Needing Meal & Hydration Time Management Tips

Hi all! I was wondering if anyone could share with me some tips for staying on track with your eating and drinking schedule after VSG. I am now 33 days post-op and find I'm really struggling with reminding / disciplining myself to drink and eat at the proper intervals. It's so easy to get distracted and forget to eat and drink since I rarely feel hungry now, unless I'm well past the time I should've had something. I know this is not going to fly for anything length of time, so any suggestions you could offer would be greatly appreciated. I've tried half-hour Google Calendar reminders sending to my iPhone but they are very unreliable it seems (plus my iPhone is on the blitz on top of that), so unfortunately that's not working for me very well. I've tried setting a timer as well but I've been very forgetful with resetting them. Any apps, software, tools, or gadgets anyone could recommend I'd greatly appreciate it.

P.S. for VSG vets who may be reading, does this ever get any easier or more intuitive, or will it always be a struggle?

Thanks so much!

Hi,

I can remember the crazy med, eating and drinking schedule when I first started.  It is hard at first. Keep plugging away at it and before long, it will become easier.  Yes, in the beginning it feels like your world revolves around eating and drinking but before long, it will meld into your regular schedule.  It takes about 30 days to develop a habit, so they say.  Sometimes, it takes longer.  You may try to make a chart to put on our refrigerator or taped to your desk at work.  Try different visual aids that will trigger your memory.  Hang in there, it is crazy in the beginning but it will get better.

Thanks so much, glad to know I'm not alone in it. I'll try the visual aids and see if that helps some. I was always a list girl. :D

I'll tell you that it does get easier and more intuitive with time.  I'm a list-maker and schedule girl too so I still pre-plan what I'm going to eat and when I'm going to eat it.  I do 3 meals a day and 2 snacks....early out this may seem more like 5-6 "snacks" since you can't eat much after 1 month out.  The key is to stay consistent and get in a habit of eating at the same time every day.  

This was my typical schedule during the week when I had to leave for work at 7:00 a.m.: 

5:00 - up to start pushing fluids 

6:00 - breakfast, shower 

7:00 - commute and drink protein shake 

8:00 - start drinking more water, sip constantly 

9:00 - snack

9:30 - more water, sip continuously 

12:00 - lunch 

1:00 - that's right, more water! 

3:00 - snack 

3:30 - water 

6:00 or so - dinner 

7:00 - water until about 7:30 or 8:00 and then stop for the night