Ketone testing

[Debbb]

I know their is much debate on if it is necessary that they turn to lose weight and I'm going to give my belief and problem.
Not really new as posted last year as I then decided to go back on Atkins which I had did in the 80's and lost quite a bit and without problem. In the 90's I tried the new Adkins and it did not work for me so last year went back on this one, and never had good success, lost about 12 pounds but even that was a struggle and went off deciding to try to figure out what was wrong.
I again went back on it a couple of weeks ago and still not having much success. About the strips, one thing I do know is back in the 80's when I had good success by strips turned purple, mainly the whole time I was on it and lost. Especially at the beginning, later on it would fluctuate back and forth to light purple/pink to purple. I know some believe it is not necessary but I believe it depends on the person and that usually in the introduction, if followed right you are suppose to. In fact it's been a long time since I read the orig book (knew it by heart) but it seems to me he states the have to turn purple in introduction, though I could be wrong there.
Mine now are still not and have been trying to figure out what my problem is. I do drink more liquid than I use to and do have a thyroid problem that I did not use to have (though I take medication) plus I have recently gone through menopause but my sticks for some reason are not turning. A little purple one day and then the rest of the time has been a pinkish beige. I do not have the breath or the uncraving of sweets that I did by in the 80's either so something is up. I like using the sticks since they always gave me a guide to what I was doing right and I believe for some they are a indicator of it being done right. I just wonder if anyone else has had this problem and if so did you ever figure out what the problem was.

[porcupine73]

Hello! What's your diet like? Some people end up with troubles if they eat things such as Atkins bars or other packaged 'LC' foods, diet sodas, etc. Certain medications such as antidepressants cause many people weight loss issues.

[Debbb]

Originally Posted by porcupine73

Hello! What's your diet like? Some people end up with troubles if they eat things such as Atkins bars or other packaged 'LC' foods, diet sodas, etc. Certain medications such as antidepressants cause many people weight loss issues.

Hi,

Well I'm on the introduction and have been on it for 2 weeks now and no I have not done the Adkins bars, I also changed from the diet pepsi (splenda) that I did last year to diet cola RC (which is allowed), though I am mostly drinking water or ice tea with sweet & low. I used sweet & low a lot in the 80's and it never stopped me. I don't take antidepressants and the only pill besides a vitamin I take is 1 synthoid a day for the thyroid (had one side of my thyroid removed in the 90's due to a non cancerous nodule). I did have a reoccurring yeast infection last year and I knew that might be effecting it but I believe that is cleared. So I really just don't know. I do recall from the last time that it was important to do it strict the first week or so to kind of jump start things, and for some reason I don't feel like I have ever been able to get to or past that point. It's frustrating.

[porcupine73]

Others will probably have better info, but I know there's been posts where people had trouble losing because of artificial sweeteners and sometimes caffeine. They might not have caused problems in the past, but as people age sometimes it becomes harder to lose weight, so they might be causing trouble now. In general keeping carbs as low as practicable seems to be the fundamental tip. There's some supplements that some people find helpful too such as CoQ10 and acetyl-l-carnitine and others.

[ravenrose]

the problem is the strips. I don't see any reason to think you need them. if you are actually eating very few carbs, you will be in ketosis. you can tell. your mouth tastes different and you start having to urinate a LOT the first few days as your body dumps the water associated with your glycogen stores. yes, being really well hydrated dilutes your urine and makes testing that way harder. I really don't see why you need to, as I said. I've never done it and I've lost 120 lb. and been in ketosis for going on two years now. best of luck!

[Debbb]

Thanks for the replies to both of you.
Well Raven I think the thing that bothers me is that I used them the last time and always turned purple and lost weight good, now no purple and not losing, just a few and then gain back. I know about the mouth/breath taste and the stopping of the sweet cravings and as I said that has not happened this time either, but did before. Just trying to analyze if I am doing something that I am not aware of. I don't really see where age would matter in this instance other than I am wondering about my estrogen levels, doc did say a little off but not enough for meds. She did give me a some estrogen creme to insert on occasion.- another story but not sure if that would have any effect on this. I know in his book he does talk about yeast stopping/stalling it though.

[cabrioluvr]

How about posting a menu? Which version of Atkins are you following?

I am past menopause but have followed Atkins 72 this past week to get back on track (I was wayyyyy off track) and my sticks have been mid-dark purple the whole time and I have lost more weight than usual. Of course I"m also coming off a week of Prednisone for my back so I probably lost a lot of water weight.

I find if I drink anything (light lemonade, etc.) with Aspartame in it I do not lose. Maybe drop all soda and just drink water?

[sweetpea37]

Hi Debb, I can relate to you. I've been a long time Atkineer and I'm having a hard time this time around. I'm doing this with my son and he's doing great. I'm a bit older but I believe in the strips too and I'll explain why in a minute. But I'm on day 57 no cheats and I use the sticks. I'm losing inches, no pounds and my sticks were very light slightly pink/beige the whole time until a week ago. It's as if my body just won't budge!!! So first of all I bought a new scale that will present me with a number on it...I started counting my calories, and I switched from ranch dressing to a couple of teaspoons of bacon grease. for a couple of days. Well, my sticks are purple, I was running to the bathroom like crazy, and I dropped 5 pounds. It's as if my body just finally gave in or something.
Now why I like the sticks: During those first few weeks I was getting discouraged but I knew that if I just stuck it out, something had to give right? One day I was going to walk to get a lottery ticket and I thought "hmmm I could go for a nice sugary Dunkin Donut" so I went to the bathroom and tested myself and the stick was showing I was in ketosis...that was enough proof to make me forget about the donut. I thought 'why would I want to waste my state of ketosis' by eating a donut???? That's where they come in as a handy tool on this plan. Anyway, that's my experience...good luck!

[themuffin]

Hi Debb,
I'm with Sweepea37 when it comes to the sticks. I've done the old Atkins in the past and my avatar picture shows that it works! I want to look like that again. I was in my mid 30's then and now I'm forty one. The weight loss was moderate and consistent back then. The scale says I lost 4 lbs in two weeks this time, but it was double that last time. Anyways, my point is that when the scale is slow those dark pink/purple sticks keep me motivated. I have this fear that being older, and having done Atkins before and attempting to do it several other times, it won't work anymore. When I see the sticks turning purple they verify for me that it is working, even if it takes longer.

I have decided to do clean Atkins with an extended induction period. I plan to drink only water and black coffee. I am eliminated all artificial sweetners. I'm also watching the amount that I eat, but not counting calories. I am hoping that exercising 40 mins, 3 days a week will also help. I am nine days cheat free and I am not tempted.

I weight myself daily, test my ketosis level once in the morning and once at night and I think of all of the great summer clothes I haven't been able to wear.

Good luck to all of us!!!

[anh2100]

I kind of like using the strips.I mean they do have pros and cons for sure.I like to see them change color and knowing that I am in ketosis but on the other hand when they don't change I get a little dis-hearted but I have to remind myself that even if it doesn't change that it doesn't mean that I am not in either.So just like everything else it all depends on the person,for me personally I like to use them.

[kristina]

Need to know what you're eating.

I am using the strips. They are reinforcement that I'm in ketosis, and that the weight will eventually come off

[cricket56]

Hello. I lost 190lbs and had it off for more than ten years until illness caused some problems.Now I have some weight to get off again. I do not bother changing the stats here so don't go by that...I spent years on the Atkin's site with the benifit of the staff right there and this is what I have learned.... the best results are gotten the first time you do a ketogenic plan. Your metabolism will change easily. That is what was refered to the GOLDEN one time shot... there after, each time you attempt to alter the metabolism, it becomes harder and basically, your body is tired of getting messed up.
Strips: they vary in color during different parts of the day and do react more when fat is taken before testing... the longer you are in a ketogenic state, the more the body adjusts and the less dramatic the colors... don't worry about the shade... it is like being pregnant... you can't be in a 'little ketosis' you either are or are not.
As for your taste buds and bad breath.... some have it and others do not. I never did. It is not the best tool to determine your state of ketosis. If you follow the plan you will be adding cards and weighing in to see when the weight loss levels out or stops and if you begin to gain. Gain means you need to cut back. That is how you will know what carb amount you can tolerate. Everyone is different.20 carbs is inductio0n on Atkins and not live on. A 'little' carbs to one is huge to another.
Sugar alcohols will stall weight loss.although they are not impacting your blood sugars as "real" suagr does, it does have an impact of the process. That goes for the wonderful "carb free" rum and diet cokes etc... sorry but that matters.
Bottom line is that you should be eating a healthy intake and the side efffect of that is lose of un needed weight. The goal is to get healthy and learn how to stay that way.
Whether you use the net carb plan or the total carb plan is up to you. Net carbs are the veggies minus the fiber which has no impact on the blood sugar and are healthy for you. I find the people that say it does not work for them have done LC before and they are facing the body not converting not the paln with veggies not working.
Hope this helped and good luck.