Practicing not drinking with dinner - any suggestions??

[loulou09 0]

Hi everyone xx

I am being banded mid April and I am doing Optifast Breakfast and lunch and no coffee for 2 weeks before the final doctors order of the final 2 weeks before surgery, to get into the habit. Crazy lady I know but keep thinking - once its gone its gone!!!? :ohmy:

I am practicing eating my dinner slowly and not drinking with meals - 1/4 hr before and 1/2 hr after (is this correct?) It is so so so so hard!!! Didn't realize how hard this bit would be.

Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions how they do it? It's such a normal thing to have drink with dinner for me, be it soda Water or (a very small wine now ). Is it just me or did anyone else have this problem?

Would love some help with this.

Thank you so much.

Lou x

[lellow 1,713]

It is hard but you get used to it eventually. I still check the clock to see what time I've finished dinner, so I know exactly when I can go get a huge glass of Water (1/2 hour later).

It feels wierd for a while to not drink when you eat, but like all habits, after a while, it becomes less wierd.

[Jaffa 5]

I used to drink about 40 ounces of Water with each meal.

I really don't miss it at all after a couple of weeks. I do need at least 8 ounces of Water 15 minutes prior to eating or things just don't go down right.

[loulou09 0]

Thanks lellow and Jaffa steve

As you said - it must just be a habit I have to get out of.

Thanks for your advice.

Lou :tt2:

[shaggs 0]

I really suffer with this one! I find it sooooo hard BUT I have learnt some techniques. 1. Dont miss that drink before you eat make sure you have it. 2. Dont have a drink at the table. Dont buy a drink if you're eating out just dont have one on hand. 3. If you absolutely have to, have a tiny sip and rinse it around your mouth. Its not enough to cause too much trouble. AFter the first 5 minutes or so you get over it and forget when the half hour is up (USA usally wait 2 hours!) If you do happen to have a big gulp you will learn really quickly how much it hurts when all of a sudden a pouch full of food quickly rushes through your band all at the same time. Its very uncomfortable and painful. Forget that you wont feel full anymore, thats secondary to the main problem. The main problem is that food all getting stuck at once OUCH! You're doing well, keep training but go easy on yourself, you dont want to burn out too soon!

[loulou09 0]

Thanks Shaggs :thumbup:

Great advice. I will practice again tonight - the rush of food going through the band sounds a bit ordinary.

If I go back to a question that you posted, I think it was something like "would you do it all again?" Don't quote me :tongue_smilie: Would you? You don't have to answer - just interested to find out from someone on the other side.

Have a great weekend.

Lou

[shaggs 0]

I would DEFINITELY do it all again! 1000 times over (although I hope karma doesnt call me on this one cause I'd really rather everything just go smoothly and it never have to be done again!) but I would. It has changed my life in EVERY way! At no point has any of the pain or hassle or hard times EVER been as bad as the overwhelming destructiveness of being overweight. I would recommended this to anyone and it is so much more manageable than standard dieting. Its not a cure all but it is fabulous!

[kgloverii 0]

LouLou,

You WILL get used to not drinking with your meals. It takes lots of practice, but you will get to the point that it does not bother you at all. I am surrounded by family that drinks while they eat, but it doesn't even occur to me anymore! HTH!

[cuddles_01au 0]

you will soon get used to not having a drink with food...i always had 2 glasses of diet coke with meals but now 18mths banded and it wasnt hard and now i dont even think of it

Leeanne

[DaniRae 0]

Thank you for your Questrion about this subject.. I am new to this site and have just been given my date for banding the 8th of June 09...... These answers are a great help to me as i now start my 77 day count down..

Hope all goes well for you..

Cheers Dani