How many of you never got a goal weight number told or suggested to you by your doctor of the WLS center team? Did it bother you? Did you have to make something up, perhaps pulling something out of the BMI healthy normal section? Where did your number come from and what does it mean? Did you pick a different number even though your doctor gave you one? Perhaps because you had a different idea.

I know: no simple answer.

I am curious because I picked my number from the BMI chart, hit it, but am still wondering where should I end up? It is pretty easy to park at my current weight with my current lifestyle of nutrition and fitness. However, Is hypothetically gaining 10 lbs over my " ideal weight" ok if that places me in overweight instead of normal according to the BMI chart? I am not happy yet with my physique and more needs to be done. i just do not know if I can play the swap game forever with regards to body weight versus body composition. It is a lot of diligent work day after day. The 10 lb gain would be pure lean muscle gain and I have already been playing the fat for lean muscle weight swap game for 5-6 months now with some success. I would like to continue to bulk out with broad shoulders, large quads, well defined calves, powerful back and lean waist. And keep my weight parked on a good goal weight (currently, it is 180 - middle of normal range).

But I digress. The real question remains to be answered: how do you pick a goal weight?

Think about this topic question. How does it apply to you in your post op experience? What experiences have you had, are having or looking forward to having? I would like to hear from men and women, pre sleeve, newly sleeved and vet, different physical body composition goals, those that have it all figured out and those that are struggling, etc. no one is excluded from answering this topic question and I hope the threads serves as a resource for future VST members.

Marilyn was a size 16! I'm a 14/16 and I still look obese! But you know Deborah from the show Dexter? I never want to look like that! I wouldn't mind having a body like Khloe (sp?) Kardashian. Lol! In other words I still want a womanly figure and not the body of a 12 year old boy!

She was a 16 in a different era. I think I remember reading if you compare her size 16 then it was would be a lesser number by today's standards.

Lmao @ the "oo" on booty! I love that!

She was a 16 in a different era. I think I remember reading if you compare her size 16 then it was would be a lesser number by today's standards.

Ah, that makes sense!

Marilyn was a size 16! I'm a 14/16 and I still look obese! But you know Deborah from the show Dexter? I never want to look like that! I wouldn't mind having a body like Khloe (sp?) Kardashian. Lol! In other words I still want a womanly figure and not the body of a 12 year old boy!

I think for me being 47 my body is morphing into something different altogether. Its getting smaller but the curves I used to have when I was younger are no more (or I should say they are hanging lower these days) so the best I can hope for is a healthy number and some forgiveness on the actual body make up..

My dr did not discuss a goal weight. I wouldn't have cared anyway' date=' I know my goal weight. As a teenager, I was steadily a certain weight and it was perfect, except that I had very few curves. My goal weight is 10 pounds over that teenage weight, with thoughts that those extra ten pounds will be in my hips and bewbs. We will see.

Fiddleman, a note about your 10 lbs. I was in the military and watched many incredibly fit men have to get taped (aka measuring the width of neck and stomach ratio) because their bmi suggested they were overweight. If their taped measurements met a certain criteria, they were considered at ideal weight, not overweight. It's really too much for me to get in depth about since I'm typing on my iPad, however it's something you may be interested in looking info up about. It's your exact situation. Great job and keep doing what you do.[/quote']

Thanks for the information on military men versus bmi versus taped measurements. I am going to look this up.

Ah' date=' that makes sense![/quote']

http://jezebel.com/5299793/for-the-last-time-what-size-was-marilyn-monroe

http://jezebel.com/5299793/for-the-last-time-what-size-was-marilyn-monroe

So basically Monroe was a freak of nature in her extreme measurements tiny waist fuller hips and bust....

I would need surgery to get that! Oh wait I already had surgery.....

Amanda - you seem to have a very good head around what you want in your body at goal weight. I think this applies to guys also. Instead of BMI, maybe we should be thinking in terms of body type like Matthew mcconaughey (for me who is not so interested in being ultra bulky)) or Dwayne Johnson ("the rock") or perhaps even Hugh Jackman ("wolverine" - good write up on his lifestyle, diet and workouts in men's fitness this last month). They all have worked hard to reach high levels of athletic body compositions. However, I bet they are all in the overweight section of the BMI chart for heir height. This would be ok with me as long as I can get to this physique without adding on body fat.

Oh I NEED my scale!

Mirrors are fine and clothes are good. But some clothes stretch a bit (or shrink unexplainably ) and mirrors can lie.

That's always how the weight starts creeping back up for me.

Laura, don't get me wrong, I still weigh at least every other day, I just have been so surprised by that at this point my goals have changed more to fixing the flabby because I can see the goal in lbs and size in sight! I never ever thought I would get to that point! But I am also one of those that have to log every bite because my mind is not truthful with me! It might tell me you have eaten way too much today when I actually haven't! Or it might whisper go ahead and have 2 Cookies...in which case I tell it to shut up, or I eat 1 cookie, log it and move on! I am also with you on me being 42 and my parts hanging a little lower! I seem to be ok on skin but my poor "girls" have deflated!

Sent from my iPhone using VST

Amanda - you seem to have a very good head around what you want in your body at goal weight. I think this applies to guys also. Instead of BMI' date=' maybe we should be thinking in terms of body type like Matthew mcconaughey (for me who is not so interested in being ultra bulky)) or Dwayne Johnson ("the rock") or perhaps even Hugh Jackman ("wolverine" - good write up on his lifestyle, diet and workouts in men's fitness this last month). They all have worked hard to reach high levels of athletic body compositions. However, I bet they are all in the overweight section of the BMI chart for heir height. This would be ok with me as long as I can get to this physique without adding on body fat.[/quote']

Oh in that case I wanna look like this!

But it might end up closer to this

Or this

Laura' date=' don't get me wrong, I still weigh at least every other day, I just have been so surprised by that at this point my goals have changed more to fixing the flabby because I can see the goal in lbs and size in sight! I never ever thought I would get to that point! But I am also one of those that have to log every bite because my mind is not truthful with me! It might tell me you have eaten way too much today when I actually haven't! Or it might whisper go ahead and have 2 Cookies...in which case I tell it to shut up, or I eat 1 cookie, log it and move on! I am also with you on me being 42 and my parts hanging a little lower! I seem to be ok on skin but my poor "girls" have deflated!

Sent from my iPhone using VST[/quote']

You are right it's a combo of all things!

Ok fiddle I'm done hijacking your thread

My word! yes your goal number is low!! It makes me look like a slacker!

Not at all lmao. but I can dream....

Thanks Belladone- I do sense your frustration to be living in a body that does not feel like your own. All those memories of being healthy and super fit. It is hard. Not having been in that position myself, I can offer sympathy but not empathy. However, I can say this : continue to use those images and experiences as a driving motivator, especially when it gets tough because of life circumstances, stalls, you name it. It sounds like you have your hands full day in and day out with responsibility and am glad you see the need to take some time out for yourself. Can you do 30 minutes a day? That might be manageable. When you have those Images and experiences in your mind, it is like a program for your subconscious to line up circumstances in your life to make it a reality. Keep referring back to them and perhaps identify with them in an affirmative way to help you move towards the goal. Block out the distractions in your mind (that little nagging voice) and focus on the images for that was a reality for you not too long ago. There is no reason it cannot be a reality again.

Thank you for your kind words of motivation and you are 150% right and I am going to start doing for myself, Although I have no one to blame for my demise but myself. I need to bring myself back to that frame of mind. I have read alot of your posts and it sounds like your doing great with working out and changing and tweaking your body like an art and that is what all this I feel is all about . You are in that zone that mind set where you can make things happen and thats awesome and inspiring. I too hope to be back in that mind set sooner than later . One day at a time.

I have a number of 135 I got from a chart but the only person I ever discussed a goal with was my trainer. He told me it all depends on what I want as the fat comes off..do I want a bit more muscle or do I want to be lean or toned etc. so we decided I would get to 150 and then we would talk about it again. I actually want to be a bit more muscular..not freaky just nicely athletic!

I actually picked 3 goal weights lol. My doctor also never discussed goal weight with me so I'm left to my own devices. My highest weight was 269 a few years ago. My starting weight was 258, and as of this morning, I'm at 200.

My "must meet -- no matter WHAT" goal is 170. It would still be overweight, but it's where I was at my low point with my lap band and I know that I was healthy and FELT normal at that weight, even still being overweight.

My actual/official goal is 150, because its approximately 100lbs from my starting weight and exactly 100lbs down from the day I scheduled surgery.

And my "stretch goal" is 130. Since that would be an ideal weight given my 5'1 tiny but very curvy frame. At 58lbs down, my DDD cup size hasn't shrunk at ALL, so I'm guessing I'm still going to have a pretty big bust to factor in! Lol

So I guess I pre-negotiated all of my goals! Lol But honestly, I really just wanted to feel good again. Get my energy back, become and active person and use that energy to be a better mom to my toddlers... and with that, I've already been successful. The rest is bonus!

I never discussed a goal weight with my surgeon. My personal trainer and I decided on 150 about 2 months ago. I started in August at 356 so that will put me at losing 206 total. I am currently down 162 pounds.

Honestly, I just started to breathe easier once I got to "onederland". Before then, I was worried to set a goal