CARBS--Can I have ANY?

So.....we are on a Low-Carb diet or better yet, have adopted a Low-Carb lifestyle....What does that really mean?  Am I NEVER to eat another bite of bread or candy? FOR A WHILE, NO!  The best success we can hope for with this type of weight-loss protocal is to TOTALLY ELIMINATE sugar and starch from our system! After our body has adjusted to using it's own accumulated fat for fuel, we can begin to re-introduce some foods that have "a tiny bit" of carbs. Remember, anything that is not pure protein or fat has some carbohydrate value! What? Yes!  There are carbs in your green beans, salad, cabbage and dark, leafy greens as well!! Not many, I admit, but there are some, so you never have to feel like you are on a NO CARB diet!  Also, be careful with the apples, strawberries, grapes or peaches that you might have in your food list.....yep, they have carbs too! This is where a lot of us make mistakes in our eating! We think that because these things are on our list that they are SAFE....and if we are lax in our portions just a bit, we think that it's no big deal! If we will take the time to read the labels and search out the nutritional information on the foods we are eating we can find where we might be messing up without even realizing it! There is a HUGE difference in the carbohydrate value of 1/2 cup of berries and 1 large apple! It's our responsibility to know the difference, abide by the guidelines of our diet instructions and then choose those items that do not cause us to feel hungrier than we did before we ate them. For me, hunger is usually a sign that I have eaten something that had too much carbohydrate content, excessive sodium or hidden sugars. A lot of these things are learned through trial and error! The secret is to listen to our bodies and act accordingly. Stop, look and listen! It's still a good policy to follow!