Goal Weight?

[PsychoMantis 9]

I am a 5’5” female and my weight the day of surgery with clothes on was 226 lbs. I’ve tried to look up a good height to weight ratio online and it said I should be around 110 lbs, which seems a bit low. What should my goal weight actually be or is there a good place I can look it up? It varies from website to website.

[Hannah L. 8]

Hello! I too am 5'5" and my goal Weight was 160 but my body settled in around 150. My Dr. Told me to maintain at this weight. I some times dip into the 140s when I'm marathon training!

Edited January 5 by Hannah L.

[PsychoMantis 9]

So it's probably a good idea to ask my doctor then. I'll ask today. Thanks for the insight!

[Nepenthe44 98]

1 hour ago, PsychoMantis said:

I’ve tried to look up a good height to weight ratio online and it said I should be around 110 lbs, which seems a bit low.

That's a BMI of 18.3, which is considered underweight. I wouldn't trust whatever site you found this information on.

[bbykitty 376]

I checked the app I use & it says for a woman who is 5'5, 111lbs to 149lbs is your 'normal' range so you have to room to work with

(also keep in mind the app I use uses the traditional BMI scale & it's not taking muscle weight into consideration)

[catwoman7 9,483]

31 minutes ago, bbykitty said:

I checked the app I use & it says for a woman who is 5'5, 111lbs to 149lbs is your 'normal' range so you have to room to work with

(also keep in mind the app I use uses the traditional BMI scale & it's not taking muscle weight into consideration)

agreed. People who have lost a lot of weight often have more muscle and bone than someone who's never been overweight. It's because you needed that extra "infrastructure" to hold up the weight. You lose some of that as you're losing weight, but not all of it. The PA at my clinic said you'll probably look about 10 lbs lighter than what the scale says, because of the extra muscle and bone weight (well, and loose skin if you have it). So the lower end of the BMI scale might be too low for the OP. I got down to the middle of my normal BMI scale, and I looked crazy thin. I look much better at the higher end - or even slightly overweight.

Edited January 5 by catwoman7

[PsychoMantis 9]

The doctor told me about 150-160 was a good range, which means I only have 70 lbs to go. Wish the Baritastic app would connect with my Wyze scale.

[Arabesque 4,655]

6 hours ago, bbykitty said:

I checked the app I use & it says for a woman who is 5'5, 111lbs to 149lbs is your 'normal' range so you have to room to work with

Agreed as well. BMI is best used as a guide only to give you a bit of an idea not a rule. Actually any goal you set should be a guide only too. Your body will decide what weight you reach as the surgery resets your set point. This is the weight your body is happiest at. You can lose more weight but you have to work harder to lose it & harder to maintain it.

Not everyone reaches their goal weight. (The average is about 65+/-% of the weight you’re to lose.) Also many find when they near what they thought was their goal weight, they’ve lost enough & they feel better being at a higher weight. Other get to their goal & think they are too thin for them. Others get to their goal & find they can or do lose a little more. Lifestyle, age, frame, activity levels (how much you do or want to do ), etc. should be considered when choosing the weight you want to attain.

And yes, I’m someone who’s on the lower end of the BMI scale. It seems to be where my body is happiest so my set point - I lost the additional weight without intending to. I also have a smaller frame (for years I was told I had a largish frame - it was just fat) so being on the lower end of the scale is more appropriate. I don’t have protruding bones or look gaunt. I maintain my weight pretty easily & don’t really exercise (stretches & resistance type things). My doctors are happy but most importantly I’m happy & healthy. That is the real goal.

[Spinoza 579]

19 hours ago, PsychoMantis said:

The doctor told me about 150-160 was a good range, which means I only have 70 lbs to go. Wish the Baritastic app would connect with my Wyze scale.

Glad you got a guide from your doctor. As @Arabesque says, it might be close to that or further away depending on a whole lot of factors - what matters is that you're happy with your loss and that you can maintain your final weight. Nobody wants to be 'on a diet' forever after WLS. Best of luck!

[PsychoMantis 9]

I weighed myself today with my new scale while completely naked and it said I was at 215, the scale is as accurate as the one at the doctors office, I weighed myself with the same clothes on the new scale last night to check the accuracy after seeing the doctor yesterday. I probably lost a pound and my clothes and watch were probably about 4 lbs since it’s winter, meaning truly I have about 65 lbs to go.

[Tuli Rose 4]

I am 5' 4" and currently 169. My goal is probably somewhere between 130 -140, but I would be happy at 150 if I could maintain without to much effort. I was 130 lbs for about 5 minutes and I felt good, but my body (and appetite) fought me every step of the way

[Quesodip251 113]

Your goal will change as you get closer to a healthy and fit body. I wouldn’t even worry about a goal weight as much as a fitness and general health level. As others have said, your body and lifestyle will reach a set point where your weight is healthy and happy and then it will stop. Most people gain some weight back anyway.

I’m 8.5 months out and 130 lbs at 5’7”. My body is still slowly losing maybe 2-3 lbs a month and I’m not concerned if I end up at a low bmi as I ignore it anyway. Obsessing over my weight only leads to stress eating anyway 🙃 I probably eat more than I should but am a fairly active single mom so my calorie burn can handle the amount of calories I eat.

Enjoy the ride and your body will end up where it’s supposed to be. 😃

[hills&valleys 11]

On 1/5/2023 at 11:04 AM, PsychoMantis said:

I am a 5’5” female and my weight the day of surgery with clothes on was 226 lbs. I’ve tried to look up a good height to weight ratio online and it said I should be around 110 lbs, which seems a bit low. What should my goal weight actually be or is there a good place I can look it up? It varies from website to website.

There are a lot of variables to consider. IMO, BMI is flawed....the formula is based on an average body composition. It does not take in consideration frame size, bone mass, muscle mass, large breasted vs small breasted (boobs are heavy!), body shape (ectomorph, mesomorph & endomorph). If you were overweight in your youth and/or the majority of your life, your bones had to accommodate more weight so therefore are most likely larger and heavier than someone who has been slim most of their lives.

Thirty years ago, the general rule for women was a baseline of 100 pounds for a 5 foot woman and 5 pounds for each additional inch. That is an average, but for me at 5'5", I am chubby at 125, where as; my daughter at 2 inches shorter, looks amazing at 135. Before the weight gain in 2012, my natural shape was hourglass (metomorph) with broad shoulders, heavy chested, small waist and slim legs on a small/medium frame. My daughter is rectangular (ectomorph) with broad shoulders, heavy chested, thick waisted, narrow hipped and thicker legs on a medium/large frame. My best weight is 112 to 117 but my daughter, even though she is 2 inches shorter, looks best at 132 to 138.

Weight is a personal matter. You have to find where you are comfortable and a weight that can be easily maintained. Listen to your body and listen to your doctor but don't let others get into your head.

[BriarRose 327]

Other issues are whether or not you have plastics and remove excess skin or not, and your age and fitness level before, during and after weight loss. There are so many different aspects of who we are as humans, and one height and weight chart for all men and women may not be the most effective way to figure this out.

We need to look also at our ethnic make up, our heritage, where we came from, how our bodies are different from each others....

Work with your doctor on where you are and where you would like to be in terms of your weight, and general health. Get regular blood levels drawn, making sure you know where your Iron, Vitamin levels are, and to make sure your internal organs are doing their jobs ! It isn't all about what size we wear or how much we have lost and weight. It is about being healthy and maintaining and improving our lifestyle.