Question:
why should we wait 30 minutes - 1 hour after our meals to drink liquids?

i guess i need as much insight on this question as i can get from the more experienced members of our site. is it just a suggestion or should we really keep up with this? what happens if we drink after meals? medically, how is this beneficial? all details will be so much appreciated!    — Trofie 9. (posted on April 9, 2002)

April 9, 2002
I can answer this in several ways... 1. Experience...you can overfill yourself if you drink "regularly" during or after a meal...did it, no fun. 2. Doctor says...you end up eating less during the meal because your stomach is filling with liquid and you feel full, hence you may miss out on some required nutrients to serve your bodies needs. 3. Doctor also says...drinking during or after meals help push foods through your system too quickly again missing out on nutrients and causing possible diarreah. 4. My doctor told me to even wait to eat for 1/2-1 hour after drinking and wait to drink 1/2-1 hour after eating.
   — Glenn M.

April 9, 2002
Agree with the first poster. I occassionally take a sip or two with my meals...and even have "used" drinking with meals as a way to "make room" for a little more...old habits die hard!! Good luck to you. Open RNY 7/17/01, -87 lbs
   — blee01

April 9, 2002
Before surgery, this was really one of my biggest concerns because I always drank a lot of water and other liquids, before, during and after meals. However being 5 weeks post-op, that has all changed. I don't feel so thirsty all the time, but I was borderline diabetic, and am now not showing any symptoms of that any more. I have drank a little right after eating, and it has not been a pleasant experience. It made me too full, and felt a lot of pressure in my pouch for about 20 minutes.
   — Dell H.

April 9, 2002
To each his own, but this stopping drinking awhile before, and awhile after a meal did'nt work for me. I felt very dehydrated and only tried this for about a week and said the heck with it. Do you relize that quitting drinking for an hour or so before and after meals REALLY LIMITS the time you have to drink? That takes around 3-5 hours (guessing) drinking time away from the day? Did'nt work for me. If it does for the rest of you guys fine. But it sure messed me up. I was always very dehydrated and thristy. It was terrible. I'm not knocking this for people whom it works for, but it sure did'nt work for me.
   — Danmark

April 9, 2002
If you drink liquids with and/or after eating, it will push the food through too fast and not only will you be able to eat more, it will go through too fast and not have time for you body to absorb the necessary nutrients. We eat so very little as it is, we really need those nutrients from the food. Every bit that we can. Now I admit that I do take small sips during a meal, at first it was just at dinner, now becoming more of a habit. But they are baby sips. If I take a 'drink' then I am in some pain like I am stuck and it lasts for a while and cannot eat anymore. So that has been good for me.
   — Cheri M.

April 9, 2002
This has been one of the most difficult adjustments that I have had to make post-op. It is getting easier to wait that hour after meals, but I will also admit to 2 or 3 small sips during the meal. I get so thirsty that I find those few sips prevent me from drinking an entire glass of water directly after eating. So, I'm not perfect with it, but I'm 4 months out as of today, down 70 lbs, over halfway to goal, have perfect labs and feel terrific so I think I'm doing ok. By the way, my surgeon's nurse said that those couple of sips won't hurt anything and she's pretty strict about postop regimines.
   — Donna L.