What is 100% of Excess body weight?

burnsun · August 6, 2005

OK here is my weird & probablly the dumbest question I have asked so far. (even after a year of banding and 2 years research)

I think I did it! Today I made my original goal of 164 lbs My BMI is below 25 and I have done better than many and the envy of my mother in law (she is on the 50% track.

I made my original goal- which was below 165 and below 25 bmi. However I am now slightly readjusting and deciding 150 is where I really want to be and if I stay there for about 6 months with exercise - maybe I will decide I really will spend the $ on me and get some work done on the now starting to sag skin!

So did I loose 100% or when is 100% of excess body weight going to be? Don't hate me for asking- dh asked me tonight when it was - He feels I have lost a whole person since I got pregnant with Adrian in October 02 (330lbs) to 164 today so what is the answer oh fonts of all band knowlege :sleep

itsyvonne · August 6, 2005

My best guess is that you've lost 100% of your excess body weight when you reach a BMI in the "normal" category. You are below 25, so I guess you've lost 100% of your excess body weight. Be happy! Now, whether or not you are *satisfied* with that weight is a whole 'nother can of worms.

-Yvonne

burnsun · August 6, 2005

The only reason I wanted to know was in comparison with all the stats that they give patients and say you can't loose 100% ebw witht he band. And to compare with the current and older fda statisitics to see how I did and how it has changed (if it has changed over time)

itsyvonne · August 6, 2005

Well, now you know that there's lies, damn lies, and statistics. haha.

They probably don't say you CAN'T lose 100% of your excess body weight with the band - they probably say that on AVERAGE, people lose X% of ebw with the band (I seem to remember pretty dismal sounding stats ... like 30%? What are you seeing?).

You and I have both beat the average ... I am also below a BMI of 25 now ... and I'm shooting for 22. :)

-Yvonne

Jachut · August 6, 2005

Correct me if I'm wrong but I would guess lots and lots of people lose simply due to the restriction in the amount they can eat and this results in the average 2/3 or so of excess weight I've read about - people eating lots less, making general improvements in their weight related behaviours but perhaps not counting calories or dieting as such.

I understand it that there's no reason why you cant get to a specific goal, like right down at the bottom of your healthy weigh range but like for anyone, you will have to work at it - count calories, exercise regularly and that within the scope of your band, like any normal person you will fluctuate in your weight day to day and you have to make good decisions to stay at your goal weight.

I was envisaging after surgery, if I have it, that I will be following something like Weight Watchers (I have the at home program), counting points, making good food choices and that some days I will stick to it well, some days I may not but that the band will prevent me from blowing it completely. Depending on how many good days I have over the course of a year or so I will or wont get down to 70kg rather than say, 85. I would be thrilled with 85 by the way, at 5ft 10 its still a comfortable and healthier weight than 110kg.

Marimaru · August 6, 2005

I don't have a good answer for you, but CONGRATULATIONS!!!

lovecats85 · August 6, 2005

My dr says a typical band patient loses 60% of ebw - 60 out of 100 lbs - so i think you did lose 100% - you go girl!

SherriWittler · August 6, 2005

You lost 100 pounds in a year?!?!? That is great!!! Did you have a hard time doing it? I am looking into getting my band by the end of the year .... I hope and pray that I can do as good as you. You should be one proud woman!! Pat yourself on the back!!!! :banana

fee · August 6, 2005

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

you have done a fantastic job

i havent got a band yet but will be soon and if i can lose what you have lost then i will be very happy!!!

August 6, 2005

Congrats on your loss! Here is my understanding of excess weight as told to me by my doctor: My pre-op weight was 239. The ideal weight for my height (5'2) is 125. Most band patients lose 60% of their excess weight- for me this would be 68lbs. In order to lose 100% of my excess weight I would need to lose 114 lbs. So, I guess in order to determine if you have lost 100%, you would need to see what the ideal weight for you height is. Please let us know, as I would love to hear that yet another bandster has beaten the statistics and gotten 100% of their weight off! Leah:)

daniela531 · August 7, 2005

Hi Burnsun,

Congratulations on your victory!!! I'm not banded yet but will be 9/9/05. You as well as so many others are an inspiration to me.

I beleive your excess body weight is the amount of pounds you have over you ideal body weight.

So for example according to the NIH a woman at 5 feet 4 inches should weigh 131 pounds.

To figure out how much overweight you are minus your ideal weight from you weight when you started. In this example it would be 199lbs.

If you lose 199 pounds you lost 100% of your excess body weight.

If you lost 99.5lbs you would have lost 50% of your excess weight.

It depends on how tall u are.

burnsun · August 7, 2005

Ok I am almost 5' 9 " ( ahair smaller -I grew over an inch since loosing weight). I am not sure where you find ideal weight. I know the BMI for my height says 130 to 167.5 for the "normal range"/ I really am big boned (and highly dense bones at that from my bone scan). I was just comfused on what is "ideal weight" for my height. Is it a size 10 is it a medium is it 150 lbs is it Callista Flock hardt ----oh like the world I am comfused.

I also wondered how they "determined ideal weight in all these studies or were they using goal weight or what ever.? I feel like I made 100%- I can say in my adult life I have never been in the "Normal" range so I feel I made a major accomplishment. PS says I have about 15-18 lbs of skin that could go too!!!- But I just wanted to know if I did better than average or if this is the average or whatever!

I know I would look horrible below 140- I know that. Because I have half the world worried I am going to go anorexic on them (not a problem with Ben & Jerry around though!). I still carry a big booty M on top and Large on bottom but I am very pleased!!!!

vinesqueen · August 8, 2005

Yay Jane! I don't have a good answer for you. I could easily make one up though...

Maybe bandsters don't on average loose 100% because we have been heavy for a long time? I could just be making this up.

I know that my "Ideal" weight is 125. Ideal only by the books, but not by what actually looks good on me. I've been down to 150 and I looked downright sickly. But I've got that frame that is really large... When I was seriously working out I could bench press close to 300 pounds. We are not talking petit flower... I'm not built like the ladies from Vietnam at the nail salon by my house.

But again, congrats to you Jane and you too Yvonne! Congrats and a job well done!