Only 60%? What?!

I'm at 100% and holding at 3.5 years out. You get out of it what you put into it. If you are diligent and follow your plan (nobody's perfect, but you should shoot for it) you can reach that 100%. Then.....the rubber meets the road and you get to maintain it! Trust me, that's the tough part. If you change your lifestyle and learn new habits during the losing phase, you can maintain your dream weight by not letting your old habits creep back into your life. It's all up to you and what you want out of this. Good Luck! and know that you CAN do it!

Deb

60% of my excess weight would be 78 pounds...I'm just under 6 months out and have lost 82 pounds.  I'm aiming for 100% loss by a year.

That number is based on papers like this one from 2010 in the Obesity Surgery scientific journal: "Sleeve Gastrectomy as Sole and Definitive Bariatric Procedure: 5-Year Results for Weight Loss and Ghrelin". This is the link if you want to read the abstract: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11695-009-0066-6#    What you may note is that this study is based on the results from 26 patients!!

Here's another one that is a review of the literature that found the average of average excess weight loss was 66% at 36 months post-op (ranging from 60%-77%). This one represents about 12,000 patients: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11695-012-0616-1#

Doctors quote numbers like this because they come from respected journals, but they may not truly be representative of what the "real" average is. You are definitely in control of how much weight you lose so I wouldn't worry about this at all.

Yeah, those numbers bother me too.

And I say, "whatever" I am not the average.

I am a numbers guy, so by their percentage, if you have two guys, both are at ideal weight at 180.  If one weighs 280, and the other weighs 380, and both have surgery and do everything right, then it makes no sense that the guy that is 100 lbs over ideal loses 60 lbs and ends up 220, and the one 200 over ideal loses 120, and ends up at 260.

But as has been said, that is averaging in people that did not stick with the program and do the right things.

Also, why I intend to do body fat testing at 100 lbs down and then at goal (already did it 1 month in) to see how much my fat and lean body mass is changing.

I am two years out and have maintained a 113 percent loss.

That is a pretty common number that I hear and although I cannot confirm this, I believe that is the national average or pretty close at least.  It is a tool, not a given that you will make it back to a normal bmi.  However, it is certainly entirely possible to lose 100% and a common occurance on the boards here.  In the end, it is up to you... but comparing weight loss pre op and post op is difficult to do.  Post op the sleeve is a powerful tool.  I would have predicted that I never would have made goal prior to surgery, since my eating was so out of control.  If you follow the plan (a ton easier with the sleeve than without) then you will make it. 

Thanks everyone.  Your success is encouraging.  My personal goal is to lose 100 lbs. The doc said 60% was 70 lbs. I'm confident I can make the necessary changes to meet my goal! 

I am only 4 months out and I have already lost 50% of my excess weight. 

The averages don't define you. You do. The surgery will do whatever you're willing to make it do! 

I am currently at 71% EWL. My doctor expected 70%.

I am aiming for 90%.  For me to reach 100% EWL would leave me looking rather sickly and unhealthy as it would have me weighing 150 pounds on a large frame.  I am already bony as it is, and I'm still 50 pounds away from my goal.  

Statistic are just that you decide for yourself how far you go. I'm at 100% and very happy with my life...go for it!