Can someone explain why eating and drinking at the same time is forbidden?

[jacee 183]

I am having trouble separating eating from drinking. Can someone explain to me why we are told not to do this? I need convincing at this point.

[huligoo 75]

Ive heard that it will stretch your sleeve and it will not allow you to get your nutrition FIRST...just eat then wait 30 mins for your beverage!

Im having a hard time not drinking and eating too...its a habit we must change. Im still working at it...Im post op 5 days

[Tiffany0818 17]

My doctor said since our sleeve is a malabsorption surgery we eat and drink at the same time it basically rinses the food down to our new stomach as well as we are suppose to chew very well so we can absorb the nutrients. Trying to put it in the best way that I knew. Hope it helps

[cms213 119]

I have had Water too soon after eating and it's not comfortable! I have also taken a tiny sip when things are to spicy or make me cough a little I try really hard not to tho.

[Sassygirl06 962]

Um...there is no malabsorption...no re routing of the intestines at all...just not able to eat as much...one of the reasons I chose this surgery. As far as drinking with eating...it does wash some of the food down faster...so you can eat more sooner. In the beginning I didn't listen to this and got very sick a few times and learned my lesson. Now almost two years out I can eat and drink a little bit at the same time...but I do notice that when I do this I am able to fit more in. Good luck!

[jensjoy28 351]

Two reasons...first is that because our sleeves are so small, there isn't room for both food and liquid...second is that when you mix the two the liquid acts to break down the food faster and move it through the digestion process faster, and they want you to stay satiated for as long as possible, so no helping it along.

As to the other poster who mentioned malabsorption... The majority of the absorption of nutrients happens in the small intestine, so not sure about that as a reason to keep food in stomach longer.

[PainInTheGlass 50]

My surgeon said that if you eat and drink at the same time, it flushes the food thru your system faster allowing you to eat more food / calories which in turn equals slower weight loss. Also, I tend to think that pushing your food into your intestines before your new stomach has time to break down the food will cause some unintended side effects (constipation or more likely diarrhea).

[sarahj 61]

This is definitely my struggle also, if I remember ... Drinking causes volume in your stomach, which takes away from the space needed for food. I also heard somewhere that it can push the food through your stomach quicker... Not in a good way. Again, I am not sure if either are true. I am not good about not drinking up until I eat, but I have learned my lesson on waiting 30 min after, otherwise unpleasant things happen!

[Tiffany0818 17]

Will it always be like that? Is it temporary or forever?

[TES 858]

It will be like that forever. I am actually really used to this now. I only stop drinking about 5 to 10 minutes before eating but I wait 30 minutes or more after eating to drink--especially if I eat a meal with some Fiber, like raw veggies. I don't feel well if I accidentally drink too soon after. This was actually my biggest concern about the surgery (not drinking while eating) but it becomes the norm pretty quickly post-surgery. My RD suggested I practice doing it before surgery and just couldn't bring myself to do that--but after surgery, it makes you feel the best, so it's easy to embrace it.

[Arts137 1,811]

This is one of the FEW topics that ALL plans agree on. So first, you don't need convincing, you need to set new habits!

OK, when you eat food, you get full. That tells your brain to stop eating. Adding liquid (as others have said) causes food to move too fast into the small intestine, and you lose the benefit of saity. After a month, I am very used to this new behavior, and it has become natural.

[LeaveItToSleever 80]

I eat and drink together, same as always. I have never heard a compelling reason not to. I met my weight loss goal in a reasonable time and am having no trouble maintaining. Sleeve surgery is NOT malabsorptive, it is restrictive.

[AmandaRaeLeo 2,145]

I am having trouble separating eating from drinking. Can someone explain to me why we are told not to do this? I need convincing at this point.

I throw up. Violently.

[BKLYNgal87 503]

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/vsg/4458217/The-Pyloric-Valve-How-it-works-with-the-VSG/

^ This pretty much covers it.

VSG is a life changing procedure and it is ultimately up to you whether it succeeds or not. Some people may get lucky and they don't have to make major changes to their diet (other than eating less) to effectively lose the excess weight but most people must sacrifice a litany of things to be successful.

It's important not to dwell on those things you give up, however, and instead focus on all the benefits weight loss and improved health provide. Think of it as a cost/benefit analysis.

[jacee 183]

Lots of good answers and advice. I am aware of not drinking and eating at the same time, I just do it in small to medium amounts, and nothing happens that others have mentioned. No running to the bathroom or throwing up. So I really had no reason to change that habit. But I knew it wasn't what I was supposed to be doing.