I am 6 weeks out, and I feel like I am not eating what I should nor the way I should.

I am fighting the depression right now (they say its normal between 4-6weeks, I am not sure??). I eat as much Protein I has can, but I eat fast now, and I don't know how to slow it down and make it last longer. I get bored with the same old same old, so I did add some no carb dishes. I haven't had any starches or breads, but I am worried about the grams of carbohydrates that are in normal food I eat. I just feel like there is so much to remember and I am very overwhelmed.

in the beginning it will be like this, its a new way of life and yes you will be overwhelmed. As long as you are sticking to what your doctor and nutritionist tell you, you'll be ok. No you will not wake up one day and the weight is gone. its a long journey, and one that you have to be sure to follow the directions to.

Part of it right now, is also mental, we are so used to eating so much more, we have to retrain our body as well as our mind to accept what is going on. It will feel like nothings happening, weight wise, but better slow than fast and end up regaining it plus some.

Even people who have had the lap band for some time still struggle from time to time, and the best thing to do when something happens is of course let dr know, and go back to the basics of soft foods, for a while.

Good luck.. stay strong

Do you have a smartphone or tablet? There's an app called "Eat Slower" that's very helpful for slowing down. You can set a timer for whatever interval you like and you take a bite, push the start button and it will ding when it's time to take another bite.

I think eating slow is very important to making sure you don't take too much in, especially this early after surgery. My Doc to take everything slow and to baby my sleeve for a while longer.

Well ... let's simplify it for you, then.

6 weeks out, I'm guessing you are in the pureed to soft food stage. For me, I blended all kinds of Soups just a little. I took tuna and added ranch dressing. I would put about half a teaspoon on a piece of sharp cheddar cheese. Cottage cheese and yogurt were my friends.

As far as slowing down, I was told to ensure that I put my utensil down after each bite, chewed my food no less than 30 times (which got gross at times) and then evaluated how I felt after that bite. I would wait no less than a minute after I swallowed before picking up my utensil again.

I didn't drink 15 minutes before, during or 30 minutes after eating. With the amount of food I was able to consume, I didn't need to worry about the amount of carbs or fats I was eating. The restriction is enough to take care of that for me. Remember this is a marathon, not a race. You will not be at goal next month, so don't set any expectations of any weight loss goals. Give yourself time to figure out your new groove.

When I found myself mourning the loss of food, I learned I was in the middle of one of the reasons I abused food in the first place. This was an opportunity for me to learn why I abused food and had such a poor relationship with food which led to my morbid obesity. What was I looking for food to satisfy which it was not able to do now ... ?

It is like chess. It is very easy to learn how to do this, but it is difficult to actually do it. Don't make it more difficult than it is and when you need help, ask.