Hey guys, I am wondering what a reasonable goal weight to set for myself. When I asked my surgeon he just said my patients who are about your size typically lose 70-90 lbs and would give me much more than that. I am 5ft tall so according to BMI charts I should only weigh between 95-110 lbs, I currently weigh 223. So I would need to lose more then 70-90 pounds. Should I set my first goal weight to the weight I want to be (115) or should I set it to an average say 80 lbs down? I just don't know what's worse for the psyche setting your sites low or reaching for the stars and missing... Anyway, I want to get this right and I am doing everything I can but if you guys have any ideas let me know. Thanks! ????

Most surgeons use the "you will lose 65% percent of your excess weight" rule. I'm too lazy to figure out the mathematics to see if what he quoted applies to your case. I know at 5'7" tall I was 241 at my heaviest and 236 when I started my WLS program. 226 the day of surgery. My surgeon said I would be 160 by my one year anniversary. I surpassed that by 10 pounds and made it to 150 with very little effort. Now that I'm 14 months post-surgery, it is taking a lot more effort to lose those extra 5 pounds I would like to lose to get me to my stretch goal of 145. As for what you can accomplish, I think it's up to you and how dedicated you are to the process. I can tell you that overall I found WLS to be a lot easier than I thought it would be.

Edited May 22, 201511 yr by Bluesea71

So the median number for your ideal weight is 97.5lbs. Subtract that from your current weight (223) and you get how much you need to lose (125.5). Take that number, and multiply it by 0.65 (65%). And this is the number they think you will lose (81.6lbs)

that's really a trick question. My goal is listed at 160. That is ten lbs less than what I would consider my bottom line number (170) and ten lbs more than the "dream" goal (150). I am 5'7" and some change. I am also older, 52, with a lot of hopefully soon to be excess skin. If I were in your age range (guessing by your picture) and height I would leave your goal at around 120 and make your own personal "dream" goal. That's 103 lbs!!!! which is awesome to achieve but remember this is a tool, not a sure thing.

I'd say pick a number that you like for now, and be prepared to be flexible with it. You have a lot of work ahead of you, and the weight you reach after morbid obesity may not look the same on you as someone who was never obese, or even on you, if you weren't always heavy. As you get closer to goal, you'll have a much better idea about what is actually possible, and what is the right number for you.

I would have not chosen 165 as my goal, but it turns out my body really likes it here, I can maintain it with reasonable effort, and I'm a size 8, and people who never knew me as obese think I'm tiny. So, in some respects, my body chose this weight.

I went about it in a different way. I picked a dress size I wanted to be, not a weight. Mt doctor suggested a weight.

I know my body type isn't a size 2 so I picked 8. I wanted to be a size 8. If I weigh 160 or 140 it didn't matter. My goal was an 8.

Here I am. I've been a size 8 for 3 months. I'm below my "goal weight" my doctor picked for me. I try really hard not to obsess about the weight and focus on how the clothes feel.

Just a different way to think about it.

Good Luck- you'll do great

I, too, picked a goal SIZE. I wanted to be an 8 and I am. I was so fat for so long, had two babies along the way, and had no idea what my skin would do, so setting a number of pounds was near impossible.

My doctor would not set a goal weight for me so I picked an arbitrary weight of 159. At 5.3, that's still overweight, but again, I had no idea what I'd look like. I am still working on my stretch goal of 149, but if I never hit it, I don't care. I'm healthy, happy, I look great in my clothes and most importantly, I've been easily maintaining between 152 and 157.

I'm very goal oriented, but no one is going to see the number on the scale. They will, however, see my ass in skinny jeans.

It's funny. At my consult, the doc said "you should lose 100 pounds". I'm 5'6" and was 235 at the time. I couldn't fathom weighing less than 150 pounds and 135 seemed like an unreachable goal. Then 6 months post op I was still clinically overweight at about 160 pounds and I got the "You look good, you're off all BP, cholesterol, asthma meds with normal labs, you've lost 70% of the weight... You are a WLS success! Go forth and prosper!" But I didn't feel like I was "done" till I was well inside "normal" BMI territory, so with the docs blessing, continued losing till I got to about 145 and a size 4. Lowest weight 139. Decided to enter maintenance and adjusted my calories to stop losing. Maintained well for 6 months. Today, I'm bouncing around between 143 and 146, still well withing "normal", though I'd prefer to be 135-140 and am working to get the last few pounds to my stretch goal of 135-140 off to get and stay there. This last 10 has been a struggle. I'm maintaining pretty well, but losing now is tough! Advice... set a firm goal and a stretch goal. Meet the firm goal and then decide if you really want he stretch goal.

You guys have been such a great help. I think I am going to set my goal weight to 130 lbs and my stretch goal to 105lbs. Honestly though I think I would be really happy at 120-125, so we will see. I do kinda want to get lower then where I want to be so if I gain a few pounds back I will still be satisfied. With regards to clothing I would be so happy if I would just get into a single digit!!!! Thank you all for your help, advise, support and kind words. This community has treated me very kindly and I feel lucky to be amongst friends. ????❗️

Is this unrealistic?

I'm 5'4", 240.

Goal weight 140.

I'm 52. No health issues.

Is this unrealistic?

I'm 5'4", 240.

Goal weight 140.

I'm 52. No health issues.

Nope. I don't think so. I'm barely 5'5, 48 and shooting for 150. I may try to stretch it to 140-145 but we shall see

Michigan Chic.....I would love to know where you shop. At 165 I was size 12 top and size 14/16 bottom

I got my weight down to 135 one time and was still a size 10. What stores am I missing?

The first picture is one I have posted several times before, it takes into consideration age. I got this off a U.S. Site but cannot remember which one.

The second I think is a good one as it shows how we all carry our weight differently. Sizes quoted are UK sizes.

Thank you so much!