The point of waiting to drink Water is to reduce your hunger pangs by keeping your stomach fuller longer with your Protein meal. When I was having problems getting enough Protein and Water in me and was dealing with vertigo, the doctor told me to put the water rules on hold and focus on getting more protein and calories in. Once I got my calorie count up to 900 and was able to get 75 grams of protein and 60 oz of water, I started feeling better. I hope this helps!