Ketosis????

princesspink

Full Member
Hey Guys, I have a question??

Tested for ketosis this morning and was in....2nd from darkest...what does that mean? Does it mean I'm not drinking enough? It was before I'd started my water for the day? I drink 4 litres every day!
Also I tested again tonight and was negative?? Is it different at different points of the day? Am doing ss and have stuck to it 100% ......Can anyone help me?

PP.xx:confused:
 
Hiya, to the best of my knowledge, yes the darker colors mean you are not drinking enough.

I wouldnt worry too much about the stix anyway, some people never get accurate readings from them. If you know you are sticking to it 100% and are drinking 4 litres of water then it is only a matter of time before you get into ketosis. You'll know by the stinky breath and furry tongue syndrome anyway!!
 
Hi pp,I'm glad you posted his thread because exactly the same happens to me.I'm always completely in ketosis first thing in the morning but by about 7pm in the evening the reading is always negative. I wouldnt worry too much because I've been doing it for just over three weeks and it hasnt affected my weight loss at all and I'm getting all the normal feelings for ketosis such as being cold,etc. I've decided to ignore the sticks from now on as I know that I'm doing everything right,hope this helps,
Nikki
 
Hi princess,

Mine showed negative this morning at work but i know i am in ketosis because of the way i am getting through the day, freezing, not hungry, kids and hubby running away when i breath on them, so i am not taking any notice of the sticks.
 
Hope this helps!

How do the ketone test strips work, and where can I get them?

Ketone urine-testing strips, also called Ketostix or just ketone sticks ... are small plastic strips that have a little absorptive pad on the end. This contains a special chemical that will change colour in the presence of ketones in the urine. The strips may change varying shades of pink to purple, or may not change colour at all. The container will have a scale on the label, with blocks of colour for you to compare the strip after a certain time lapse, usually 15 seconds. Most folks simply hold a strip in the flow of urine. Other folks argue that the force of the flow can "wash" some of the chemical away, and advise that a sample of urine be obtained in a cup or other container, then the strip dipped into it.
The chemical reagent is very sensitive to moisture, including what's in the air. It's important to keep the lid of the container tightly closed at all times, except for when you're getting a strip to take a reading. Make sure your fingers are dry before you go digging in! They also have an expiry date, so make note of this when you purchase the strips ... that's for the UNopened package. Once opened, they have a shelf-life of about 6 months -- you may wish to write the date you opened on the label for future reference.
Ketone test strips can be purchased at any pharmacy, and are usually kept with the diabetic supplies. In some stores they're kept behind the counter, so if you don't see them on the shelf, just ask the pharmacist; you don't need a prescription to buy them.

I'm following Induction strictly; why won't my strips turn purple?
Ketones will spill into the urine ONLY when there is more in the blood than is being used as fuel by the body at that particular moment.
You may have exercised or worked a few hours previously, so your muscles would have used up the ketones as fuel, thus there will be no excess. You may have had a lot of liquids to drink, so the urine is more diluted. Perhaps the strips are not fresh, or the lid was not on tight and some moisture from the atmosphere got in.
Some low carbers NEVER show above trace or negative even ... yet they burn fat and lose weight just fine. If you're losing weight, and your clothes are getting looser, you're feeling well and not hungry all the time .. then you are successfully in ketosis. Don't get hung up on the strips; they're just a guide, nothing more.

Will I lose weight faster if the strips show dark purple all the time?
No. Testing in the darkest purple range all the time is usually a sign of dehydration -- the urine is too concentrated. You need to drink more water to dilute it, and keep the kidneys flushed.
The liver will make ketones from body fat, the fat you EAT, and from alcohol --- the ketone strips have no way of distinguishing the source of the ketones. So, if you test every day after dinner, and dinner usually contains a lot of fat, then you may very well test for large amounts of ketones all the time. However this does not indicate that any BODY fat was burned.
The strips only indicate what's happening in the urine. Ketosis happens in the blood and body tissues. If you're showing even a small amount, then you are in ketosis, and fat-burning is taking place. Don't get hung up on the ketone sticks.

Low Carb Diet Tips & Basics - Ketosis & Ketone Test Strips
 
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