How to manage eating out?

Hi everyone. I am just wondering how you all manage to eat out and drink at the same time.. Do you take sips when you first get your drink and then completely stop drinking when your food comes? TIA!!!

I think it depends how far out you are from surgery. I find it pretty easy to go out. I usually find the menu to the place that I am going to and look at it at home first. 

I usually drink up till my food comes. I pick something that is protein and eat that first. When I started out and was on liquids I would go to dinner and bring my protein shake. That was at a place we are regulars at. I also would bring Crystal light with me. 

I always had them take my glass when dinner came so out of habit I wouldn't drink anything. 

In the beginning -  no drinks.. just food. 

now - I drin****il the meal comes.. then wait 4-5 min and start eating... 

I drin****il my food comes.  Then I eat.  I check my watch when I finish eating and start drinking again at 30 minutes.  

Exactly this.

It took me way too long to just decline a drink when the server first gets to your table. I'm usually hydrated enough at that point and its easier than drinking 1/2 your water and getting a refill or 2nd glass automatically without your consent!  If I am thirsty, I do as others do, and drink a small amount until the meal arrives, then just ignore the drink. I'm too busy CHEWING CHEWING CHEWING! :)

I don't drink at all if we go out to eat. I just decline a drink. When I was on vacation I did ask for a  to-go water (where available) and drank that 30 minutes after leaving.

If you are fresh out of surgery, like the first 6 months, stick to the "no drinking 30 minutes before or after a meal" rule - or whatever timeframe your surgeon gave you.  You're so restricted early out that even drinking before can cause problems.

As time goes on, you can drink before, stop when you start eating, and then don't drink after for at least 30 minutes after.  I wait for an hour or more after a meal.

At restaurants, I've always gotten water.  Whether I drink it or not is no one's business.  But it avoids waitresses hovering over you asking constantly if you want a drink.

In the first few months after surgery, I always ordered an unsweetened iced tea in a to-go cup at every restaurant so I could take it with me and drink it 30 mins after.  I would sip it until my meal came.  Now I just order water to sip before my meal since I drink so much during the day already.