The craziness of "goal" or "ideal" weights

[Dave0168]

Before my pre-op class today, I met with the NP to go over all the paperwork details and answer any questions I had as well as get my vitals including current weight. Anyways, after pluging my height and weight into their computer, it came back with an ideal body weight of 166.

166.

There is NO WAY I would feel right at that weight! That is only 40 #'s over my 17 y/o daughter's weight. I would get blown over by a passing bus.

I am hoping these numbers don't mean anything. In my mind, I would be comfortable around 210. That's still 200+ lbs lower than my highest weight.

166. Boggles the mind.

 

[chevtow]

I agree with you. I'm supposed to be 190. My head would look like a blimp tied to a tree

 

[robs477]

Guys, I'm with you 100%...Back 20 yrs ago, I was 230 and at 17% body fat. Scales mean very little, its really all about body fat to muscle mass ratio. My Daughter said the other day..."Daddy, I don't want me NO STICK for a Daddy"....I about fell over laughing, but she was serious. I would be happy getting down to 220-230 and really don't want to go much below that.

 

[jim1969]

About 10 yrs ago I was down to 204. I would be very happy to be around the 190 - 200 mark.

 

[DianaCox]

Aside from our bones being heavier, there just seems to be something about how we look and feel at a higher weight than the charts show.

Here is something I wrote some time ago that is somewhat related:
http://bariatricfacts.org/threads/realistic-goals-and-personal-responsibility.934/

 

[Dave0168]

Thanks for the link Diane, good stuff.

Everything you stated I agree with, I think that my image of a "healthy" me doesn't include the wasted look I think I would have at 166.

Realistically I would never expect to reach that weight (nor want to). I believe that low would compromise way too much muscle mass and who knows where my bone density lies.

Overall I'll be happy if I hit 230 just as much as if I got to 180. Either way it's still a healthier and happier me.

Just the picture in my minds eye of me at 166 (chevtow pretty much summed it up)

 

[southernlady]

However...

While you are in your optimum weight loss window, do your best to keep losing to below what you want to finally end up at. Example, I kept going, saw 121 but am now a comfortable 137. Didn't change my eating and still had some bounce back. My dh got to 147 and YEAP, resembled the stick figure above. BUT he bounced back to the 170's then slipped up and saw the 190's. He's now back to losing a bit so he is in the low 180's range. (He's 5'8" so even 180 is technically overweight for him) He'd like to get back down to 175.

Typical bounce back is "quoted" at 10-20% of your weight loss. I lost 84 lbs but have have regained the 20%. Personally I want to stick to 130-135 but not gonna stress over 2-3 lbs. I'll watch them, keep them from having others join them but not gonna stress.

Remember, esp in these early days post-op...what you see in the mirror AND what your loved ones see are very biased. IF someone who has never known you fat thinks you are too thin, then yeah, you probably are.

BUT keep in mind that normal is ONLY a dryer setting!