Blood ketone reading machine
Options
GrannyMayOz
Posts: 1,051 Member
Very excited that my ketone measuring machine arrived in today's mail. Who else has one? When do you take readings? What results do you like to see show up?
The Diet Doctor says to take fasting readings in the morning but I think I've read somewhere about taking a reading an hour, and then 2 hours after eating as well?
Just curious what others do with theirs.
The Diet Doctor says to take fasting readings in the morning but I think I've read somewhere about taking a reading an hour, and then 2 hours after eating as well?
Just curious what others do with theirs.
0
Replies
-
Hi, I have a blood ketone meter. Have only used it 3 times since I got it a month ago because (a) I have to prick my finger and I'm a wuss and (b) strips are expensive. I didn't know you had to take fasting readings in the morning - I have done mine in the evenings about an hour after dinner. My readings have been either 0.5 (twice) and once 0.7.
- I would like to see them higher eg above 1.0, but I read that 0.5 and above do mean you are in ketosis, so hope this is right.
- I will try doing it in the morning next time (maybe tomorrow as I have the day off) and see what I get.
- let us know how you get on with yours!0 -
Thanks TotalO I will indeed keep you posted. Still 15 hours until my morning. The machine arrived an hour too late for me to do it this morning, I'd had 2 cups of coffee with coconut milk in LOL0
-
How crazy expensive are the meters and strips?0
-
dawlfin318 wrote: »How crazy expensive are the meters and strips?
Meters follow a "razor and blades" style of sales. As a result, the meters are dirt cheap (sometimes even free), but the strips can get pricey. Nova Max is currently running a special on their glucose/ketone meter, where you can get the meter and two boxes of ketone or glucose strips (any combination) for about $40. The strips are also on sale for about $20/box for either type. That's pretty good right now. Outside of such sales, they can run as much as $2 per strip for the ketone ones.
https://storefront.novacares.com/storefront/ <-- Nova Max Plus meter special0 -
I said I'd let you know my morning reading: 1.2 - so looks like morning readings are better!0
-
Well my reading this morning was a little disappointing at 0.4. Ketosis *starts* at 0.5
But I've had my husband home for a 3-day weekend which means I haven't been able to eat for my evening meal the way I usually do. We eat LCHF recipes for our Brunch, but he's the cook and tends to be heavy handed with the onion, capsicum (peppers) and other veg so I have to adjust my carbs down in my evening meal while he's usually at work. Haven't been able to be quite as successful with that with him home, and yesterday blew my calories out as well.
So 0.4 is very much a starting place to build on and aim for better after 25 days *sigh*
However, even though the scales are only down 2 kgs (4 lbs) I can see a significant difference in the mirror already!dawlfin318 wrote: »How crazy expensive are the meters and strips?
I haven't dared price the strips yet, but I got 5 boxes with the meter as a deal. If I was diabetic I could have 'signed' a form to get the machine for free but I'm not willing to lie, so the machine cost me $80 (including the 50 strips) but they have a $40 cash back so that's pretty good. With the result I got this morning I'm really pleased to know the truth, rather than wonder why I'm losing weight so slowly.
0 -
I love my blood ketone testing machine because it gives me hard science and facts. I can draw guaranteed conclusions from my food (and exercise) behaviours...
On Monday I ran on my treadmill and tested my blood ketones afterwards. The result was 0.8 and I did a happy dance (with my remaining ounce of energy) because relatively low ketone readings after exercise mean that you have been burning fat to power the exercise.
My weight was up 200 grams today so I checked my blood ketones. The answer was 1.1, nice and high(ish) so I'd say that I can *know* that weight gain was not additional fat. I've a feeling it was water because I didn't drink as much as usual yesterday actually.
I have been using the flexibleketogenic.com/ tracker to 'rate' my day's macros so, with my blood ketone reading of 1.1 this morning I knew that I don't have to get an *above 2* rating each day to stay in ketosis. My past week's Flexible Ketogenic ratings have been...
Fri 2.17
Sat 1.97
Sun 1.78
Mon 1.89
Tue 2.04
Wed 1.97
And I'm 300 grams lighter this morning than I was on Friday morning, despite one day with higher protein, and 1 day with higher carbs than I would have liked. And 2 days higher fat. Though there were 2 days with lower fat as well.
I track calories and all 3 macros. I don't worry if I'm up or down a bit on any of them, but I aim as closely as I can for all 4 goals each day and it's paying off.
I thrive on numbers, facts, statistics, predictable (where possible) outcomes and am so happy to have a handle on what is working for me in this WOE! I wasn't producing anything to crow about for my first 5 weeks but, through experimentation, observation and record-keeping, I now know what works for me *happy dance*.
If anyone wants my stats for interest sake...
58 years old
5' 5" [I'm 5' 4" but my neck is only ½" long so I claim that extra inch in height that normal people have!!! ROFL]
Currently 85.2 kgs - my highest was 100 kgs (220 lbs)
I'm a very solid, short/wide bone structure
I've been overweight to some degree or another since age 11
DAILY GOALS
Calories 1450 - or anything around 1200 to 1550. *Sometimes* I eat back a portion of my exercise calories
Carbs <15 grams - but I accept up to 20 grams
Fat 125 grams - but I accept between 100 and 125 without problem
Protein 70 grams - well, between 60 and 80 anyway.
Here's my before picture (weighing 88 kgs) and I'll post another when I get under 75 kgs I guess. The lady that took the photo named it, I'm not being vain LOL
0 -
GrannyMayOz wrote: »With the result I got this morning I'm really pleased to know the truth, rather than wonder why I'm losing weight so slowly.
Being deeper in ketosis won't make you lose weight any faster -- that's still going to be a result of your caloric deficit. Keto might make adherence to and compliance with the strategy you're using to achieve that deficit easier to manage, and of course there's some other potential benefits, but it's not driving the scale.
0 -
GrannyMayOz wrote: »With the result I got this morning I'm really pleased to know the truth, rather than wonder why I'm losing weight so slowly.
Being deeper in ketosis won't make you lose weight any faster -- that's still going to be a result of your caloric deficit. Keto might make adherence to and compliance with the strategy you're using to achieve that deficit easier to manage, and of course there's some other potential benefits, but it's not driving the scale.
Very well said....0 -
Being deeper in ketosis won't make you lose weight any faster -- that's still going to be a result of your caloric deficit. Keto might make adherence to and compliance with the strategy you're using to achieve that deficit easier to manage, and of course there's some other potential benefits, but it's not driving the scale.
That result, back on 17th Feb showed that I *wasn't* in ketosis at all, so that was my meaning. That I was happy to know I hadn't yet become ketogenic, because that explained (probably, in part) why I'd barely lost any weight at all by that stage.
But I'm grateful for your input kirkor, If I'm wrong about any of this I definitely want it pointed out to me.
0 -
Wonderful Picture GrannieMay0
-
-
GrannyMayOz wrote: »Being deeper in ketosis won't make you lose weight any faster -- that's still going to be a result of your caloric deficit. Keto might make adherence to and compliance with the strategy you're using to achieve that deficit easier to manage, and of course there's some other potential benefits, but it's not driving the scale.
That result, back on 17th Feb showed that I *wasn't* in ketosis at all, so that was my meaning. That I was happy to know I hadn't yet become ketogenic, because that explained (probably, in part) why I'd barely lost any weight at all by that stage.
But I'm grateful for your input kirkor, If I'm wrong about any of this I definitely want it pointed out to me.
It's these lines from the earlier post:
>Well my reading this morning was a little disappointing at 0.4. Ketosis *starts* at 0.5
>...
>With the result I got this morning I'm really pleased to know the truth, rather than wonder why I'm losing weight so slowly.
and your most recent one:
> I hadn't yet become ketogenic, because that explained (probably, in part) why I'd barely lost any weight at all by that stage.
that look to me that you are looking for weight loss to come from the ketotic state rather than your deficit.
I'm saying that even in deep ketosis, if you are not in a caloric deficit, you will not lose weight.0 -
Ahh yes, I see what you mean now kirkor and you are definitely right. Truly fascinated by myself now, because I was still accepting that everyone not aiming for ketosis would lose weight by deficit.
Thank you for persevering with me, I did need to see that error in thinking! (*)0 -
I enjoy my Abbot Precision Xtra.0
-
Mine's an Abbott too Gale. The FreeStyle Optium Neo.0
-
Naawww thank you ibettyWonderful Picture GrannieMay
Thank you totalobliviatotaloblivia wrote: »Completely agree - lovely photo and nice to have a face to put to the name!
0 -
Have you checked your blood glucose with your meter granny? just curious - and not suggesting that you need to. For myself, higher glucose and higher ketone readings are mutually exclusive - although once adapted I can maintain a decent ketone reading even in the mornings with my dawn phenomenon higher fasting glucose levels. I did a blog post on that one, a couple of weeks ago. For me, IF coupled with keto helped me stick with a deficit, bring down my glucose, bring up my ketones and dump a few lbs. With any luck the trend continues...lol
Nice pic
0 -
-
GrannyMayOz wrote: »Ahh yes, I see what you mean now kirkor and you are definitely right. Truly fascinated by myself now, because I was still accepting that everyone not aiming for ketosis would lose weight by deficit.
Thank you for persevering with me, I did need to see that error in thinking! (*)
0
