SO....How do you NOT drink with meals? I'm still on pureed/soft foods so it doesn't matter much right now but MAN I'm trying to break it before I get to solids and it's so hard. We you able to break this habit, if so, what worked for you?

Also, If you are on Pureed/mushies what are you eating? (or what did you eat?)

What time frames work for you with Drinking before and after meals?

Thanks you guys I appreciate you reading and/or replying.

<3 Steph

Yes I did break the habit and if you stick with it it doesn't take too long to get used to it. The best way is to always make sure there is no drink within site of your plate. I know for me, if I don't follow this rule my weight loss slows and sometimes drinking with certain foods will cause me to slime.

Mushies that I ate:

Soft meats, stews, Soups or chili blended in blender

Canned chicken mixed with spinach dip blended in blender

Refried Beans with con queso dip or sour cream

oatmeal cooked in milk

Eggbeater with cheese mashed or blended

In a pinch, I also kept baby food on hand (add a little salt and pepper and its not so bland).

SF Popsicles

Anything that does not blend well, just add some Water or broth.

Good tip on not having the drink on the table. You'll have to take tiny bites, chew, chew, chew and eat slowly so you don't choke initially. But the liquids and mushies will help you prepare for that. Taking small bites was harder for me than the drink with my meals. I don't like the feel of "sludge" in my mouth. My instinct was to wash it down immediately. But you get used to it. It took about two weeks.

For mushies I liked mashed banana, applesauce, quacamole, refried Beans with fat free sour cream and melted cheese, cream of wheat with cinnamon, oatmeal, whipped sweet potatoes, mashed butternut squash, egg drop Soup, baked ricotta cheese with spaghetti sauce and parmesan cheese, souffle, flan, Jello set with cottage cheese, poached tilapia in chicken stock and mashed, low calorie pumpkin pie filling, and salmon mousse.

For mushies I like: soups, tuna or chicken mixed with light mayo, egg salad, mashed potatoes, low cal pudding, yogurt, cottage cheese (if the curds are too big, I mash them up a bit), and sugar free pistachio pudding mixed with cottage cheese.

This problem (drinking) has been one of my biggest hurdles to overcome- I have ALWAYS drank with my meals and it is undoubtably the hardest thing I have tried to stop doing....

I have "cheated" by including some sf popsicles or watermelon into my meal so that I can have some liquid going down- I fear something getting stuck although I know the liquid is actually pushing....

HELP!!!!

I actually practiced before I got my band. At about two weeks before surgery, I stopped drinking with meals. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be to overcome. Since I had time to practice, it didn't feel like such a big thing to just do. I could take my time getting used to it.

On top of that, there will always be some liquids going down when your eating certain meals. Like Cereal, your not supposed to drink the milk, just let the cereal soak in it. But some milk will always slip in with the cereal when your eating. Or if you eat fruit with your meal. There is a lot of Water in fruits, the juice will seep out when you eat the raw fruit. Your never going to entirely get away from it.

I am with you! I am a week before my first fill and I am still drinking with meals, because I get SO THIRSTY!!!! Ugh...this is going to be my biggest challenge. I KNOW I can do it but it's going to hurt like hell (mentally).

I don't have a date set for surgery, yet. I've been practicing getting in the habit of not drinking w/meals. I don't like to drink w/a straw. But, I am a gulper, when I drink a bottle of Water I can down half of it in a few gulps. The past few days I've been drinking w/a straw. I notice w/a straw, I sip. I understand drinking w/a straw introduces air into the stomach, so I hope by my surgery date I'll be able to sip w/out a straw and not drink w/meals.

Good luck

Kristine

It was hard when I first got my band but I followed the rules because I was afraid of jeopardizing my progress. Now my band simply won't allow me to eat and drink together. The consequence is bringing everything back up.

I thought this was going to be one of the toughest things because I have always been big on drinking during the meal. Really though, it hasn’t been too tough. Maybe it’s because the portion sizes are so small that I don feel the need to drink while eating? I always set the timer on my phone for one hour as soon as I eat the last bite to remind me when it is ok to drink. I do cheat a little though, I drink a big glass of water right before breakfast to loosen my band up a bit. I find that without pre-breakfast water I can’t eat anything. Even with this water, I am able to stay satisfied till lunch so I don’t think it has hurt my weight loss.

I make a point out of drinking a big glass of Water, between 45 minutes prior to eating and up to 15 minutes before.

I also make a point to drink a big glass of water at 1 hour after eating. Keeping hydrated is crucial and you need to plan your drinking every day.

I was told not to drink anything 30 minutes before meals and 30 minutes afterwards.

:rolleyes2:

SO....How do you NOT drink with meals? I'm still on pureed/soft foods so it doesn't matter much right now but MAN I'm trying to break it before I get to solids and it's so hard. We you able to break this habit, if so, what worked for you?

Also, If you are on Pureed/mushies what are you eating? (or what did you eat?)

What time frames work for you with Drinking before and after meals?

Thanks you guys I appreciate you reading and/or replying.

<3 Steph

I had a TOUGH time with this too.

I would still drink during meals until I got my first fill. Not a whole drink, but I'd have a small sip here and there.

That changed when I got my first fill on May 7th. If I drink during my meal, it HURTS. My first reaction used to be to take a swig of Water if something was stuck. Big mistake.

Now I've gotten over the urge to drink during meals. I will, however, take a tiny sip of water once I'm done eating. Or I will chew a piece of mint gum for a few minutes to get the food taste out of my mouth.

You get used to it pretty quick. Just make sure you drink a lot when not eating.

You should be able to drink right up until you eat. If your doctor says you have to wait, ask him why because neither I nor my Dr. have any idea why you can't drink before a meal.

You won't want to drink after a meal because the liquid will sit there with the food and feel really uncomfortable, so you will lose that habit quickly.

When we go out to eat, I still order an ice tea, coffee, wine or cocktail at the beginning of the meal and drink however much I want until the food comes, then I just ignore it.

Don't worry, you won't even think about this stuff after a while. Just make sure you get enough liquid in you the rest of the time.

If your doctor says you have to wait, ask him why because neither I nor my Dr. have any idea why you can't drink before a meal.

I've been wondering this as well. I understand the not with or after bit but why not before?

Does anyone know

you know, the hardest thing about that is the pushy waiters who just can't believe you don't want a drink. i thought about just ordering water so they'd give up but then i thought that it would be too much temptation. my dad finally started saying that i'm on a 'special diet' and that seems to get them to go away LOL. but I agree with the posts above that it's better to just not have it around