No liquids with meals, before or after.

I don't always plan ahead and will be drinking my Water, tea, latte, wine and boom! Mealtime.

Also I know it matters because when I drink and eat... a few hiccups and... bomb! Hungry/more room.

Going to work on this one in earnest this year. With 40ish lbs to go I gotta get on track and use this band!!!

What is your hardest bandster rule to follow?

I agree, this is one of the hardest things for me also, I just stopped pouring myself a drink for dinner.

definitely the drinking for me also. I can drink until i have my meal. that does help me.

No carbonation is the hardest one for me although I haven't cheated on this one...but it's soooo tempting sometimes

I was a food flusher. Eat, chew, drink, repeat. It has taken me over a year and while I get it right most of the time, I still have lapses. It is a tough habit, but keep working on it and it gets better.

Def not drinking 1 hr after meal. When cruising the forum before banding and no drinking with meals came up, no problem I never drink with a meal. Little did I think that immediately after my meal, I WANT A DRINK!!!

This is so hard for me too. I have actually swished water in my mouth and spit it out as I just FELT I needed a drink. I knew it would be hard for me though. Before when eating out I would stop eating until waitstaff refilled my water glass.

like floridays, the carbonation was the hardest

i loved coors light and i loved diet soda.......stopped both day i started pre op

This is so hard for me too. I have actually swished Water in my mouth and spit it out as I just FELT I needed a drink. I knew it would be hard for me though. Before when eating out I would stop eating until waitstaff refilled my water glass.

That's a great idea. Swish and spit.

Also I need to get better at refusing the glass of water. Servers are pretty aggressive about insisting I at least have a glass of water . If it's on the table I'll catch myself mindlessly sipping it.

I have a question ladies, after reading the topic i see i still have alot to learn. ok with the question why cant you drink before or after your meal.

Before I am not to sure because I was told it is ok to drink before but I don't drink while I eat or for an hour after. I think it is because the water can make the food move faster and leave you hungry. I also don't drink while eating because I get like a stuck feeling that screws up my meal.

Before I am not to sure because I was told it is ok to drink before but I don't drink while I eat or for an hour after. I think it is because the Water can make the food move faster and leave you hungry. I also don't drink while eating because I get like a stuck feeling that screws up my meal.

The research, according to my doc is constantly changing the specific time frame , last I hear it's only about 15 min before. The theory is it enables food to slide through the stoma quicker, making it harder to feel full. Same with during and after. The old days of filling up on water before a meal or during the day to stay full are past for bandsters .

My Dr said anytime before meal , not during and only need to wait 15 mins after. I do my best but occasionally have to drink during.

Definitely the no drinking after meals!!! I can't drink 30 minutes before but that's not so bad because I just stop once I start preparing dinner, etc. drinking with meals isn't an issue, but afterwards I can't have anything for one hour. Sheesh. I've done the swish and spit once before too. But if that's the worst thing I have to deal with I figure I'm in fantastic shape!

I think the hardest bandster rule is no carbonation. Everytime I see my boyfriend enjoying a Vernors I fight the urge to tackle him and guzzle it *laughs*.

But, the hardest rule for me overall isn't a bandster rule set by my doctor but rather my own I set for myself. I simply cannot lose well if I eat after dinner. So, I keep my food cut off at 6:30-7:00pm. It is SO hard not to eat at all night for me. I end up taking long baths just to get my mind off my intense desire to snack. It's definitely my hardest rule to follow.

The hardest thing for me to follow is taking 30 minutes to eat my meals. I seem to be unable to do this, especially at work. Sometimes I don't even get a ten minute break, let alone 30!