To Meter or Not to Meter?

#1

I have been thinking about getting a meter because from what I’ve read, the keto sticks aren’t very reliable. I haven’t used either yet. Would you all recommend getting one or waiting? I’m into my 2nd week of keto. Should I just get the sticks for now? Not sure the best option or path. Any opinions appreciated!

(matt ) #2

General opinion is that the sticks are useless. I don’t have a meter but lots do.

(Allie) #3

Blood meters are definitely best, by in no way essential.

(Sophie) #4

Agreed! I’ve tried pee stix, the cheapo breath meter and my BG/Ket meter. By far the blood meter is the best. The others varied so much and caused me nothing but angst.

#5

I bought a meter and it’s fine and all but it started to get boring because it shows the same thing all the time. I eat keto all the time, so that makes sense. I work out all the time. Nothing changes with regard to the meter, so now it’s just an expensive exercise in learning nothing. The first time I tested it read .7 and it’s been that (or .6 or .8 but nothing else) the whole time.
I say skip it

(Rafe) #6

The stickes worked for me initally since i was spilling tons of ketones as my body adjusted to burning ketones. After I became fat adapted (2 months ish) the urine sticks became useless. I can get a light reading on the urine sticks if i measure 30 minutes after a workout though.

I personally don’t use a meter (even though I think the info would be interesting) since I can tell I am in ketosis when I exercise. There is a acetone taste in my mouth and gum, and a change in the way my sweat smells.

(Brian) #7

Just out of curiosity, is there a reason why you need one? I’ve never had anything other than the pee stix and I only used them in the beginning, mostly out of morbid curiosity. It became pretty obvious over a few weeks that I was in ketosis. The breath was a pretty big giveaway, but that subsided after a month or two. Not eating the carbs, I know I have to run on something. Losing weight was good. Not being a slave to the 4 hour hunger monster was another good sign. I just never felt like I needed to measure ketones. I suppose if there’s a reason… I just never had one.

(Chris W) #8

Sticks are OK at first, I am one the people that always shows something on the sticks even several months in. I bought a cheap breathalyzer which seems to be giving me a more accurate level of my acetone production. Truthfully its not much more than a novelty, not really needed, mostly just for experimentation I am a numbers person. Someone who is T2D may find it more useful, but they probably already have a glucose monitor.

(Allie) #9

Just curiosity for me

(Karl) #10

I understand why people want to test. But there’s no real need to do so. You can do “keto” without testing a single thing.

There’s stress associated with testing. You WILL encounter readings/data that will baffle you, and you’re going to try to explain those wacky numbers to yourself somehow. Sometimes those numbers will simply not be explainable and might remain a mystery. Prepare yourself for that if you plan on testing.

I gave up on testing. Trying to explain weird/unexpected data were nice hunks of stress I seriously didn’t need - and I hate mysteries - so I quit testing. Out of sight, out of mind :slight_smile:

My weight kept dropping without testing anything except my scale weight - and that was robust enough data for me. You could make the argument that you “really don’t know” if you’re in ketosis without testing (and you wouldn’t be wrong), but that’s ok - so long as the end result is the same. And for me, thankfully it was.

(Scott Telfer) #11

It depends on your own psychology and mental approach to tasks. I find testing interesting and gives me a good idea of what’s optimum or challenging to my ketosis. I also find it tends to keep me more compliant and accountable. There’s lots of info on this forum. I find a blood ketone meter really useful, but completely understand why some don’t feel the need.

(Omar) #12

To me the question is

Do I benefit from Keto or not.?

Are their side effects to the keto?

Have I weight the pluses and negatives if any

I do not know if turning the topic into exact perfect since is possible with meters and such.

For instance, After being in the keto diet for 8 weeks I stopped taking diabeties medicine.

No more foggy brain

I lost 8 kilos

So what if I find that I am not in reasonable ketone level?

Should I quit the diet because the meter is not reading the desired value.

It is what you benefit and how you feel is more accurate than the device.

I may harm myself insisting on a ketone level and ignoring my feelings

(ANNE ) #13

I used both pee and blood measurement. It helped me work out that I needed to adjust my protein levels. As I was consuming too much protein and not enough fat.
Also it gave me an idea of what foods caused problems for me. It is a learning tool nothing more.

(Ruthann) #14

I have just ordered the keto mojo. Mostly because I think the urine strips are l helpful when first getting into ketosis, but not once you are adapted. I am excited to get it!

(Shantanu) #15

If you are just starting out then I don’t recommend measurement. I think it’s better to focus on the way you feel, the scale and non scale victories. I did a good deal of measurement early on (I’m one year in) and never saw ketone readings above 1.0. Ditto after 72 hours of fasting. Most of the time I’m between 0.3 and 0.6. I found measurements to be distracting and disheartening at times so I stopped. I do measure every now and then now but don’t give it too much importance.

(Patrick Samy) #16

I recommend measuring blood ketones to all my patients, the biofeedback is essential to map what you’re eating to fasting blood glucose variations and being in ketosis or not.

However, don’t base your goals on these numbers, use them as information on your journey, focus on how you feel.

That being said, some people also succeed to reach their goals without it.

(Christopher Avery) #17

What problem are you trying to solve?

(Karl) #18

I would hope that MOST people would succeed without it, but what do I know.

You’re telling me that you find it “essential” for people to find meaningful correlations between a blood reading and what they’re eating?

I’m just a layman, but I find that precedent dangerous.

#19

I have a blood meter and use it daily. I like the data, although as someone else said it can be baffling at times. I just got back from a week at Disney, and my ketone readings were around 1.0 every day, just slightly below my normal readings of 1.5+. I made a big effort to stay keto while we were gone, so I was happy with the numbers. But when I got home, I was surprised to see a 4 pound weight gain in 6 days!
Of course it was all water, but my good ketone levels didn’t prepare me to see that number on my scale!

#20

Hi, Chris! I’m questioning metering because I’m read both those in favor and those who say it’s okay not too. In terms of problem I’m trying to solve with keto would be weight loss, energy gain and overall improved cognitive function.