Calculating Goal Weight

[Kay07 734]

Hi there!

So I met with my nutritionist, and we got to talking about my goal weight. I am 5'6, and currently at 284lbs. She mentioned that my range should be 114 (I am 100% this is unachievable for me!) up to 147. She suggested a goal weight of 135. However I can't help but think that's kind of low? I guess I kind of expected 160 or around there, shows what I know.

My question to you is how did you calculate your goal weights? Did you pick the highest, which in my case would be say 145, or did you go towards the lower, or perhaps the middle? I don't want to risk setting an unrealistic expectation for myself. Or perhaps your doctors picked your goal weight? Any advice would be appreciated!

Kind regards,

Kay

[Sprinkles1 358]

I never really talked about goal weight with my nutritionist or surgeon... I just picked a weight that sounds good for me. This night sound crazy but... I still want to be a little thick. I don't want to be super skinny (definitely okay if someone does) I'm thinking 150-160... we'll see when I get there. I'm not stressing it!

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[336Mike 549]

I picked my goal weight based on what I weighed when I graduated high school. I knew that I felt good and looked good at that weight. My doctors goal weight for me was 265. I looked at him and said I'll blow that out of the Water LOL. I had to be confident about something, right?

I recommend you pick what you think you're going to feel good at first, especially if you feel like their goal is too aggressive.

VSG 10/11/17
HW = 360
SW = 292
GW = 220 3/7/18
CW = 218 (6'5") [emoji256]

[Mattymatt 491]

1 hour ago, Kay07 said:

Hi there!

So I met with my nutritionist, and we got to talking about my goal weight. I am 5'6, and currently at 284lbs. She mentioned that my range should be 114 (I am 100% this is unachievable for me!) up to 147. She suggested a goal weight of 135. However I can't help but think that's kind of low? I guess I kind of expected 160 or around there, shows what I know.

My question to you is how did you calculate your goal weights? Did you pick the highest, which in my case would be say 145, or did you go towards the lower, or perhaps the middle? I don't want to risk setting an unrealistic expectation for myself. Or perhaps your doctors picked your goal weight? Any advice would be appreciated!

Kind regards,

Kay

Hi Kay. My dietitian set my goal to be 190 and she did this by BMI for my height, 6'4". It seems impossibly far away as I am 336 pounds right now. I would just be thrilled to get to 230 - that would be a hella achievement. I'm gonna shoot for the moon and try for 190 but I dunno ....

[newmebithebypass 713]

Im 5'2" and 280ish and my surgeon set a goal weight of 175 so thats some perspective for you. I would love to be at a smaller bmi at goal but 175 seems achievable

Sent from my LGLS676 using BariatricPal mobile app

[Healthy_life2 8,319]

1 hour ago, Kay07 said:

Hi there!

So I met with my nutritionist, and we got to talking about my goal weight. I am 5'6, and currently at 284lbs. She mentioned that my range should be 114 (I am 100% this is unachievable for me!) up to 147. She suggested a goal weight of 135. However I can't help but think that's kind of low? I guess I kind of expected 160 or around there, shows what I know.

My question to you is how did you calculate your goal weights? Did you pick the highest, which in my case would be say 145, or did you go towards the lower, or perhaps the middle? I don't want to risk setting an unrealistic expectation for myself. Or perhaps your doctors picked your goal weight? Any advice would be appreciated!

Kind regards,

Kay

Do you think she was giving you the healthy BMI range according to the BMI chart? See attached.

I was not given a goal by my medical team. They told me the norm is to lose 60% of your weight with the sleeve.

I think we are more than the statistics. Hit for something realistic to you and if you go past it.....it's a bonus! lol

For me the goal is healthy..Not a number on the scale.

[Kay07 734]

Thanks everyone for your feedback!

@336Mike I was about 140 in High School, but not sure if its really feasible to get back to that after having 2 kids. To think I thought I was fat THEN...

@Mattymatt That's kind of what I was thinking, that even my first assumed goal of 160 felt so very far away. Then to make it 135 felt almost impossible. I'd rather set an achievable goal, as I am very much a goal oriented person. Did you feel at all overwhelmed by the goal of 190?

@newmebithebypass See I think I might just do the same, and work towards a goal that makes sense. I just know that if I go with the goal of 135, and I don't meet it, I will feel like I failed.

@Jenn1 I think I look at the numbers because its easier to track. I want to be healthy. I want to not have to dread going to the doctors and get the "so about your weight..." conversations. If I say I want to get to 160, I know what that looks like because I was it once. If I say I want to get to a bmi of 22, I've no idea what that is. I feel like the only reason I know what a bmi is, is because mine is bad! Perhaps I just need to adjust my way of thinking to make this seem less overwhelming.

Edited March 21, 2018 by Kay07

[Mattymatt 491]

@Kay07 I am honestly too overwhelmed right now with re-learning how to live my life without having food as my go to for when life makes me sad or pisses me off, LOL! I got my hands too full to even think about 190. I am goal-oriented as well, but this time, I am going to take it in stride.

[Kay07 734]

1 minute ago, Mattymatt said:

@Kay07 I am honestly too overwhelmed right now with re-learning how to live my life without having food as my go to for when life makes me sad or pisses me off, LOL! I got my hands too full to even think about 190. I am goal-oriented as well, but this time, I am going to take it in stride.

Hope I can do the same! I am mildly obsessed with goals, which is great for work! Nooot so great for this I think?

[Mattymatt 491]

1 minute ago, Kay07 said:

Hope I can do the same! I am mildly obsessed with goals, which is great for work! Nooot so great for this I think?

It's all about balance. Some goals are good, but too many can lead to frustration. That's my 0.02. It's worth that, if less. I am trying to discover living life in balance, something that's been out of whack for me for quite a bit.

[Creekimp13 5,838]

I am so glad my group does NOT use BMI. Because BMI is kinda....crap...and everyone in the medical community knows it. Try telling that to the insurance companies, though.

BMI is a very general measurement of average body types and it can GROSSLY misrepresent actual fitness. For example...Anold Schwarzenegger had an obese 33 BMI when he won Mr. Universe in 1967,

The formula for BMI was created in the 1830's by a Belgian astronomer. It's an extremely DATED tool...and we have more accurate ways of measuring body fat.

My group used a metabolic analysis test to precisely measure my body fat. Then, they figured out what I would weigh at 30% body fat...which is a normal, moderately fit body fat percentage for a woman my age.

They said I would achieve 30% body fat at 172-176 pounds which was their suggested goal.

I picked 170 because it seemed like a nice round number with a little built in error zone.

Some of us are built sturdier and more muscular. Some of us are built willowy and long. Body shapes and types do not conform to the BMI chart.

Getting a metobolic analysis and figuring out your actual body fat pecentage...is a really good tool for setting a healthy goal weight.

Edited March 21, 2018 by Creekimp13

[Kay07 734]

Thanks @Creekimp13! I did not learn about what BMI was until I first researched this surgery perhaps 2 or so years ago, so I have no idea what it really means. Numbers are finite.

Thank you all for your input, I've been stressing over this number of 135 all day and I am glad that it isn't as big a deal as my nutritionist made it out to be!

[logicwand 269]

Neither my doctor nor dietitian gave me a goal weight! I thought that was so weird. Glad I'm not the only one. When I was running and lost weight on my own, I hit 140 lbs and I felt healthy and looked proportionate. When I saw that my height at 140lbs was in the middle of the healthy BMI numbers (22), I picked it for a goal. If I can't get there again, it'll be disappointing, but I certainly want to try!

[Kay07 734]

28 minutes ago, logicwand said:

Neither my doctor nor dietitian gave me a goal weight! I thought that was so weird. Glad I'm not the only one. When I was running and lost weight on my own, I hit 140 lbs and I felt healthy and looked proportionate. When I saw that my height at 140lbs was in the middle of the healthy BMI numbers (22), I picked it for a goal. If I can't get there again, it'll be disappointing, but I certainly want to try!

I wish you all the best in getting there!!!

[Losebig 508]

My group had us come up with a weight and then made sure it was realistic. My nutritionist agreed that my “healthy” weight is obscured given my build (fairly muscular with a long torso). I selected 190 based on having been that weight and been very slim and feeling great. Below that my ribs start to stick out... honestly I’ll Be super happy around 200.

Try and balance reasonable and healthy with what the charts show