I bought a blood meter and now I'm just confused

(Katie the Quiche Scoffing Stick Ninja ) #1

I’ve tried doing some research online but my mind is now going haywire and I’d prefer to just ask my questions to the keto gods here as I know you will calm me down lol and give me a thorough explanation.

So day 45, 17.5 pound loss so far.
I had been peeing on ketostix every day until the last few weeks (beginning week 6). I was just trying to make sure I was in ketosis. For the first few weeks I had trace readings, then it reached 1.5 or so, and then at the beginning of week 6 it dropped to trace and I felt fantastic.

I concluded that as meaning that I was fat adapted.
I am now nearing end of week 7 and last night decided to buy a blood meter.

Now keep in mind that during the first 6 weeks I was drinking bulletproof, now i’ve stopped that and as a result my fat intake has also dropped.

Last night I tested after not eating for roughly 6 hours, and I was 0.4mmol.
That really pissed me off so I ate a few nibblies and tested two hours later, I was 0.2.

I had a regular coffee with almond milk this morning and tested just now and I’m 0.1!!!

I don’t get it
Someone please explain how this bloody thing is supposed to work
I am not a diabetic
I thought I had been in a pretty strong nutritional ketosis for awhile now.
I never go beyond 20 net carbs.
I do have sweetener in my coffee/tea but I have cut that out.

I know you can be fat adapted and not in ketosis, could that be the case?
Why is my damn reading so low?
Now I just feel so discouraged, lol f*ck.

Do I need more fat?
What am I doing wrong?
I don’t know what other information to provide so please fire away if need be!

Thanks for all the help!

(D) #2

Define nibblies?

(Katie the Quiche Scoffing Stick Ninja ) #3

It was literally 6 small cherry tomatos and a bite of ham.
And I hadn’t eaten anything between the 0.2 reading last night and the 0.1 reading this morning.

(D) #4

Interesting. Does blood glucose change at all with the change in ketones?

(Katie the Quiche Scoffing Stick Ninja ) #5

I haven’t tested that but now that you mention it I may test each later on today.
I have a dual test monitor but the strips I’ve got are only for ketones so I will need to use both monitors now or find strips that do both, lol.
I will keep a ketone and BG log over the next few days to see what I come up with.

(D) #6

Maybe your body is just cycling thru less efficient and more efficient times for utilizing ketones.

(Katie the Quiche Scoffing Stick Ninja ) #7

I was thinking maybe the fact that I have reduced my fat, may have something to do with it.

(D) #8

What ketone meter are you using? I’m thinking of getting one so I don’t have to use the sticks anymore.

(Katie the Quiche Scoffing Stick Ninja ) #9

I am using this device;
It was 39.99 in store. But I am Australian. It tests both ketones and blood glucose but I must have bought the wrong strips because I only get a ketone reading, the glucose reading does not appear.

(D) #10

Devices I’ve been looking at use a different strip for each test.

(Katie the Quiche Scoffing Stick Ninja ) #11

Oh really, that must be where I am confused. I thought the strip did both, lol, that works then, as I have two monitors with both sets of strips.

(Mandy) #12

I use a keto MOJO. I have different test strips for ketone and BG, if that helps.

#13

Go easy on the cherry tomatoes. According to myfitnesspal, you consumed 4g of carbs for those 6 tomatoes, possibly more if they were on the large side. Ham will sometimes have carbs as well.

If you’re chasing higher readings, you can achieve this by consuming coconut oil, MCT oil, or even exogenous ketones. But you’ll also have to keep the amount of carbs that you consume pretty low.

Another thing that helps is to throw in enough exercise to burn off accumulated glycogen.

Also, you should see higher blood ketone readings at the very end of your fast. So… test in the morning prior to having coffee or any food.

As someone who’s been testing blood ketones for over six months, I can say that when I get low readings, I can always attribute it to what I ate the day before. Sometimes it’s too much carbs; sometimes too much protein. If I’m careful with my eating on that particular day, I can usually get back into nutritional ketosis (BK >= 0.5) when I check again the next morning.

(Katie the Quiche Scoffing Stick Ninja ) #14

Thank you for replying :slight_smile:

(Ron) #15

Kate,
As much as you’ve learned on here (I been watching and it substantial) you know better than to chase the higher numbers. :hushed::zipper_mouth_face:

You are still in ketosis at .2 or .3 and if you do get kicked out as soon as the glucose is gone you will be right back in again now that your adapted. Remember @richard says he seldom sees much higher numbers and is .2 to .4 consistantly. Not being diabetic might help the numbers go higher as time goes on as adaption isn’t absolute in or out and progresses continually.:wink:

(Empress of the Unexpected) #16

I’m eight weeks and nowhere near fat adapted. It can take months.

(Katie the Quiche Scoffing Stick Ninja ) #17

Thanks Ron, you are right, I shouldn’t chase the higher numbers, I just didn’t understand the low ones, lol.
Thank you for the reassurance :slight_smile:

(Ron) #18

If I go up in protein is seems to lower the numbers some. It has allowed me to find a maximum on daily protein consumption and still stay in but if I go over I don’t worry too much as it doesn’t last long. Your doing great, don’t worry :rofl::rofl::rofl::+1: ( that will affect thing worse)

(Katie the Quiche Scoffing Stick Ninja ) #19

Thank you Ron :slight_smile:

(Terence Dean) #20

I’ve got the same Meter, you need to buy the blood glucose strips for that, the Ketone ones only test for Keytones.