Drinking with meals and digestion

[OuchThatHurts]

For a survival situation yes you would need to drink water with your food. But for most bodybuilders.....we are very well hydrated and this isn’t an issue. What is an issue for many of us is that drinking water with food dilutes your stomachs acid causing it to take longer to digest and possibly leading to stomach upset. For someone like me with a whole host of digestive issues I have to do everything I can to optimize my digestion in order to get my meals in. So I take betaine hcl and digestive enzymes with meals, I don’t drink water until 30 minutes before or after eating, I only eat fast digesting carb sources like sticky rice, and a host of other things

Exactly. You've dialed in your eating to fit your needs for maximal *absorption* not just maximal bulk swallowed down your face.

 

[heavyhitter]

Exactly. You've dialed in your eating to fit your needs for maximal *absorption* not just maximal bulk swallowed down your face.

100 percent. For the first 15 years of my bodybuilding career I probably spent 30 percent of my day on the toilet. Constantly going to the bathroom or alternating between diarrhea and constipation.

After eliminating looooots of foods, adding betaine and enzymes, fermented foods, only fast digesting carbs sources(for me this means 90 percent of my carbs come from sticky rice which digests even more quickly than jasmine or long grain rice due to the high concentration of amylopectin and low concentration of amylose) 10 minute walks post meal, increasing iodine and vitamin d3, increasing sodium, adding magnesium pre bed I’m now a food processing machine!

No more constant toilet usage. I go first thing in the morning an 1-2 more times daily and always healthy looking now. No more constant gas or bloating. No more nausea post meal. And the absolute biggest thing for me......for the first time in years and years I actually feel hungry for my meals. I still have to force feed as I don’t have a great appetite. But by the time my next meal rolls around I’m actually starting to get hungry for it, instead of feeling like it’s only been 20 minutes since I finished the last one

 

[Kaladryn]

This is an old myth, drink as much as you feel like you need as you eat, different meals will require a different amount of fluid with them, you need a certain amount to aid with digestion. I don't know about you guys, but I can tell very clearly when I need to drink water with or after eating and I can also tell if I accidentally drink too much and feel bloated, trying to formulize it isn't going to work.

This 'don't drink water with food' myth reminds me of the "cold water doesn't absorb as fast as warm water because your body has to heat it up first" which is total BS and is in fact the opposite of how it works (cold water happens to absorb faster, it's been studied).

 

[OuchThatHurts]

100 percent. For the first 15 years of my bodybuilding career I probably spent 30 percent of my day on the toilet. Constantly going to the bathroom or alternating between diarrhea and constipation.

After eliminating looooots of foods, adding betaine and enzymes, fermented foods, only fast digesting carbs sources(for me this means 90 percent of my carbs come from sticky rice which digests even more quickly than jasmine or long grain rice due to the high concentration of amylopectin and low concentration of amylose) 10 minute walks post meal, increasing iodine and vitamin d3, increasing sodium, adding magnesium pre bed I’m now a food processing machine!

No more constant toilet usage. I go first thing in the morning an 1-2 more times daily and always healthy looking now. No more constant gas or bloating. No more nausea post meal. And the absolute biggest thing for me......for the first time in years and years I actually feel hungry for my meals. I still have to force feed as I don’t have a great appetite. But by the time my next meal rolls around I’m actually starting to get hungry for it, instead of feeling like it’s only been 20 minutes since I finished the last one

Isn't it amazing how much more strength and size you get with maximised absorption? It's not just about how much you can throw down the hatch but how much you can absorb. I came on this board 16 years ago and even before that, I maintain that food is the most anabolic thing we can use for growth. But in order to get the full benefit, you have to maximize absorption. For every 1000 threads I see on workout principles or juice stacks, maybe one may be about diet and how to achieve an optimal diet for growth.

 

[Elvia1023]

This is an old myth, drink as much as you feel like you need as you eat, different meals will require a different amount of fluid with them, you need a certain amount to aid with digestion. I don't know about you guys, but I can tell very clearly when I need to drink water with or after eating and I can also tell if I accidentally drink too much and feel bloated, trying to formulize it isn't going to work.

This 'don't drink water with food' myth reminds me of the "cold water doesn't absorb as fast as warm water because your body has to heat it up first" which is total BS and is in fact the opposite of how it works (cold water happens to absorb faster, it's been studied).

The issue when things are written at times on here are people just want to see black or white when in reality there are many shades of grey. I completely agree with your post but I also don't think it's a myth because many including you and me have noticed differences with water levels around meals. It's not always a straight yes/no answer. Some meals need some/more fluids but generally speaking for me I do much better not drinking when eating. It's a big difference to me. Lot's of variables can come into play such as food choices, fluid amount, calories per meal and calories per day for me. An extreme example is if I eat and drink a lot I will be noticeably more bloated afterwards.

Most importantly it's not like this is something difficult and different things work for different people but I 100% notice a big difference when I take in most of my fluids between meals. Even when looked at on an individual basis this can also vary massively as well because if I am maintaining on lower calories/meals it's not really going to make any difference to me because my body can handle the amount of food per meal no problem. Now if I am going through 120g carbs 5-6 times per day pounding water with those meals is going to go against me and fast. I try to drink a lot of water so it's just easier for me in between meals so I am always hydrated so that isn't an issue.

 

[OuchThatHurts]

The issue when things are written at times on here are people just want to see black or white when in reality there are many shades of grey.

This.

What you need: maximum absorption of nutrients without blowing yourself up. Everyone has to tailor their intake to themselves. No one specific mold fits everyone.

If it were that simple, we'd all have perfect organ function, high bone density while carrying 250lbs of lean muscle, and be mentally healthy in every way, and still be able to sprint 100 meters in under 12 seconds.

 

[b-boy]

I read George Farah say drinking too much water with a meal dilutes stomach acid

I worked with George years ago and he was who I first heard this from, very difficult for me to do cause the Fucking US army made me scarf down my food in a hurry and I still eat like that today, I eat way to fast and will choke to death if I don't have copies amounts of fluids with me.

 

[Kaladryn]

The issue when things are written at times on here are people just want to see black or white when in reality there are many shades of grey. I completely agree with your post but I also don't think it's a myth because many including you and me have noticed differences with water levels around meals. It's not always a straight yes/no answer. Some meals need some/more fluids but generally speaking for me I do much better not drinking when eating. It's a big difference to me. Lot's of variables can come into play such as food choices, fluid amount, calories per meal and calories per day for me. An extreme example is if I eat and drink a lot I will be noticeably more bloated afterwards.

Most importantly it's not like this is something difficult and different things work for different people but I 100% notice a big difference when I take in most of my fluids between meals. Even when looked at on an individual basis this can also vary massively as well because if I am maintaining on lower calories/meals it's not really going to make any difference to me because my body can handle the amount of food per meal no problem. Now if I am going through 120g carbs 5-6 times per day pounding water with those meals is going to go against me and fast. I try to drink a lot of water so it's just easier for me in between meals so I am always hydrated so that isn't an issue.

A lot of food will actually digest better with water, it's not as simple as diluting acid, it depends on how much water is in the meal you are eating, all meals have a good bit of water but some are dryer than others. But I agree with you, many people have digestive issues and I'm sure there are exceptions, but the basic concept of, don't drink water with meals because it dilutes stomach acid isn't very scientific, it's not even logical basic chemsitry.

 

[Muay Thai]

in ayurveda they teach you to do this with water and to wait until AFTER you eat to consume fluids, ayurveda teaches to eat WARM food never cold if you have digestion issues, buddhism teaches only to eat 3/4 of the way full, MOST of these mfers age gracefully in their home countries typically if you havent noticed

 

[Muay Thai]

For a survival situation yes you would need to drink water with your food. But for most bodybuilders.....we are very well hydrated and this isn’t an issue. What is an issue for many of us is that drinking water with food dilutes your stomachs acid causing it to take longer to digest and possibly leading to stomach upset. For someone like me with a whole host of digestive issues I have to do everything I can to optimize my digestion in order to get my meals in. So I take betaine hcl and digestive enzymes with meals, I don’t drink water until 30 minutes before or after eating, I only eat fast digesting carb sources like sticky rice, and a host of other things

I tried to consume chicken bone broth (no additive) on empty stomach first thing id introduce as you and I share a similar army of digestive challenges, gag, couldnt do it, still experimenting around though, for a long time I did ACV with a glass of water that helped.

 

[Dugbet]

2-3 important considerations:

We generally drink a lot more water than the average joe, so it makes sense that our highest water intake is between meals.

Our meals usually have liquids, vegetables, egg whites, oatmeal and protein shakes ... you don't need water with these ... if you eat canned tuna or cooked chicken, then, maybe you need to accompany it with some water.

When you are cutting you need a lot more water because you are hungrier and want to keep yourself satiated.

 

[Elvia1023]

A lot of food will actually digest better with water, it's not as simple as diluting acid, it depends on how much water is in the meal you are eating, all meals have a good bit of water but some are dryer than others. But I agree with you, many people have digestive issues and I'm sure there are exceptions, but the basic concept of, don't drink water with meals because it dilutes stomach acid isn't very scientific, it's not even logical basic chemsitry.

I completely agree. I didn't realize you were posting from the stomach acid perspective as that doesn't enter my mind and I wasn't even sure about that so thanks for the info. I tend to eat quite a lot of water rich foods such fruit, rice and vegetables etc. When I am good I take in as many fluids as possible in between meals so the last thing I personally want to do is add a lot to the actual meals.

 

[Dave Perez]

Back in the old days of the 70s vince gironda recommended not drinking while eating...he also advised to relax for 30 minutes after eating to aid digestion...

 

[pimpman]

I was on date the other night and she asked me ''so you don't want anything to drink with your meal''?

I said no, I'm bulking.


Some of these threads get silly.

That's such a ridiculous statement. No I'm bulking really? Do you think she cares? I bet she cares more on having a fun date than a gym rat just talking about his bulking. Just saying

 

[pimpman]

Ok if I'm eating one of my meals that contains X amount of micros. As long as I eat my entire meal I don't see how the amount of water I drink with it has anything to do with it.

And yes I do have some what of digestive issues due to my gun shot surgery to my stomach. But I never found an issue with drinking water with a meal.

Now if you can't eat your entire meal because the water is getting you full.then that's an entire different thing

 

[j4ever]

I worked with George years ago and he was who I first heard this from, very difficult for me to do cause the Fucking US army made me scarf down my food in a hurry and I still eat like that today, I eat way to fast and will choke to death if I don't have copies amounts of fluids with me.

no doubt about that, i still it fast today as well.

 

[Cv215]

I have to use a certain amount of water just to get the food down. So its pretty necessary for me or i aint eatin.

 

[LK3]

i actually found paying attention to this helps.
i drink lots of water all day as i get close to eating i try to stop or very little.
i drink very sparingly if at all when i eat, i try not to. but use salad or other food texture to help a lil. i also only eat one meal and noticed when i dink more i feel more bloated and dont digest as well.

if i drink wine with dinner it makes me eat much less which kinda works out of with the added cals.

i notice that the same amount of wine vs water or some thing else has different feel and digestion effect too.

 

[deadliftsquates]

I was on date the other night and she asked me ''so you don't want anything to drink with your meal''?

I said no, I'm bulking.


Some of these threads get silly.

I hope it wasn't the first night because you sound like a ding dong. Make something up. I'm not thirsty. Some shit like that but not I'm Bulking. I don't know I just think as much as we can make this less weird for our loved ones the better. We are sort of fucked up in the head.

 

[heavyhitter]

It stands to reason physiologically speaking that we probably are evolved to eat without water. Think about it....how often in nature would you be near food and water at the exact same time? You’d chase your food down and kill it and eat it, and then go find water to drink after. Literally no animal on the planet drinks water in between bites of food