Can’t get past trace or small on the pee sticks

(Jeremy Wheatley) #1

I’m 8 weeks in to a very strict Keto Diet and for some reason I can not get the pee sticks to register past “trace”… once in a blue moon and only after a 15 to 20 mile run I can get it to read in to the “small” zone. I track my all my macro’s closely and making sure I’m staying at or under 20g of carbs a day and my protein is at or under 120g and my fat is around 240g to 280g. At first I was losing weight and feeling better minus the week long flu at about week 3. But now I’ve put almost all of my weight back on and feel like crap… not sure what’s going on since absolutely nothing has changed in my diet. I literally eat the same foods everyday. Please help!

(Katie the Quiche Scoffing Stick Ninja ) #2

Urine sticks measure wasted ketones through the urine.
The fact that you have been on a strict keto diet for 8 weeks and you are getting trace readings tells me you are now fat adapted. Congratulations.
You aren’t getting readings because your body has finally learned to use the ketones it has been creating for fuel.
You are now surviving on your body fat.
You have put on weight because you are now eating too much dietary fat.
You need to drastically reduce the amount of fat from your diet so your body fat can begin to fuel your energy needs.

(Empress of the Unexpected) #3

Height, weight, age, and a sample daily menu would be helpful. I agree with Katie, that at 8 weeks you can be fat-adapted, but-you should not be feeling like crap. Pee sticks never worked for me, I was only showing trace at four months. I switched over to a blood monitor, and now I usually hit 1.5 or so every day. (Keep in mind that the pee strips and the blood monitor measures two different types of ketones). I am in month seven, and there are always challenges, and ups and downs. You learn to tweak things as you go. Tell us more about yourself, and we can help. Also, the pee sticks are very dependent upon hydration, so the results are not always reliable. At the beginning, I was drinking tons of water, which may have diluted the strips.

(Empress of the Unexpected) #4
(Katie the Quiche Scoffing Stick Ninja ) #5

Very important fact that I neglected to mention, thanks @Regina.

(Empress of the Unexpected) #6

That’s probably what happens to a lot of people. Starting keto one is really thirsty. So we drink up a storm. However, we still have those outliers who turn the sticks purple after a year. I gave up on the sticks, cheap as they were. I’m a measurer, so I feel more secure pricking the hell out of a finger every few days! :rofl::rofl:

(Katie the Quiche Scoffing Stick Ninja ) #7

My blood meter is completely redundant now, it tells me nothing, but I am too afraid to sell it just incase I need reassurance one day, even though it’s irrelevant lol.

(Empress of the Unexpected) #8

Why is it redundant, Katie?

(Running from stupidity) #9

Sell it, then if you need a replacement down the track, buy a $10 breathalyser. No point spending real money on this stuff.

(Jeremy Wheatley) #10

Thanks for the quick reply’s… to answer some of your questions, I am 5’10 195 lbs. and 40 years old. Well I guess now I’m back up to 205 lbs errr… lol.
Basic day looks like eggs some bacon and Coffee with just heavy cream coconut oil and butter. I’ll do salami and cheese with a few small pickles for a snack either a chicken thigh or a beef patty for lunch and some kinda meat with zucchini and squash or broccoli for dinner. I also run 6 to 10 miles daily at a minimum.

(Running from stupidity) #11

That looks kinda light on for food intake, which might be inhibiting the fat adaptation.

(Katie the Quiche Scoffing Stick Ninja ) #12

Because my body is so efficient at burning through ketones I only really make what I need which results in notoriously low readings. For a ‘beginner’, they would see lack of a reading and freak out and make changes to compensate.

I can fast for 3 days and not get higher than 2.5mmol

(Empress of the Unexpected) #13

Let’s agree to disagree.

(Running from stupidity) #14

Where’s the fun in that? #quitter

(Empress of the Unexpected) #15

Well, this is my keto dilemma. I can eat three times a day and occasionally hit 2.5. Does that mean my body has no clue? And trust me, Katie, I would love to give three days of fasting a whirl. Just can’t, yet.

(Jeremy Wheatley) #16

Not exactly sure what my intake should be. But I’m just under 3,000 calories

(Empress of the Unexpected) #17

Do you use any kind of app? I like Chronometer.

(Running from stupidity) #18

Oh, OK. Sweet.

+1

(Jeremy Wheatley) #19

I was trying to use “TotalKetoDiet” app. But I suck and never input my food into it. :joy::joy:

(Running from stupidity) #20

Well, I’d def try Cronometer then.

:smile: