Are pee strips worthless?

(Running from stupidity) #61

Which of course isn’t the case, but hey, bees in bonnets, etc…

#62

More than 1/2 of what/who? What are you basing that figure on?

(Jim) #63

Well to be fair, as the beginner who started the thread, I have felt absolutely zero changes in the 18 days I’ve been on the keto diet. I changed from net carbs to gross carbs because I was convinced it wasn’t working. I plunked down $6 for pee strips and it was reassuring. I can afford a blood monitor so I ordered that since I feel I’m wanting to be in this for the long haul. The blood monitor confirmed the pee strip results. Prior to the pee strips I was frustrated. If I hadn’t had them, and to a large extent, this forum, I might’ve quit. Had I been dissuaded from even trying pee strips, I might’ve quit. Make of that what you will, but I’m sure I’m not alone.

#64

I’m glad no harm came to you. :slight_smile:

(Herb Martin) #65

Glad you got the help you needed.

I am even withdrawing any objection to ketosticks from local stores (they used to cost $15+) but my wife picked up a bottle for $9 at WalMart yesterday so this is a small price for any but the most very budget conscience folks to pay.

Even then, $9 is pretty good insurance for getting the diet to work effective so that it can be properly evaluated.

Keto will work for almost everyone, and the reason it failed for the vast majority of people was that they never became CONSISTENTLY KETOGENIC over a long enough period of time.

The sticks help ensure that they GET KETOGENIC and know they are STAYING KETOGENIC.

Even with long experience, I didn’t know until recently that the human body takes many weeks or even many months to become FULLY KETO ADAPTED.

I am not entirely sure that I ever stayed on a rigorous keto diet with no slips for long enough to enter a FULLY FAT/KETO ADAPTED metabolic state.

Meters are really a very powerful tool, but they are a bit expensive ($100-ish with starter strips) and the strips are expensive (0.35 to $1 each, $0.50 being typical), less convenient, and slightly more painful.

I have dropped to 1 finger stick (maybe 2 when transitioning on or off a fast) per day, and 2-3 ketosticks.

A single urine strip each day would be enough for me now, but I like numbers and the reassurance, plus I’ve been calibrating the strips to see how effectively accurate they are and to find situations where they aren’t giving useful information.

So far, they are almost perfectly accurate and I’ve yet to see a case where they aren’t ‘accurate enough’ to guide weight loss and food choices.

(John) #66

I’m in month 7. I rarely check the urine strips these days, but when I do, they still show somewhere in the moderate to higher range (40 - 80, whatever the numbers mean). I am on my second little tube of 50, purchased at a local pharmacy for about $12 a tube. I used them a lot when I first started, more as a way to check when I was going too far and needed to add a bit more carbs back in. I feel better and do better overall when I make sure to include some (healthy) carbs rather than going ultra-low.

I have noticed a tendency for people for whom certain measuring tools do not produce the results they want (urine strips, scales) to recommend that no one use them. I guess since scales and urine strips have always worked as measuring tools for me, I don’t see a reason to tell everyone to avoid them.

Certainly cheaper than buying blood meters, if you don’t have some other underlying medical condition where you need to check blood levels regularly.

#67

I just bought some to check my status because I’ve been 2 months in and never checked. I have the weightloss so I figured I was in ketosis. But my wife is just starting and having them around will help her on her beginning. I also may use them later to start increasing my carb limit from 20 to 30 or 40 to see what my body can tolerate. Also some of those times I may have the accidental and have some of the flu symptoms reappear I can shock with them. I dont have a blood monitor and would like to go that route on the long run but I think trusting my body will be the best route. I dont have any known health issues that have been diagnosed so I just staying belown20 grams to get the train rolling!! Keep up the good work!!

(Susan) #69

I started Keto in February and I have never bought any; I personally don’t feel that they are necessary or needed.

(MooBoom) #71

Not everyone does that. Most of us are here for health, not body hacking :blush:

(MooBoom) #73

Some do, some don’t. Once you’ve gone up in trust enough to see the accountability section of the forum you’ll find threads from people who track in detail, @Karim_Wassef comes to mind!

I’m conscious this line of conversation is de-railing the thread and off topic so I’ll leave it at that :blush:

#75

Loads of people do - a lot of endurance athletes, lifters, medical professionals etc… It’s a healthy & natural diet with a lot of science behind it. It’s not always a weight loss/fat loss diet.

(squirrel-kissing paper tamer) #77

Every single person on this site is different. You’re talking about people who may have ten to hundreds of lbs to lose. Some are here for disease, mental health, metabolic issues and a host of other reasons. Not everyone’s intention is getting ripped and being super low body fat. For some, reversing type 2 diabetes is their goal. It’s presumptive to assume someone doing keto for 8 months would have the same results as someone else. Congrats on your success but try not to make assumptions about others and feel free to ask a woman her size, but don’t expect an answer.

(squirrel-kissing paper tamer) #79

No problem. I talked about getting ripped because I was reading your posts which mention your body fat percentages and the changes you’ve made since starting.

#80

Here you go then https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/keto/success-stories/all

(Susan) #83

I haven’t done any measurements at all. I was 293 in February and I am 245 now, so I have lost 48 pounds, only cheat day was in May for Mother’s Day (when I went to sushi with my 3 daughters and I ate some rice,etc but was still careful) and did a 30 hour fast after that =).

I have a goal weight of about 130 or less, I will wait for then to see what is a good Maintenance for me.

I had blood pressure that was way over 200 and the hospital and my doctor were very worried, I was supposed to go back for a check after monitoring it for 1 month (writing down the numbers). I did record them all for 3 weeks, but also began Keto in February. Within 3 weeks of using that machine, while on strict Keto, my blood pressure was normal. Also, I have had severe asthma with heavy medication since I was 14 and I am now off of two of my asthma inhalers, I still take the pill Singulaire but I am hoping to be off of it in the future.

I haven’t bought any new clothes in so many years so for sizes I cannot give an accurate amount. My goal for clothes is to wear all the clothes I bought for and wore on our honeymoon 29 years ago -May of 1990. I was weighing 130ish when I bought them, so that is why I know I need to weigh around that to weigh them. They have all been sitting in garment bags since then, as we came home from the honeymoon, and I got pregnant in August so just packed them all up safely to plan on wearing them after I had all our kids. I did lose over 100 pounds in 2002-2003 but gained back 120 of it soon after… I lost it all fast, in 8 months, but did it like you have done Keto – starving myself, intense workouts of 2 hours + a day, walking tons, and doing low calorie.

I have lost 50+ pounds tons and tons of times over the years, only to gain back much more, called yo-yo dieting. Many of us on the forum have done that. Every other diet I was on, EVER, I was hungry all the time.

Keto is totally the opposite, I have no problem Fasting and only drinking water and plain green or herbal tea for 48 hours or more, my max so far is 74 hours. I would easily be able to do more, but I am also preparing meals for my hubby, and my 3 girls at home, and my grand daughter and my son that comes over frequently, so sometimes family meals or events, make it harder for me to fast longer then the amount of time I would like to.

I have benefitted so much from Keto. I have given away 3 pairs of pants so far that were too large and 6 shirts, I donated them to a place that helps family that are struggling. They have a thrift store, but give things for free to families that are in genuine need. We did a big family clean-out and donated kitchen things we are not using anymore, a bunch of clothes, baby things that my grand daughter doesn’t need now that she is 3, tons of toys, and anything we wanted to give that was in good shape still.

I will be giving all future clothes that I outgrow to them as well, as I love that they have the option to buy there or give to families that really need it.

Keto has lowered my blood pressure to normal, improved my asthma tremendously, has healed my joints well enough that I am now starting to do exercise (something I haven’t done in yearsssss). I am now walking daily, going up and down the stairs a bunch here at home (instead of begging my kids to get things for me from down stairs, I automatically just go get it). I have been doing videos on youtube and my 21 year old daughter that is already very into exercise does some with me, as does my 3 year old grand daughter (which is super cute and makes it more fun doing them). I am off of all the pain medications I was taking almost daily --over the counter stuff, not prescriptions, but I was taking Naproxen and Aleve and/or Advil on a daily basis before Keto.

I made a decision to omit them all from my daily regiment within a few weeks of doing Keto, and haven’t gone back to any of them; except for a few times taking a Tylenol if I have a bad headache (which has been 3 times since February so not often).

I have now got into 2 pairs of pants that have been not worn since the early 2000’s -and the one pair is now getting baggy enough to go into my new donation pile that I am assembling. My daughter mentioned yesterday that they look way too big on me, so I am laundering them and adding them to the pile. I have had so many NSV’s with Keto (non scale victories).

Keto is much more then just weight loss and looking buff for most of us on this forum. It is about changing the way we eat, and our lifestyle, I feel amazing. I haven’t felt this healthy in so many years, it is awesome.

I plan to eat this way forever, I am never going back to being sick feeling most of the time. I am over the carbs and sugars -I even omitted sugar substitutes in June. I know a few of those creep into my life at times, like if I have some sugar-free Ketchup, or things that they add a bit into, but in general I try not to use the substitutes at all as well.

I still have tons to lose, but I am way healthier then I was in February and by the time I am at 130 or less, I will look really great. I am doing IF daily of 20:4 and regularly Fasting, both of which will help my body recompose and help with loose skin and the walking and exercising I am doing will help for that and for building muscle and toning as well. I will be 55 in November.

I was a pro at losing tons of weight for occasions in short times, as you have done. Six weeks before our wedding in 1990 I lost over 40 pounds for the wedding, and during our honeymoon of a week I gained back 20 of it, as we went to Walt Disney World and were walking for hours daily, so even with exercise, I gained it back quickly.

I have had 5 babies, so lots of weight gain and loss after for them too. I was speaking from experience telling you that when you crash diet, it comes back, it doesn’t stay off, especially if you go back to SAD way of eating.

Best wishes with your keeping your new body, I think the best way you can do that is to stay Keto, or at least no sugar and low carb, as that is the best way to be healthy for life. Dr. Ken Berry calls Keto " You only need one diet. It’s the human diet. One size really does fit all."

(squirrel-kissing paper tamer) #84

That’s cool. I hope you not only meet your body comp goals but also feel better too. I think losing weight brings a bunch over to this way of eating but sleeping better, more stamina, clearer thinking and the myriad of other non scale victories keeps them on it.

#85

I have but one regret, @Momof5, and that it’s I only have the ability to give one heart for your post above.

(The crazy German guy) #88

I just use them to determine whether i have any ketones in my urine or not. That gives me an indication, but certainly not a good one.

#89

I began keto in earnest two weeks ago, and I believed I was doing everything right. I joined this group yesterday, and I’ve read things that cause me to question some of my choices. For example:

  1. Keto urine strips: As the title of this thread suggests, the usefulness is questionable. I rarely get much color, measuring Negative to Low. Once I made fat bombs and ate some (okay, several!) and measured, but that was the only time I had a bright pink strip. Am I in ketosis or not?
  2. It’s hard to trust labels. I’ve been snacking on gelatin cups–Jilly’s from WalMart, to be exact. Somewhere around here (and elsewhere on the internet) I discovered each one has 1g carbohydrate. That could make a difference in my daily total. Jilly’s, even with multiple servings, still tracks 0 on my carb counter.

On the plus side, I feel better, sleep better, and am not consumed with insatiable hunger. I’ve low-crabbed in the past, so I know how the “flu” feels. Still have not had it this time. Is it possible I’m not in ketosis & that I am doing this all wrong? Thanks.

(Susan) #90

Welcome to the forum, Murrill =).

You might want to start your own thread, so that more people notice you are new to the forum and answer your questions too, but I am glad that you found the forum! We will certainly love to help you on your Keto pathway to health and well-being!!

I have personally never used the strips or monitors, and have been doing Keto since February, and have been fine without them =) so I would not be too worried about the results from them.

In general, for labels, they can be deceptive and you are right, they are hard to trust. I would try to avoid as many processed foods as you can, and not eat these gelatin cups personally. If the fat bombs caused you to eat far too many of them, they might be better to avoid for now too.

All you really have to worry about is keeping your carbs at 20 grams or less, no sugar, eat enough calories, (from proteins and healthy fats), drink enough water and keep your Electrolytes up and you will be fine!

I use cronometer.com to keep track of my macros for the day, it is free and works great.

If you eat enough, then you should be able to eat breakfast, lunch and supper, with no snacking between, and be very satisfied and not hungry =). Feel free to make your own post and ask any other questions that you might have. We all want you to succeed =)).