Aneta Ivanović and her stomach-reduction surgery: what she said herself

What did Aneta Ivanović say about her operation?

In October 2021 the TV presenter Aneta Ivanović, editor of the show “Šarenica”, spoke publicly for the first time about her stomach-reduction surgery. Her interview was carried by Blic and retold by Mondo. She described a long struggle: “My battle with weight has certainly been going on for some twenty years, with ups and downs. I tried all the available solutions… You win one battle, you think you’ve won, and the kilos are waiting for you around the next corner. Nothing was permanent.”

She said the turning point came from a doctor: high blood pressure, excess weight and knee pain added up, and she was told she had to lose thirty kilograms. About the operation itself she said: “From the operation and over the next six months I lost 30 kilograms. It is not a trivial procedure but a serious surgical one. I wasn’t afraid. You spend one day in hospital, a week getting used to it, and you get exact instructions on what you may have from then on.” And she added a warning: going for such an operation because of five extra kilos is, in her words, ridiculous, and she does not recommend it at all.

Blic repeated her account in 2022 in an overview of well-known people who had stomach-reduction surgery, including the words “I wasn’t afraid, I could hardly wait for it to happen.”

That is all we rely on here. Ivanović did not name the exact type of operation or other medical details, so this article does not guess at them. Where the text below explains methods and timelines, it describes bariatric surgery in general, not her treatment.

Why her words matter

Two things in her story are worth hearing. First, she did not present the operation as a shortcut: she spoke about twenty years of trying diets and other methods, and about a decision made only after a doctor explained the risks to her health. Second, she stressed that this is serious surgery, not a cosmetic fix for a few kilograms. That is exactly how doctors describe it.

She also spoke honestly about emotional eating — using food to calm down. Severe obesity is a chronic disease with many causes, not a lack of willpower. Surgery does not remove those causes by itself; it gives the body a tool, and the lasting result depends on new eating habits and follow-up, which is why she mentioned the exact instructions patients receive.

How bariatric surgery works today

Modern weight-loss operations are done laparoscopically, through four small punctures of 5–15 mm instead of a large incision. The two most common procedures are:

• Sleeve gastrectomy — most of the stomach is removed, leaving a narrow tube. Portions become much smaller and hunger decreases.
• Gastric bypass — a small stomach pouch is created and connected directly to the small intestine. Less food fits in and fewer calories are absorbed.

City Medical Centre also performs the mini gastric bypass and SADI-S, which is used for a BMI over 50. Which operation fits depends on weight, related illnesses and eating habits — the choice is made at a consultation, not from a celebrity story.

Who is it for and how to prepare

As Ivanović herself said, this is not an operation for a few extra kilos. It is usually considered when:

• the body mass index (BMI) is above 40;
• the BMI is above 35 and there are serious weight-related conditions, such as type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure;
• in some cases with a lower BMI, if non-surgical approaches have not worked.

Before surgery patients have blood and urine tests, biochemistry, an HbA1c test and a coagulation panel, and see a GP, an endocrinologist, a psychiatrist and a cardiologist (women also a gynaecologist). It is recommended to cut fast carbohydrates and fats two to four weeks before the operation and to stop smoking a month before.

What recovery looks like

Patients get up and walk on the first day and stay in hospital for one to five days, depending on the operation. The first weeks are about getting used to a new way of eating: food is reintroduced in stages over one to two months — liquid, then soft, then solid — following exact instructions from the team. Office work is usually possible after two to four weeks, physical work after about six weeks, and swimming after 30 days. Long journeys are best planned no earlier than a month after surgery. Weight loss is fastest in the first months, and the final result is judged after one and a half to two years. After a bypass, vitamins and minerals are needed for life.

1. Day of surgeryLaparoscopic operation through four small punctures.
2. Day 1You get up and walk; drinking starts in small sips.
3. Days 1–5Hospital stay, depending on the operation and how you feel.
4. Weeks 2–4Return to office work; the diet moves from liquid to soft food.
5. Months 1–2Gradual return to solid food; swimming after about 30 days.
6. Months 1–12The fastest weight loss and regular follow-up with the team.
7. 1.5–2 yearsThe final result is assessed.

Bariatric surgery at City Medical Centre

City Medical Centre performs sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass, mini gastric bypass and SADI-S for international patients, all laparoscopically. The consultation with the surgeon is free and can be held online: the doctor looks at your weight history and health, recommends the suitable operation and names the cost, which is then fixed in the contract. A sleeve gastrectomy costs $3,600 and a gastric bypass $4,000. The team follows up with patients during the first year, and a personal coordinator stays in touch from the first message to recovery. More details are on the bariatric surgery page.

To be clear: City Medical Centre has no connection with Aneta Ivanović or her treatment. Her story is simply a well-known example of a woman who talked openly about the operation.

Frequently asked questions

How much weight did Aneta Ivanović lose after the operation?

She said she lost 30 kilograms from the operation and over the following six months. We do not add figures from other, unverified sources.

Why did Aneta Ivanović decide on surgery?

She said she had tried every available method for about twenty years without a lasting result, and decided after a doctor warned her about high blood pressure, excess weight and knee pain and told her she had to lose thirty kilograms.

Is stomach-reduction surgery suitable for losing a few kilos?

No. Ivanović herself said that going for such an operation because of five extra kilos makes no sense. Bariatric surgery is considered with a BMI above 40, or above 35 with weight-related illnesses, after an examination by the medical team.

How much does bariatric surgery cost at City Medical Centre?

A sleeve gastrectomy costs $3,600 and a gastric bypass $4,000. The final price is named after the free consultation and fixed in the contract.

How long is the hospital stay after weight-loss surgery?

Usually one to five days, depending on the operation and how you feel. Patients get up and walk on the first day, and office work is usually possible after two to four weeks.