How do you determine your goal weight?

[shahsosweet 0]

Good morning Bandsters!

I am going to my first Lap Band seminar today at NYU and I cant stop thinking about it...Ive been up since 5am just researching more lapband info.

-So I have a question: Do you or the physician determine what your goal weight should be? What was your goal weight and how did you come to that conclusion that would be the sie you aimed for? I've been overweight and now obese so long......I have absolutely no concept of what my normal weight should be. Im currently 5'3 and a whopping 214lbs:eek:...the heaviest Ive ever been. Im thinking of my goal weight being 130.....appropriate for height/weight I guess. I remember being this size in my first year college and I was about a size 10. I dont want to be emaciated or bone skinny just healthy and fit. Ive reviewed a few height/weight charts and they all vary so Im unclear how to accurately determine where I should aim to be. Any feedback would be well appreciated:biggrin:!

[juliansmom2003 3]

shahsosweet,

From my experience, my surgeon didn't determine what the ideal loss for me would be. When I got on the Tanita scale, it gives you an idea of what your weight may be, but they haven't set anything in stone for me. When I went to my behavioral therapy appt., she flat out asked me where I'd like to be (I'm currently 220 lbs, 5 ft 1 1/2 in) and I told her like 150 or 160 even though that is still considered overweight. She said she thought it was a healthy goal and her weight, even though ideal for her, is still listed as overweight. Who makes up the stinking criteria for overweight, obese, etc. anyway LOL

I hope this helped somewhat. Sorry to ramble!

[Padanelle 2]

When I first met with my surgeon, he said I should be able to loose 80 lbs, which seemed like a good goal for me. I'm 4'11", so that would put me at 139. Although I won't exactly be thin at that weight, I know I'll feel great. And once I get there and maintain - who knows - maybe I'll be able to loose even more.

Enjoy the seminar tonight. I was banded at NYU. They have a great team.

Joan

[jaciqltz 0]

Your goal weight is just that, YOUR goal weight. Only you know when you feel right and healthy. It might not fit the "charts" they like to use, but go by your BMI and gut feeling.

Age, # of kids, etc, all play a part in how you will feel as you lose.

My Dr. told me that although the chart says I should be 132, I would be look and feel better at 155!

Still over weight for 5'4", but at nearly 50, I am ok with that as a goal!

[L12 13]

When my doctor first asked what I wanted to weigh, I told him it would be nice to be able to get to my ideal weight (about 130), but at least wanted to get to 160. He said that 130 sounded too skinny (I'm 5'4). So we agreed on 160 for now; if I can get there with reasonable effort, I will push him to help me go lower, probably ten pounds at a time.

[losingit37 0]

I'm 5'2'' and at my highest was 400 lbs. I'm now around 300

I've always loved the way I look, and I have no intentions of "skinnying up". Like you, I aim to be fit, and at lowest a size 10.

My goal weight for myself is 180. For my family doctor, he says I need to be 150. My surgeon says I need to aim for 120 (what the height/weight chart says I should be).

I decided to go with my weight, because I can always lose more if I chose to.

Too, I don't store too much faith in the height/weight chart because it was created a very long time ago, without any updates. Ever been into an antique store? People used to be a lot smaller than we are now.

I would look sickly if I were 120. I even question how I would look at 150.

I say aim low and go with what YOU feel comfortable with.

Your doctor can't arrest you for being a little over BMI, and your surgeon will not remove your band if you refuse to lose more weight than you're comfortable with.

I hope that helps

[Band_Groupie 3]

I was 160 about 7 years ago and I wasn't stick thin then (I'm 5'8.75"). I'm aiming to be somewhere in that normal/healthy BMI (even 10 lbs. overweight increases health problem, so I figure if I'm doing all this to be healthy then I need to go for a healthy BMI). I gave myself a goal 'range' of 148-158 (148 is a 22 BMI for me)...I figure I'll know it when I get there.

[elcee 3,343]

I quite like this weight calculator. Instead of using the one method it gives 4 different methods.Based on my height of 153cm and my age 46 it tells me I could weigh anything between 44 and 59kg.

I don't think i could ever get to 44 - I struggled with that even when I was young. The people's choice weight of 53kg is the one I think I would probably be happiest with. I was around that weight for a short period about 5 years ago and felt pretty happy.I am currently 59.9 which is close to the range that I can be in but I am not comfortable, I still have a large stomach and weight carried around the middle is the unhealthiest kind.

I think we should set a goal, see how we feel once we get there and then reassess. It is possible that we may set a new goal or we may decide we are happy.

Better Ideal Weight Body Calculations

[Band_Groupie 3]

elcee- Thanks for the link. It was interesting...mine had a wide goal with a range of 20 lbs. It was funny that when I changed my 'current' weight down to the high end of my goal the 'people's choice' gave me the exact low end of my goal...interesting. It reinforced that my 10lb. range should work out pretty well...but I'm not stuck on a specific no.

[Unforgettable 0]

I've always been told that I never look what I weigh, so to me the number doesn't mean too much. My surgeon asked me where I wanted to be, I threw out a number, and he said he thought it was possible. Now for instance my friend who is in her 40s and has had 5 kids, he picked a higher number for her based on that information. But since I am younger and have had no kids he doesn't think there will be a problem reaching that goal.

I have NO clue what I will look like at "goal" weight. If I find myself 20 pounds higher than goal and really LOVING the way I look and feel, then that will be my new goal We focus too much on numbers