BMI at Surgery

MeemawCanDoIt

I have finally received my records from my PCP and am finishing the month-long Life After Surgery classes required to submit my records for insurance approval, so surgery is finally on the horizon. During the wait, my BMI has dropped from 47 to 36, so I'm happy about that. I expect a BMI of 35 at my time of surgery. Have any of you had surgery with a similar starting BMI, and if so, would you mind sharing what your weight loss path looked like? I know I won't lose as quickly as some, as I've already lost about 60 pounds and am so close to onederland right now. I just don't know what a realistic loss may look like, as most of the journies I've followed started at a higher weight. Any input is so appreciated!

JamesAztec

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't worrry about BMI. It's a made up number by a Belgian mathematician from 150 years ago. Insurance companies starting using it in the 90's because it was easy way for them to raise rates or deny coverage for overweight individuals. I've lost over 200lbs but by BMI standards I'd still need to lose 20 more to be "normal". According to BMI Michael Jordan was overweight Talk to your doctor and find a realistic goal weight that's right for YOU. You've already done GREAT so try not to focus too much on the scale. There are SO MANY ways to measure health. I'm confident that if you continue what you're doing, you'll achieve ALL your health goals.

rpyle111

There are certainly issues with using BMI as the only indicator of proper weight, but it is still a decent way of comparing relative weight for people of different heights. Very few of us who are going through the WLS process are world class athletes.

@msjennigirl, I started the WLS process at 420 pounds (BMI of 50 at my 6'5"). I was very successful at the pre-surgery process and dropped a ton to have my surgery at 318 (BMI of just under 38). I believe that losing the weight pre-surgery and getting in good athletic shape made the actual surgery much easier. I was up and walked 1lk steps the day after surgery and the first few weeks were tough but went smoothly.

I believe that the main benefit of losing pre-surgery is that I get the habits and behaviors ingrained and was able to get to goal in the first six months post surgery, which took advantage of the hormonal changes in a way that made losing much easier. My weight goal was a BMI number, but was not 'normal' according to the charts. I chose a goal of the moddile of 'Overweight' that was the lowest I had been since middle school. My primary care physician told me that as people age, the 'normal' BMI range may be too low, plus the extra skin needs to be taken into account.

Find a goal with your doctor that is a weight that you want to be. Most importantly, though, is to find a way to be happy at whatever weight you are currently at. I see too many people focusing on their 'goal' weight to the detriment of feeling happy about how much weight they have already lost. Focus on the new things you can do and how much better you feel every day!

Keeping those behaviors strong during the transition to maintenance was tough and I am struggling almost three years out to find my mojo again and lose some regain. Life happens and we had a tough year which put my eating and exercising at too low of a priority. It is always going to be a struggle for some of us, but all you can do is make good decisions every day, and make more good ones than bad ones.

Be strong,

Rob