finding the balance with carbs

Hi all, I've been doing pretty well have lost about 45 lbs since my surgery Feb 16th and had my first fill of 2cc's last Tues. The problem I have is when I eat very low carb I'm not hungry I lose really fast and well but I'm dizzy, tired and a super Witch!! So I try to have a bit of carbs but as soon as I add some in I start craving them and hitting bowls of cereal like it's crack. Is there any suggestions on how to balance it a bit better. I'm not eating a lot of veggies still have problems with them and not trying fruit much. Maybe I need to add fruit somehow?
Thanks for any help.

I think alot depends on where we get our carbs. If it is from processed or sweetened foods like cereal it causes more withdrawl issues where if the majority comes from veggies it is easier to do. I have gone with less than 10 carbs a day for several weeks at a time and the withdrawls only last a few days. So try doing mostly veggie carbs and then go low carb and see if that doesn't make it easier. The first few days are always pretty bad but it does get easier after that, at least for me. There is a low carb forum here too you might ask over there too.

I get the same way if my carbs go to low. I eat between 60 to 80 per day. My NUT told me anything less then 60 per day really isn't healthy for you. Your body does need carbs to function and if you do alot of exercise you might even need more.

Eating to many carbs can be bad , but not eating enough can be just as bad for you

i found when i restricted carbs to such a degree, then that's all i craved.    i can walk past a bag of chips all day long, but if haven't included enough of "good" carbs - then all bets are off & i'm likely to lick the bag.

early out i did have a problem with certain veggies, but now - there is no fruit or veg that i can't manage and they are a BIG part of my diet.   

ziplock has these zip & steam bags that are awesome and FAST.
i'll chop up some zucchini / asparagus / whatever i have on hand & zap in the microwave with some olive oil - s&p.  
you really won't know what you can tolerate till you try - i would take baby steps, but certainly try to get veggies into your diet - fruit too.

Red,

Do you eat as much fruit as you want or do you put a limit on it ?  In the summer at the campground I always make a huge bowl of fruit salad and I love that stuff and I can snack on that all day long just grabbing a piece of fruit here and there out of the bowl.

Im horriable with my veggies I do need to work on that , I was never a big veggie eater to begin with but I love fruit !!

honestly - i put no limit on fruits & veggies, especially this time of year.

so far this morning i've had half a banana and 2 slices of honeydew.
i know there are sugars to fruit - but those don't affect me like others and i CRAVE fresh fruit & veggies.   and considering how busy on the move i can be.....i don't pay attention to those calories.

thanks !!!

Im with you I love fresh fruit this time of the yr and yum yum honeydew .  I love strawberries ,  grapes, and oranges those are my top three I always pick them out first lol.

Im going to start grilling veggies on the grill . I went and bought me a veggie rack for the grill and I love to eat veggies that way so hopefully I can get more in that way .

The only thing about the fruit it dont keep me full so I can eat and eat on that stuff lol.

Wow, thank you so much for this tip!! I hate the steam fresh prepackaged frozen type of vegetables, they are so bland.  I love fresh veggies but raw sometimes doesn't work well for me and I don't love the taste.  Your way sounds fabulous! I know, a simple idea....hey I'm a simple chick. LOL

I keep my carbs in the range of 40--75 per day and don't have a problem with cravings. Almost all of the carbs are whole grain low processed stuff like Kashi baked crackers, veggies, fruit and steel cut oats. I try to do one serving of fruit per day, but don't always manage to get it in. 

The veggies you are having trouble with -- could it be because they are more fibrous -- like asparagus or maybe they are not cooked until they are very tender? Early out I had to cook them very well, but now can eat most anything, even asparagus and can eat veggies fresh too.

Each of us is different so play around with things and find what works for you.

Trixie

I switched all simple/processed carbs to their complex counterpart, i.e., brown rice instead of white, yams or sweet potatoes instead of white, etc.

I dont' eat bread much but like whole grain crackers with some cheese, turkey, hummus, whatever. 

Beans-  I eat a lot of beans not only for the good carbs, but for fiber and protein.  Edamame and black beans are my favorite.  I also eat a lot fo FF refried beans with cheese and salsa and some diced chicken added for more protein.

Whole oats are good too!  Go for steel cut oatmeal so you get the full benefit of the fiber and look for cereal that is whole grain, like Kashi original.  Watch out for sugar in cereals, you'd be shocked at how much sugar is in some "healthy" cereals.  Also, if you want to cut calories and carbs you can use Almond milk, (like Almond Breeze unsweetened).  It's much lower in calories than regular milk, even skim milk and I can't even tell the difference now.

Veggies can be chanllenging, but don't give up.  Find some that work and keep adding them where you can.  We need that fiber and the vitamins!  Same with fruit.  I find that berries work best for me.  I add frozen mixed berries to Greek yogurt almos every morning with some sweetner like Truvia.  Sprinkle a little Bare Naked granola on top and I'm happy!

I try to limit my carbs to 50 g a day, but I know I didn't get obese from eating too many vegetables, so if I go over in fruits and veggies I don't worry about it.

Your results are awesome!  Keep it up!

Best~
Lisa O.