I've been wondering what, if any, is the difference between reaching a goal weight or reaching a comfortable body size. In 2007 I lost 60 pounds (I was at 260, but felt very comfortable, strong, agile, and healthy at that weight) so I didn't really continue to try to lose more weight. Well I'm a stress eater and after losing a job two months in after I moved into a new apartment, I was stressed out and sure enough, I ballooned back up to over 340 pounds. My surgery was 28 Feb and so far so good. So I've had people ask me if I'm going for a goal weight or not. I put down 180 pounds because I want to do it differently this time. But I put the question out to the bariatric community - which did you choose and why? Did you go for goal weight or comfortable size and why did you choose that?

I picked 150 lbs because it seemed reasonable. So far I have not reached 150 and it has been 5 years. The 1st 2 years I stayed at 170. Then lost 10 and stayed at 160 for a couple more. Today I'm at 155, but prefer 152.

All of that is in my mind though. My body wants 160 lbs or so. I may have to be content with 155 and just split the difference between mind and body.

I have decided to lay off the candy bars and see if I can get to 152 this next week.

You might want to set an initial goal weight, but your ultimate goal weight may change the further out you are from surgery. My highest weight was 350 (5’8” female), and my surgery weight (before 10 day pre-op diet) was 303. My surgical team never set a goal weight or really even encouraged me to set a goal weight, but I set an original goal weight for myself of 197, just because that was the number I would need to be in order to no longer be morbidly obese. I never cared about being thin, but I just wanted to be healthy and comfortable like you, and I figured I would look better with a few extra pounds anyway since I didn’t want to end up looking gaunt if I lost too much weight. After I got closer to 197 I modified my goal weight to 175, which would put me in the middle of the overweight range, and my doctor said 170 or 175 should be fine for a goal weight. That was a few months ago, and now I’m down to 158 and at a healthy BMI, and I don’t think I look gaunt at all. I’m eating at a maintenance level now (about 1,900 a day) and still very slowly losing. As long as I continue to eat right and exercise my body will eventually get to the weight that’s right for it. So it never hurts to set a goal weight, but it will eventually be up to your body.

Although I would and maybe will accept 200 lbs, 175 seemed to fit in mybdesired size of Size 15 down from a current Size 26-28. If I remember right at 198 I was an 18 but that was 40 years ago.??

Well, I am not at goal - about 45ish pounds from it. IF 184 was to be a stopping point, I could live with that weight because I am full of energy, I look better and feel better. BUT that isn't going to happen, I want more. I want to be more fit, thinner and I am betting I will feel even better at a lower weight.

Well, I am not at goal - about 45ish pounds from it. IF 184 was to be a stopping point, I could live with that weight because I am full of energy, I look better and feel better. BUT that isn't going to happen, I want more. I want to be more fit, thinner and I am betting I will feel even better at a lower weight.

I'll probably adjust as I continue to lose weight. My ultimate goal is to be able to get off blood pressure and diabetes medicine, move with ease, go up a flight of stairs without aches and running out of breath, and fit comfortably in a booth. I'm getting there though already :-D I climbed a flight of stairs on Friday and didn't feel so winded as before. Last week I tested a booth and I was more comfortable than before surgery. I'm just going to take it one success at a time and celebrate each one.

1 hour ago, MermaidInAZ said:

I've been wondering what, if any, is the difference between reaching a goal weight or reaching a comfortable body size. In 2007 I lost 60 pounds (I was at 260, but felt very comfortable, strong, agile, and healthy at that weight) so I didn't really continue to try to lose more weight. Well I'm a stress eater and after losing a job two months in after I moved into a new apartment, I was stressed out and sure enough, I ballooned back up to over 340 pounds. My surgery was 28 Feb and so far so good. So I've had people ask me if I'm going for a goal weight or not. I put down 180 pounds because I want to do it differently this time. But I put the question out to the bariatric community - which did you choose and why? Did you go for goal weight or comfortable size and why did you choose that?

I'm sorry to be a dissenter here, but I think 260 pounds could NOT be possible be comfortable at 5'4". I'm 5'5", and 228 lbs was NOT comfortable. My PCP would be happy with 180, so that might be reasonable, but I'm sure I -- and you -- could do better.

3 hours ago, MermaidInAZ said:

I've been wondering what, if any, is the difference between reaching a goal weight or reaching a comfortable body size. In 2007 I lost 60 pounds (I was at 260, but felt very comfortable, strong, agile, and healthy at that weight) so I didn't really continue to try to lose more weight. Well I'm a stress eater and after losing a job two months in after I moved into a new apartment, I was stressed out and sure enough, I ballooned back up to over 340 pounds. My surgery was 28 Feb and so far so good. So I've had people ask me if I'm going for a goal weight or not. I put down 180 pounds because I want to do it differently this time. But I put the question out to the bariatric community - which did you choose and why? Did you go for goal weight or comfortable size and why did you choose that?

well i was 188 pounds at 18 but got down to 170 during time in the navy and i looked dam good at 170 even tho i was considered overweight for my height.

so my long term goal as listed to the left is the min. needed to not be overweight for my height. i was in 9th grade the last time i was at that weight.

i have shorter term goals i use as i work on that.

my next one is to leave "obese" in the rear view mirror. 191 pounds

of course those size 34 button fly levi jeans are calling my name so thats also a short term goal.

5 hours ago, Apple203 said:

I'm sorry to be a dissenter here, but I think 260 pounds could NOT be possible be comfortable at 5'4". I'm 5'5", and 228 lbs was NOT comfortable. My PCP would be happy with 180, so that might be reasonable, but I'm sure I -- and you -- could do better.

Fair enough statement, but I know what and how I felt. I was working out at Curves Monday through Friday and I was hiking on Saturdays. So a lot of it was muscle. My arms were toned and "cut" as were my legs. I did have a belly, but it was flatter than now. Of course, this was also over 10 years ago. I'm 50 years old now, I have a demanding full time job and I have started walking to get to working out again. Remember that each body is different. You can have five women who are all 5'5" and weigh 160 pounds and they will all look different. Some will be "smaller" and some will be "thicker". Also, remember that I did set a goal weight this time around.

Fair enough statement, but I know what and how I felt. I was working out at Curves Monday through Friday and I was hiking on Saturdays. So a lot of it was muscle. My arms were toned and "cut" as were my legs. I did have a belly, but it was flatter than now. Of course, this was also over 10 years ago. I'm 50 years old now, I have a demanding full time job and I have started walking to get to working out again. Remember that each body is different. You can have five women who are all 5'5" and weigh 160 pounds and they will all look different. Some will be "smaller" and some will be "thicker". Also, remember that I did set a goal weight this time around.

160 or 260? You said 260 above

My goal is 170....which is a little lower than what what my doc set it at. After my metabolic analysis, they determined that at 172-178 pounds I would have 30% body fat...which is what they like to aim for because it's a conservative normal body fat level for someone in their 40's. If they were to go by BMI, my weight goal would be lower...but since BMI is very arbitrary and doesn't reflect true body fat to muscle ratio....they prefer metabolic analysis.

Truthfully, my big goal was to achieve normal blood pressure without meds, have normal blood glucose, and resolve my leg edema....and I've done all of these My other big goal is to live the rest of my life under 200 pounds. Anything else is a bonus. I did a lot of hunt seat riding competitions at 170 and was in the best shape of my life. I think there's a good chance I'll see that number again:)

In my mangled post above, I didn't mean to denigrate 160 as a goal - I meant to say that 260 isn't a good goal. I will be satisfied if I end up at 160-180, but I am hoping for and shooting for 140-150. My PCP encouraged me to aim for the high end of normal.

8 days, +0.2# << stalls are the pits

Edited April 16, 20188 yr by Apple203

5 hours ago, Creekimp13 said:

My goal is 170....which is a little lower than what what my doc set it at. After my metabolic analysis, they determined that at 172-178 pounds I would have 30% body fat...which is what they like to aim for because it's a conservative normal body fat level for someone in their 40's.

I'm intrigued by this. Can you tell me more about how they did the metabolic analysis? Was it Dexa scan?

Nope. They figured it out with two readings. A MedGem metabolic test and a hydrostatic weight (under water scale).

1 minute ago, Creekimp13 said:

Nope. They figured it out with two readings. A MedGem metabolic test and a hydrostatic weight (under Water scale).

cool!!