Do you test for ketones?

senorasara

Hi all -
I'm 2 weeks into aiming for nutritional ketosis and read Jimmy Moore's book Keto Clarity recently. Curious whether many of you test for ketones and if so, do you do urine, blood or breath testing? I'm considering it, but am not sure whether to go there or not. I'd appreciate your feedback!
Thanks, Sara

AngInCanada

Nope I'm too cheap lol

msmi1970

I needed to lose a LOT of weight, so i fully committed to get into first nutritional, then optimal ketosis. bought a blood meter. it has proven to be an invaluable tool with proper serum BhB readings & it gives me physiological certainty that i have attained my goals. Great morale booster to see ketone levels hit 5.0. whilst in optimal/starvation ketosis, i lost around 25kgs/55lbs in about 6 months.

BUT strips are ridiculously expensive. cheapest i have found are from Australia. i should add that i test less frequently now, unless i feel that i am bordering on falling out of nutritional ketosis.

Since my ketones have been relatively low in the last couple of months, i have plateaued & struggled to lose weight. Am using the meter daily now to see if my diet is working in raising them up again. close to being in optimal ketosis.

hope that helps.

KetoGirl83

When I started I used to check every day (blood), sometimes more than once, and it has helped me achieve my goals. BUT they're very expensive and I now test less often. I am not eating carbs so I know that the result is just inverse to my blood glucose. The higher my glucose the lower ketones.

KnitOrMiss

Nope. After a certain point, if you carbs are legitimately on level, you'll enter ketosis period. If I could tell with 100% certainty how fat adapted I am, I might buy into this, but my ketone level won't tell me that.

DittoDan

senorasara wrote: »

Hi all -
I'm 2 weeks into aiming for nutritional ketosis and read Jimmy Moore's book Keto Clarity recently. Curious whether many of you test for ketones and if so, do you do urine, blood or breath testing? I'm considering it, but am not sure whether to go there or not. I'd appreciate your feedback!
Thanks, Sara

I use the Ketonix and it is a very good tester. It is a breath analyzer, so painful pricking and expensive strips are gone. The unit is in the low $100's. Its very easy to use.

With all that said, you can avoid the meters altogether if you stay around 30 grams of carbs a day and don't cheat. Its that simple.

I hope this helps,

Dan the Man from Michigan
It's Ketogenic or Bariatric! How I Found the Ketogenic Diet
Blog #10 Keto: Abbreviations, Acronyms & Terminology Used on the LCD & Keto Discussion Groups
Blog #13 DittoDan's Milestone's, First's And Good Changes Since Starting the Ketogenic Diet
DittoDan's Keto Blogs

azcowgirrlup

I am a newbie, only 2 weeks into this, so I bought some strips. I have tested a few times and always in moderate with a ventures into large and a few into small. I will now probably only use them occasionally.

JPW1990

I doubt I'd ever register. I've been adapted for 15 years.

CoconuttyMummy

senorasara wrote: »

Hi all -
I'm 2 weeks into aiming for nutritional ketosis and read Jimmy Moore's book Keto Clarity recently. Curious whether many of you test for ketones and if so, do you do urine, blood or breath testing? I'm considering it, but am not sure whether to go there or not. I'd appreciate your feedback!
Thanks, Sara

Hi Sara,

I use Ketostix (urine). I find it reassuring to be able to check that im definitely in ketosis.

DAM5412

I think for newbies, stix are very helpful. As a newbie, you're still learning which foods have hidden carbs and when you binge, the stix help you determine when you've gone too far and how long it takes to get back into ketosis. I have been sporadically working this WOE since October and still use the stix, especially after a lapse in (food) judgment. Many people advocate the blood meters (always with the disclaimer about the cost of strips), but I think if you are following this WOE strictly for weight management, it's probably unnecessary to have that level of detail. One caveat, the stix stop having readings when you are truly keto-adapted, based on the change in how your body processes fat. I always feel at that point though, most people know they are on track and will stay there without needing reassurance. of course, this is just my own humble opinion

sweetteadrinker2

Never have, doubt I ever will. I'm too cheap and just keeps my carbs low.

slimzandra

I have been doing Keto for at least 55 days. My carbs average highest 40grams (occasionally) and my lowest ave is 5grams, averaging fairly routinely at 15 grams of carbs per day. I use Trueplus Ketone test strips (2-3 times a week) and whether I take measurements in the morning or evening or whether I'm high or low on carbs, or dehydrated or not for the day it seems I am always - - 97% of the time at SMALL 15 according to the color chart on the side of the label. I've perhaps measured 3% of the time slightly darker but not quite as dark as MODERATE 40.

I don't find the color chart on the side of the container very accurate for that reason. I think the distinction between 15 and 40 should be more defined. I'm not even sure what 15 and 40 mean chemically. I think if the strip gets wet it turns the same color! LOL. I am losing weight fairly consistently (.5-2lbs week) and feel that I am doing well on a LCHF diet. Unless I move to blood testing, which I have not, I am not yet impressed with urinalysis testing for Ketones.