I started a keto diet 3 weeks ago. I have not eaten bread or potatoes or any root vegetable during this period and upped meat, cheese, fat, salads and green veg. I bought some urine test strips but they show a negative keto level. I read that the cheap alcohol breathalyzer devices will give an acetone reading so I bought one of those and it shows zero every time I test. To confirm it was working I took a mouthfull of whisky and spat it out then tested and it works ok. I started with a weight of 13st 12lbs, after 3 weeks I am now 13st 9lbs - I suspect this is just the result of eating less. I am 82. 6ft height. I think I may be slightly more alert but assessing this is very subjective. My question is why am I showing zero levels of ketosis?
Testing for ketosis
Since I am only eating food included in keto guides and recipes I assume very little. I dont eat fast food or prepared meals - no bread, potatoes, carrots and fruit.
That’s not something you can assume as it’s very easy to exceed the 20g carbs that is required to get most people into ketosis initially.
You need to be tracking your macros, at least until you’re used to how this works.
Negative results mean you’re not in ketosis so you need to look at why, and with most people who don’t track, it’s bevause they’re eating more carbs than they’re estimating.
You also state you’re eating less. Are you hungry at times? You should not be eating in a deficit while you are adapating. I actually was eating more in the beginning and losing weight.
Make sure you’re not going hungry. If you are, eat more fat.
I am eating less because I am not feeling as hungry as before I started. I started tracking today with the Chronosis app.
This isn’t necessarily true. The breathalyzer could not measure acetone, a lot of the cheap ones don’t measure acetone anymore. And, the urine strips are unreliable at the best of times. For some people, they never show anything.
It would be a good idea to track carbs wherever you can. If you are under 20g of net carbs (total carbs minus fiber), then you are in ketosis.
Another approach is to get into ketosis by fasting and then try to stay there when you begin eating again. Depending on how wrecked your metabolism is this could take anywhere from 8 to 72 hours, and a subsequent eating schedule that ranges from time restricted eating to extended fasts.
Thanks for the info re breathalyzers. I am now using the Cronometer app to track, good way to get familiar with what the carb impact is of various foods.