It seems like there are many different "times" out there for how long you should wait to eat/drink. I have been doing no drinks 30 min before or after a meal but im reading where some surgeons say wait 90 min after you eat to drink something...that seems kinda crazy to me but now im worried that im not giving my food enough time to go through me before i drink...i would think this would be more of a scientific black and white type of thing since wouldn't it be pretty standard as to how long it takes a tummy to digest before its empty and ready for liquids? then why the many time ranges out there? any thoughts?

Hey all,

Do what works for you. Do your own research. I can only go off of what the professionals who study and do this everyday tell me. My thing is when in doubt ask the person who you trusted your life to perform the surgery and the people who work closely with them. If I had it all figured out I would not even be here to begin with. The thing I notice on here is that each person's experience is their own. There may be some useful information on here but a lot of information is opinion and what works "for me". I do not want to offer advice that is just my routine and possibly harm someone else's progress.

So do you but always seek professional advice and do your own research.

Happy Weight loss!!!!!

T

I will see what data she has.

"my nutritionist said it is the number 1 reason for re-weight gain after weight-loss surgery."

I would love to see some research to back this up.

Great topic! Thanks to all for the comments...p.s. i was TOLD 30 min before/after

I would love to see some research behind this also. I also sip when I eat, but seriously it is like the equivalent of two shot glasses maybe of liquid. I don't want to get full on my drink and I want to eat my food so I only sip. I mean isn't it the same as having some soup or eating something liquid like? Is soup going to stretch out our tummies? I don't think so. If I was chugging a huge soda and eating that might cause it but if I sip an oz or two of tea or juice with my meal I can't imagine the mechanics of it stretching.

Just my theory.

I was told it's because the liquid pushes the food through and you get hungry easier-i don't follow this rule.

I follow the same routine as BBJ and Diva on this one. I drink (NOT sip), I mean seriously drink like an entire cup or two of coffee or half a glass of tea, right up until the first bite is taken, and I take tiny sips throughout my meal, but because it's what I like to do. I never get more hungry any sooner, or feel empty or anything by doing so. I do not drink or take big drinks for about 20-30 minutes after my meals. It's a habit, and it's what works for me.

My biggest pet peeve with this "rule" is that it's so we digest food and absorb nutrients in the stomach longer at least this is the line that was fed to me by not 1, but 2 different nutritionist. To their surprise, I asked the right questions, and had a little diagram, least to say, they didn't like that, and pretty much said "it's actually so you don't eat more". Well guess what, there is little absorption/digestion that actually occurs in the stomach. Nearly 85-90% of absorption occurs in the small intestine. I hate being lied to by medical professionals, and even more I hate the "sheep" mentality, like I should believe everything they say just because they have cute little initials behind their name.

The biggest reason for weight regain after WLS can be contributed to 2 things.

Pouch/Stoma failure with RNY and the band

White carbs, poor food choices, complacency and grazing after any of the WLS options.

So true!!

I want to point out the hi-lited too. Since I had the band AND the sleeve I think I can guage that different surgeries can be cheated *but* in different ways. I know Tiffy knows this as well...

You really can cheat the band quite easily and yes, the drinking while AND shortly after eating your meals is a huge one. It washes the food in your pouch right straight into your big stomach!!

But for the sleeve... this is not possible. The contents you just consumed are already in your stomach. When I do choose to sip during eating (which is not all the time), I have not gotten any hungrier any faster. I do still wait at least 30 minutes after finishing - but - like Tiffy its mostly due out of habit from being banded nearly 3 years.

With the sleeve though, it's true - grazing I could see being one of the biggest culprits in weight gain. That and drinking a lot of high calorie/sugar drinks or snacking on a lot of sugary things. My stomach is way too small to be able to gain on sipping during my meals and drinking right after. Especially since I rarely feel true hunger anymore anyway (this could be different for those who do still feel hunger a lot though! - however rare...). The "no drinking rule" just really doesn't fly with *this* particular surgery, IMPO.

I drink 30 minutes before eating and wait 30 minutes after eating, otherwise my tummy feels funny...

In my post op hand book the doctors office gave me it states "nothing to drink 30 minutes before a meal or 30 minutes after a meal" 90 minutes is a long time to go with out something to drink. Think about it if you wait 90 minutes before and after a meal you are going 4 1/2 hours a day with nothing to drink. How is that healthy for your body? Not to mention the 30 minutes its suppose to take you to eat your meal.. That brings it to 6 hours a day with nothing to drink..

I follow the same routine as BBJ and Diva on this one. I drink (NOT sip), I mean seriously drink like an entire cup or two of coffee or half a glass of tea, right up until the first bite is taken, and I take tiny sips throughout my meal, but because it's what I like to do. I never get more hungry any sooner, or feel empty or anything by doing so. I do not drink or take big drinks for about 20-30 minutes after my meals. It's a habit, and it's what works for me.

My biggest pet peeve with this "rule" is that it's so we digest food and absorb nutrients in the stomach longer at least this is the line that was fed to me by not 1, but 2 different nutritionist. To their surprise, I asked the right questions, and had a little diagram, least to say, they didn't like that, and pretty much said "it's actually so you don't eat more". Well guess what, there is little absorption/digestion that actually occurs in the stomach. Nearly 85-90% of absorption occurs in the small intestine. I hate being lied to by medical professionals, and even more I hate the "sheep" mentality, like I should believe everything they say just because they have cute little initials behind their name.

The biggest reason for weight regain after WLS can be contributed to 2 things.

Pouch/Stoma failure with RNY and the band

White carbs, poor food choices, complacency and grazing after any of the WLS options.

Yeah! That! I don't sip while I'm eating and the reason is, it makes my tummy feel weird. I drink up till I take my first bite and I try to drink a lot because I find once I take the first bite it's too late to drink and feel comfortable. I typically wait 30 minutes after eating to drink again. Really makes me think about my meals. Am I going to be thirsty? Then I should drink before I eat. Sometimes I find I wasn't hungry anyway, just thirsty and soemtimes it gives me more time to think about my food choice.

Yeah! That! I don't sip while I'm eating and the reason is, it makes my tummy feel weird. I drink up till I take my first bite and I try to drink a lot because I find once I take the first bite it's too late to drink and feel comfortable. I typically wait 30 minutes after eating to drink again. Really makes me think about my meals. Am I going to be thirsty? Then I should drink before I eat. Sometimes I find I wasn't hungry anyway, just thirsty and soemtimes it gives me more time to think about my food choice.

I was the same way early out, and could not even sip during my meal. The further out I got, the easier it was. I'm not even sure you could consider it sipping when literally it was just enough liquid to wet my mouth. I don't think I swallowed anymore liquid than I did spit when I first started. Now, of course, things are different, but I still can not take a full drink during a meal. If I do, something is coming up, or I get uncomfortable.

The people who enter and win hotdog eating contests dip the buns in and drink water between every bite. Its how they get as much food in as they do. You can physically eat more food when you drink at the same time...don't know the physics, maybe it slides past the pylorus faster/better. This seems like as good a reason to slow the drinking with meals as any. I think if you remain conscious during eating, you wont have a problem, knowing me, if Im eating unconsciously, then I might well eat more of what Im eating with water. Thats my guess....

My nut said 5 minutes before, 30 minutes after. She said water exits the stomach very quickly.<div><br></div><div>hot dog eating champ:</div><div>Kobayashi uses what he calls the "Solomon method" in which he separates the frankfurter from the buns, breaks the dog in half, puts the two pieces in his mouth simultaneously, dips teh buns in water, 7up or sprite and eats them next. This is done to cut down on chewing time.</div><div><br></div><div><img src="http://www.bariatricpal.com/public/style_emoticons/default/blink.gif" alt="" class="bbc_emoticon"></div>

sorry, I couldn't get all the html out of this paste....

So true!!

I want to point out the hi-lited too. Since I had the band AND the sleeve I think I can guage that different surgeries can be cheated *but* in different ways. I know Tiffy knows this as well...

You really can cheat the band quite easily and yes, the drinking while AND shortly after eating your meals is a huge one. It washes the food in your pouch right straight into your big stomach!!

But for the sleeve... this is not possible. The contents you just consumed are already in your stomach. When I do choose to sip during eating (which is not all the time), I have not gotten any hungrier any faster. I do still wait at least 30 minutes after finishing - but - like Tiffy its mostly due out of habit from being banded nearly 3 years.

With the sleeve though, it's true - grazing I could see being one of the biggest culprits in weight gain. That and drinking a lot of high calorie/sugar drinks or snacking on a lot of sugary things. My stomach is way too small to be able to gain on sipping during my meals and drinking right after. Especially since I rarely feel true hunger anymore anyway (this could be different for those who do still feel hunger a lot though! - however rare...). The "no drinking rule" just really doesn't fly with *this* particular surgery, IMPO.

Okay, Irene I don't know how you can change the color of the font, I'm sure it is something easy, but I can't figure it out. So I made what I wanted to "highlight' bigger. I think a LOT of NUTs are used to dealing with patients who have WLS and still have their full hunger. Everything is geared towards keeping you "full" or "satisfied" so you are less tempted to eat something off plan. But with most (I say most because I see some sleevers who still have hunger) sleevers, we don't have the hunger issue. If I eat 2oz of Protein, take a few sips of Water and it goes "through" my system quicker, well, so what. Because it's not like I'm hungry the minute it isn't sitting in my stomach. I'm never hungry, so it truly makes no difference to me.

It will be interesting to see what happens to the NUTs and the literature, once the sleeve gains more popularity and has 10 years of data on a large portion of patients, to back it up.

You are all amazing and your replies were so honest and insightful! I've never seen a more amazing band of people who truly just want to help each other...thanks everyone!!