Also, don't think of it as a physical thing. You've had surgery, your stomach has become a pouch, and you should keep a food journal that you create IN ADVANCE of your daily diet. I have blank journals I've kept track of everything. In addition to journaling, I write down my foods, their caloric content, their nutritional values, and I use a scale and measuring devices like cups and spoons.
Those little tips you've heard over years like "put your fork down between bites" and "chew each bite 30 times before swallowing" are also true and helpful. But behind all that, you have to have the motivation and that is the most difficult thing to acquire. That's where keeping a journal really comes in handy because you can just write down your darkest thoughts and your revised messages. Turn negatives into positives. It sounds silly, but in your head maybe you're thinking, "I'm so ugly." You can stop that thought immediately by saying the opposite, "I'm so beautiful." Even if you don't believe it, repetition will make it dominant and eventually, if the "ugly" thought comes up, the "beautiful" thought will kick in.
You're sleeping with the enemy. But you can refuse to give in to the enemy's commands. It takes work, it takes time. But it works.
