carbs carbs and more carbs

Its so easy to find low fat or FF...its so easy to find low cal...but finding low carb stuff...and esp low carb low cal and low fat all in one food item is SO FREAKING HARD! Im stalling bad...in fact ive gained 3 lbs in the last week or so...I dont know if i need to increase my cal's...lower my carbs...ugh...im so confused! I went shopping today for a few things and tried to find low carb but there are carbs in EVERYTHING! Drives me nuts...If its low in cals, its high in carbs...if its low in carbs its high in fat...geez! I don tknow where i need to be on cals, fat and carbs. Ive seen some ppl eat up to 100 g a day of carbs...some 50 or less...I dont eat pasta..i eat MAYBE 2 slices a week of whole wheat breat....rarely eat rice....I eat fruit...veggies...nuts...cheese...are the carbs in these items considered "healthy carbs"? 

 I tend to stick to whole foods (meats & veggies) than anything pre-made, and meats have no carbs but veggies do, however, they're the good kind (fiber, nutrients, etc). Focusing on meat, then dairy & veggies keeps my total carbs under 50g daily. Nuts can sometimes harbor more carbs than they're worth and there are too many fruits that I dump on so they're not really part of my daily intake. Boring, I know, but it's what works for me.

 I am pre op. Tell me which fruits you dump on? (up until the last week or so, I was going to have the VSG...so dumping wasn't an issue..my Dr refuses to do the VSG due to GERD, so I have to learn more about post op RNY)

 This is just me - so for you, it may not apply, or you may not dump at all, or you'll dump like a fiend on other stuff - but I've dumped on watermelon and regular applesauce. Strawberries treat me fine, just less than 1c at a time. I'd experiment with things that are lower on the glycemic index like berries before going crazy on melons or higher-sugar stuff.

I know it's terribly confusing about carbs;  the complex carbs are good for you, and the refined
carbs in sugar, rice, potatoes & pasta are the ones that usually do us in.

You can't eat a lot of food at once, anyway, so please just keep in mind that you do protein first,
and then the complex carbs of veggies or fruits are to "fill in around the edges".

Don't worry so much about calories;  you need to focus on food benefits to your body.  I know
it seems counterintuitive to say eat protein but don't worry about calories, but if you eat a good
protein it won't have a lot of fat in it, and every food has calories in it.  "Calories" are just ways to measure the energy in a food.

Hang in there, kid, it gets easier!  Are you using a food tracking program?  I found that sparkpeople.com
has a good one, and it really helps to see what I'm actually eating.

Good luck!

When I was losing I kept it at under 50 grams a day, all from complex sources such as fruits, vegetables and dairy.  After I lost all my weight I don't really watch my carbs, I just make sure that they are from healthy sources.  I totally avoid refined carbs as they make me crave more.
I also don't buy much packaged foods but when I buy things like protein powder or bars I make sure they are gluten free, sugar free and low carb.  
If you buy your own ingredients then you are able to control how much protein, fat, carbs and calories are in the food you eat.

I struggle with the carb balance, too! I try to keep my carbs below 50 a day - I once read on here that keeps you in ketosis (I am still pretty early out). For me, I try to avoid the carbs like sugar, white potatoes, rice, white flour, etc. I find that there are good subs for all those out there. I agree that healthy carbs are those in fruits, veggies, milk and cheese. For me, the less processed, the better. I think the key to everything we eat is moderation, which I am sure you know. But, yes, the whole carb thing is hard!!

When I up my protein intake,  the weight seems to drop off faster (and I include exercise)I still keep the calorie intake  to between 600- 800 cal a day.

I learned in our pre op class that in the 1950's there were 1500 items on store shelves to chose from and most foods were just that foods. The obesity rate was low then. Now there are 10,000 food "products' on the shelves in super markets.  That is to say foods with labels...The nutritionist suggested that buying whole food not food 'product' things to eat would not only be healthier but make it easier for weight loss and weight loss maintenance.  Knowing the food groups is also helpful...like knowing which proteins are considered dense or fatty...My doctor considers nuts, cheese and those types of proteins as condiments.  Same with vegetables, the nutritionist told us corn and peas are carbohydrates not vegetables and to stick to low glycemic vegetables for weight loss. I didn't see potato, rice or noodles on any list but did see a grain quinoa or oat bran. She also explained that dividing the plate in 3rds was a good idea with protein the largest part, veggies next and fat and carbs last.....The only label left to view then would be that on the yogurt or bread one would buy I think...That is an easy understanding of what one would be getting in carbs, protein and fats:)  You sound like you are doing well.  

Please see my profile page. You may find some helpful information regarding the eating plan I created and the complex carbs I eat on a daily basis.