Ketone Testing is making me crazy

(Jeremiah) #42

Theres some great info here for a newbie like me. I started keto last week (day 5 today) and am shooting for <20g carbs. The only carbs I get are the small amounts from 35%mf whipping cream for my coffee.

Day 2 of keto I felt like hell. Work was hard as I felt sleepy, headachey, and dumb in general. Surprisingly I didnt have huge urges for carbs even though I was a carb eating machine before this diet. Hell, yesterday I survived a sports event at a friends house with every imaginable carb present around me. So far (Iā€™m sure itā€™s water) Iā€™ve lost 2lbs a day and havenā€™t felt hungry. I am 6ft 4in and was 292lbs when I started. For 2 years now daily i do 5km hike on a trail with 75lbs pack, varied terrain with multiple steep hills. With that excercise i barely dropped 10lbs (!!!) and thatā€™s why Iā€™m trying keto. I have cardio and leg power for days but wish i could trim 50lbs of jiggle off.

Anyways i bought the ketostix test strips and over the last few days the best i could get was moderate. Today back down to low. I was about ready to pull my hair out then found everyoneā€™s comments here and feel alot better. Some ketones are better than none. I also ate alot of fats before keto in my normal diet (lots of butter and cream) so maybe that was like pre-training for ketone use and my body shifted to keto faster or more efficiently as high fat was nothing new. Heres hoping this works out in the long run!

(squirrel-kissing paper tamer) #43

The only time I ever got purple on a keto urine strip is after Thanksgiving when I ate all the carbs and all those poor defenseless ketones were shunned by my body while it was using glucose and my kidneys kicked them out. Iā€™m glad when I donā€™t see purple on a stick, Iā€™d rather see low or nothing now (I might check once a month out of curiosity now).

(Jane) #44

Not necessarily - everyone is different. I am fat-adapted, been on keto for 14 months, and still can turn a pee stick purple.

Youā€™ll know you are fat-adapted when your hunger goes down and your energy level goes up and you feel great.

(mole person) #45

Sameā€¦ purple sticks every day that I keep carbs very low after 18 months of keto. Everyone is different.

(Christy Dyson) #46

I heard that any amount of ketones is good:) I hope

(hottie turned hag) #47

Me too. I donā€™t see the benefit thereof. The data is not useful in the context of weight loss.

(Empress of the Unexpected) #48

I still believe in testing for information. I have been keto for a year, with like a twice monthly cheat meal. Suddenly, after a year, my BG has lowered ten points and my ketone level has shot up. Even turning the pee strips dark for the first time. I believe it is a result of more time on keto, and adding In more fats. Because my numbers are way more consistent than they were six months ago. Also Iā€™m 61, and I hear it takes older womenā€™s bodies longer to get with the program. Plus, itā€™s fun to occasionally test.