I'm 230 right now. I am strongly considering getting a lap band. Statistics say people lose around 45% of there excess body weight. Just a rough estimate, I'd say anything above 130 for me (I'm 5'4") would be considered excess.... I think 145 is where I would technically be considered overweight so I'll use that as an example. So subtract 145 from 230 and you get 85... 85 pounds of excess body weight. So if I lose 50% of that (42lbs), I'll be at 188... still very obese.

Can someone please correct my math.... 42 pounds of weight loss doesn't sound very worth the $3000, months of 'getting the hang of it' etc. Ick someone please tell me this is wrong.

Even if I do it like this.... excess body weight being anything above 120, that still only puts me at losing 55 pounds.... and being at 175. I mean 175 sounds pretty good right now, but 5 years ago I was a nice 130!!!

Someone please help me figure out my potential weight loss. Having a lap band doesn't exactly look easy or fun, so I at least want the results to be worth it. Thanks!!

I think the stats are accurate. You are the deciding factor as to where you want to fall on the bell curve.

Make up your mind and don't let anything, not one thing, get in your way of accomplishing your goal.

Going in thinking -44 is the best you can do, it will be the best you can do.

Good luck.

I always heard the average loss was 60% of excess weight, not 42%? If you spend some time around here, you will find lots of people who have lost 90-110% of their excess weight. You will also find lots who have lost less than 10% of their excess weight. You can easily see how that statistic was arrived at.

There were LOTS of great replies (esp Wheetsin and Mac) so all I really have to add is that the monetary value of your band isn't just in the number of pounds you lose. For me, the #1 reason I chose WLS, and banding in particular, was KEEPING it OFF. You can lose 40 lbs by dieting, but was it worth the cost to you if you gain it back in 4 months? If I only lost 40 lbs from banding but I never gained it back, I would still have considered it a success. That 40 lb loss pays health dividends that are well worth the money, at least to me. But you can definitely expect to lose at least 60%, and I'd say closer to 90%, of your excess weight with the band, IF you are willing to make the necessary diet and exercise changes. No excuses! I'd hesitate to say that everyone can lose 100% of excess weight--maybe they can, maybe they don't really want to or don't care about the difference between 90% and 100% lost. But if that is your goal, and you are willing to do what it takes and know REALISTICALLY what the band can and can't be expected to do, then you can definitely reach it.

For me, I'm at about 62% lost after 13 months, according to my surgeon and the BMI table. But, I'm at 75% of my goal, because my goal weight is slightly higher than the BMI table, due to my body frame. When I get to my goal, if it seems reasonable to go further, I will. :biggrin2:

Ohhh, you guys just made me do math. I've lost 79% of my excess weight in six months. I fully expect to lose the rest, but it will be slower as I get closer to goal.

I think some people get part of the way to goal and feel well enough about their new weight that they never do the final push. And of course you are always averaging in the folks who just never get with the program to begin with. It certainly isn't automatic, but it is doable.

Everyone has given such great responses that I won't repeat them. I'll talk about your BMI. I came to my goal weight by playing with the BMI tables. I'm 5'3" and started this process at officially 236lbs.

When I was 18 I weighed about 120, not sure but right around there, if anything, it was less. I never weighed myself back then (20+ years ago!). I'm going to be 40 this summer, I don't ever expect to see 120 again! Doesn't mean I won't try for it but my overall goal is to keep this weight OFF for once, instead of gaining it back again, and getting to a healthy BMI.

I used this website to play with the numbers until I felt it was what I wanted to shoot for.

BMI - Body Mass Index: Adult BMI Calculator: English | DNPAO | CDC

I just put in different weights til I got to the BMI that I wanted.

Big motivations for me are my 22 month old DD and my DH as well as my health. Like I said, I'm almost 40, I can hardly WALK sometimes b/c I have bone spurs in my heal. My Exercise Induced Asthma is getting worse b/c I'm not as active b/c of the spurs. My BP is barely (sometimes NOT) controlled b/c of the previous 2. I don't want to be a fat, crippled, old lady by the time I'm 45 years old!!!

I don't feel that old, I sure as heck don't want to feel OLDER!!!

You will lose what YOU will be determined to lose. Best of luck to you. And Welcome!!

A friend explained it to me this way....if you just want the band to do all the work, the most you can expect to lose is 30-50% of your excess weight. If you decide to use the band as a tool, and help it out by making great food choices consistently and getting good exercise - you can lose 100% of your excess weight.

Look around at the tickers on this forum - I think you'll find the most people lose much more than the statistics claim.

In fact - what do you say, my band friends....shall we all work together to be a new and updated statistic??

Becca,

Again I'm going to go with the stats are correct.

What you see on LBT are people who are actively working toward goal. OUR stats are much better than average because we invest our time/energy into this tool.

Unfortunately (for them) those who pad the lower numbers wouldn't be around here to see your suggestion.

But here's to those who care getting to goal. Cheers!!!

You get out of it what you put into it. The Lapband isn't a free pass. You still have to work at it.

I've lost 80% of my "excess weight". Why not 100%. Because I FREAKED OUT when I lost all that weight. I wasn't prepared for how it would change my life.

With the help of a great therapist I'm back on track and losing again. Had I stayed the course, I would have made goal in about a year and a half. Oh well, what's done is done.

Onward.

I guess the answer to your question is: "Your milage may vary"

Who said you could never be 125? You can be whatever weight you want to be with the right tools... the band if your tool.