Drinking/eating after healing- Vets please!

 I've been practicing chewing all of my food to applesauce consistency and taking smaller swigs (I'm a month away from surgery), to better form good habits for post-op. I got to thinking, though, is this how it will ALWAYS be? A year from now? Three? I realize the small sips are because your stomach is healing and can't handle gulps. What is it like drinking and eating long after you've healed? Can you take moderately sized mouthfuls of fluid? Eating-wise, I imagine you always have to chew it carefully, just because the stomach has to work so hard to mu**** up otherwise.

The VSG has built in correction for eating too fast.  I am 6 months out.  I eat more slowly than I did before the VSG, but I dont chew my food to applesause consistency...I am always in a hurry. I DONT gulp liquids, but you may be different.  Sometimes I can drink 16oz in 15 mins, sometimes it take me an hour.  Adding flavor to water helps me drink it quickly.

You will be fine, your body will let you know what it can handle. 

I am 16 mths out..and i can gulp liquids..and drink just like before surgery at this point.  I don't have to eat any slower than anyone else now either.  I am very normal when it comes to doing both.

I agree with Dawnie.  I'm 12 months out and can gulp liquids and eat larger bites than I did when I was first out.  I'd probably say I can eat normally, except I get full very quickly.  I can still only eat maybe 3 oz of dense protein along with a half a dozen bites of vegetables for a meal.   

 This is all great news, thanks everyone! The only reason I ask is because I live in Texas where it's been 100+ degrees all summer long. I would be loathe to think I would have to sip slowly the rest of my life. 

 At almost a year out, I am finding that things are pretty much normal now.  I drink normally when thirsty and luckily I have formed a habit of chewing more.  Before, I ate way too fast, so slowing down is a good thing.  Because I eat so much less, by chewing more and slowing down, it isn't so noticable when I go out to eat.  I finish when everyone else does.

Did I mention that I love my sleeve?

Beverly

2 years out - I can take about 8 swallow of water in a row (i.e., gulp, gulp, gulp etc.).  Then a minute later I can do the same thing.  And I eat normally.  What I have found is that, if I remember to pay attention to my chewing, I eat less.   

I wouldn't say that I gulp water. But I can drink normally. I can drink about 16 oz in about 3 to 4 minutes.

I eat normal sized bites. I still do chew to applesauce consistency. This has become a habit and I don't even notice that I do it anymore. I can eat more now than I did when I was six months out. That is why it is so important for newbies to practice eating until they are satiated and not full. Good habit to have once in maintenance.

Take advantage of the honeymoon period and keep you're calories intake low to maximize weight loss.