for the first 6 months or so is about 8-10 per month. And of course.. Many factors impact this. Perhaps someone with some good hard data will chime in and correct me since my answer is based solely on what people are posting.