Gastric sleeveNew Zealand5 min read
Kings and the gastric sleeve: “I could see my toes”
Kings, the Auckland rapper behind Don't Worry 'Bout It, one of New Zealand's longest-running number-one singles, told Woman's Day in 2026 how he lost 97 kg. Part of that story is a gastric sleeve operation in 2018, after a diet had worked only while he stuck to it. Here is what he said, where it was published, and what a gastric sleeve involves for anyone considering one.
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Medically reviewed by Andrey G. Ugay, lead bariatric surgeon. Review date: .
The main points in 30 seconds
- In an interview published by Woman's Day NZ in August 2026, Kings told how he lost 97 kg, including a gastric sleeve operation in 2018.
- He said food was his way of coping with fast fame while being a solo dad, and that a keto diet worked only while he stuck to it.
- A sleeve gastrectomy is a laparoscopic operation through four small punctures of 5–15 mm.
- Patients walk on the first day, usually stay in hospital for one to five days and return to office work after two to four weeks.
- At City Medical Centre a sleeve gastrectomy costs $3,600, and the first surgeon's consultation is free.
Key facts about the procedure
- Back to work2–4 weeks
- Stay in clinic1–5 days
- Final result18–24 months
- Price
$4,800from $3,600
Profile
Kings
- Country
- New Zealand
- Who
- Rapper and singer-songwriter
- Year of operation
- 2018
- Quote source
- Woman's Day NZ, 14 August 2026
What did Kings say about his weight-loss surgery?
In an interview published by Woman's Day NZ in August 2026, Kings described how food became his way of coping with fast fame while raising his daughter alone: “We eat when we have tangi, when we say hello and when we celebrate. Saying no to food is disrespectful. That mixed with hitting fame so fast while being a solo dad was hard. Food was my way of coping.”
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WhatsAppHis weight reached 202 kg. The magazine reports that he first lost weight on a low-carb keto diet but regained it when he stopped, and in 2018 had gastric sleeve surgery. About the time after the operation he said: “I just felt good. I could see my toes, jump more on stage and my confidence skyrocketed.” He said the turning point came when picking up his daughter left him out of breath.
That interview is the whole basis of this article. It names the operation and the year; it gives no surgical details, and we do not add any. Where the text below explains techniques and timelines, it describes sleeve gastrectomy in general, not his treatment.
What his story shows about the decision
Kings' account is unusually clear about the context around eating: culture, stress, touring, a young child. Weight in that setting is not a simple matter of willpower, and a diet that works only while it lasts is a common experience.
More on this topic: Bariatric surgery with support all the way to your result, Mini Gastric Bypass (MGB), Gastric Sleeve (Sleeve Gastrectomy), Bariatric Operations in Phoenix, Obesity Surgery in Singapore.
Bariatric surgery is designed for exactly that situation, when severe obesity keeps returning despite serious attempts to treat it without surgery.
He is equally clear that the operation was the start rather than the end. According to the interview, reaching a stable weight took two years, and he now builds his days around workouts. That is the realistic picture: surgery makes a lasting change possible, and daily habits keep it.
Gastric sleeve abroad: choose a city and clinic
Prices, the clinic and a free online consultation for each city:
How a gastric sleeve is done today
A sleeve gastrectomy is a laparoscopic operation performed through a few small punctures. Most of the stomach is removed, leaving a narrow tube; portions become smaller and fullness comes sooner. The intestine is not rerouted. How it compares with the other common options:
Principle
- Sleeve gastrectomy
- Stomach reduced to a narrow tube
- Roux-en-Y gastric bypass
- Small pouch connected to the small intestine
- Mini gastric bypass
- One connection to the intestine
- SADI-S
- Sleeve with a single intestinal bypass
Usually considered for
- Sleeve gastrectomy
- BMI 35–45
- Roux-en-Y gastric bypass
- BMI over 45–50, type 2 diabetes
- Mini gastric bypass
- Chosen individually
- SADI-S
- BMI over 50
Average excess weight loss
- Sleeve gastrectomy
- 60–70%
- Roux-en-Y gastric bypass
- 75–85%
- Mini gastric bypass
- Up to 75–80%
- SADI-S
- 80–90%
For very high starting weights, surgeons often discuss bypass-type operations or SADI-S as well as the sleeve. Which one fits is decided from BMI, related conditions and eating patterns at a consultation.
Who is a candidate and how to prepare
The usual threshold is a BMI above 40, or above 35 with serious related conditions such as type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure. Preparation includes:
- blood and urine tests, biochemistry, HbA1c and a coagulation panel;
- consultations with a GP, endocrinologist, cardiologist and psychiatrist;
- two to four weeks of cutting fast carbohydrates and fats;
- quitting smoking at least a month before surgery.
The psychiatric consultation is especially relevant when food has been a way of coping, as Kings described. Understanding those patterns before surgery helps afterwards.
Recovery after a gastric sleeve
Patients walk on the first day and usually stay in hospital for one to five days. Office work is typically possible after two to four weeks, physical work after about six weeks. The diet moves from liquids to soft food to normal food over one to two months.
Swimming is allowed after about 30 days, and long-haul travel is best planned no earlier than a month after surgery. Weight continues to fall for a long time; the final result is judged after one and a half to two years, in line with the two years Kings mentioned.
How recovery after a gastric sleeve usually goes
- Day of surgeryLaparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy through small punctures.
- Day 1Up and walking.
- Days 1–5Discharge from hospital.
- Weeks 2–4Office work resumes; liquids, then soft food.
- Months 1–2Normal textures return; swimming and travel are possible.
- Months 18–24Weight stabilises and the final result is assessed.
Gastric sleeve at City Medical Centre
City Medical Centre performs sleeve gastrectomy ($3,600), Roux-en-Y gastric bypass ($4,000), mini gastric bypass and SADI-S, all laparoscopically through four small punctures of 5–15 mm. The first surgeon's consultation is free and can be held online; after the assessment the price is fixed in the contract. A personal coordinator guides each patient from the first enquiry through recovery, and the team follows up during the first year. More on the bariatric surgery page.
City Medical Centre has no connection with Kings or his treatment. His words are quoted here because he spoke about his operation publicly.
Frequently asked questions
What surgery did Kings have?
According to his 2026 interview with Woman's Day NZ, he had gastric sleeve surgery in 2018 after losing weight on a keto diet and regaining it.
How much weight did Kings lose?
The interview reports that he lost 97 kg in total from a peak of 202 kg, and that reaching a stable weight took two years.
How did Kings feel after the operation?
He said he just felt good, could see his toes, jump more on stage, and that his confidence skyrocketed.
How much does a gastric sleeve cost at City Medical Centre?
A sleeve gastrectomy costs $3,600 and a gastric bypass $4,000. The first consultation is free and the final price is fixed in the contract.
Is a gastric sleeve reversible?
No. Most of the stomach is removed permanently, which is why the decision is made carefully with the surgeon after full preparation.
Sources
What the article says about the celebrity is based only on these public statements.
- Woman's Day NZ (Now to Love), 14 August 2026
Medical background and further reading
General information about the procedure from health authorities and medical societies. It is not advice for any individual patient.
- PubMed / NCBI — Benefits and Risks of Bariatric Surgery in Adults: A Review (JAMA, 2020)
- PubMed / NCBI — Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy vs Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: systematic review and meta-analysis (2016)
- World Health Organization — Obesity and overweight
- American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery — Bariatric Surgery Procedures
How we prepare and review medical content · Medical disclaimer
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