Granted I just pull it down to small sips but I cannot and probably will not get the hang of this. I know sleeved people who simply do not follow this rule and it works for them but sometimes I feel that when I eat a small amount of food there is residue in my mouth and some down my esophagus. I need a sip to enjoy some foods.

I am about 100% certain that I will never get used to this and will continue to sip.

For the most part I do not drink while I eat and I try to wait at least 45 minutes after I eat. However, I love spicy food and every once in while I have had to take a drink while eating. Havent had any problems. Good luck!

Changing this habit was difficult for me. Today, when I have something stuck in the throat, I do take a small sip, but for the most part, I try not to. I know that I can consume way more food, therefore, way more calories when I drink with my meals. When I was training hard for running races, I would drink with my meals to carb load. It was the only way I could prevent bonking when I ran at race pace for longer distances. I could easily eat twice the amount when I drank with my meals and could easily eat more half an hour after a meal.

video has been posted often here and it is from a bypass patient, but it is still relevant, I think. As I said, I know it is true for me, your milage may vary. And, of course, we all have our own reasons for WLS and it is up to each of us to decide what we are willing to do to accomplish the goals we set out for ourselves.

The only exception I make to not eating and drinking together is my protein shake and banana after my workout. I set the timer on my phone I find that helps me.

I too have a difficult time with this, I find that if I leave my cup (because I always have one now) in another room, I don't see it and then its kind of out of sight out of mind. That is the only way I have been able to so far. I also find that drinking with eating protein(meat) is uncomfortable almost creates a bubble effect for me. Now I do not watch the clock and prob don't wait a full 30 or sometimes more. But I stay on a 2-3 hr schedule and no snacks in between. shake/snack/meal/snack/meal/snack that's my daily routine so if I do drink a little early I have to discipline myself from eating sooner. Its just hard when you push all day to get that liquid to stop yourself for that length is tough.

BTW, everybody is going to be able to drink and eat together. If you don't chew well enough, you may experience pain as the food may pass into the intestines before it has been mushed up, but everybody is going to be able to drink and eat. That is not the issue ...

I just don't have a glass in front of me when I eat. That way, I have to get up and go get a drink if I really need it.

Granted I just pull it down to small sips but I cannot and probably will not get the hang of this. I know sleeved people who simply do not follow this rule and it works for them but sometimes I feel that when I eat a small amount of food there is residue in my mouth and some down my esophagus. I need a sip to enjoy some foods.

I am about 100% certain that I will never get used to this and will continue to sip.

You may want to put the work into changing this now... You are still early out, but when you get further along flushing out your food will become an issue (as in weight gain when you are able to eat more and hunger returns) what starts out as a little will become more after awhile in my experience. the "rule" is there for a really good reason and although I don't follow every rule (I drink coffee in the mornings)

I find following most of them sets you up for success long term.

This has always been a challenge for me as well - I have found that if I make sure I get a lot of liquid in prior to the no drinking 15 mins prior to a meal I am good - I still want to drink but it is not from a feeling of dying of thirst.

Sometimes I do need a bit of liquid while eating, so I will take a sip but I try and be careful with it. I think it is bar none, one of the most challenging aspects of post sleeve life - I am sure there are many of us that feel the same way.

Not drinking with meals is one of the main tenets of post operative care - if you want to take advantage of your WL window of opportunity I would follow my doctors orders...eating healthy wasn't 'my thing' either and that got me to to 318 lbs with a mess of health problems

ehhh i dont follow the rule much either. i dont drink while i eat, persay. but i dont wait 30 min after a meal to drink. especially when u have to take a pill and you cant take it on an empty stomach so you have to take it after you eat...its like come on now...the actual drinking after you eat just supposedly flushes your food out quicker but it doesnt make you gain weight. some people think that. but could also be a domino effect, flush food out quicker, get hungrier faster, eat more. but if u stay on your food schedule it shouldnt make that much of a difference

You may want to put the work into changing this now... You are still early out, but when you get further along flushing out your food will become an issue (as in weight gain when you are able to eat more and hunger returns) what starts out as a little will becomes more after awhile on my experience. the "rule" is there for a really good reason and although I don't follow every rule (I drink coffee in the mornings)

I find following most of them sets you up for success long term.

Coffee .... yes, my one cup of coffee and sugar free creamer is my treat.

Some days I'm slightly annoyed waiting 30 minutes but the routine is more normal for me now so it's getting easier. I have also sipped a bit if something was too spicy/hot but I try not to if I can help it.

I used to down 2-3 glasses of tea while I ate dinner, and although I dont follow the rule 100%, I have gone way down. At the end of dinner, i might have had an inch of water from my glass (small sips along the way to wash the food down or whatever). I dont feel like that much is detrimental to the program. I try to wait 30 mins after dinner to start gulping again.

Changing this habit was difficult for me. Today, when I have something stuck in the throat, I do take a small sip, but for the most part, I try not to. I know that I can consume way more food, therefore, way more calories when I drink with my meals. When I was training hard for running races, I would drink with my meals to carb load. It was the only way I could prevent bonking when I ran at race pace for longer distances. I could easily eat twice the amount when I drank with my meals and could easily eat more half an hour after a meal.

video has been posted often here and it is from a bypass patient, but it is still relevant, I think. As I said, I know it is true for me, your milage may vary. And, of course, we all have our own reasons for WLS and it is up to each of us to decide what we are willing to do to accomplish the goals we set out for ourselves.

Wow...thank you for posting this video, very helpful. Off all the changes that I need to make after the sleeve this is the one I am most nervous about. I think I was planning on cheating on this one to be honest. But that demonstration really hit home!

To the OP and everybody else wondering about not following this guideline, I just have one more nugget to add. Again, I am only speaking from my personal experience.

Pre-surgery, I always drank with my meals. My stomach was quite accustomed to this and settled quite well. Related to drinking with my meals or not, I was able to eat large amount of food. I didn't have to chew well and I could eat rapidly, no problem. Now, post sleeve, food didn't go down quite as easily. It was difficult to learn to slow down ... chew well ... take smaller bites. I was not accustomed to this. When I ate, often it felt odd, sometimes like a lump in my throat. Drinking made everything slide on through.

Ah ... that feels better. I don't have that icky feeling anymore. The pressure is off of my throat and my stomach doesn't feel weird anymore.

Well ... being full after a few bites is new to us. Of course I can have a third bite, right? I haven't eaten hardly anything! Take a drink ... everything feels better ... I can have another bite. No problem! I can eat and drink at the same time! Woo hoo!

I forced myself to not drink and what was true for me was that I began to understand what the new full feeling was and that the pressure I was feeling was the restriction my new sleeve was giving me.

This is a good thing and exactly what I wanted. I don't want to find ways around my sleeve. I want the restriction and to eat few calories. I have to give my stomach time to heal and work my hiney off to reach my personal goals.

Sometimes, the issue with residue left in the throat is because I didn't chew well enough or I took too large of a bite or didn't wait long enough before I took another bite. This whole eating thing is a multi-headed monster. I had to work against all of them, not just pick and choose.

I knew the sleeve was not an easy journey. I love the naysayers who say that I took the easy way out by getting the sleeve. Ya ... right. It isn't easy. It takes work. As I like to say, nothing changes unless I make a change. If I keep doing the same thing and expect a different result, well ... who's fault is that? I had to make a change and I am so glad I did.

Okay, maybe you're right. That video was what I needed to see, honestly.

To the OP and everybody else wondering about not following this guideline' date=' I just have one more nugget to add. Again, I am only speaking from my personal experience. Pre-surgery, I always drank with my meals. My stomach was quite accustomed to this and settled quite well. Related to drinking with my meals or not, I was able to eat large amount of food. I didn't have to chew well and I could eat rapidly, no problem. Now, post sleeve, food didn't go down quite as easily. It was difficult to learn to slow down ... chew well ... take smaller bites. I was not accustomed to this. When I ate, often it felt odd, sometimes like a lump in my throat. Drinking made everything slide on through. Ah ... that feels better. I don't have that icky feeling anymore. The pressure is off of my throat and my stomach doesn't feel weird anymore. Well ... being full after a few bites is new to us. Of course I can have a third bite, right? I haven't eaten hardly anything! Take a drink ... everything feels better ... I can have another bite. No problem! I can eat and drink at the same time! Woo hoo! I forced myself to not drink and what was true for me was that I began to understand what the new full feeling was and that the pressure I was feeling was the restriction my new sleeve was giving me. This is a good thing and exactly what I wanted. I don't want to find ways around my sleeve. I want the restriction and to eat few calories. I have to give my stomach time to heal and work my hiney off to reach my personal goals. Sometimes, the issue with residue left in the throat is because I didn't chew well enough or I took too large of a bite or didn't wait long enough before I took another bite. This whole eating thing is a multi-headed monster. I had to work against all of them, not just pick and choose. I knew the sleeve was not an easy journey. I love the naysayers who say that I took the easy way out by getting the sleeve. Ya ... right. It isn't easy. It takes work. As I like to say, nothing changes unless I make a change. If I keep doing the same thing and expect a different result, well ... who's fault is that? I had to make a change and I am so glad I did.[/quote']

Well said, Pdxman

I thought the same thing. I'm 5 months out and still forget and take a sip while I'm eating and every time it hurts. You'd think I would have learned by now. Old habits are hard to break.