Well, some people that are at the higher end of the low carb range do eat brown rice and quinoa. I know that Dave Asprey says that he does but suggests that they are only eaten at dinner. The idea is that the carbs you do eat are best later in the day. He explains why but I don't recall.
It sounds to me like you want to eat at a Ketogenic level when you say you want to keep carbs as low as possible. It's actually possible to eat as little as zero carbs or maybe 5 total... So as low as possible is really more of an opinion based on each individual.
Many people start out with a number that sounds both challenging but possible to do for them and upon getting further into it, end up lowering that number because they are feeling pretty awesome and decide that it's not as difficult as they thought. But, you don't tend to have that happen if you're eating lean meats, not addressing the feeling of "needing" bread or pasta and not getting enough healthy fats.
If you're not getting a good ratio of healthy fats compared to proteins and carbs, it's hard to achieve the kind of satisfaction that takes away the longing for carbs. This may be why you find yourself searching for ways to eat those things even though it contradicts what you're saying that you want to be as low carb as possible. A bit of "withdrawal" in a way...
I personally decided that all grains are not part of my life and don't plan to reintroduce them later either. But that's my plan. It doesn't mean you can't be successful on low carb and include them. It pretty much does mean you can't be Ketogenic though. Unless maybe you're burning off the extra carbs through high intensity exercise. That kind of exercise makes it possible to eat more carbs and still remain in ketosis.
It's not necessary to be Keto for low carb to be successful for you though, but achieving control of appetite and cravings is generally desirable for long term success. So, it's up to you to experiment with different carb levels, fat and protein amounts to find your "happy place".
As a first step, I would get the fat up if it's indeed too low. Meaning that you're eating more protein and carbs than fat.
Im on mobile so can't see diaries of non friends... What are the average grams of carbs, protein and fat you've been getting? And what are the sources your fat is coming from?

nvmomketo wrote: »

I tend to avoid rice and all other grains. There have a lot of carbs for their size and very few nutritional benefits for me. They are just fillers in my mind.

That being said, some low carbers eat those foods. If it fits your macros and health goals there is no reason not too eat them if you want them.

I agree with the others who said getting calories from fat is a good course to follow. Most of us have fat as our largest macro. I'm ketogenic and have my fats set at 70% but most other will have theirs sets between 50-75%. Adding fatty foods like butter, oils, bacon, avocados, fatty meats, olives, cheese, full fat dairy products and nuts like avocado will add fats and calories.

To be honest, I think the only time high fat foods are a bad idea are when they are paired with high carb foods... And I think the high carb part is the main problem.

Definitely agree with this, especially the last paragraph!

Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »

Well, some people that are at the higher end of the low carb range do eat brown rice and quinoa. I know that Dave Asprey says that he does but suggests that they are only eaten at dinner. The idea is that the carbs you do eat are best later in the day. He explains why but I don't recall.

Carbs promote sleep, for some keto can be hyper stimulating and contribute to insomnia.

randomventures wrote: »

Carbs promote sleep, for some keto can be hyper stimulating and contribute to insomnia.

My insomniac is back in full swing now with this woe, however, I have way more energy now sleeping 6-1/2 hrs a night than I did before sleeping 8 hrs/night, so I guess I'll accept the trade off.

Keep in mind that you're body turns the rice and quinoa into glucose just the same as it does with the sweets. And it's the insulin and possibly brain addiction reaction that triggers sweet cravings. So weather or not your eating sweets, the faster acting carbs in general are feeding the craving for sweets.
Sweets were my problem too. Specifically candy. I didn't care about bread or pasta or any kind of grains at all. Sugar is what I struggled with. But I know that any carbs that will quickly become glucose and create an insulin reaction are likely to cause me sugar cravings.
So because you mentioned the difficult cravings, I personally think you'll be most successful getting them under control to let someone else eat that stuff.