Is it ever ok to drink with meals? New twist on an old topic!

I go out to a nice restaurant about every 2 weeks. I like my steak dinner with salad and side. I do not drink with meals and I wait usually an hour after to start drinking again. My question is this...why wouldn't it be ok to drink while you are eating a salad (nothing fancy, just a side salad without croutons and calorie free Walden Farm dressing) so that you can get your fiber in and satisfy that need for a salad. If it washed out your pouch, what would it matter, no additional calories and you would still have room for your dense protein. I know this may bring alot of passionate responses for both sides but I just had to ask. I personally cannot think of a reason to not do it, as long as it doesn't progress to drinking with all meals. I just like salad and my GI system could sure use the roughage. I usually do not have room to eat salad after eating my dense protein.

I don't see why you would want to.  Unless you are talking about wanting to wash the food out of your pouch so you have room for the dense protein, and in that case I think it's a slippery slope in thinking mentality to wash away food so more can fit.  even if it's just a salad.

I would think it could strech your pouch. Especially if you do It often. You'd technically would be forcing the salad thru your stoma. I believe I read somewhere that the size of it is the size of a lady's finger. And that's the number one reason people start to gain back, drinking with meals. I wouldn't risk it, but that's just me.

The problem I have with drinking with a meal, is I have pain/pressure when I do. Kinda like really bad gas pain. Also, I've not been able to eat more than a couple of bites. So, therefore I don't get the protein I need. If you must drink with a meal, make it just a small sip or two, and thats it.

Thanks for your responses. I was just looking for a way to get a little salad in first before my steak. If I eat even a little bit of salad, I don't have room for my 3 ounces of protein.

I've tried that.  But my problem is I've found that even when I do drink with meals in order to fit in another bite of something different, it doesn't make that much room...

I did it a few times in Spain over the summer to try out some of the more exotic dishes.  It certainly didn't make room for anything other than a few more bites (not enough to regain 180 pounds in one night LOL).  But I wouldn't make a regular practice of it in any case... some people can break a rule occasionally and not make it a habit, others cannot.  You just have to know your limitations.

Audrey

This is classic eating around your surgery - a slippery slope for many of us, I think.

I wouldn't do it, I'd just forego the salad (which is what I do) but you are an adult and must make your own decisions.  

I certainly wouldn't encourage anyone to do it!

What Kim said.

You'll soon have more room in your pouch than you do now - maybe even more than you wish you had - and this may not be that big of an issue shortly.

Of course, having said that, in the interest of full disclosure I must admit to getting very tired of the no drinking after eating rule this past summer.  I was REALLY thirsty and I gulped a big glass of water about 5 minutes after eating.  It all came right back up and I had a stomach ache like you wouldn't believe.  At that point I was about 3 1/2 years out and had been as religious as possible about this particular rule.  I haven't done that again.  So I think your body actually may get used to it.

It IS  a slippery slope - but some have done it regularly since early out.  I think Heidi has always drank with her meals.  I just have so many other areas where it's easy to fall short that I tend to be vigilant about this one - why risk it?

But again, like Kim says, you are an adult and your decisions are most certainly your own.

 

 

At my one month Nutrition class the question was asked about drinking when eating.  The NUT said a few sips was not going to make a huge difference and sometimes is needed to help you 'wash' some food down.  She also said not to make it a habit and use common sense.  

How about just putting you salad to the side and after eating your protein have a few bites of salad.  You can also ask them to chop the salad for you.  Just a suggestion .