How Much Weight Will I Lose After Gastric Sleeve Surgery and How Fast?

We’ll assume you’re taking a big step toward undergoing gastric sleeve surgery. Naturally, you probably want to know what awaits you on the other side. Understanding the weight loss after gastric sleeve and the pace at which it happens is completely understandable. But remember, every body is unique — not everyone loses weight at the same rate after surgery. So, let’s take a look at what usually happens and what factors affect how quickly you lose weight.

A Quick Look at Your One-and-a-Half-Year Journey

Losing weight after a gastric sleeve isn’t like a sprint; it’s more like a marathon that lasts about a year and a half. If you talk to people who have had the surgery, they’ll tell you the most exciting and fastest part is the first few months, after which the pace gradually slows down. Let’s go through a timeline of this weight loss:

Month 1: The Initial Excitement

During this month, the scale will likely bring you joy every day! Weight loss is faster during this period than any other time. Your body is healing, and you’re mainly consuming liquids and pureed foods. Losing 10–15 kilograms (22–33 pounds) in the first month is completely normal. This rapid loss comes from both fat and excess water, giving you an incredible boost of motivation.

Month 3

By this point, your weight loss after gastric sleeve will typically account for about one-third of your total excess weight. The good news? Changes are so noticeable that friends and family will likely be amazed.

Month 6

By the end of month six, you’re halfway through your journey, having lost roughly half of your excess weight. The rate of weight loss slows down a bit compared to the first three months, which is completely normal.

Month 12

On the one-year anniversary of your surgery, you’ve probably lost around two-thirds of your excess weight. At this point, your weight loss pace has slowed significantly, and your body is adjusting to your new weight.

Months 18–24

This is typically when the marathon of weight loss after gastric sleeve is nearly complete. You’ve reached the maximum weight loss you were expected to achieve. From here on, the main challenge isn’t losing more weight but maintaining the weight you’ve worked so hard to achieve. Many patients report that some weight loss continues in the second year, but it’s usually minor.

What Does “Losing Excess Weight” Actually Mean? Let’s Do the Math

When doctors say you’ll lose 70% of your excess weight, what does that mean? Here’s a simple example:

• Current weight: Let’s assume 120 kg (265 lbs)
• Ideal weight: According to your height, the doctor says 70 kg (154 lbs)
• Excess weight: 120 kg – 70 kg = 50 kg

So, you have 50 kg (110 lbs) of excess weight.

Now, if we say you’ll lose 70% of this excess weight in one year:

70% of 50 kg = 35 kg (77 lbs)

This means you can expect to lose about 35 kg (77 lbs) over a year and reach 85 kg (187 lbs). Losing 35 kg in a year is an incredible life-changing achievement.

Why Do Some People Lose Weight Faster Than Others?

Here comes the important part: why did your friend, who had surgery at the same time as you, lose 5 kg more than you? Weight loss after gastric sleeve depends on several factors, and it’s naturally different for everyone. Some factors include:

• Age: Younger people usually have a faster metabolism and may lose weight slightly quicker.
• Starting weight: Those who weigh more initially often lose more weight in the first few months, which is natural because they have more fat to burn.
• Gender: Men generally lose weight slightly faster than women due to higher muscle mass.
• Other medical conditions: For example, hypothyroidism can slow down your weight loss.
• Most importantly — You! Even with identical conditions, two people can have dramatically different results. Someone who carefully follows their diet, consumes adequate protein, exercises, and listens to their doctor will achieve much better results than someone who falls back into old habits.

Here’s a simple table summarizing what affects your weight loss:

What Affects Your Weight Loss?	How Much Impact?	Why?
Food You Eat	Very High	Eating enough protein and avoiding junk food is like fuel for your “weight loss engine.”
Exercise	High	Exercise prevents muscle loss and helps your metabolism keep working, especially when your weight plateaus.
Initial Weight	Medium	Heavier patients may lose more at first, but the percentage of total weight loss eventually evens out.
Age & Gender	Low	Men and younger people may lose weight slightly faster initially, but long-term effort matters most.

When Your Weight Plateaus — Don’t Panic!

During this approximately one-and-a-half-year journey, there will inevitably be periods when the scale barely moves for a few weeks. This is called a weight loss plateau and is completely normal.

Here’s why weight loss after gastric sleeve might temporarily slow down:

Your body is smart. When it notices rapid weight loss, it may “panic,” thinking food is scarce. As a result, metabolism slows to conserve energy.

During these times:

• Be patient and keep following your plan.
• A small adjustment in exercise or diet can “trick” your body into resuming weight loss.
• Remember, a plateau is not a failure — it just means your body is adapting to its new weight.

Final Thoughts: Focus on How You Feel, Not Just the Scale

While weight loss after gastric sleeve is important, it’s not everything. Instead of stressing over the scale every morning, celebrate other achievements:

• Climbing stairs effortlessly
• No longer getting winded while tying your shoes
• Reducing blood pressure medication and feeling confident at social events

Gastric sleeve surgery is a chance to reclaim your health and life. Weight loss is just a tool to achieve this bigger goal. If you do things correctly, your body won’t let you down. Enjoy the journey and congratulate yourself for every step you take.

If you haven’t had the surgery yet and plan to do it in Turkey, we’d be happy to discuss it with you at Dr. Taha Anbara’s team.

Frequently Asked Questions About Weight Loss After Gastric Sleeve