Ketone testing/ketosis

(Briton) #1

I have been on a ketogenic diet for almost a year and have lost about 40 pounds. For Father’s Day I got a keto mojo and this is the first time I tested my blood ketones I had been using urine strips before. The urine strips had always shown I was in ketosis. However when I tested with the keto mojo it said my ketones were low. I tested a few more times and they were never Above .3. Through doing some research on the Internet it seems that maybe I am in ketosis but I am using all my ketones for fuel has anybody else had experience with this?

(Robert C) #2

Yes - exactly the same experience (but over a shorter time frame).

Consistent keto style input and my body seems to just produce about what it needs - at just about 0 carbs and nearly 80% fat intake I can get .3 to .5 regularly.

I ran higher in the beginning - regularly 2.5 to 3.5 as things were adjusting to the lack-of-glucose-shock.

Got up to numbers like 6.5 a few days into my first few extended fasts.

It seems like big changes trigger compensatory adaptations? (But the body won’t be fooled into overproducing for long?)

#3

I have never produced high ketones but almost always above .5 so nothing else matters. One time I got to 2.5 but I have no idea how or why and it never happened again. Sometimes it’s .1 after a fatty meal and sometimes it’s 1.5 after I add more carbs. It is a very elusive little situation that I’ve stopped bothering to care about

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #4

If you are feeling good—plenty of energy, a sense of vitality, can go hours between meals without hunger, etc.—then you are fine.

If not, the first thing to try is cutting your carbohydrate. If that doesn’t help, eat more fat. Under no circumstances should you eat more carbohydrate.

You can also try decreasing or increasing your protein to see what effect that has.

I would recommend changning only one thing at a time, however, so if it works, you’ll know what it was!

(Empress of the Unexpected) #5

Good advice, but I’m still stuck. Tons of energy, tons of hunger.

(Candy Lind) #6

You really shouldn’t be hungry eating keto. If you’re fat-adapted and regularly experiencing hunger, ask yourself the following:

“Could I really just be thirsty?” Does a big glass of water do the trick? Adding salt or making keto-aide might be a solution, too.

“Am I eating enough?” If you don’t eat enough (especially fat) at mealtime, you’ll get hungry sooner. Check your macros, and add fat or maybe a little more protein to keep you satiated.

“Is this a false hunger based on old eating habits and/or time of day?” Try a distraction technique to keep from eating if you feel this is happening.

HTH! KCKO.

(Empress of the Unexpected) #7

Will do the big reveal tomorrow. Ten weeks, too many carbs from dairy. That’s why I am trying a dairy free month.