Testing Blood Ketones? Post your results here!

[mom2zeke]

Originally Posted by shelley

OH...almost forgot....Buffy's little science experiment, me, had a fasting B/G of 96 and my ketones were .9 today. Woo hoo!!! It's about time!

Congratulations Shelley!!! What are you doing that is helping you get such good results?

[mom2zeke]

Originally Posted by sasonnier

Kristn- it's comforting to hear that you are just now reaching that point. I thought I was never gonna get there, I guess there is still hope for me yet. Many others express that they have diminished hunger- not true for me- yet. I'm hopeful. i just ate my lunch, and boy, i could eat the whole thing again! I'm gonna take a big glass of water and get out of the house to distract myself.

Ketones at 1.4 today (yay), after being lower yesterday.

Sophie--I was thinking of you when I started feeling full. I actually had a moment when I was eating macadamia nuts and could not eat one more (and I hadn't even eaten that many).

Congrats on the great ketones!

[mom2zeke]

Originally Posted by Buffy45

You guys might be right about not ditching the dairy yet, but, wanted to point out that bacon grease is great to fry eggs in. When you finish cooking your bacon, pour the grease through a strainer into a glass jar and keep in the fridge, great to use for frying meats and to season green beans and other veggies.

Love the bacon grease!! We use it for almost everything around here.

And great new avitar Buffy!

[NKSL55]

Originally Posted by tablis

genomics.... SO COOL!

Thanks. Just got an upgrade on our sequencer too. Seems to work great.

--
Phillip

[sasonnier]

ketones at 0.8 this a.m...I'm really frustrated though...I keep gaining :-( What good are the ketones if I'm only gaining. I can't say that my food has been perfect (except for 1 day of 30-40g of carbs), it has been probably too high in fat/calories. My protein levels are usually good. But, i'm hungry and w/2 years of restrictive eating to some extent- I'm just too damn tired and exhausted to keep feeling hungry. I really don't know what else to do.

I am a full 5lbs up from where I was when I started this WOE- and that was 5lbs heavier than I was at the start of the summer, and it is so so depressing.

[tablis]

Originally Posted by NKSL55

Thanks. Just got an upgrade on our sequencer too. Seems to work great.

--
Phillip

WOW- I'm jealous. Fascinated by this stuff! Which branch of genomics are you in?

[mom2zeke]

Originally Posted by sasonnier

ketones at 0.8 this a.m...I'm really frustrated though...I keep gaining :-( What good are the ketones if I'm only gaining. I can't say that my food has been perfect (except for 1 day of 30-40g of carbs), it has been probably too high in fat/calories. My protein levels are usually good. But, i'm hungry and w/2 years of restrictive eating to some extent- I'm just too damn tired and exhausted to keep feeling hungry. I really don't know what else to do.

I am a full 5lbs up from where I was when I started this WOE- and that was 5lbs heavier than I was at the start of the summer, and it is so so depressing.

Sophie--. This must be so frustrating for you. You are in ketosis so you know that you can be a fat burner. Since that's working well I see two other issues that could be getting in the way of losing for you.
1. Hormones/Thyroid--have these been thoroughly checked?
2. Need to reduce fat intake further for a greater energy deficit.

What do you think is going on? When you were losing weight before NK what did you do that worked well? Have you considered going back to that plan?

I understand your frustration with being hungry--is this the right time to do this? As you know I am one who had to "white knuckle" my calories down while in NK. The payoff was that I was losing weight and that kept me motivated beyond the initial motivation of trying something new. To be honest, if I wasn't losing or was gaining I don't know what I would have done.

[mom2zeke]

1.0 blood ketones today. Up .6 lbs to 145.6 this morning.

I ordered more ketone strips yesterday. I'm not ready to give them up even in maintenance.

How is everyone doing today?

[JMCM1]

Sophie if I were hungry I don't know whether I'd be able to continue.
I am one of the lucky ones who is not hungry.

HOWEVER I do have thyroid issues - currently being treated, but it takes awhile to see how much, etc. My dosage was recently increased.

I felt well and clear and happy almost immediately and very quickly lost my desire for much food. I appreciate the good food I eat, but I'm not craving it - HUGE for me.
I haven't checked ketones in awhile because I still feel so well and I'm not gaining.

Kristn is a success and is so helpful. I sure hope you can find the right way, or the tweaks that will help you.

[sasonnier]

Originally Posted by mom2zeke

Sophie--. This must be so frustrating for you. You are in ketosis so you know that you can be a fat burner. Since that's working well I see two other issues that could be getting in the way of losing for you.
1. Hormones/Thyroid--have these been thoroughly checked?
2. Need to reduce fat intake further for a greater energy deficit.

What do you think is going on? When you were losing weight before NK what did you do that worked well? Have you considered going back to that plan?

I understand your frustration with being hungry--is this the right time to do this? As you know I am one who had to "white knuckle" my calories down while in NK. The payoff was that I was losing weight and that kept me motivated beyond the initial motivation of trying something new. To be honest, if I wasn't losing or was gaining I don't know what I would have done.

Thanks Kristn...I had my thyroids checked a year ago, maybe I'll dig up the results and post them here. I was working w/a Naturopath at the time who said that the normal levels are not accurate- but he didn't find anything alarming from my blood results- and he checked all the T's

I tend to have a good day or two, then I eat too much. Before this, I ate paleo- so higher protein and a lower on the fat...i lost eating that way to a point and stalled out at 139lbs (10 lower than where I am today)- so it worked to a point and then stopped. I'm not ready to go back to that- I am happy eating this way. part of me just wants to be happy w/my physical body as it is, the other part of me wants to buckle down and white knuckle it. I'm taking it one day at a time for now. I have had some crappy days as of late. I appreciate the support from everyone!!

[Buffy45]

Originally Posted by JMCM1

Sophie if I were hungry I don't know whether I'd be able to continue.
I am one of the lucky ones who is not hungry.

HOWEVER I do have thyroid issues - currently being treated, but it takes awhile to see how much, etc. My dosage was recently increased.

I felt well and clear and happy almost immediately and very quickly lost my desire for much food. I appreciate the good food I eat, but I'm not craving it - HUGE for me.
I haven't checked ketones in awhile because I still feel so well and I'm not gaining.

Kristn is a success and is so helpful. I sure hope you can find the right way, or the tweaks that will help you.

My 3 DD's and I are all hypothyroid. The one thing we all have in common is that when our thyroid meds are right, none of us crave popcorn, that one food in common for all 4 of us. If our thyroids meds are not right, we all crave popcorn and want to eat it daily, the upside of that is that we see more movies during that time , downside is we start gaining weight. Now, when our meds are just right, we all get what we feel like is a normal appetite, we tend to want to eat like we see other "normal" people eating. For years, we all wondered why we could eat like construction workers and other people didn't seem to have that huge of an appetite. We didn't realize it was the thyroid issue at that time. We still don't think one of my DD's has her optimized yet.

Sophia, I am sorry, I knew that the hunger has been a problem for you but didn't realize that you were also slowly gaining. I truly thought that if you gave in and ate to satisfaction, then you would get into deep ketosis and your appetite would diminish.

What about doing a meat/egg/fat few days with as close to zero carbs as possible, or have you already tried that? Like Judy, I don't think I could stick with this long if I was hungry, I can do that for short periods of time but not for long. Just not the way to live. Are you eating nuts? Might cut those out for a short period to see if it makes a difference. And, are you wheat free?

You may have posted all of this but our group of people doing NK is growing to the point that I can remember what each person is eating, etc.

If the paleo was working, what is your hesitation for not going back to that? DSIL's cousin lost 40 lbs on it quickly to goal, I don't know her but it did seem to work great for her. Since I am slowly losing and happy on NK, I am not looking for a change, but if it quit working, that is certainly something I would look at. Wishing you the best and keep us posted

[Buffy45]

BK 1.3 this AM and BG 82, was happy as I had coleslaw at a restaurant last night and you never know what they put in them, it wasn't the creamy kind. But, I think that is pretty much all the carbs I had yesterday. Weight down to a new low, not much of a loss but I claim each and every oz

[mom2zeke]

Originally Posted by Buffy45

BK 1.3 this AM and BG 82, was happy as I had coleslaw at a restaurant last night and you never know what they put in them, it wasn't the creamy kind. But, I think that is pretty much all the carbs I had yesterday. Weight down to a new low, not much of a loss but I claim each and every oz

Congrats on the new low!

[mom2zeke]

Originally Posted by Buffy45

My 3 DD's and I are all hypothyroid. The one thing we all have in common is that when our thyroid meds are right, none of us crave popcorn, that one food in common for all 4 of us. If our thyroids meds are not right, we all crave popcorn and want to eat it daily, the upside of that is that we see more movies during that time , downside is we start gaining weight. Now, when our meds are just right, we all get what we feel like is a normal appetite, we tend to want to eat like we see other "normal" people eating. For years, we all wondered why we could eat like construction workers and other people didn't seem to have that huge of an appetite. We didn't realize it was the thyroid issue at that time. We still don't think one of my DD's has her optimized yet.

I resisted really pushing my doctors on my Thyroid because I always given the brush off. Sometimes you have to be proactive on this. It wasn't until I really pushed it and had the guts to change doctors multiple times that I finally felt good again and was able to lose weight. If your thyroid isn't optimized you will have a heck of a time with any plan.

[sasonnier]

Originally Posted by Buffy45

My 3 DD's and I are all hypothyroid. The one thing we all have in common is that when our thyroid meds are right, none of us crave popcorn, that one food in common for all 4 of us. If our thyroids meds are not right, we all crave popcorn and want to eat it daily, the upside of that is that we see more movies during that time , downside is we start gaining weight. Now, when our meds are just right, we all get what we feel like is a normal appetite, we tend to want to eat like we see other "normal" people eating. For years, we all wondered why we could eat like construction workers and other people didn't seem to have that huge of an appetite. We didn't realize it was the thyroid issue at that time. We still don't think one of my DD's has her optimized yet.

Sophia, I am sorry, I knew that the hunger has been a problem for you but didn't realize that you were also slowly gaining. I truly thought that if you gave in and ate to satisfaction, then you would get into deep ketosis and your appetite would diminish.

What about doing a meat/egg/fat few days with as close to zero carbs as possible, or have you already tried that? Like Judy, I don't think I could stick with this long if I was hungry, I can do that for short periods of time but not for long. Just not the way to live. Are you eating nuts? Might cut those out for a short period to see if it makes a difference. And, are you wheat free?

You may have posted all of this but our group of people doing NK is growing to the point that I can remember what each person is eating, etc.

If the paleo was working, what is your hesitation for not going back to that? DSIL's cousin lost 40 lbs on it quickly to goal, I don't know her but it did seem to work great for her. Since I am slowly losing and happy on NK, I am not looking for a change, but if it quit working, that is certainly something I would look at. Wishing you the best and keep us posted

The problem is I'm not eating to satiety, I'm eating beyond satiety...some bad habits creeping back in!!! also, I should clarify, my initial weight loss of about 20-30 lbs was really early on (2 years ago) and probably due more to not binge eating more than what I was eating... I think that if I can get my food ducks in a row- eating what I plan to eat and nothing more- even if I am hungry or just not full- then things will turn around (I hope). Eating 5oz of mac nuts ain't good for no one- especially if they eat their regularly planned meals the rest of the day.

I think my problem has less to do w/this WOE and more to do w/my inconsistencies and slips (albeit on allowed foods).

I think I'm gonna ask a friend to be available for me to email my food to...accountability son

[sasonnier]

ok, so here are my thyroid results from a year ago (I think i was on the pill at the time, which may affect the results). I hope this is enough info for you to be able to let me know if they seem out of whack or not
T4 = 10.1
T3 uptake = 21
Free Thyroxine Index - 2.1
TSH = 2.320 (0.450-4.500 uIU/mL)

Does this make sense to anyone?

[shelley]

Originally Posted by mom2zeke

Congratulations Shelley!!! What are you doing that is helping you get such good results?

Well, I listened to my new personal trainer/nutritionist at the gym who was happy I was doing a high fat/moderate protein and low carb eating plan, but said my carbs were too low. I had another LC nutritionist tell me the same thing. To keep my carbs under 5%, but that I needed to have 1-2 cups of green salad and 1 cups of veggies each day. So, with 2 of them telling me this, I added them back in. And, I upped my calories a lot. Yesterday I had over 2,000 (instead of the 1200-1400 I was aiming for and gaining weight on!) I kept my protein the same and my macros are still in the 80-83/14-17/under 5 range.

Today my ketones remained at .9 which surprised me. And my fasting BG went down once again...this morning down to 83!!! That's an all time low for me since starting this. I am taking a bit of berberine.....about 25% of the recommended dose, and have been doing that for 3 days. I think I'm having side effects of "discomfort" in my tummy, but then again, think it might be becuase I forgot to have my salt the last few days and have been slacking off on the water! We'll see if this continues. Oh...and I also lost 1.4# from yesterday to today! Go figure. I nearly doubled my calories, added in salad/veggies and things are finally moving in the right direction. I've always said that nothing my body does is "typical".

[mom2zeke]

Originally Posted by sasonnier

ok, so here are my thyroid results from a year ago (I think i was on the pill at the time, which may affect the results). I hope this is enough info for you to be able to let me know if they seem out of whack or not
T4 = 10.1
T3 uptake = 21
Free Thyroxine Index - 2.1
TSH = 2.320 (0.450-4.500 uIU/mL)

Does this make sense to anyone?

I think you might need to be retested. You need free T4 and free T3 results to see what's going on. Your TSH is in range--but over 2.0 you should definitely have the frees tested! My doctor treats anyone with symptoms and a TSH over 2.0 (but this will be controversial with many doctors).

[mom2zeke]

Originally Posted by shelley

Well, I listened to my new personal trainer/nutritionist at the gym who was happy I was doing a high fat/moderate protein and low carb eating plan, but said my carbs were too low. I had another LC nutritionist tell me the same thing. To keep my carbs under 5%, but that I needed to have 1-2 cups of green salad and 1 cups of veggies each day. So, with 2 of them telling me this, I added them back in. And, I upped my calories a lot. Yesterday I had over 2,000 (instead of the 1200-1400 I was aiming for and gaining weight on!) I kept my protein the same and my macros are still in the 80-83/14-17/under 5 range.

Today my ketones remained at .9 which surprised me. And my fasting BG went down once again...this morning down to 83!!! That's an all time low for me since starting this. I am taking a bit of berberine.....about 25% of the recommended dose, and have been doing that for 3 days. I think I'm having side effects of "discomfort" in my tummy, but then again, think it might be becuase I forgot to have my salt the last few days and have been slacking off on the water! We'll see if this continues. Oh...and I also lost 1.4# from yesterday to today! Go figure. I nearly doubled my calories, added in salad/veggies and things are finally moving in the right direction. I've always said that nothing my body does is "typical".

Congratulations on the loss Shelley! And also for working so hard to figure out what works for you!

[shelley]

Originally Posted by mom2zeke

I think you might need to be retested. You need free T4 and free T3 results to see what's going on. Your TSH is in range--but over 2.0 you should definitely have the frees tested! My doctor treats anyone with symptoms and a TSH over 2.0 (but this will be controversial with many doctors).

As Kristn said....wrong tests!! You need FT3 and FT4. Interesting that Kristn's doc treats with symptoms over 2. Everyone I know that feels optimized and is ON meds feels best with a TSH under 1. Docs freak out if they don't understand this. I too would get re-tested. You can do it for $75 without a doc these days. A local lab, but doing the ordering online. I don't think I can give a website as I've already been warned by the administrators once and don't want to do anything wrong. Maybe I can post it in a PM??? Don't know.

[shelley]

Originally Posted by mom2zeke

Congratulations on the loss Shelley! And also for working so hard to figure out what works for you!

Thanks...I think the reason I'm posting about this is because we are all so different in many ways...male/female, pre/post menopausal, etc. We all have different shapes and sizes and different exercise desires. I can't believe that adding in the carbs has lowered my fasting B/G and finally gotten the scale moving in the correct direction. Crazy stuff!!!!!

[Buffy45]

Originally Posted by shelley

Well, I listened to my new personal trainer/nutritionist at the gym who was happy I was doing a high fat/moderate protein and low carb eating plan, but said my carbs were too low. I had another LC nutritionist tell me the same thing. To keep my carbs under 5%, but that I needed to have 1-2 cups of green salad and 1 cups of veggies each day. So, with 2 of them telling me this, I added them back in. And, I upped my calories a lot. Yesterday I had over 2,000 (instead of the 1200-1400 I was aiming for and gaining weight on!) I kept my protein the same and my macros are still in the 80-83/14-17/under 5 range.

Today my ketones remained at .9 which surprised me. And my fasting BG went down once again...this morning down to 83!!! That's an all time low for me since starting this. I am taking a bit of berberine.....about 25% of the recommended dose, and have been doing that for 3 days. I think I'm having side effects of "discomfort" in my tummy, but then again, think it might be becuase I forgot to have my salt the last few days and have been slacking off on the water! We'll see if this continues. Oh...and I also lost 1.4# from yesterday to today! Go figure. I nearly doubled my calories, added in salad/veggies and things are finally moving in the right direction. I've always said that nothing my body does is "typical".

Oh my, our little science experiment is having success, this is HUGE!!!! Congrats Shelley and I give you for sticking to this while getting very discouraged. So funny to find "sometimes" that we can eat more and yet lose.

[Buffy45]

And adding in the carbs is definitely a "adding in the right carbs" and that can vary from person to person.

[shelley]

Originally Posted by Buffy45

Oh my, our little science experiment is having success, this is HUGE!!!! Congrats Shelley and I give you for sticking to this while getting very discouraged. So funny to find "sometimes" that we can eat more and yet lose.

Thanks Buffy...makes absolutely NO sense to my scientific brain....eat more carbs, eat more calories and things will change for the better. I just hope it continues!!!! We are all so different...that's what is amazing. I've been so frustrated reading all the success stories and trying so hard and only gaining. Just a good reason for those still having issues to try something a bit different in "tweaking" the program, but still staying high fat, moderate protein and low carb.

Yesterday I was:

Calories 2,005
Fat 180.9 (82%)
Carbs (total) 20.0 (4%)
Protein 71 (15%)

Still in the good macros and goal ranges, but I had salad and veggies and no fat bombs and no cheese clouds.....only dairy was that deeeelicious kerrygold butter. They say since it's grassfed, it is not a problem for lactose intolerant people. Guess I'm proving that one! Sure hope this continues for me!

[mom2zeke]

Originally Posted by shelley

As Kristn said....wrong tests!! You need FT3 and FT4. Interesting that Kristn's doc treats with symptoms over 2. Everyone I know that feels optimized and is ON meds feels best with a TSH under 1. Docs freak out if they don't understand this. I too would get re-tested. You can do it for $75 without a doc these days. A local lab, but doing the ordering online. I don't think I can give a website as I've already been warned by the administrators once and don't want to do anything wrong. Maybe I can post it in a PM??? Don't know.

I didn't mean to confuse anyone. Shelley--I meant that she will treat TSH over 2.0 with symptoms if you're not already on thyroid hormone. After treatment my TSH is way below 1.0--barely registers and it's not a problem.

And to further the confusion I was referring to my old GP, not one of my new doctors. I was already treated when I first saw them so I don't know what level they start treatment at. I do know that my endo thinks that if you're untreated your TSH (normal) range should be between .8 and 1.3. Once you're being treated TSH is meaningless.

[UnstrungHarp]

Just a quick check in today... Ketones were at a new low this morning (.3) after two consecutive days of .4. My diet has been basically the same for the past week other than I've been even more diligent to keep protein and carbs in range (around the middle rather than at the max). It's making me so sad to see these low numbers after seeing higher ones a few weeks ago when I used up my first box of strips. I am considering changing my daily test time just to see if my numbers are higher (I need the psychological boost). Maybe mid day, like...now?

My weight has stayed the same throughout TOM, which as of today is now over...but at least "the same" means I've stayed at my new low for a few days without creeping up. Trying to stay positive!

[JMCM1]

Originally Posted by mom2zeke

I didn't mean to confuse anyone. Shelley--I meant that she will treat TSH over 2.0 with symptoms if you're not already on thyroid hormone. After treatment my TSH is way below 1.0--barely registers and it's not a problem.

And to further the confusion I was referring to my old GP, not one of my new doctors. I was already treated when I first saw them so I don't know what level they start treatment at. I do know that my endo thinks that if you're untreated your TSH (normal) range should be between .8 and 1.3. Once you're being treated TSH is meaningless.

I'm so glad I kept reading for hopping in to respond - what Kristn said is correct. 1 or below for TSH if untreated should be fine.
But I did not know that once we are treated TSH is meaningless! Good to know.
If you google healthcheckusa you can find testing you pay for online, then you'll go to a lab in your own town.

I think I found a good doctor who is helping me optimize my thyroid.

[sasonnier]

Originally Posted by mom2zeke

I think you might need to be retested. You need free T4 and free T3 results to see what's going on. Your TSH is in range--but over 2.0 you should definitely have the frees tested! My doctor treats anyone with symptoms and a TSH over 2.0 (but this will be controversial with many doctors).

Thanks!

I did have the free T4/T3 tested, but I can't find those results. It's been a year, so it wouldn't hurt to have it tested again I guess. Now, to find a Dr. who reads b/w the lines w/thyroid stuff. any suggestions on finding someone?

[sasonnier]

Originally Posted by shelley

As Kristn said....wrong tests!! You need FT3 and FT4. Interesting that Kristn's doc treats with symptoms over 2. Everyone I know that feels optimized and is ON meds feels best with a TSH under 1. Docs freak out if they don't understand this. I too would get re-tested. You can do it for $75 without a doc these days. A local lab, but doing the ordering online. I don't think I can give a website as I've already been warned by the administrators once and don't want to do anything wrong. Maybe I can post it in a PM??? Don't know.

please PM me- let me know if you can't for whatever reason

[mom2zeke]

Originally Posted by sasonnier

please PM me- let me know if you can't for whatever reason

I think that you can't order your own tests in NY. But perhaps someone knows a work-around.