Drinking enough water

Hi Everyone,

I just want to make sure that you are drinking enough water everyday.  I know it is hard for you to get it all in, but you have to carry some water around with you all the time and just sip it.  It is like having a job to make sure you get enough water in your body.  Do the very best you can, it helps so much in your recovery.

Here are 8 simple things that you might enjoy reading about how water helps our bodies.  By the time you are thirsty you are already starting to become dehydrated.

Keep up the good work and don't forget about drinking your water.

1.75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. this also applies to half the world population.

2.  In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is mistaken for hunger.    

3. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as 3%.  

4. One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the   dieters studied in a University of Washington study.

5. Lack of water, is the # 1 trigger of daytime fatigue.  

6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.

7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.

8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79% and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.


Hugs,
Suzanne

This is something I am trying really hard to work on and think has been the most difficult thing post-op.
I typically get 72oz in daily minimum (sometimes as much as 100oz), but I am still in my soft food stage too and doing mostly liquids (protein drinks, etc) with the exception of cottage cheese, string cheese, etc. I'm just worried how well I will do when I am able to do regular foods - having to wait before/after eating to drink, etc.
I can tell a difference in my skin - my nose area and lips seem so much drier then they were pre-op, but getting better the farther out I get post-op.
Just gotta keep sipping and learning!

Hi,

Just take it one day at a time.  I learned to just carry a tumbler around with me and I am always just sipping water.  I thought it might be difficult to not be able to drink while I was eating.  I also tried taking a tiny sip of water, to just kind of clear my mouth when I was eating and that helped me at first started eating food. The more time that went by the more I got used to no liquids when I ate.  Now 3 1/2 years later I may have a little water to drink when I am eating.

I was forgetting to drink as much water as I should be, now I am back drinking all my water.  I still to this day have a protein drink for my breakfast and nothing else.  It just works for me.  And it is a way to start my day of with 30 grams of protein. 

I know this is all new and soooooooooooooo different from anything that you used to do.  Just remind yourself that they stages are part of your relearning and retraining your brain how to eat and accept food.  The brain can play some ugly tricks on us.  You have to be in charge and DO NOT let the OLD brain try to change what you know is right.

Hang in there,
Hugs,
Suzanne

I lived on Diet Coke and never drank water. I took Motrin every day because I had constant headaches that I attributed to many other things (allergies, teeth clenching). Since I had the surgery, I've only had 2 headaches that really were caused by allergies. I was dehydrated for years and didn't know it!

Hi,

Congratulations to you.  Isn't it amazing what we learn along our weight loss journey.  I think you are going to love your new life.  Looks like you are doing a great job.  Keep doing what you are doing.  This truly is a learning process and we have to learn how to eat again with tiny bites and chew a lot.  Also we have to be in control because our old brain loves to play tricks on us and try to tell us we are hungry when we really are not.

Hugs,
Suzanne