Water! How do you do it?

[nickyjs 3]

I know strange title LOL

How do you get all the Water you need in? I find it really hard to drink what I need. Am getting sick of being dehydrated. Any hints on making sure I get enough Water? Basically I've been told that I can drink just before a meal but not till 2 hours after a meal. This is why I'm finding it so hard to get the water in. I just don't seem to be able to find the time, plus I keep getting sidetracked and forget.

And while I'm on the subject of water how long does it take to get used to not drinking with meals? That is one I'm really really finding hard. I think this is due to the fact that preband I drank when I ate.

Oh deary me just gotta love this mental stuff.

[tangerine 44]

Ask your doctor again about how long to wait to drink after eating. I think 2 hours is quite a long time to wait! I usually wait about 45 minutes to an hour after eating to start drinking again. Once I can drink again, I drink nothing but Water. Occasionally I'll have a sip of something with flavor and sugar, just to satisfy the urge, but other than that, it's Water only. I gave up sodas and sugary drinks a few years ago, and it took me quite a while to get used to.

Not drinking with meals didn't take me long. I find that if I drink while I eat, it backs up on top of the food, making me uncomfortably full and unable to get in the food that I need. I do have one small sip after I'm done eating though, just to kind of wash out my mouth. I don't even pour myself a drink while eating, so not having it there helps a lot. I promise you, you will get used to it!

[prk1116 0]

I've always found it hard to drink enough Water too. Since I've been back to work after banding (7-22-03), I brought in a case of bottled water, drink one in the morning, one in the afternoon. Then I have a case of water at home, and just have to drink one more bottle to get my daily quota. These are 1.05 pint bottles.

I am still struggling with weekends, since my time is not so structured.

I don't drink when I eat (of course I'm still on soft/liquid anyway), but only wait one half hour after eating to drink water again. Good luck with you H20 quest!

[leo 4]

My nutritionist said I could drink all the Water I wanted between meals. Just sip it when you feel thirsty.

Try to drink a glass of Water before you eat your meal. And I agree tangerine waiting 2 hours after a meal is too long.

I normally drink water about half hour after the meal. There is no other way to put 64oz of water into my body if I had to wait 2 hours after each meal.....

[nickyjs 3]

Thanks everyone. I will try to do that and not worry about the 2 hour mark. I spoke to the surgeon and he wasn't sure and said I should speak to the dietician. I see her on the 11th so will go over it again with her and let her know what I have been doing and that I seem to be coping with it better.

Leo that is the problem I had waiting the 2hrs after eating I just couldn't fit the Water in. I do have a drink before I have my meal but that has mainly been from knowing that I was going to have to wait so long to drink again. I am still trying to cope with the not eating and drinking. I'm really struggling with that one.

Anyway thanks again for your advice all.

[roxanne 0]

Hi,I was told not to drink to soon after a meal because the liquid washes the food down and you are hungry sooner than you should be. But 2 hours sounds like a long time if you waited 2 hours after every meal thats 6 hours out of the day taken up, when would you have time to get all the fluids in your suppose to get in.

[kassy_360 3]

my Water intake is horrible.. maybe 16 oz a day. I too find the window of oppertunity is not big enough to get in what I should as my surgeon also said 2 hours after.. I start the day with 4 rubber bands on my bottle. as I finish a bottle I take a rubber band off and just put it on my wrist. Once the 4 rubber bands are gone anything beyond that is a bonus for me. A women at work who was banded elsewherer was told 30 min. before and after so the times for any of us are not etched in stone. If you can do 30/30 and not bee hungry to soon I would say try it.

[Cindy C 150]

It doesn't have to be Water. Anything caffeine free and sugar free counts as water. Try caffeine free iced tea, s/f Koolade or Vitamin water. I keep a glass of something handy all day long and just sip it occasionally. I wouldn't worry too much about the time between beverages and meals. My doctor say half hour before and after but honestly, I haven't followed that rule in a long time. I drink with my meals but usually only a couple sips to avoid getting stuck.

[KimK813 2]

I had a really hard time with this, too. One great piece of advice I got about drinking while eating was this: fill a glass with ice and only drink what melts. It usually wasn't very much but it gave me the sensation of drinking with my meal. As my fills gave me more restriction, I found it nearly impossible to drink and eat, so it's not such an issue for me now. I usually wait at least 30-45 minutes after eating to drink anything.

Let me share with you what has been a HUGE help for me in making sure I get in at least 64oz a day... a bottle cozy! I picked one up at Dollar Tree and it not only helps keep my bottle cold, I carry it everywhere!!! I set it down at work the other day and within 15 minutes someone was bringing it to me because they knew it was mine.

I drink flavored Water or homemade sugar free lemonade a great deal. Plain Water is not my thing. I was such a Coca Cola addict prior to my surgery that my whole kitchen is decorated in Coke (it still is, I like to vibe, but I haven't had one in almost a year!)

With some effort, you will make it and won't even think about from now on.

Good luck, everyone!

[Allison0927 329]

My surgeon says not to drink 15 mins before the meal and 30 minutes after. I see a lot of people on here saying their surgeons said not to drink until 1 hour after the meal - i had never seen 2 hours until reading this post. Amazing how the surgeons differ on the "rules". LOL

[brbm6 6]

My surgeon said no Water 30 minutes before a meal and 30 minutes after. I have a bottle that holds 32 oz. (4 servings) of water. I drink 1 before Breakfast first thing in the morning. One between breakfast and lunch. One between lunch and dinner. And the last one between dinner and bed. So, that gives me at least 100 oz. of water per day. And by drinking water between meals I do not snack. Water is the only way to keep the scale moving down. I find it I do not get my water intake in..........I plateau. I agree with the others..............2 hours is too long to wait.

[Banded Brian 0]

I know strange title LOL

How do you get all the Water you need in? I find it really hard to drink what I need. Am getting sick of being dehydrated. Any hints on making sure I get enough Water? Basically I've been told that I can drink just before a meal but not till 2 hours after a meal. This is why I'm finding it so hard to get the water in. I just don't seem to be able to find the time, plus I keep getting sidetracked and forget.

And while I'm on the subject of water how long does it take to get used to not drinking with meals? That is one I'm really really finding hard. I think this is due to the fact that preband I drank when I ate.

Oh deary me just gotta love this mental stuff.

2 hours is a long time to wait. My doctor told me 45 to an hour. I carry a water bottle around with me. Sip all day. Some days I get tired of drinking water though

[Jess55 97]

Wow the original post is from 2003! Well any ways, I have no problem getting in my Water. 6 days a week I go kickboxing, I drink one 32 oz bottle of water while I'm there (sometimes more), I drink 32 oz of wyler's (crystal light type flavoring) on the car ride home. That's already 64 oz. I drink at least 3 more 32 oz bottles if wylers throughout the day, sometimes more. Like others I was told no drinking 30 min before and like 45 minutes after. I sometimes ignore the before if I'm thirsty, I usually only do 30 minutes after.