Water intake

[cdsjjotn 516]

Sleeved on 11/30 lost 25p since surgery. My dr wants me to drink 64oz of fluids NOT including my shakes. I have 2 shakes a day 1 yougert for snack and 3oz of Protein for dinner. I can only get up to 48oz of Water a day and that's if I'm lucky. I feel like there is not enough time in the day to drink all that water. Does anyone have any suggestions or tips on how they get all their water in?

[Rdsegobia 121]

While I'm getting ready in the morning I get a glass of Water and drink it. This is every day and I get 12-15 oz of Water extra by doing this. At the beginning I only had the water, now that I'm almost 5 months I add a tablespoon of chia seeds and 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed (this helps with any constipation) plus I get the Omega. But my point is to drink water as soon as you wake up and it will become a habit.

Edited January 6, 2016 by Rdsegobia

[DavidOso 272]

at 5 weeks out i was drinking 80 oz of Fluid a day INCLUDING my smoothies. i kept fluid next to me at all times; from when i got up until about 8 pm, or i would be up all night. experiment with bigger sips, small mouthfuls and see how it feels. you almost need to have the mentality of a nurse pushing fluids on a feverish child. i am almost 6 months post op and routinely drink 96 oz a day. for me, this is enough and i will stay at this level. this helps with keeping things moving, too. congrats on your successes.

[cdsjjotn 516]

Thank you both for the awesome advice!! I never think to start my Water as soon as I get up and while I'm getting ready, that's 90 minutes lost right there. And I'm going to try the bigger gulps, prior to surgery I was used to downing a 16oz bottle in minutes , now I'm so paranoid about just taking sips I haven't tried to just take more in. Thanks again !!

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

I agree with the above posters. Keep Water with you at all times and sip all day. You may also want to set short-term goals. For example 8 oz when you get up in the morning. Another 8 oz before 10 am, etc.

It does get easier, especially as you can take bigger sips and eventually just drink normally.

[AvaFern 3,516]

I don't think I really got enough Fluid until well after the first few months. It took me a while to learn to sip and not chug and the only way I could get any Fluid in without feeling like I was swallowing rocks was with a straw. I used a straw for almost two years after surgery and I actually just noticed right now that the last few weeks I have been drinking directly out of a Water bottle again instead of using a straw. The only reason they tell you not to use a straw is because for some people it makes them feel a little gassy- for me, it eliminated the extra air I was swallowing when I drank without a straw so I could get a lot more fluid down without feeling like I had chugged a bottle of chunks.

[MIMISAN 404]

The Water issue is gonna be my kryptonite. I just do not drink a lot of anything and when I do Water would probably come in last. My body has probably been severely dehydrated for YEARS. It is gonna be a killer having to drink so much of it.

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

It will be hard at first, but I promise it gets easy. Who knows, you might even find out you like drinking a lot of water!

[lauriev 71]

Thank you both for the awesome advice!! I never think to start my Water as soon as I get up and while I'm getting ready, that's 90 minutes lost right there. And I'm going to try the bigger gulps, prior to surgery I was used to downing a 16oz bottle in minutes , now I'm so paranoid about just taking sips I haven't tried to just take more in. Thanks again !!

another thing I do is take a bottle of Water with me everywhere. Like some others I start my day with a glass of water while I am getting dressed. When I get ready to leave for work my bottle is almost empty so I refill it on the way out the door and sip on it my whole drive to work. By the time I walk in my office I have at least 30 ounces.

[lauriev 71]

@@MIMISAN, have you tried adding in MIO or Crystal Light or any of the other enhancers? That's how I got started drinking more Water, I added in flavor to it until I could stand to drink it.

[triciakae 18]

i am 5 months out and I can drink 64 or more ozs a day. I loose track because I love Ice cold Water so I will keep adding ice. I also cannot stand plain Water anymore. I always have a bottle of crystal light in my purse at all times. Right after my surgery I had a bottle where I had to tip it for drink and I found I was taking gulps and it would hurt pretty bad. So I switched to my bottle with a straw and found I could drink alot more but smaller amounts at a time. So try changing the bottle you are using. I also have my water bottle with me at all times except when I am in bed.

I know one thing that was difficult to get used to was the timing of eating and waiting to drink. Eventually you get used to it.

[DaisyAmy 561]

It is difficult! Does your nut allow other calorie free drinks? I find that I'm able to get Vitamin Water Zero or Propel down a little quicker than water.

[MIMISAN 404]

@lauriev Yes I have tried those additives and I usually just can't stand the taste of them, but one of my main problems is that I just don't drink a lot. Diet flavors usually really turn me off. I can drink Zero Sprite with lime juice but that isn't Water.