I am going to be banded on May 22, so this forum has been great!

One of the biggest questions my husband keeps asking me is how I will feel not drinking anything with my meals. I always have iced tea or Water when I eat and I want to know if this is hard to get used to. Sometimes when we go out to dinner I will have wine, is this a no-no for the rest of my life?

Thanks!:wub:

No, not at all.

During weightloss they say you shouldn't drink so that you will fill yourself with nutrition, and secondly so that food stays longer before passing thru the band.

On maintenance, I drink with meals if I want, but I'm not in the weightloss phase. I drank with meals before I was restricted as well...because I wasn't in the weightloss phase. (others don't drink with meals)

Hope this helps.

It's not bad not drinking with your meals. You can have a sip to keep your mouth from getting too dry while eating, but I've not had that issue yet. I'm in my early weight loss and do a lot of diet soups and mushy stuff. You can drink 20 minutes before you eat though and of course 20 minutes after you eat. Also, there's some great sugar free flavor powders that you can add to your water to vary the taste.

It really hasn't been a problem for me. For me the key is to just not have something to drink sitting in front of me at a meal. If it's there, I'll automatically pick it up and drink.

It's not a problem to occasionally sip some wine with dinner. I do. Alcohol is not conducive to weight loss, so it's good to not drink too often. The thing to watch out for with wine is that it relaxes you and you might be able to eat more than usual.

This is one concept of the band I'm not sold on. Why on earth with healthy eating & exercise - taking in approximately 1100 calories a day would this prohibit my weightloss? I get the flushing of the pouch, but that's just malarky in my opinion. I have a problem with getting in enough fluids, I'm not going to stop myself with a sip here / sip there during a meal because it's going to fill me up sooner.

I'm a whole lot better than my husband, who said he wasn't going to follow that advise (our dr doesn't mandate it) - not stopped him from dropping 75lbs in 6months.

Again I struggle w/getting in enough Water in during a normal day - I'm going to pause that for an additional 4+hrs a day in hot TX??

Like Molly - I will have some wine; but I'm restricted enough that my wine compliments my meal - rather than the meal taking over w/my wine.

This is one concept of the band I'm not sold on. Why on earth with healthy eating & exercise - taking in approximately 1100 calories a day would this prohibit my weightloss? I get the flushing of the pouch, but that's just malarky in my opinion.

You will lose weight if you keep your calorie intake lower than your calorie expenditure, but you can do that just by dieting and exercising. You don't need a band to go on a diet.

The reason to get a band is to control your hunger and hunger control is why banded people are more successful at losing weight and keeping it off than those who use diet and exercise alone.

But if you drink while eating, the band won't control your hunger because food won't stay in your pouch long enough. It also won't control your portion size, the other thing the band does, because if you flush out what is in your pouch, you can put more in.

You will lose weight if you keep your calorie intake lower than your calorie expenditure, but you can do that just by dieting and exercising. You don't need a band to go on a diet.

The reason to get a band is to control your hunger and hunger control is why banded people are more successful at losing weight and keeping it off than those who use diet and exercise alone.

But if you drink while eating, the band won't control your hunger because food won't stay in your pouch long enough. It also won't control your portion size, the other thing the band does, because if you flush out what is in your pouch, you can put more in.

I know I got the band to "keep" the weight off long term vs possible re-gain with regular diet & exercise, I had other use of $15k, but self pay was my only shot at the band. This concept (one of not drinking w/meals) is not one completely mandated by all Dr's - including mine.

If I measure my food out & don't add, how is having a sip of drink making me eat more? If I don't go over my caloric intake for the day - how is drinking affecting that weightloss? If I control what I eat for the day - how can I put more in my "Pouch" or as you say "flush" with a sip of drink.

I monitor every item I put in my mouth every day (more so for my trainer) & in less than 7 months I've met my Dr's goal & a bit shy of my own personal one. Husband already met goal at month 6 & he's never had a meal w/out ice tea.

I just don't buy the concept, especially since others can drink before hand - others have to wait 30mins .... Some have to wait 30mins after a meal...some and hr. -

Agree to disagree~

I know I got the band to "keep" the weight off long term vs possible re-gain with regular diet & exercise, I had other use of $15k, but self pay was my only shot at the band. This concept (one of not drinking w/meals) is not one completely mandated by all Dr's - including mine.

If I measure my food out & don't add, how is having a sip of drink making me eat more? If I don't go over my caloric intake for the day - how is drinking affecting that weightloss? If I control what I eat for the day - how can I put more in my "Pouch" or as you say "flush" with a sip of drink.

I monitor every item I put in my mouth every day (more so for my trainer) & in less than 7 months I've met my Dr's goal & a bit shy of my own personal one. Husband already met goal at month 6 & he's never had a meal w/out ice tea.

I just don't buy the concept, especially since others can drink before hand - others have to wait 30mins .... Some have to wait 30mins after a meal...some and hr. -

Agree to disagree~

Hi Luluc.... seems like you have done very well with your weight loss. Congratulations. You are certainly entitled to your view to disagree with the majority on this point, however I think its important to help the new bandsters (like me) understand that the purpose of the band is to trigger full feelings, and satisfaction, with smaller quantity of food. The triggers that tell you that you are satisfied are in the upper portion of the stomach - which is why the smaller upper pouch works for long term portion (and therefore reduced calorie) control. If you are washing food down to the lower pouch by drinking when you eat, you are not reaping the benefits of the band.

Now if you have been able to carefully monitor your food intake and keep it to 1100 calories a day, and exercise then more power to you for your success. I personally tried that and failed many times. If you are one of the small % of overweight people who can succeed via calorie control and exercise I wonder why you had the band?

I just see the band as a tool to help me reduce my food intake without those feelings of wanting more.. more.. more.

Edited May 2, 200818 yr by Luscious

Hi Luluc.... seems like you have done very well with your weight loss. Congratulations. You are certainly entitled to your view to disagree with the majority on this point, however I think its important to help the new bandsters (like me) understand that the purpose of the band is to trigger full feelings, and satisfaction, with smaller quantity of food. The triggers that tell you that you are satisfied are in the upper portion of the stomach - which is why the smaller upper pouch works for long term portion (and therefore reduced calorie) control. If you are washing food down to the lower pouch by drinking when you eat, you are not reaping the benefits of the band.

Now if you have been able to carefully monitor your food intake and keep it to 1100 calories a day, and exercise then more power to you for your success. I personally tried that and failed many times. If you are one of the small % of overweight people who can succeed via calorie control and exercise I wonder why you had the band?

I just see the band as a tool to help me reduce my food intake without those feelings of wanting more.. more.. more.

I actually don't feel that I'm in the minority when I say that drinking during meals are a No No - the OP asked a question, and I answered based off of my experience - my husband (also banded) & those who have done so w/in my Dr's practice. And to ease the mind, I "might" have 4/5 sips - sometimes none - sometimes more w/my meals - I'm not slamming drinks.

Why is OK to give one point of view on the subject? I certainly don't advocate, nor ever have deviating from your Dr's orders, It just wasn't one of mine. Can't I have the same floor to respond as others? I just answered the question from the OP as honest as possible as it pertains to me & my experiences. Am I not to respond because someone new here got different post op directions?

To respond why I got the band is to prevent regain - Not an uncommon reason.

Thanks everyone for your comments! What I have learned from LBT is that each doctor has their own set of guidelines to follow, from the number of days for liquid during pre-op to drinking during meals. I thought I read somewhere that I couldn't drink 2 hours before meals and after meals and then I had to sip my fluids, I can live with not drinking 20 minutes before and 20 minutes after a meal!!!

I guess I will become one of those people who is always carrying around a Water bottle to sip from!!!

Had my visit with the psychologist today and she said that it is unrealistic to think that I will never be able to drink liquids with meals. Like in Pirates of the Caribbean, it's more of a guideline than a code!!! I am just trying to learn as much as I can before being banded!

:party:

I can not drink at all during my meals.

It doesn't flush the food faster through the pouch in my case, it actually does quite the opposite. It makes the food expand and it results in me vomiting.

When i go out for lunch or dinner, i always drink first then i eat. Like if i am having a coffee with my lunch, when i order i ask for that to be sent over first.

I actually don't feel that I'm in the minority when I say that drinking during meals are a No No - the OP asked a question, and I answered based off of my experience - my husband (also banded) & those who have done so w/in my Dr's practice. And to ease the mind, I "might" have 4/5 sips - sometimes none - sometimes more w/my meals - I'm not slamming drinks.

Why is OK to give one point of view on the subject? I certainly don't advocate, nor ever have deviating from your Dr's orders, It just wasn't one of mine. Can't I have the same floor to respond as others? I just answered the question from the OP as honest as possible as it pertains to me & my experiences. Am I not to respond because someone new here got different post op directions?

To respond why I got the band is to prevent regain - Not an uncommon reason.

Perhaps you missed my sentance that said.... You are certainly entitled to your view to disagree :-)

Like I said, more power to you - whatever you are doing is clearly working for you.

Perhaps you missed my sentance that said.... You are certainly entitled to your view to disagree :-)

quote]

agreed - my apologies for any offense.

lu~

Well I couldn't drink WITH my meal if I wanted to, unless I want to end up staring deeply into my toilet. My doc does recommend not drinking until an hour after I've eaten though. I have a really hard time with that. I've actually bought a kitchen timer and set it so I know when I can drink again. Cheesy, but hey it works!

I'm with luluc on this one. I avoid drinking 2-3 glasses of water with a meal, as was my previous habit, but I don't stick strictly to the no drinks 30 min before/1hr after rule either. I like the restriction level I have, which is fairly subtle and allows me to eat whatever I want but stops overeating. If I finding myself feeling hungry soon after meals, I will be a little more strict on it, but mostly I'll sip a half glass or so throughout a meal, just to keep my mouth wet. When I go out for dinner, I'll nurse a half glass of wine throughout the meal and it doesn't seem to make me overeat, as I only order an appetiser meal anyway.