Before weight loss surgery, your doctor will likely work with you to change your lifestyle, diet, and exercise routines to lose some weight before surgery. This is to demonstrate that once you have the weight loss surgery, you are in the proper mental state to keep the weight off and maintain a healthy lifestyle. After consulting a surgeon, most patients will wait anywhere from 6 weeks to several months before having the operation to meet with various specialists to make sure that the patient is optimized and ready for the operation.