Need help when on a low carb diet should i be counting net carbs or total carbohydrates?

Low carb diet: Counting net carbs is the correct way to monitor carbohydrate intake, which includes total carbs minus fiber and minus sugar alcohols (if present). But better yet, i just recommend eliminating sweets and starches - simple and very, very effective. One should be realistic, though, and look carefully at those two words. Many people tend to sneak high glycemic carbs into the diet by incorrect choices.