Excess Weight Calculation

[Happy-go-lucky 1]

So question to you all, when calculating out your excess weight, did you use the weight of when you started your journey (for some that may be their highest weight) or use the weight that you checked in for surgery? So for example, I was at 304lbs when I started my journey (lapband removed and going through all the testing to before surgery) aftet all of that plus the pre op liver shrinking diet (total of 6 months from band removal to bypass) I got down to 278 on my surgery day. So I am just trying to figure out do I used the 304lbs or 278lbs to calculate out my excess weight.

[Arabesque 7,602]

I used the weight I was at my first appointment to begin the process. Coincidently, it also was the highest weight I’ve ever been. I started cutting back from that appointment myself & saw the dietician the following week to begin the pre surgery diet. To me the first appointment was the beginning of my weight loss journey & when I started to lose my excess weight.

[WanderingHeart 141]

My surgeon said to use surgery weight

[Lynnlovesthebeach 627]

My surgeon's office uses the weight from the first office visit. My highest weight ever is actually higher than that so when people ask me how much I've lost I tell them "It depends on what starting point you use, but it's a lot." And then I never tell them a number! From my highest weight ever I've actually lost 134 lbs or about 55% of my total weight and about 110% of my excess weight!

[PolkSDA 116]

People all calculate differently.

My surgeon and nutritionist both use the weight from my first consultation visit when assessing progress, so it includes the weight gained or lost while in the program leading up to date of surgery.

In my case, the starting weight of 383.4 is from June of 2019. I was 337 on my surgery date in mid-July of 2020. However, my all-time highest weight is probably from 2016 when I weighed approximately 410.

410... 383.4... 337... it ends up being semantics IMO. The only thing that really matters is that the weight now is well below all three.

[catwoman7 11,284]

I don't know that it really matters in the long run. I use my highest weight, which is what I weighed before my six-month supervised diet started (and I completed this diet BEFORE I entered the bariatric program, because I had to change insurance companies to get WLS coverage, and I had to wait for the enrollment period (and then until January of the following year because coverage would start). The new insurance company said it was fine to use a six-month supervised diet that was done under another network as long as it had occurred within the last two years.

[njlimmer 344]

Do you mean for trying to figure out how much weight you "should" be able to lose after surgery? I would think you'd use your surgery weight for that. Anything beforehand wouldn't be because of the tool so I wouldn't think it'd count towards your "expected" weight loss from surgery.

[ms.sss 15,831]

1 hour ago, njlimmer said:

Do you mean for trying to figure out how much weight you "should" be able to lose after surgery? I would think you'd use your surgery weight for that. Anything beforehand wouldn't be because of the tool so I wouldn't think it'd count towards your "expected" weight loss from surgery.

Yeah, I would think that if one is looking for data on weight loss with the surgery, then surgery weight should be used. If you are looking for overall weight loss for a program, then use the weight at the start of your program. Counting the weight loss prior to surgery would skew the statistics.

With that said, my surgeon used the weight at the start of my 2 week pre-op diet (235). But *I* use the weight that I was on the morning of surgery.

Further, the baseline for goal weight was/is what my weight would be at a BMI of 25. I have read others use a different data point, like a personal goal weight (which could be either above or below a BMI 25 baseline for their height).

So yeah, just another unreliable statistic if one is comparing oneself to others...

[Happy-go-lucky 1]

Thank you all! It helps put things in perspective! I wasn't ever planning to really use it to compare numbers, I was just looking for possible weight loss with the surgery. So like the potential that could be lost. I know it is different for each person. I was just planning on using it for the days where a plateau hits and beat myself up, I can be like "well you have lost x% of your excess body fat in x amounr of time, you are still doing great!" Just to help keep me motivated and not lose sight.