Bariatric surgeryBulgaria5 min read
Did Viktoria Zaykova have weight-loss surgery? What she said herself
Viktoria Zaykova, the chef viewers remember from the fourth season of Hell’s Kitchen Bulgaria, spoke openly in February 2026 about her weight loss and the bariatric operation she had about a year earlier. Here is what she said, where it was published, and how weight-loss surgery and life after it look today.
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Medically reviewed by Andrey G. Ugay, lead bariatric surgeon. Review date: .
The main points in 30 seconds
- On 20 February 2026 Plovdiv24 reported that Viktoria Zaykova had lost about 70–80 kg, 40 of them after a bariatric operation about a year earlier.
- She said 10 percent of her stomach is left, that she checked everything carefully, and that she now weighs about 70 kg.
- Modern bariatric surgery is laparoscopic, through 4 small punctures of 5–15 mm.
- Patients are up and walking on the first day, the hospital stay is 1–5 days, and office work is usually possible after 2–4 weeks.
- At City Medical Centre a sleeve gastrectomy costs $3,600, and the 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
Viktoria Zaykova
- Country
- Bulgaria
- Who
- Reality TV participant and entrepreneur
- Quote source
- Plovdiv24, 20 February 2026
They cut out my stomach directly — I have 10 percent of it left. I didn’t have bands. I checked everything carefully and wanted to be sure the result would be complete.
What did Viktoria Zaykova say about her bariatric surgery?
In an interview about her move to Sofia and the restaurant she opened, Zaykova also talked about her physical transformation. Plovdiv24 reported on 20 February 2026 that she had lost about 70–80 kg, 40 of them after a bariatric operation about a year earlier. In her own words: “They cut out my stomach directly — I have 10 percent of it left. I didn’t have bands. I checked everything carefully and wanted to be sure the result would be complete.”
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WhatsAppShe added that she now weighs about 70 kg and wants to lose another 10. That is the full basis of this article. Zaykova did not name the exact procedure or give other medical details, so we do not guess at them. The sections below describe bariatric surgery in general, not her treatment.
What her words tell us: the operation and the new way of eating
Two things in her story stand out. The first is that she took her time: she said she checked everything carefully before deciding. Bariatric surgery is a serious operation with lifelong consequences, and a careful choice of method and team is exactly where it should start.
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, Laparoscopic Bariatric Surgery in Pietermaritzburg.
The second is that she did not describe the operation as the whole answer. She said: “The operation is the main thing, but my food changed too. I eat often, but very small portions.” She named eggs, cucumbers, milk and vegetables, and said she avoids dough, rarely eats sweets and skips rice and pasta. That matches what doctors tell every bariatric patient: surgery reduces the stomach, but lasting results depend on a new eating pattern.
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How bariatric surgery is done today
Modern weight-loss operations are laparoscopic: they are performed through 4 small punctures of 5–15 mm, without a large incision. The main procedures:
- Sleeve gastrectomy — most of the stomach is removed and a narrow “sleeve” remains, so a person feels full after small portions.
- Roux-en-Y gastric bypass — a small stomach pouch is created and connected directly to the small intestine.
- Mini gastric bypass (one-anastomosis) and SADI-S — variants for higher BMI, chosen individually.
Principle
- Sleeve gastrectomy
- The stomach is reduced to a narrow sleeve
- Gastric bypass
- A small pouch is connected to the small intestine
Typical indication
- Sleeve gastrectomy
- BMI 35–45
- Gastric bypass
- BMI over 45–50, type 2 diabetes
Average excess weight loss
- Sleeve gastrectomy
- 60–70%
- Gastric bypass
- 75–85%
Access
- Sleeve gastrectomy
- Laparoscopic
- Gastric bypass
- Laparoscopic
Price at City Medical Centre
- Sleeve gastrectomy
- $3,600
- Gastric bypass
- $4,000
After any of these operations vitamins and minerals are taken for life. Which procedure fits is decided by the surgeon after examinations, not from a celebrity story.
Who is it for and how to prepare
Surgery is usually considered with a BMI above 40, or above 35 with serious related conditions; sometimes the threshold is lower if non-surgical approaches have not worked. Before the operation patients have blood and urine tests, biochemistry, HbA1c and a coagulation panel, and see a general practitioner, an endocrinologist, a psychiatrist, a cardiologist and, for women, a gynaecologist. Fast carbohydrates and fats are cut 2–4 weeks before surgery, and smoking is stopped a month before.
Recovery and life after surgery
The hospital stay is 1–5 days, and patients are up and walking on the first day. Office work is usually possible after 2–4 weeks and physical work after about 1.5 months. Food is reintroduced in stages over 1–2 months: liquid, then soft, then solid. Swimming is allowed after 30 days, and travel is best planned no earlier than a month after surgery.
Weight goes down gradually, and the final result is assessed after 1.5–2 years; pregnancy is planned no earlier than 12–18 months after the operation. The timeline below shows the usual stages.
How recovery after bariatric surgery usually goes
- Day of surgeryLaparoscopic operation through 4 small punctures of 5–15 mm.
- Day 1You get up and start walking; the hospital stay is 1–5 days.
- Weeks 1–4Liquid diet, then soft food; office work is usually possible after 2–4 weeks.
- Day 30Swimming is allowed; travel is best planned no earlier than this.
- Months 1–2Gradual return to solid food in small portions.
- First yearFollow-up by the team, lifelong vitamins and minerals.
- 1.5–2 yearsThe final result can be assessed.
Bariatric surgery at City Medical Centre
City Medical Centre performs sleeve gastrectomy, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, mini gastric bypass and SADI-S for international patients, all laparoscopically. The surgeon’s consultation is free. A sleeve gastrectomy costs $3,600 and a gastric bypass $4,000; the final price is fixed in the contract. The team follows the patient during the first year after surgery. More details are on the bariatric surgery page.
To be clear: City Medical Centre has no connection with Viktoria Zaykova or her treatment. Her story is simply a well-known example of a woman who spoke openly about weight-loss surgery.
Frequently asked questions
How much weight did Viktoria Zaykova lose?
In February 2026 she said she had lost about 70–80 kg, 40 of them after a bariatric operation about a year earlier. She said she weighed about 70 kg and wanted to lose another 10.
Which operation did Viktoria Zaykova have?
She said about 10 percent of her stomach was left and that she did not have bands. She did not name the procedure, so we do not guess; today the most common options are sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass.
Do you still need a diet after bariatric surgery?
Yes. Food is reintroduced in stages over 1–2 months, portions stay small, and vitamins and minerals are taken for life. Zaykova herself said her food changed along with the operation.
How much does bariatric surgery cost at City Medical Centre?
A sleeve gastrectomy costs $3,600 and a gastric bypass $4,000. The surgeon's consultation is free, and the final price is fixed in the contract.
When can I go back to work after bariatric surgery?
Office work is usually possible after 2–4 weeks and physical work after about 1.5 months. The exact timing is agreed with the surgeon.
Sources
What the article says about the celebrity is based only on these public statements.
- Plovdiv24, 20 February 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
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